Hi, I'm Connie!

I’m an edupreneur-turned-journalist from Southeast Asia. I am passionate about telling stories from underserved communities and issues related to inequality. My journey has been largely driven by a curiosity to uncover why things are the way they are.

I was most recently at The Christian Science Monitor, where I wrote about topics ranging from education to food insecurity. I have also freelanced as an editor and communications manager. I graduated from the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism with an M.S in Journalism, and received my B.A. in English Literature and Political Science and BMus from the University of Melbourne, Australia.

Before journalism, I was a public school teacher in Kuala Lumpur as a Teach For Malaysia fellow in the inaugural cohort. I co-founded and led a social enterprise focused on university access for underserved, bright students — we were one of the top winners of ASEAN's Next Great Idea, a regional start-up competition. Closing The Gap is now part of the The Tunku Abdul Rahman Foundation, a non-profit public foundation.

In another life, I would have been a professional pianist or music therapist/neuroscientist! My other passions include rock climbing, crossword puzzles, and collecting more books than I can read.

The Christian Science Monitor • 29th June 2021

South China Sea: A new US president confronts an old challenge

The Biden administration has high ambitions for building back relationships with Asian countries. Meeting that renewed goal may require tackling a not-new problem: the South China Sea.

The Christian Science Monitor • 8th June 2021

What should matter most for getting into college? In the UK, more than a score.

In the U.S., schools have increasingly dropped testing requirements for college applicants. Across the pond, the U.K. is facing similar calls to consider a more holistic approach to assessing students.

The Christian Science Monitor • 11th May 2021

Prize, annoyance, memento: The many meanings of my jade bangle

The search for one’s identity is universal. In this personal essay, I write about a traditional piece of jewelry that I have carried with me for a long time, and how it's come to become an ever-shifting reflection of how I see myself.

The Christian Science Monitor • 27th April 2021

Pandemic food lesson: Match struggling farms with hungry people

When the pandemic struck, a rise in hunger was matched by a surge in farms that lost much of their normal demand. In New York, an effort to get food where it's needed may have enduring benefits.

The Christian Science Monitor • 5th April 2021

Carbon score card: Emissions are down but big tasks ahead for Biden

For four years, America’s president didn’t rank climate change as a priority. So does that mean progress on clean energy stalled? Actually no. But experts say the U.S. does need to play catch-up.

The Christian Science Monitor • 19th March 2021

America’s diverse Asian communities unite against hate

America’s Asian communities had already been facing a pandemic-related spike in prejudice and hate. Killings in Atlanta this week have sparked a more concerted effort for solutions.

Medium • 13th May 2020

Immigrant Students Navigate an Uncertain Future Online

(This article originally appeared in School Stories, a digital publication produced by students in the Covering Education seminar at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism.) A Brooklyn high school for new immigrants depends on intense, face to face college prep counseling to help their students successfully enroll in college. How does that happen remotely?

News Column • 4th November 2019

An Afternoon at the New York City Hall

It was that time of the month again – the Stated Meeting, the one day each month when City Council members meet to vote on bills. Unbeknown to many New Yorkers going about their daily lives, decisions would be made inside the stately council chambers of the building that would affect their lives.

Medium • 16th May 2020

Retaining Teachers in New York City Public Schools

Laura Mourino had been teaching math at a large neighborhood school in Queens for twelve years when she finally decided to leave. The school had been made part of the Renewal program, an initiative by Mayor Bill de Blasio to improve the city’s lowest-performing schools. With the program came a change of administration — the fifth such change in the time Mourino had been there. What does it take to retain good teachers in the New York public education system?

19th November 2019

Beer imbibing and choral singing: a serendipitous pairing

A soccer game flickered across the television screens hanging on the walls of a pub in Manhattan. But instead of the rowdy cheers and commentary from the patrons that usually accompany the games, the incongruent sound of choral singing filled the air. Beer Choir, which began in 2017 in Missouri, finally makes its way to New York.