Editor's Note: "Voices on the Board" is a series of interviews with the AACRAO Board of Directors. Get to know the volunteer professionals who are elected by our membership to oversee the mission of AACRAO. Voting Members: Thank you for voting in the 2025 AACRAO Elections. See the results and meet the incoming BOD leadership team, including Chris Huang, recently elected President-Elect.
By Corey M. Sjoquist, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Admissions & Recruitment, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
Chris Huang is the AACRAO Vice President for Information Technology. He may be a familiar face due to his involvement with the Nominations and Elections Committee and recent service as State & Regional Relations Committee chair from 2020 to 2022. Those serving in leadership roles in state and regional organizations know Huang as a key connection with AACRAO. He is also one of the first people to share a smile and say hello to those attending AACRAO events.
Those who have met Huang may be surprised to learn that he tends to be introverted; however, he admits that attending conferences and connecting with AACRAO colleagues energizes him. Perhaps Huang’s engagement is his secret to staying young, as he confessed that he is older than he looks.
Huang’s interest in serving on the Board of Directors is really a progression of his involvement with AACRAO. He first connected with the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander Caucus, which soon led to serving as Vice Chair and Chair. Huang’s leadership skills were then tapped to help with and lead the S&R Relations Committee.
He describes his nomination to the Board of Directors as humbling and a means to give back, especially for an organization that has so richly given to him, both professionally and personally. Huang also affectionately credits his AACRAO engagement to the “Tina Falkner plan.” Early in his career, Falkner was the AACRAO representative to the Illinois ACRAO conference. He asked her for advice on becoming more engaged in AACRAO. Falkner recommended first getting involved at the state and regional level. Huang took that advice to heart, eventually serving as the president of IACRAO. Additionally, Huang believes that representation matters and is honored to be the second Asian American AACRAO Board member.
For those interested in increasing their AACRAO engagement, Huang recommends starting with presenting at your state and regional conference and getting involved with your state and regional organization. He believes that everyone’s experience is unique, and that people will learn from yours. Oftentimes, the networking at annual meetings leads to conversations reinforcing that challenges on campuses can be very similar. The perspective of others can help identify solutions. When in a pickle, a colleague may be exactly what you need.
Finally, the AACRAO Leadership Meeting brings together the most involved people within AACRAO (committee chairs, vice-chairs, etc.), and he finds it nice to be among kindred souls and learn what initiatives AACRAO is focusing on.
Huang acknowledges that the Board has been emphasizing equity and inclusion prior to the start of his term and points to the change in membership structure with unlimited rosters as a significant step toward reaching more individuals. In his role as Vice President for Information Technology, he is especially cognizant of the AACRAO website being American Disability Act compliant. He noted that the AACRAO Board authorized strategic funds to move forward with an initiative to refresh the website in compliance with ADA requirements. Huang also appreciates that AACRAO now provides microphones for presenters, ASL interpreters, and live streaming, so attendees can more fully participate in the Annual Meeting.
Huang draws upon the influence of many people to shape his leadership style. His dad was a quiet, humble servant leader whom he tries to emulate. He also looks to Brené Brown as an example of leading with empathy and understanding. Huang considers that a willingness to be vulnerable, to share struggles, to provide clarity, and to be brave helps him lead. Leaders do not have all the answers, and that is OK. As a nod to his love for comics, he keeps in mind this Spider-Man quote: “With great power comes great responsibility.” Huang leads with care, hoping to leave things better than he found them, and recognizing the influence he can have on others.
Look for him at the next AACRAO event you attend. He will be there ready to offer a smile and a greeting. Huang is an excellent example of how getting involved at the state and regional level can be the perfect start to a journey that leads toward engagement in AACRAO.