Meet Our Team

Athletes, educators, cultural ambassadors, and community leaders.

ISCEA is guided by operation leaders, advisory committee members, and coaches committed to international sports and cultural exchange.

Operation Team

Leaders who organize ISCEA programs.

President

Kathy Liu

Kathy is a lifelong athlete and former national table tennis champion who has dedicated her career to connecting people across cultures through the universal language of sports. As a certified pickleball coach and co-founder of ISCEA, she leads global efforts to make sports a bridge for friendship, leadership growth, and cross-cultural connection.

With executive experience at Siemens and as Vice President of a NASDAQ-listed edtech company, Kathy combines strategic vision with a deep passion for mentorship and innovation.

Director of Finance & Compliance

Sharon Yip

Sharon Yip is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in Virginia with over 25 years of experience in tax and accounting across public accounting and corporate sectors.

Beyond her professional career, Sharon is an enthusiastic pickleball player and community builder. She is passionate about expanding the sport's reach and creating inclusive opportunities for people to connect, learn, and thrive through pickleball.

Marketing and Media

Hongjie Ma

Hongjie is a photographer and photo editor whose work documents the social and cultural landscapes of contemporary China. For over four decades, he has captured the lives of ordinary people with a journalist's rigor and a humanist's eye.

A longtime contributor to Chinese National Geography, Ma's acclaimed projects have been widely exhibited and recognized for their insight into China's changing society.

Director of IT

Stephen Ning

Stephen is a data engineer dedicated to data integration and analysis. His greatest sense of accomplishment comes when systems communicate smoothly and efficiently through well-structured data.

A lifelong sports enthusiast, he sees in athletics the same spirit of connection and integration that defines good data: movement, harmony, and shared language.

Advisory Committee

Community guidance for cross-cultural exchange.

Chair of Advisory Committee

Xiangbo Xia

A respected community leader and cultural ambassador, Xiangbo has long been dedicated to promoting friendship and understanding between China and the United States through education, sports, and the arts. He has organized and led numerous large-scale cultural and sports exchange programs, including the 2025 U.S. Youth Pickleball China Tour.

Advisory Committee Member

Chao Wu

Dr. Chao Wu serves as a Maryland State Delegate representing District 9A and brings his expertise as a data scientist, educator, and community volunteer to ISCEA's advisory board.

Advisory Committee Member

Han Xiao

Han Xiao is a former elite table tennis athlete and distinguished sports leader who has represented the United States on the world stage, including as a four-time member of the U.S. World Championship National Team and bronze medalist at the 2007 Pan American Games.

Coach Team

Coaches developing global pickleball pathways.

Lead Coach

Houston Poem

Houston Poem is a nationally recognized pickleball and tennis coach with a proven record of developing champions and inspiring athletes worldwide. At ISCEA, Houston is dedicated to building an international coaching and certification system that cultivates the next generation of pickleball coaches around the world.

Coach

Wei Xiao, Ph.D.

Dr. Wei Xiao is an accomplished tennis and pickleball coach with over 15 years of experience in athlete development and sports education. At ISCEA, he contributes his expertise to building structured training pathways and inspiring the next generation of global coaches.

Coach

Qijun Cao

Qijun Cao is a certified pickleball coach and dedicated community instructor with extensive experience teaching players of all ages. At ISCEA, Coach Cao is committed to expanding pickleball education and inspiring more people to experience the sport's global spirit of friendship and connection.

Get involved

Help build bridges of friendship through sport.

ISCEA welcomes athletes, educators, clubs, sponsors, coaches, and volunteers who want to connect communities across borders.

Contact Us