OUR BOARD
Chairman
Sandy Chau
Mr. Chau has started numerous successful technology companies. He is a long time venture capitalist and real estate investor and was a founder of the Acorn Campus, a technology incubator that provides early round seed funding. He has more than 40 years of business experience in the United States, Taiwan, China, and elsewhere in the Pacific Rim.
Mr. Chau is a philanthropist and focuses on social justice issues. In addition to the Civic Leadership USA, he was the board chair of Vision New America and executive board member of Shin Shin Education Foundation.
Mr. Chau was born in Shanghai and raised in Hong Kong and Vietnam. He received his Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering and MBA from UC Berkeley.
President
Andy Li
In 2014, along with several civic minded friends, Andy founded the Tri-Valley Chapter of APAPA in San Francisco Bay Area and served as Chapter President through 2017. His hard work and commitment to the community led to his promotion to President of APAPA Bay Area Region in 2018 and President of APAPA California in 2020. Andy’s experience also includes serving as the PTA Committee Chair, School Site Council and as a committee member in local government, including the City of San Ramon’s Economic Development Advisory Committee, the San Ramon Valley Unified School District Parcel Tax Oversight Committee, and Contra Costa County Managed Care Commission.
In 2018, Andy was elected as Contra Costa Community College District Governing Board in November general election. He served as board vice president for the first two years of his term and was elected by the board to serve as president in 2021. Besides serving on the community college governing board, Andy also serves as a secretary of Asian Pacific Islander Trustees & Administrators (APITA) caucus in California and as a member of the award committee of the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) at the national level in community college.
In 2019, Andy was awarded API of the year by California state assembly member Rebecca Bauer-Kahan.
Currently, besides being the president of Civic Leadership USA, Andy works with several other non-profit organizations. He serves as the president of API Coalition, a board member of the Leadership San Ramon Valley Program, and a steering committee member of San Ramon Valley Diversity Coalition. Andy is also a long time Rotary member.
Secretary
Vincent Wang
Vincent Wang is a board member of Civic Leadership USA. He is also the chair of Ohio Chinese American Association (OCAA), chair of Asian American Coalition of Ohio (AACO) and a co-organizer of APA Justice Task Force.
Vincent co-founded OCAA in 2016 with a mission to unite all Chinese Americans in Ohio, advance racial equality and civil rights, and promote volunteerism and civic participation. Vincent led efforts in supporting Chinese American scientist Sherry Chen against the wrongful termination by the government, which a federal judge ruled to have committed “gross injustice”. These efforts contributed to the U.S. Senate publishing a landmark report in July 2021 revealing the systematic abuse of power and racial profiling at the Commerce Department.
At AACO, Vincent leads an energetic leadership team across Ohio in empowering Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in civic engagement and community service. Under his leadership, AACO hosted over 10 candidate forums from 2018 to 2021 that hosted local and statewide candidates including governor and supreme court justice, and placed over 80 public service interns in state and local government offices.
At APA Justice, Vincent works with members of Congress and civil rights advocates nationwide to inform the public, elected officials and the White House about the racial bias against Asian Pacific Islanders. As a result of the collective efforts, Congress held a hearing in June 2021 and the Justice Department ended its controversial “China Initiative” program in March 2022.
Vincent was a member of the City of Dublin’s Community Task Force from 2020 to 2021 and helped create its Diversity, Inclusion and Equity Framework. He served on Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs Association (APAPA)’s national executive committee from 2018 to 2021 and as its national president in 2021. He was instrumental in organizing APAPA’s national civic leadership forums, establishing clear and accountable governance structure, and building community partnership nationally.
Treasurer
Diana Ding
Social Entrepreneur, Connector between East and West Cultures. Founder & CEO of Silicon Valley Community Media and Ding Ding TV – The Voice of Silicon Valley Asian Americans since 2009. Diana is the Chairwoman of Silicon Valley Entrepreneur Festival, Silicon Valley Food & Art Festival, Silicon Valley Business Forum, and Producer of “Innovation Dialog” and “Civic Leadership Forum Silicon Valley”. She interviewed hundreds of community leaders and entrepreneurs and created thousands of videos on YouTube. Diana Ding has been awarded as Asian American Hero by Santa Clara County in 2008 And California Unsung Hero by State Assembly in 2021. She is very active in Silicon Valley Community, has been serving in Cupertino Rotary Club since 2010, serves as the board member of Silicon Valley Central Chamber of Commerce since 2013, and was elected as the president of the US-China Chamber of Commerce Silicon Valley in 2019.
Board Member
HP Wang
He has been a community activist and a grassroots leader for decades. In 1997, HP founded General Electric’s Asian PacificAmerican Forum (APAF), which currently has 26 chapters and 6000 members. He has also served as President andBoard Chair of the Albany, NY Chinese Community Center,President of American Society of Mechanical Engineers(ASME) Albany-Mohawk Chapter and President of 80-20Educational Foundation’s Board of Donors.Professionally, he worked at GE Research for 34 years, becoming the first Chinese-American principle researcher and manager for company-wide cost and quality projects. HP invented and implemented technologies for product and process development and holds over 100 domestic and international patents. HP holds a Six Sigma Master Black Belt and received the L. Kim Memorial Award, RD-100 Award, andASME Fellow, authored 70 publications and edited 7international conferences. He is most proud of inventing a technology to improve gas turbine efficiency for power generation and aircraft engines. This breakthrough has led to massive reductions in CO2 emissions. HP completed his career as the chief technologist among 800 R&D engineers atPratt & Whitney, before his retirement in 2011.
OUR STAFF
President
Andy Li
In 2014, along with several civic minded friends, Andy founded the Tri-Valley Chapter of APAPA in San Francisco Bay Area and served as Chapter President through 2017. His hard work and commitment to the community led to his promotion to President of APAPA Bay Area Region in 2018 and President of APAPA California in 2020. Andy’s experience also includes serving as the PTA Committee Chair, School Site Council and as a committee member in local government, including the City of San Ramon’s Economic Development Advisory Committee, the San Ramon Valley Unified School District Parcel Tax Oversight Committee, and Contra Costa County Managed Care Commission.
In 2018, Andy was elected as Contra Costa Community College District Governing Board in November general election. He served as board vice president for the first two years of his term and was elected by the board to serve as president in 2021. Besides serving on the community college governing board, Andy also serves as a secretary of Asian Pacific Islander Trustees & Administrators (APITA) caucus in California and as a member of the award committee of the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) at the national level in community college.
In 2019, Andy was awarded API of the year by California state assembly member Rebecca Bauer-Kahan.
Currently, besides being the president of Civic Leadership USA, Andy works with several other non-profit organizations. He serves as the president of API Coalition, a board member of the Leadership San Ramon Valley Program, and a steering committee member of San Ramon Valley Diversity Coalition. Andy is also a long time Rotary member.
Executive Director
Anthony Ng
Anthony Ng brings over 30 years of experience in working with faith- and community-based, non-profit organizations in the area of strategic planning, comprehensive fundraising and capital campaign, non-profit management, program development & evaluation, public relations & marketing campaign, specialized executive coaching in Arts and culture, philanthropic advisory to individual donors and family foundations.
He is a strategic thinker, entrepreneurial leader and team builder who has extensive management experience in venture philanthropy and social entrepreneurship projects that cross the industry sectors, ethnic, culture and geographical borders.
After graduating from Drexel University with a Master degree in Arts Administration (comprehensive curriculum in non-profit management), Anthony worked with an array of institutions range from state Government, arts and culture, education, social service, community development and private foundations. Such as Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, Prince Music Theater, African American Museum, the Pew Charitable Trusts, the Barnes Foundation, Nueva Esperanza and the Latin American Economic Development Association, Chinese Newcomer Service Center in addition to a founding board member of the Asian Arts Initiative and the Asian American Unity Coalition. An advocate for Arts for social change and international leadership development, Anthony grew up in Hong Kong, is an avid traveler and an award winning composer and a gourmet cook.
Director of Marketing and Administration
Julia Wu
With a Master’s degree, majoring in marketing, Julia Wu has over 15 years of acumen experiences in sales, marketing, and management in corporations. She has successfully expanded the brand and market share globally by establishing and executing an integrated sales, marketing, and purchasing strategy and plan while reshaping organizational management further to sustain its operation effectively. Management and utilization of multiple social media channels, both paid and organic, distribute the promotional materials and educational content across all platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube to increase brand awareness/influence, audience/viewers engagement, and drive the company’s website traffic internationally.
Director of Internship Program
Qing Bai
Both an MD and a Master in Human Genetics, Qing has had many years of professional working experience in a Silicon Valley Biotech company. She has 14 years’ experience working in a local nonprofit education foundation leading and overseeing different departments and programs. Additionally, Qing is an active participant in the local community, served as a historical commissioner in the city of Los Altos for two terms and was a board member and Action/DEI Director of League of Women Voters Southwest Santa Clara Valley Chapter, and is the Director of Education in Civic Leadership Academy. She has a very strong interest and experience in education, community service, and social justice, and she possesses strong managing, communication and interpersonal skills willing to contribute to strengthening our local community.
Andrea Hyde is a Bay Area native and with 8+ years experience in local and state government, health policy and advocacy, and civic engagement. As Advocacy Manager for AACI (Asian Americans for Community Involvement), she designed and led the organization’s high school leadership and civic leadership program for four years. Prior to her time at AACI, she led the high school and college internship program for a member of the California State Assembly. Andrea cares about increasing representation of women, APIs, and people of color in decision-making roles, and empowering our next generation to become thoughtful and empathetic leaders in advocacy, social justice, and public service. She is an incoming graduate student at the University of San Francisco’s School of Nursing and Health Professions.
Carissa Villacorta is the author of Surreality, a collection of essays about life in NY from the perspective of a young Filipina publicist. She became the only Filipino author to have had a book launch and signing at a Borders book store in 2006. In 2013, she joined Ogilvy PR to represent the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, helping to boost the popularity of Cebuano entrepreneurs, from the founders of startups to industry leaders. In 2018, she created ReachUs, LLC and staged #PHTimeIsNow at the Harvard Club in NYC.
Now, she is elated and hopeful to continue doing purposeful work for the Filipino American and Asian American community as she joins the National Federation of Filipino American Associations as Executive Director.
Hong Qi was an assistant professor at Beijing Language University before coming to the U.S. In 1988, she continued her education and later obtained her MA in Saint Martin’s University in Washington State. In 1992, she started working for the Washington State Department of Human & Health Services, managing the statewide language testing and certification program. From 2006 to 2012, Ms. Hong Qi was a program coordinator for King County Elections Department. Currently, Hong Qi is the founder and managing partner of Pacific International Education, dedicated in building a platform to bridging the US and China’s education. She also serves as the secretary of United Chinese Americans of Washington and youth program coordinator of United Chinese American.
Kevin Xu is an experienced engineer, project manager, and veteran. He was an activity duty Civil Engineering Corp Officer at United States Navy since 2006, He was responsible for multi-million dollar construction projects for military facilities, and piers. After being honorably discharged from the Navy in 2010, Kelvin started to work at Navy Cyber Command as a senior enterprise engineer. He managed an emergency power program to support the Navy’s data centers worldwide. In 2018, Kelvin joined NOAA as the Chief Engineer for the NWS ASOS program to lead a multi-million dollar weather observation program and NOAA enterprise facility construction & renovation project as a senior project manager. Kelvin holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering from New York State University at Stony Brook and a Master of Business Administration from Strayer University.
Dr. Liang Chao was elected to Cupertino Union School Board in 2016 and then elected to Cupertino City Council in 2018 to serve a 4-year term. In 2020, she was appointed to the Environmental Quality Policy Committee for the League of California Cities.
Dr. Chao co-founded Better Cupertino in 2015 to put power into the hands of local residents and co-founded Young American Policy Advocates in 2019 to empower youth for democracy. She advocated for parents on school issues and eventually brought a change in leadership in the school district to be more open to parents’ and teachers’ concerns. Through grassroots campaigning, she motivated citizens to take charge of the course of Cupertino’s future though initiatives, referenda, and elections.
Marilyn Nielsen was a government executive for more than 30 years serving in the Administration of every California Governor since Governor George Deukmejian.
Marilyn retired as the Interim Director and Chief Deputy Director of the California Arts Council in 2012. Prior to the Arts Council, she was CEO of the California Acupuncture Board, the Assistant Deputy Director for the Department of Consumer Affairs, and held a variety of other State management positions.
For more than twelve years, she also served as a Director of two County Fair Boards for Yolo and Tehama. Marilyn and her husband, Senator Jim Nielsen, are founding members of APAPA. Since 2014 she is the National Deputy Executive Director of APAPA, working with corporate sponsors and elected officials.
Mimi Nguyen is a San Jose native, born and raised by Vietnamese immigrant parents. As a product of the East Side Union High School District, she went off to the University of California, Davis to receive her B.A. in Economics and Communications and a Minors in Managerial Economics. She then received her J.D. from Golden Gate University School of Law.
She is currently an immigration attorney with Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County, serves on the board of Step Forward Foundation, the Vietnamese American Roundtable, and the Vietnamese American Bar Association of Northern California. In 2020, Mimi and her husband, Vietnam Nguyen, welcomed a beautiful baby girl named Sophia. In her free time, she enjoys calligraphy, weightlifting, traveling, and spending time with her two Shiba Inu dogs.
Tavae Samuelu is the daughter of a pastor from Leulumoega and a nurse from Saleimoa. As the Executive Director of Empowering Pacific Islander Communities (EPIC), she’s a passionate advocate for Native Hawaiians & Pacific Islanders and is committed to liberation for all. Tavae was born and raised on Tongva land and credits her time on the unceded Ohlone territory for her political identity and consciousness. Before joining EPIC, she served as the Development Director for the RYSE Youth Center in Richmond and has since become a member of RYSE’s Board of Directors. Tavae is also the Vice President of the Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council (A3PCON). The pandemic has taught her that her most important title is Aunty Vae.
Since coming from Yemen to the US in 1988, Mr. Wajdi Said has worked with the Muslim community as well as the larger community to promote a better understanding of Islam. He has been involved in numerous interfaith committees and panels throughout the years. He is one of the founders of the Interfaith Council of Greater Portland, an organization which came together as a result of 9/11, as well as one of the founders of the Arab, Jewish Muslim Dialogue, The Institute for Christian Muslim Understanding, Islamic Social Services of Oregon State, and the Beloved Community Coalition. Mr. Said is a commissioner with the City of Portland New Portlander Policy Commission and serves on the board of Neighborhood House, Portland State University Middle East Studies Center, and the Arab and Muslim Police Advisory Board. Mr. Said has spoken at countless colleges, high schools, organizations, and churches, promoting a better understanding of Islam and Muslims. He currently serves as the President of the Muslim Educational Trust, (MET) which he co-founded in 1993.
I am currently a student at Northwestern University interested in exploring the intersections of technology, data science, and medicine. I enjoy learning about public health and medicine, and recent exposure to the social determinants of health has drawn me toward issues regarding social justice and equity. Through the events of the past year, I’ve witnessed the power that youths have in advocacy and civic engagement. Inspired by my peers’ tireless efforts, I hope to help reach more AAPI youth through my current work as a volunteer. In my free time, I enjoy reading from all genres, from poetry to the classics and Asian American literature.
Though many things could change after 10 years, I hope that increasing equitable access to health and other fundamental rights is at the forefront of my work. I expect to continually learn and discover new passions, picking up skills and knowledge to better understand how I can uniquely help the people around me. In whatever I’m involved with, I hope to meet others where they are and find ways to bring them to a better position. In addition, I am optimistic that I will have finished more books in my to-read list, tried many new foods, and become a proud cat owner.
My name is Joyce Zhao, and I am a current rising sophomore at Emory University studying Chemistry. My passions with AAPI advocacy started one summer in high school, where I served as an intern in MN State Senator Foung Hawj’s office. Since then, I’ve made a point of involving myself in several projects such as participating in the PR team for “Young Leaders For America: Summit 2020”, working with CLUSA on a directory for local AAPI leaders, and translating articles for usdandelion.com. In my free time, I love reading books, taking walks, and enjoying boba!
In ten years, I should be (hopefully) in the middle of medical residency. Just as I value giving back to my AAPI community, I hope to give back to others through working in healthcare. It’s also been my longtime dream to own a cat, and I aspire to collect as many nonsensical art prints as I can. I am a violinist of thirteen years, so I expect that the same violin I own now will accompany me ten years into the future as well, filling my life with music.
I am a junior at the University of Texas at Austin pursuing a degree in Marketing and Plan II Honors. My knack for effective communication and creative solutions led me to focus my business education on Marketing, which I hope leads to a career in digital product marketing or partner strategy. In addition, I am passionate about public service and corporate sustainability. The Plan II Honors Program feeds my curiosity in a wide array of subjects— from world literature to logic and critical thinking. I am blessed to have the opportunity to read, write, and collaborate with my peers who are passionate in these areas as well.
Outside of the academic sphere, you will find me at quirky Austin coffee shops, bouldering at the local climbing gym, or volunteering with my local church. Feel free to connect with me and check out the rest of my page to learn more about my previous experiences and my story!
My name is Philip and I am currently a student at Monta Vista High School. I have an interest in policy advocacy, government, and business. From clubs and competitions like DECA, speech & debate, and mock trials, I learned the importance of professional communication as well as the tools needed for digital and in-person marketing. I also love playing basketball and reading about political philosophy. During quarantine, I found myself without an iota of entertainment, so I have started learning about iOS app development, website design, and poker. My goal for the future is to make a difference on a wide scale through policy and give back to my community. Although my mandarin is a work in progress, I also want to embrace my Chinese background through the organizations I participate in and am very lucky to find CLUSA where my passion and goals are perfectly aligned.
I am a first-year student at Duke University. I have yet to determine my major, but my current interests lie in computational media and economics. For the past couple of years, I have led a youth organization called Asian American Civic Scholars (AACS), based in my hometown, St. Louis, Missouri. We have been working to build a network of civically engaged Asian American youth by creating a platform that informs, engages, and advocates for the AAPI community. AACS has been central to both my identity as an Asian American woman and my values as a politically engaged citizen and has thus led me to numerous opportunities, including introducing me to the CLUSA team.
It has also been the compass that directs what I plan to do in the future, as exposure to the incredible work of so many AAPI organizations and especially AAPI youth has shown me just how valuable Asian American representation in both media and government can be. Though I have a small sense of where I will be ten years from now, what I do know is that I will continue to advocate for multi-dimensional and influential forms of representation—ones that show the next generation that they truly can be whoever they want to be.
