Ai Hirashiki

Ai Hirashiki joined NetAid in 2006 and serves as a Program Associate on the Global Action Awards team. In this role, Ai is involved in all aspects of the program, from coordinating the application process to conducting evaluations. She also manages student and network relationships and moderates the online community.

Currently a candidate for a Master's degree in International Educational Development at Teachers' College Columbia University, Ai is focused on learning about the role of technology in facilitating both education and development.

After graduating from Columbia University with a BA in English, Ai spent the next decade teaching English in Japan, trading stocks on Wall Street, instructing online writing courses with participants from Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, and India, and moderating a message board for an online community of teenagers.

Born to a Vietnamese mother and a Japanese father, Ai was raised in Hong Kong, Germany, and the US.  Driven by a serious case of wanderlust, she has also traveled extensively in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. When she is not working at NetAid, she enjoys eating her way around the world, hosting international houseguests, reading and napping.