Tenzin Dorjee appointed as Commissioner of USCIRF

Tenzin Dorjee, a well known Tibetan writer, has been appointed as Commissioner to the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), an independent, bipartisan federal body that monitors religious freedom internationally.
The appointment of Dorjee to the USCIRF was made on recommendation of the House Minority Leader, Nancy Pelosi, who is well known for her support to Tibetan cause.
"USCIRF welcomes Tenzin Dorjee as our newest Commissioner," said USCIRF Chair Rev Thomas J Reese.
"He will be a great asset to our Commission as we work to fulfil our mandate of highlighting serious threats to religious freedom throughout the world and making policy recommendations to the President, Secretary of State and Congress on behalf of the cherished right of freedom of religion or belief and its fuller integration into US foreign policy," Reese said.

Dorjee is an Associate Professor at the Department of Human Communication Studies, California State University, Fullerton (CSUF).
His primary teaching and research interests include intergroup, intercultural, intergenerational communication, identity issues, peace building, and conflict resolution.

Dorjee has also authored and co-authored peer-reviewed articles and chapters on Tibetan culture, identity and communication, non-violence and middle way approaches to Sino-Tibetan conflict.
Earlier in 2013, he volunteered for over two months at the office of Dalai Lama in Dharamsala, India, and has been part of various educational programmes in the country.
A former Member-At-Large in the Executive Council of the Western States Communication Association (WSCA), he was also the President of the Tibetan Association of Southern California.