Immigrant Hall of Honor Welcomes Two New Board Members, Expanding Leadership and Immigrant Perspectives

New members bring first-generation immigrant experience, communications expertise and academic research to the organization’s growing national mission.

The Immigrant Hall of Honor welcomes Sumrin Kalia and Carmen Gray to its Board of Directors, expanding the organization’s leadership as it continues building a national digital archive dedicated to preserving and sharing immigrant stories and achievements.

A political sociologist and new immigrant to the United States, Kalia brings both academic expertise and personal experience to the organization. Her research examines civic engagement, democracy, culture, and the ways communities navigate difference and belonging. She has taught at universities in Pakistan, the United Kingdom, Germany and the United States and has published research on the intersection of culture and activism.

Carmen Gray, a published writer, communications professional and retired educator, brings more than 35 years of experience in education, communications, strategic partnerships and community engagement. Gray also brings a personal connection to the organization’s mission. As the daughter of a Mexican-American mother, she brings a personal understanding of how cultural identity and family history can be carried across generations.

The expanded Board also includes Jim Witte, the recently retired founding director of the Institute for Immigration Research at George Mason University. Witte’s involvement is particularly significant because his career has focused on understanding immigration through research. His participation reflects the organization’s commitment to rigorous research while also recognizing that immigration history is ultimately made up of individual lives and family experiences.

Kalia and Gray join a Board that includes IHH Co-Founder Philip Ochoa, CPA and Certified Financial Planner Ken Koskay, as well as Witte.

The expanded leadership team brings together expertise in immigration research, education, communications, business, financial management and community engagement — perspectives that will help guide IHH as it develops its digital archive, storytelling programs and educational resources.

To learn more about the Immigrant Hall of Honor’s leadership, visit immigranthallofhonor.org/leadership.