About Our Team

Aaron Ashby Romero, film portfolio consultant

Project advisor for The Project Pod

Aaron offers guidance and portfolio reviews for students through the film portfolio application process. Whether assessing required materials or evaluating works for a student portfolio or filmmaker events and exhibitions, he brings professional insights that bridge the gap between creative aspirations and successful outcomes.

Aaron Ashby Romero is a Black-Thai American writer, director, and producer. His mission is to connect people from diverse cultural backgrounds and life experiences through thought-provoking, emotionally compelling, and context-expanding stories. Aaron holds a BFA from the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts.

Through events and virtual reality productions, Aaron has created an artistic practice that combines his experiences in filmmaking, art installation, and community building. Aaron teaches filmmaking and creative writing workshops for students of all ages. As the current Creator Program Manager for Nexon America, Aaron is building an international community of game developers and content creators. He has created commercial and narrative content in North Carolina, Los Angeles, Bangkok, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. Aaron has produced and directed projects for Sony Pictures, Jaunt Studios, Strivr Labs, and Baltu Technologies. His work has been featured at Sundance Film Festival, ArtShare LA, and all major virtual reality platforms.

DUHEE LEE, RESEARCH ADVISOR

THE RESEARCH POD

POD Programs Administrator

Duhee Lee brings a broad spectrum of experience in design, construction, and real estate asset management to advise students in their research of the economics, financing, public policy, and history of affordable housing in the US.

He began his career as a registered architect in the State of New York, has years of design and construction experience in the field and has lead projects valued at more than $1B over his career, and overseen a real estate portfolio with a total market value of $2.9B.

Duhee was at MetLife and their Real Estate Investments department for over 20 years and left as the Director of Asset Management for the Southwestern US, plus HI, and MEX. He was later the Director of Corporate Real Estate at Southern California Edison overseeing a real estate portfolio of over 6.0MSF and an annual construction budget of over $110M. He is now active as an independent commercial real estate consultant. Duhee graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Art and Design from MIT, and delivered his Masters of Architecture thesis from the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University on “Of House and Home – Elderly and Childcare Facilities.”

JOanna chin, ACADEMIC MAJOR & CAREER ADVISOR And Writing specialist

Joanna currently serves as Assistant Director of Advising and Retention at New York University Liberal Studies where she also completed her graduate studies in Social Work. Joanna’s Bachelor of Arts was completed at Wheaton College, majoring in Interdisciplinary Studies, English, Psychology, and Anthropology. Her six years of experience in higher education ranges from mentoring students to find their passion and purpose through the transition to college, career coaching, and developing resources for students to thrive in and outside of school.

A New York native, she is equally invested in making time to write poetry with her cat Darcy beside her computer, exploring nature on trips outside of the city, and critically analyzing period dramas for her own personal delight.

marian chen, project advisor And Architectural portfolio consultant

THE PROJECT POD

Marian Chen holds a Master of Architecture degree from UCLA School of Art and Architecture and a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Design and Analysis from University of California, Irvine.  Her academic studies awarded her the honor of Cum Laude upon graduation and induction into the Phi Beta Kappa National Honor Society in liberal arts and sciences.

In architectural practice, she has worked on large scale projects such as hospitals, cancer centers and  school master plans. Her time with the renowned firm Hodgetts and Fung specializing in museum designs allowed her the unique experience of shaping exhibitions at the Temporary Contemporary (now The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA) for a curated show featuring prominent artists such as Cindy Sherman, Ed Ruscha, and Dennis Hopper. 

In recent years, Marian has taught a variety of subjects to high school students including: Architecture Studio, Visual Arts Studio, Mural Art, Makers’ Lab, and Global Studies. In addition to teaching, she has advised and supported students in developing their portfolios for submission to college.  She is a hands-on educator who is passionate about engaging, ideating and creating with her students.

KIERAN COLLEN, PORTFOLIO & VISUAL ART CONSULTANT

As part of Kieran’s ongoing commitment to student development, he offers guidance and portfolio reviews for students through the visual art application process. Whether assessing required art materials or evaluating works for artist events and exhibitions, his professional insights bridge the gap between creative aspirations and successful outcomes.

Kieran Collen was born and raised in Zimbabwe and attended boarding school in South Africa before moving to the United States as a political asylee. He graduated with Honors from Ringling College of Art and Design in Sarasota, FL, where he majored in Illustration. His creative proficiencies encompass a wide range of disciplines and media, including digital illustration, drawing, painting, photography, and a focus on sculpture. Following his graduation, he worked at multiple high-end art galleries.

He returned to Ringling College of Art and Design as an Admissions Counselor for three years, reviewing hundreds of portfolios, recruiting students around the United States, and participating annually in the National Portfolio Day. His pursuit of merging the creative fields with business led him to Northwestern University, where he earned his master’s degree in Leadership for Creative Enterprises. His thesis focused on disruptive start-ups in the creative industries and the strategic alignment between for-profit and non-profit organizations. He continued his work in the creative field at a fine art gallery in Chicago while concurrently developing an online augmented reality marketplace for the sale of high-end products, primarily fine art.

After leaving Chicago, Kieran now serves as the Vice President of Operations and Business Development for a Washington DC-based data analytics company. While working in the business world, Kieran’s ambition to help students achieve their creative goals has never stopped.