_edited.jpg){kind=small}
Taking action to build agency and belonging among high school students who want to make an impact in their communities
Connor Qiu
Connor Qiu is in the class of 2022 at the Pacific Ridge School, and one of the founding planners of RSDS. He led Pacific Ridge’s Asian American Pacific Islander affinity group (AAPI), co-leads the Student Equity Advisory (SEA), and founded the service group Visions of Change which promotes civic engagement and purposeful discussion. As a lacrosse player and avid chess player, he considers himself as someone that finds inspiration and passion in inconsequential hobbies.
​
As someone who has personally experienced growth through DEIJ conferences, Connor Qiu wishes to share the same wisdom and insight that he received to as many as he can. He participates in RSDS to gain a deeper understanding of his own identity as well as generate lasting connections with students across San Diego
Laura Zhou
Laura Zhou is a senior at Pacific Ridge School. Laura was born in China, and moved to the United States in 2016. She is the co-leader of her school’s Asian American Pacific Islander Affinity group, holding conversations about identities, and building a sense of inclusive community on campus. She played golf throughout her high school career, and was the only girl on the coed golf team in her junior year.
Laura attended the RSDS conference in 2021 as a junior. This year, she is on the Outreach Committee, designing infographics for posters, the website, and social media posts. Diversity and inclusion had always been important in her life as an Asian American woman. She hopes that everyone who attends the conference can walk away with a better understanding of themselves and other people in terms of identities and experiences.
Harry Mauer
Harry Maurer is a Senior at Pacific Ridge School. Over the last few years, he has interned on political campaigns and helped put more forward-thinking and diversity inclusive leaders into congress. He also hosted an Earth Day panel for a member of the state senate. Harry speaks three languages (English, Chinese, and Spanish) and hopes to learn as much about other cultures as possible. He will be going to American University in the fall, studying International Relations in college and has a passion for history.
Harry participated in planning RSDS this year because of how much he learned during last year’s summit. He has helped plan the workshops as well as reach out to this year’s speakers. He really enjoys learning from others and hearing perspectives he would usually not hear in life. He hopes other will enjoy and learn as much from RSDS as he did last year.
Naia Riggenbach
Naia Riggenbach is a Junior at Pacific Ridge School. She is a member of the Student Council, Student Equity Advisory (SEA), and the Black Student Union. She was Sophomore Class President and manager of the girls’ basketball team. Naia has a passion for drama and movie-making. Last year she was the Assistant Student Director of the school musical “High School Musical” and this year she was the Assistant Student Director and Stage Manager of the school musical “Footloose.” In her spare time she writes and creates her own films. Documentaries are her favorite genre. Naia also loves to try new foods and spend time with her family and friends.
Naia participated in planning RSDS this year because of how inspired she was while attending last year. As a biracial woman, she is passionate about diversity and equity work. She appreciated learning more about other perspectives and deepened her own understanding of her identity. She hopes this conference inspires people, like it did her, to create more inclusive spaces.
Susan Woods Director of Community and Inclusion, Pacific Ridge School
Ms. Woods earned a B.S. in Economics from the University of Northern Colorado and a J.D. from the University of San Diego School of Law. She is pursuing her masters in Educational Leadership from High Tech High's Graduate School of Education. In her work with school-age children prior to Pacific Ridge, Ms. Woods coached a 7th and 8th grade Destination ImagiNation team and was the National Mock Trial program coordinator for the state of Washington for two years.
A San Diego resident since the 1970s, Ms. Woods lives in Cardiff-by-the-Sea. In her free time, she pursues service work, photography, art, beading, and travel. She has journeyed to Europe, Asia, South and Central America, and Africa.