The Leadership Institute at Harvard College

Leadership Development Initiative

Karen Ding, LDI Chair

Karen Ding is a sophomore at Harvard, hailing from the bicycle-loving, close-knit college town of Davis, California. After living in Iowa and Alabama, she’s now enjoying the new and different quirks of East Coast life in Cambridge. Karen is a pianist, a violist, a self-proclaimed TV show addict, and an avid runner and outdoorswoman who is always up for a race. She’s a huge Sherlock Holmes fan, as well as a Harry Potter fanatic. In the Harvard community, Karen is a photographer at the Harvard Crimson, an Open Access Fellow for the Office of Scholarly Communication, and a probable Economics concentrator. She has been an active member of LDI for two years.

Kate Ma, Assistant LDI Chair, Senior LDI Member

Kate Ma is a second-year student originally from Ridgeland, Mississippi. She plans to concentrate in Psychology with a secondary field in Economics and a citation in Chinese. At Harvard, aside from working with LIHC as a member of LDI, she is also involved in Harvard Undergraduate Women in Business as a writer for their magazine. She also enjoys being a part the Undergraduate Admissions Committee, as well as a teacher for LIHC’s Citizen Schools Initiative. After college, she hopes to pursue a career in Marketing or Advertising.

Teddy Tiab, LDI Assistant Chair, LDI Member

Teddy is a sophomore in Kirkland House from Anaheim, California. He is concentrating in Government and working towards a citation in Arabic. In addition to the Leadership Development Inititative, Teddy is also the Marketing Director of the Cambridge Queen’s Head, where he also works as a weekly shift manager, the Public Relations Officer of the Harvard-College Students in Africa Initiative, a Peer Advising Fellow for the third floor of Weld, and the secretary of the Kirkland House Committee.

Eric Michel, Senior LDI Member

Eric Michel is a sophomore living in Quincy House who has been a member of LIHC since his freshman fall. He plans to graduate with a concentration in economics and a secondary field in government. He is from Cleveland, Ohio and is a dedicated Cavs, Browns, Indians, and Ohio State Buckeyes fan. On campus, he is an editor on the Crimson sports board. Eric also teaches government to middle school students as a member of CIVICS.

Lynn Yi, Senior LDI Member

Lynn Yi is a sophomore at Eliot House concentrating in Physics. She came from Queens, NYC, where she attended Hunter College High School, took advantage of the various sources of food and music, and got lost in the MET and Central Park. In addition to being a member of LDI since fall 2008, she manages a acapella group that performs Classical music and writes for the Harvard Political Review and the Independent. Outside the Harvard community, she coordinates the I-Help-Liberia Project, a non-profit organization based in New York City that seeks to further scientific education in post-war Liberia. As a mystery fanatic, she spends numerous hours watching House and Castle.

Nicolas Jofre, LDI Member

Nicolas is currently a Freshman at Harvard College, prospectively concentrating in the areas of Government and Sociology. Originally from Santiago, Chile, Nicolas has lived in Southern California since 2001. During high school, he helped to manage a student-run non-profit organization which focused on developing leadership skills in California’s youth. He was also an advocate for student views in education reform in Sacramento. Nicolas spends his free time covering pop songs on his acoustic guitar, and exploring Boston’s neighborhoods. He also sits on the the Special Events Committee of the Institute of Politics at Harvard and works with the Harvard Concert Commission. His favorite food is pasta.

Kelly O’Grady, LDI Member

Kelly O’Grady is a first year student hailing from Duxbury, Massachusetts. She hopes to concentrate in Social Studies during her time at Harvard and cultivate her leadership skills through her work with LIHC. Other than LDI, she is avidly involved in the business and productions aspects of Harvard Undergraduate Television and actively engaged in Harvard Women in Business. In addition, she greatly enjoys studying Chinese, figure skating, and competitive latin ballroom dancing. After college she hopes to pursue a career in the entertainment finance industry. Kelly is greatly pleased to work on such meaningful projects and to be a part of the LIHC community.

Liora Simozar, LDI Member

Liora Simozar is a freshman living in Pennypacker from Los Angeles, California. She is currently a junior member of the Leadership Institute at Harvard College. After living for California for 8 years, she is returning to the coast she grew up in and is looking to study Psychological Economics. She’s a huge fan of frozen yogurt and can often be spotted on campus in Disney apparel.

The Presidents Forum

Weina Zhao, TPF Chair

Weina Zhao is a sophomore at Harvard College concentrating in Social Studies. She lives in Pforzheimer House with her pet bonsai tree. She is from San Francisco, California and enjoys hyphy and Giants games. On campus, she is involved with various Model United Nations activities as well as the Harvard College Law Society.

Will Guzick, Senior TPF Member

Will Guzick is a junior in Quincy House concentrating in Economics and pursuing a Secondary Field in Statistics.  He is originally from Greer, South Carolina, where he spent most of his childhood, with the exception of two years in France. At Harvard, Will works as an Ec10 Unit Test Supervisor, directs the Languages at Work Conference Series, and coordinates a mentoring program for economics students.  He also mentors freshmen as a Peer Advising Fellow and is an active member of the Harvard College Consulting Group and the Harvard Investment Association.  Will enjoys traveling and spent the past two summers in Seoul, South Korea, and Beijing, China.  For the past two years, he also competed for the Varsity Men’s Tennis Team.  In his spare time, he enjoys running in road races, following European soccer, and hiking.

Jade Le, Senior TPF Member

Jade is currently a senior at Harvard College concentrating in Psychology (Social & Cognitive Neuroscience track).  She’s a proud moose of Dunster House and absolutely loves the community and awesome dining hall there.  She’s looking towards law school after graduation.  She studied abroad for a semester in Rome, Italy where she had the opportunity to travel all over Europe and Egypt; act in, direct, and produce a few short films; intern directly under the CEO of an international public relations company, make friends with the locals and enjoy the cuisine.  She values public service work, enjoys giving back to the community, and especially loves working with children.  She is a member of The President’s Forum and has written for the Harvard University Leadership Magazine.  She welcomes infinite smiles and hugs, so feel free to come say hello anytime!

Alice Li, TPF Member

Alice Li is a sophomore, currently living in Eliot House, but her home is in the liberal, the unique, and the pristine San Francisco, CA. She is concentrating in English and pursuing Honors. Fascinated in all things creative, she has taught herself how to draw; played the piano for eight years; produced, directed, and acted in plays; and writes plays and short stories. Still, she is firmly fastened to the ground by participating in volunteer work with Chinatown Citizenship, plans conferences here and abroad with the Harvard in Asia Program, and is a staff writer for Tuesday Magazine among other things. Most of all, she enjoys the work she does for The Presidents’ Forum.

Erfan Soliman, TPF Member

Erfan is a sophomore in Kirkland House, concentrating in Engineering Sciences with a secondary in Economics. He grew up in Calgary, Canada, but attended an American/international high school in Doha, Qatar. A member of LIHC since fall 2009, Erfan is also involved in many other organizations at Harvard. These include Harvard Model United Nations, Woodbridge International Society, and Engineers Without Borders. Erfan loves to travel and meet new people, and he’s also a huge fan of sports like volleyball and soccer.

Social Outreach

Emily Harburg, Co-Vice President and Social Outreach Chair

Emily Harburg is a junior in Mather House concentrating in social anthropology with a secondary in psychology. Born in Michigan, Emily spent her childhood moving around the world with her family, living in places like New Mexico, Spain, Oklahoma, and Switzerland. Within LIHC, Emily originally joined LDI and launched the Leadership Institute-Citizen Schools partnership in the fall of 2009. Emily is also a member of the Amigos y Lectores Reading Buddies Program, Harvard Women in Business, and plays on the Varsity Women’s Volleyball Team. In her free time, Emily enjoys skiing, traveling, and boggle.

Dalumuzi Mhlanga, Social Outreach Assistant Chair

Dalumuzi Mhlanga is a freshman living in Straus and is from Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. He comes from a family of four children where he is the only boy (rather, man!). He prides himself in his middle name, “Happy”; many people doubt its legitimacy. For the record, it is in his passport. He plans to concentrate in Social Studies. He joined LIHC in the first semester of his freshman year as a member of LIHC’s Citizen Schools Initiative. Outside LIHC, he is a member of the Youth Alliance for Leadership and Development in Africa; works at the Faculty Club as a salad “chef”; and is a budding actor. In his free time, Dalumuzi enjoys chatting with people, laughing with people, and dancing alone. Once he graduates, he hopes to return to his country and contribute to the development and empowerment of its youth.

Elizabeth Bates, Social Outreach Member

Elizabeth is currently a junior in Pforzheimer House concentrating in Psychology (Social & Cognitive Neuroscience track) with a certificate in Health Policy. She is from Tenants Harbor, Maine, where she loves to be outside, whether its in the mountains or on the water. Within LIHC she is a part of the Citizens Schools partnership and really enjoys working with the children. She mentors freshmen as a Peer Advising Fellow and is a member of the Varsity Lightweight Crew Team. Lizzy loves her summer job as a camp counselor and after college hopes to travel around the world.

Scott Gregg, Social Outreach Member

Scott Gregg is a Junior in Mather House and is a Citizen Teacher for LIHC at Edward’s Middle School. As a Social Studies concentrator, he specializes in Leadership and Power in the Middle East while also pursuing a citation in the Arabic Language. His work interests extend to issues of social justice internationally. He works as a community organizer for the Harvard AIDS Coalition, and has helped build the “Say Yes to Drugs” campaign on campus. Also, he is the South America Regional Director for a Cambridge based Microfinance non-profit called ADITO.

Sheba Mathew, Social Outreach Member

Sheba Mathew is a freshman in Wigglesworth and though she hails from Cleveland, Ohio, she is a proud Pittsburgh Steelers fan. Her enthusiasm for leadership development and mentorship brought her to the Citizen Schools Initiative. With a strong background in research and a keen interest in global health, she hopes to concentrate in neurobiology or social anthropology. She loves running, singing, and playing piano. Outside of LIHC, she is most heavily involved in the South Asian Dance Company and the South Asian Association, where she serves as Co-publicity chair, and she hopes to expand her extracurricular involvement in the spring.

Harvard Undergraduate Leadership Magazine

Maria Li, Editor-in-Chief Harvard Undergraduate Leadership Magazine

Maria is a senior Sociology concentrator in Currier House.  Originally from Atlanta, GA, Maria has participates in numerous organizations on campus including Identities Charity Fashion Show.  A LIHC member since 2007, Maria started as a section editor of the Harvard Undergraduate Leadership Magazine and has assumed the role as Editor-in-Chief for the second edition of HULM in 2009.

External Relations

Valentin Fernandez, External Relations Chair

Valentin Fernandez is a sophomore in Pforzheimer House concentrating in Economics and pursuing a secondary field in Mathematics. This past summer, he interned with a microfinance institution in Buenos Aires, Argentina. At Harvard, Valentin has pursued his interest in microfinance as a Grant Director and Regional Director for Latin America for A Drop In The Ocean, a student group that assists MFIs around the world and raises awareness on campus about microfinance. He also serves as the Comptroller and Strategic Development Manager of The Harvard International Review. Off campus, Valentin is the Academic Director of Roots of Hope, a national organization focused on empowering youth in Cuba. With LIHC, he is working hard to create lasting partnerships with other organizations and to ensure the long-term development of the Institute.

Yi Han, Assistant Director External Relations, External Relations Member

Yi Han is a sophomore in Quincy House from New Jersey. On campus he is a Freshman Outdoors Program leader and a member of the Social Enterprise Association. Yi enjoys traveling to new places, spending time in the woods, rowing and sculling, and inventing possibly useful things. Yi is pursuing coursework in engineering sciences and economics.

Evan Greif, External Relations Member

Evan Greif is a freshman living in Holworthy and a member of the Leadership Institute’s External Relations committee. He is originally from Baltimore, Maryland but moved to Texas when he was ten and has been enjoying the weather ever since. At Harvard, he is active in the Harvard College Consulting Group and the Harvard Investment Association.