For 25 years, Lina has dedicated her career to building solidarity while fostering empathy, critical thinking, and civic responsibility. Lina came to the United States as a child from the former Soviet Union, and her family’s experiences and resilience inspire and motivate her to pursue this work. As a classroom teacher, school administrator, and professor, she has grounded her practice in human rights and social justice, believing that education is essential to building just, compassionate, and pluralistic communities. Lina holds an EdD in International and Multicultural Education and an MA in Educational Administration. In addition to her work in schools, Lina has served as Chair of the Human Rights Committee for the United Nations Association of San Francisco and on the Steering Committee for Human Rights Educators USA. She also completed a Fulbright-Hays curriculum development project in Ghana. Lina has been an active partner in the California Teachers Collaborative for Holocaust and Genocide Education, where she has advanced awareness of the Uyghur genocide and Uyghur diaspora perspectives through education, scholarship, and public engagement. She looks forward to expanding Holocaust and genocide education and supporting educators in countering antisemitism, hate, and dehumanization in her role at the JFCS Holocaust Center.