NABEA Leadership

Tyrell Walker

Tyrell is the CEO and Founder of NABEA. He has served as a U.S. diplomat in the People’s Republic of China and the Philippines, and previously worked in the State Department’s Office of Chinese and Mongolian Affairs. He has worked in both private and public sectors on diversity, equity, and inclusion issues throughout the Indo-Pacific. Previously, Tyrell acted as a chief of staff at a civil rights NGO; ran workshops about political activism throughout Japan; and interviewed, farmed, and lived with minority and indigenous communities throughout East Asia. He holds an MA in Asian Studies from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, as well as a dual BA in Government and East Asian Studies from Harvard University.

FAVORITE ACTIVITY IN ASIA:
VISIT TEMPLES AND SHRINES

CHADWICK EASON

Chadwick is President, co-founder, and Webmaster. After graduating Harvard University in 2013, Chadwick began his career as a project manager in South Korea at Samsung Electronics and later went on to volunteer at a non-profit organization in Japan. Overall, he has lived and worked in Asia for over four years and co-founded NABEA with the aim of encouraging members of the black community to break out of their comfort zones and study/work in the Indo-Pacific. Chadwick works on operations, programming, and communications within NABEA.

Favorite Dish in Asia: Tsukemen (Japan)

Khyle Eastin

As CRO of NABEA, Khyle Eastin’s primary responsibility is to conduct research in support of the organization’s mission and goals. Khyle’s professional areas of interest and expertise include China’s national security and foreign policy development, with a specific emphasis on its activities in outer space and the Arctic, and interests in the Middle East region. Eastin has studied and lived in China and the Middle East, and served as a Peace Corps volunteer in China. He holds an M.A. in Asian Studies from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, and a B.A. in International Relations from Pomona College.

Favorite Dish in Asia: Adobo (Philippines)

ALEX FOOTE

Alex Foote graduated in 2015 from Harvard College with a bachelor’s in East Asian Studies, and from London School of Economics and Political Science in 2016 with an MSc in Environment and Development. The past 10 years she’s focused on social and environmental issues in China through research and volunteer work. She worked in New York for a China-based recycled paper and pulp manufacturer, managing post-merger integration projects, and recently joined the sustainability department at PepsiCo. She works on education-related programming within NABEA.

Favorite Dish in Asia: Jianbing (Beijing)

Mark Akpaninyie

Mark Akpaninyie spent three years in China, serving as a Fellow with Teach For China and a lecturer at Baoshan University. He later relocated to Washington, D.C. where he has worked at the Center for Strategic and International Studies examining China’s Belt and Road Initiative and Chinese investment and soft power abroad. Mark is a member of the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations, a Young Leader with Pacific Forum, and a co-founder of the Black China Caucus. He holds a B.A. in Public Policy Studies from Duke University. 

Favorite Dish in Asia: Mixian (Yunnan)

Tabatha Anderson

Tabatha joins the NABEA leadership team with over 10 years of Chinese language study and a strong background in think tank research and writing. Prior to her current position with the International Institute for Strategic Studies, Tabatha interned for the U.S. Department of State, the China Studies program at the Council on Foreign Relations, and the Center for Strategic and International Studies’ China Power Project. In her current role, Tabatha analyzes geo-economic trends and strategies, with a focus on China’s Belt and Road Initiative. She has lived and studied in Taipei, Taiwan and Dalian, China. Tabatha graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park with a dual BA in Chinese and Government and Politics, with a concentration in International Relations.

Favorite Food: Mala Xiangguo 麻辣香锅 (Sichuan)

Paul Yarabe

Paul Yarabe is a graduate of Harvard College (A.B. 2013, Molecular and Cellular Biology) and Harvard Business School (MBA 2018).  He works at Rocket Pharmaceuticals, a biotech company in NYC focused on delivering gene therapy to patients with devastating diseases.  Prior to Rocket, he spent three years in Japan involved in projects ranging from HR-technology, social entrepreneurship and study abroad. His interests include biotech, education, reading, and how technology can augment human relationships.  Within NABEA, Paul works on NYC-related programming, Japan-related initiatives, and the website.

Favorite Netflix show: One Punch Man