Welcome Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) Faculty and Staff
The APIDA Faculty and Staff Alliance is the one of eight identity-based Affinity Groups (African American Affairs Council, Alumni, Latino/a Faculty and Staff Association, LGBTQ, Native Nations Council, Veterans, and Womyn of Color Collective) at MSU Denver. The Office of Diversity and Inclusion supports these groups in promoting and providing a sense of belonging and community for employees.
Originally created as the Asian/Pacific Islander Faculty and Staff Alliance in Spring 2019, the group’s name was changed to the Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) Faculty and Staff Alliance in Fall 2020 to be intentional and honor the uniqueness of our communities. APIDA is a more inclusive pan-ethnic term to describe the diversity within Asian and Pacific Islander populations.
We provide…
- A space for APIDA faculty and staff to connect with a group of like-minded peers.
- A place to build community with people from similar cultural backgrounds and families.
- Events and networking opportunities.
- An avenue to share our unique perspectives and stories.
What is an Affinity Group?
Affinity Groups are voluntary associations of people who have common interests. Affinity Groups play a vital role in articulating, promoting and supporting the needs and goals of their various communities and organizations. Their primary focus is to develop and improve the campus climate by increasing the presence of diverse faculty and staff. The groups can assist the organization with the recruitment, retention, and promotion of top diverse talent. In addition, they can help increase morale, provide insights into diverse areas, build bridges to the community and empower members.
Our Leaders and Members
Note: Not all members elected to be represented on our site
Courtney Matsumoto, M.A. (she/her)
Founder/APIDA Alliance Board Member
College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, Data Analyst, Marketing and Communications Senior Manager
[email protected] 303-615-0822
Amy Watanabe (she/her)
APIDA Alliance Board Member
Associate Head Coach, Women's Volleyball
[email protected] 303-615-0582
Kaycee Gerhart (she/her)
Filipina, White
Vice President, Government and External Affairs
[email protected]
Mingli He (he/him)
Chinese American
Professor, Mechanical Engineering Techology
[email protected] 303-615-0549
Shireen Khan (she/her)
Technical Project Manager, Application Services
Juhee Kumar (she/they)
Indian (south asian)
Industry Navigator - Financial Services and Business Operations, C2Hub
Kristen Narona (she/her)
Filipina
Scholar Advisor, TRIO Student Support Services
[email protected] 303-605-2069
Christine Sheikh (she/her)
Pakistani American
Specialist, Student Academic Services
[email protected] 303-615-1919
Andrew Sia (he/him)
Filipino & Chinese American
Staff Psychologist, Counseling Center
[email protected] 303-615-9988
Bleu Vargas (they/she/siya)
Pilipinx/Filipino
Assistant Director, LGBTQ Student Resource Center
[email protected] 303-605-7921
Kathryn Williams (she/her)
Instructional Accessibility Specialist, CTLD
APIDA Events and Socials
APIDA Social for staff, faculty and students ~ April 10, 2024
APIDA Social for staff, faculty and students ~ April 10, 2024
APIDA Social for staff, faculty and students ~ April 10, 2024
APIDA Social for staff, faculty and students ~ April 10, 2024
APIDA Social for staff, faculty and students ~ April 10, 2024
APIDA Social for staff, faculty and students ~ April 10, 2024
APIDA Social for staff, faculty and students ~ April 10, 2024
APIDA Social for staff, faculty and students ~ April 10, 2024
APIDA Social for staff, faculty and students ~ April 10, 2024
APIDA Social for staff, faculty and students ~ April 10, 2024
APIDA Social for staff, faculty and students ~ April 10, 2024
APIDA Social for staff, faculty and students ~ April 10, 2024
Badminton Showdown ~ March 3, 2023
Badminton Showdown ~ March 3, 2023
Mile High Asian Food Week ~ Feb. 24, 2023
Escape Room ~ Dec. 19, 2022
Escape Room ~ Aug. 1, 2022
Dumpling Making ~ April 21, 2022
Dim Sum ~ May 24, 2021
Contact the APIDA Alliance
The APIDA Faculty and Staff Alliance is sanctioned by MSU Denver’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion.
Email APIDA Alliance