Alumnus Masi Oka from the Class of '97.  Masi was born in Tokyo, Japan and moved to Los Angeles, California at a young age. 

The Emmy and Golden Globe-nominated actor burst onto the scene starring in NBC's drama series "Heroes," a role for which he received his nominations.  Oka currently stars in the blockbuster action film "Bullet Train" from director David Leitch opposite Brad Pitt for Sony Pictures.  Recent feature film appearances include the animated "Spies in Disguise" opposite Will Smith and the worldwide smash thriller "Meg" opposite Jason Statham.

Behind the camera, Oka has served as a producer on the feature film adaption of the worldwide phenomenon Japanese Anime series "Death Note" which he produces with Dan Lin and Roy Lee for Netflix. The team joins forces again for the upcoming sequel.  He's also teamed with Chernin Entertainment, the producer bringing the classic Capcom "Mega Man" to life in the motion picture form.  Additional producing credits for Oka include the upcoming films "Attack on Titan" which is set to be directed by Andy Muschietti, and "Akira" from Taika Waititi, both for Warner Bros.

As an actor, Oka also appeared in "Heroes Reborn" for NBC and his portrayal of coroner Max Bergman on the international hit series "Hawaii 5-0" quickly became a fan favorite on the long-running CBS network drama.  He appeared in the critically acclaimed Amazon Studios drama "Mozart in the Jungle". He starred in the feature film remake of a television classic "Get Smart" and its companion DVD release, "Get Smarter," both released in 2008.  His additional feature film credits include roles in "Jobs," "Along Came Polly," "Austin Powers in Goldmember," and "Friends with Benefits."

With a background in improvisational, Oka has appeared at The Groundlings, ImprovOlympics, Second City, and TheatreSports.  His improvisational expertise has been showcased with guest appearances as various characters on "Punk'd," "Reno 911" and "The Jamie Kennedy Experiment."  In 2014 Oka partnered with Japanese entertainment conglomerate Yoshimoto to bring the famed Second City to Japan, thereby introducing American-style improv to that market.

In addition to his very public roles, Oka works behind the scenes as an advisor to multiple major Japanese corporations, including the government entity JETRO, and was a cultural envoy to the US Embassy, bridging the gaps between Japan and Hollywood in the arts and business.

After graduating from Brown University with degrees in Mathematics and Computer Science and a Theatre Arts minor, Oka pursued an acting career while taking his first job at George Lucas' Oscar-winning special effects house Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), providing technology for groundbreaking effects for more than 30 films.  Oka's strong background in computer science laid the groundwork for his starting Mobius Digital, an independent gaming studio that created the critically acclaimed Outer Wilds in 2019.  Outer Wilds, published by Annapurna Interactive, was awarded the BAFTA Game of the Year Awards and has owned and been nominated for several indie Game of the Year awards.

Alumni from Brown, Dartmouth, Princeton, and Stanford gathered in New York in January 2022 at The Parlour Room in Midtown for a night of mingling, merriment, and drinks!  

“Big thank you to everyone involved for putting together such an incredible training. It was great in this current climate to get inspired by what all of us are able to contribute.”

Globally women’s participation in leadership roles is incrementally increasing. In 2019, the proportion of women in senior management grew to 29% which is the highest number ever recorded. Traditional cultural values of countries in Asia continue to be challenged by modernized values and initiatives to increase diversity in the workplace.

A virtual discussion with Rika Nakajima (’92), Aliza Knox ('81, P'19), and Marcella Ho (’17) as they share their inspiring stories and perspectives.

After a year of discovering new ways to connect with each other, this collaborative  event presented a unique opportunity to meet and network with other DC alumni on a fun virtual platform. The event opened with a dialogue on Navigating Diversity in the Workplace/After Brown before moving into small groups and general mingling.

Featured topics and speakers included:

• Keynote on Navigating Diversity in the Workplace/After Brown - by Dr. Liza Cariaga-Lo (Brown's former VP for Academic Development, Diversity, and Inclusion and one of the nation's foremost experts in D&I)

• The New Grad Experience - led by Julia Cahill '19 MPH '20 and Sabrina Whitfill '19

• Mentorship - led by Myra Liwanag '91

• Diversity After Brown - led by Michael Santos '07

• Grad School - led by Shirley Wu '04

In the wake of the Atlanta shootings and alongside the global Movement for Black Lives, this virtual panel considers the possibilities for movement building and racial solidarity. Guest speakers reflect on the "Anti-Trafficking Industrial Complex," as a prism to understand white supremacist and state violence in interpersonal and systemic ways. 

Special Introduction by Professor Anthony Bogues, CSSJ Director and moderated by Professor Elena Shih, CSSJ Human Trafficking Research Cluster Faculty Fellow

Featured Speakers Included: 

• Yves Tong Nguyen, Core Organizer, Red Canary Song

• Melissa Brown, Postdoctoral Fellow, Stanford University

• Lyndsey Beutin, Assistant Professor, McMaster University

• Sarath Suong, National Coordinator, Southeast Asian Freedom Network

This training on how to be an ally to Asians and Asian Americans was led by Dr. Phitsamay S. Uy, a Lao American K-21 educator, community advocate, and equity trainer, who uses these three perspectives to bridge theory and practice in her teaching, research, and service. Her interests and expertise focus on immigrant and refugee youths, Southeast Asian American students' educational experiences, family and community engagement, and professional development training. She is a graduate of Boston College and received her doctorate from the Harvard University Graduate School of Education.

On Tuesday, April 13, the Asian/Asian-American Alumni Alliance (A4), an alumni group for AAAPI-identified alumni of Brown University, hosted a panel discussion on Anti-Asian Racism and Violence. Distinguished alumni speakers addressed the Asian/Asian American and Pacific Islander experiences in the U.S., including historical exclusion, representation, and political movements.

During the month of April, 104 A4  alumni volunteers to call accepted students who identify as Asian, Pacific Islander, or Desi/South Asian, to congratulate them on their acceptance and encourage them to join the Class of 2025 at Brown!