Dr. Yu-Lan Lin has been a teacher/administrator for 43 years. She retired from the position of Senior Program Director of World Languages of the Boston Public School system in 2013. Lin holds a B.A. degree in Turkish Language and Culture; an M.Ed. in Bilingual and Multicultural Studies; and an Ed.D in Reading and Language Development from Boston University.

She began her 43-year career as an elementary teacher at the Josiah Quincy Elementary School in Boston in 1979. Four years later, she started and directed the Mandarin program at Snowden High School, Boston. In 1997, she assumed her responsibility as the Boston school district supervisor for world languages. She has been the Executive Director of the Chinese Language Association of Secondary-Elementary Schools (CLASS) from 2005-2016. In 2004, Lin was selected to serve on the Chinese AP Task Force Committee for the College Board, from 2005-2012, she was appointed to serve on the AP Chinese Curriculum and Assessment Development Committee, and from 2013-2015, she served on the World Language Advisory Committee and the Academy Assembly Committee for the College Board.  Lin has been various STARTALK programs’ lead instructor, mentor and site visitor for the past ten years. She has been the pedagogy instructor, at New England K-12 CFL Leadership Institute at Tufts University for the past five years.

Her published work includes co-authorship of the CLASS Professional Standards for K-12 Chinese Teachers. She is the recipient of MaFLA’s Distinguished Service Award; NECTFL’s Nelson H. Brooks Award for Outstanding Leadership in the Profession and ACTFL’s Florence Steiner Award for Leadership in K-12 Foreign Language Education.

Linda Thorsen is a writer, historian, and instructor who currently balances various part-time work with community involvement. Her long-time passions include learning, writing, history, travel, and reading. The daughter of Swedish immigrants, she grew up in New Jersey and has also lived in Pennsylvania and Delaware. She and her husband Mark Bernstein have lived in Malden since 1989.

Ms. Thorsen’s career began with twelve years in software documentation, first as a software technical writer and then as a manager of writing teams. She later held roles in product management, product marketing, and marketing communications, and has worked independently since 2007. Over four decades, she has worked for seven software companies, a marketing consulting firm, and a PR firm—and as an independent consultant. In these various capacities she has helped businesses define clear and compelling company and product messages and deliver those messages through diverse written materials.

She was part of the founding team of local nonprofit Malden Arts and served on its board for ten years. She is currently Second Vice President of the Malden Historical Society, and has delivered several talks on Malden history. Since 2012, her community involvement has also included volunteer work on a number of political campaigns, from local school committee and city council races to presidential campaigns. She has been Chair of the Malden Ward 3 Democratic Committee since 2016.

Since 2010, Ms. Thorsen has also been a teaching assistant for evening on-campus and online college courses at Harvard Extension School covering various topics in world history, U.S. history, and historical methods. Ms. Thorsen holds a B.A. in English Literature from Swarthmore College, an Ed. M. (Master of Education) from Harvard Graduate School of Education, and an ALM (Master of Liberal Arts) with a concentration in History from Harvard Extension School.

Ms. Grossi is a Senior VP at Citibank in Boston. She manages a specialized portfolio focused on the region’s many gasoline and heating oil retailers. Marina has studied Mandarin Chinese for many years, and her undergraduate work at Harvard University included a concentration in Chinese Studies, with courses taught by Fairbank and Reischauer, among the thought leaders in the field. She has an MBA from the University of Connecticut, and lives with her husband and two sons in Boston, Mass. Marina serves as Treasurer of the CCC.

Dr. Li has a decade of experience in the biomedical research industry, and is currently providing consulting services about China's biopharma market for U.S. companies and non-profit organizations. Feng began his career at Informax. At Whatman, Schleicher & Schuell, and Corning Inc., he helped form the field application scientist group to provide technical support for the sales and marketing group. Dr. Li has been a commissioner of the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation (an NGO) since 2004, and was the Associate Director of the Boston Service Center from 2007-2009. He organized several charity events, including fund raising concerts, the New Year Blessing Ceremony, and a Health Fair. Dr. Li holds a Ph.D. in pathology from the University of Cincinnati and a M.D. from Shanghai Medical University. He and his wife have lived in Malden for more than ten years, and both are committed to giving back to their community.

Luke Lin is the founder and driving force behind My Culture Connect, a nonprofit dedicated to improving the quality of education for students in rural areas of Taiwan. Since the organization was founded, more than 2000 people have benefited from its services. Among its partners are the International TEFL Academy (ITA), Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE), Truman State University, and Northern Michigan University. In August 2022, My Culture Connect was chosen as the highlight charity by the ITA in Chicago for its practicum program.

Born and raised in Chiayi, Taiwan, Luke began his career as an elementary school teacher in 1988 and later became a middle and college lecturer. However, driven by a desire to make a greater impact, he quit his job to pursue his dream of helping rural students. He has been doing volunteer work for more than two decades, connecting Taiwanese classrooms in Changhua County with English-speaking volunteers from around the world. He believes that students can develop critical thinking skills and learn to appreciate their own culture if they are exposed to different cultures and languages.

Luke's contributions to education in Taiwan's rural areas were recognized with a national award in 2014. He is convinced that by serving others and sharing positive thoughts, we can make the world a better place to live. When he is not working, Luke loves reading Chinese classic literature and practicing calligraphy.

Mei Hung, a native of Taiwan, came to America to pursue higher education,  expand her horizons, and search for the meaning of life. Once in the  United States, she was fascinated by American culture, while she also  developed a deep appreciation for her own Chinese cultural heritage.

Since joining the Chinese Culture Connection (CCC) in  1997 as a volunteer, Mei saw a high-minded organization that, not only  gave her the opportunity to share her cultural heritage, but also  provided a great way for her to learn more about the American way. In  1999, Mei succeeded the founder and Executive Director of CCC, Catherine  Hsu, and relocated the charitable and outreach organization to Malden. During her tenure, Mei has delivered numerous programs, as well as  developed many new ones. She hopes that using Chinese arts and culture  as a conduit will inspire all cultures to come together to connect,  understand and appreciate each other. Hopefully, this spirit will help  unite humanity into a world of mutual benefit.

Mei has been a member of the Kiwanis Club International since 2000, and has served as an advisor to the Key Club  at Malden High School since 2011. She is a member of the Advisory  Council at Mystic Valley Elderly Services and a Community Council Member  of the Hallmark Health System.

Mei obtained her BA degree from Bentley (College)  University, and earned her MA degree in Education and Psychology from  Tufts University. She has studied Tai Chi for many years with  world-renowned masters, which has informed her teaching at Boston  University since 2003. In her rare moments of free time, Mei enjoys  cooking and playing the GuQin, an ancient Chinese stringed instrument.

Hilda Torres is from Mexico and is the eldest of seven siblings. A proud mother, she has four delightful children, two boys and two girls. Hilda also enjoys spending time with her two grandkids, as well as her faithful companion, Cooper the dog. As the Executive Director of My Little Best Friends Early Learning Center, Hilda draws upon her extensive twenty-seven years of experience working with young kids, who continue to bring a smile to her face every day. She received an associate's degree in Early Education from Bunker Hill Community College in 2009 and a mini MBA in business from UMASS Boston University. 

Recently, in June 2023, Hilda gladly accepted an invitation to serve as a board member for the CCC. She actively contributes to various other boards as well, including the Malden Chamber of Commerce (since 2013), Electra (since 2015), Friends of Fellmere Heights (since 2015), Chelsea Business Foundation (since 2021), and Malden Industrial Association (since 2020). Since 2011, she has also been a proud member of the International Association of Women. 

Hilda's deep love for the Malden community motivates her to actively engage in activities that hold significance and contribute to its betterment. She views her involvement with the CCC as a valuable opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of how she can better serve the diverse communities of Malden. With her strong dedication to making a positive difference in the lives of children, joining this board holds great significance for her. The CCC's dedication to serving children directly resonates with Hilda's personal mission.