Kim brings over 12 years of experience working alongside diverse partners in a collaborative manner across complex systems. She has leadership experience in nonprofit organizations and large health systems. Kim is passionate about fostering staff engagement and wellbeing, trauma informed practices, creating equitable and inclusive cultures and systems, and building authentic relationships with community and partner organizations. Kim is committed to her learning and growth to being antiracist, centering equity, and lifting the voices of others. Kim is biracial, a lifelong Oregonian, an avid reader, hiker, and Portland Thorns fan, and loves animals. She currently is working towards her PhD in Health Systems & Policy with her research centering on occupational stress, workforce psychological well being, Asian Community Health Workers, and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Amy (she/her) is the daughter of Korean immigrant parents and was born and raised in Oregon. She and her partner are parents to two kids and a rescue pup. These beloved five shape the person she is today.     

Amy brings leadership experience in programs, advocacy, community engagement, food justice and youth & family services. She is passionate about building teams and supporting staff, advancing racial justice and cultivating programs with love, trust and care.  She is committed to shared leadership and fostering a workplace culture that centers equity- and community-based priorities.  

On weekends and evenings, you can find Amy cheering on her kids’ sports teams, calling her 엄마 (mom) or taking trips to the Oregon Coast.

Lani is a Filipino American, born and raised in one of the last working class neighborhoods in Honolulu, Hawai’i. In 2014, they moved to Portland, Oregon to study Sociology and Anthropology at Lewis & Clark College.

During their undergraduate career, they revived the Asian Student Union on campus and co-chaired their college’s Ray Warren Symposium on Race and Ethnic Studies in 2016. They also led the 2018 alternative spring break to Yakama Nation, Central Washington with Lewis & Clark’s Office of Student Leadership and Engagement. The following summer, Lani also curated the annual Anakbayan-USA national exposure trip with Filipino-American youth organizers to the Philippines. As a youth leader, Lani sees the significance of grassroots efforts of youth leading our communities beyond campuses and universities. They also believe in the need to connect our local issues to global issues of migration, identity, and capitalism.

Outside of APANO, you can find Lani taking care of their house plants and organizing with Anakbayan Portland, the local chapter of Anakbayan-USA. You can also talk to them about homebrewing kombucha and deepening our mental health practices as activists for social change.

Jeanette was raised in rural upstate South Carolina and is the child of first generation immigrants from Hong Kong. Their upbringing in the South influenced them to study Asian American history while in college and get involved in community organizing for AAPI causes. While in college they chaired two different social justice organizations, Asian American Sisters in Action and Pan Asian Students Association. After completing their degree they ventured into film production and worked for several years as a camera operator.

In their spare time they continue to work in film production, prioritizing projects that uplift women, LGBTQ+ folks, and POC. They also currently teach the POWgirls workshops as part of the Portland Women’s Film Festival (aka POWfest) helping to educate and empower the next generation of female and non-binary filmmakers.

After more than 15 years in marketing, public relations and communications in the Portland area, Ashley finds advocacy work the most rewarding and fulfilling. She comes to APANO by way of Oregon Food Bank.

As the Communications Director, Ashley is honored to work with APANO’s partners, community members and teammates to share stories and lift the voices of Asian and Pacific Islander communities in Oregon.

In her personal life, she and her partner live in rural Oregon with their one son, two dogs, two cats, and 12 chickens. She is a painter, baker, novice farmer, dabbling knitter and amateur furniture refinisher.

Karmen is a second-generation Chinese American, born and raised in Southern California. She moved to Oregon in 2015 to study Environmental Science and Anthropology and to play soccer at Willamette University. During her undergraduate career, she was a collaborator in La Chíspa de Salem (The Salem Spark), an environmental justice coalition that sparks campus conversations about climate/energy justice and environmental racism. She was a student researcher in a project about Lyme Disease and healthcare inaccess. Karmen also led an alternative spring break trip about environmental and food justice to Seattle, WA with Willamette’s Community Service Learning program. In her last semester at Willamette, Karmen was a Legislative Intern at APANO, supporting Lobby Day preparations and member outreach and engagement efforts. From August 2019-20, she served in the AmeriCorps VISTA program as APANO’s Housing Resource Coordinator, with particular focus on expanding our Community Development goals in Washington County.

Karmen is excited to continue engaging her passion for justice, access, and community-centered change in her role as Community Outreach Manager.

In her free time, Karmen enjoys creating art, journaling, playing soccer, bouldering, traveling, learning how to garden, and laughing with friends and family.

Duncan Hwang grew up in a Taiwanese-American household in rural upper Michigan. He first became politicized while attending the University of Michigan where he obtained his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Asian Studies. During this time he worked on numerous civic engagement and environmental campaigns. After graduating, he worked as a field organizer for a national nonprofit focusing on voter registration and GOTV campaigns. Duncan then moved to Portland, Oregon and obtained his J.D. from Lewis & Clark Law School in 2007.

After becoming an attorney, he relocated to Asia to practice international corporate law where he advised Fortune 500 companies on their cross-border merger and acquisition activities. In searching for more socially conscious work, he returned to Portland and has served as APANO’s Associate Director since 2013. He now works across APANO’s programs with the community development, policy advocacy, organizing, and cultural work programs ensuring they have the tools and resources needed to be successful. Duncan’s areas of policy work focus primarily on housing and transportation justice. In 2022, Duncan transitioned to the Community Development Director role.

In his free time, Duncan is an avid board gamer and plays futsal with his transportation advocacy focused team, Vision Zero Goals.

Alisa was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, and identifies as biracial. She is fourth generation on both sides of her family: Japanese and Jewish American. After four years teaching English in Japan, Alisa moved to Portland to pursue her master’s degree in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) at PSU. During her studies she became more passionate about community language learning and after graduating started teaching citizenship classes at a local resettlement agency. This led to a full time position as the Community Outreach Supervisor for Refugee Services, focusing on community-based mental health. Alisa loves to meet new people and learn about different cultures and customs. She loves food (both eating and cooking) and believes gathering around food is one of the best ways to come together as a community. In her spare time, she loves to just hang out with her partner and their dog.

Born and raised in Houston, Texas, cultural identity was not an emphasis outside of the home. With first generation ethnically Korean immigrant parents, born and raised in China, Janet has carried both Korean and Chinese cultural upbringings. Over time, this sparked, not only the embrace of her unique cultural upbringing, but also further exploration of diaspora.

With over seven years in the nonprofit sector, Janet has worked with Asian diaspora individuals on leadership and cultural identity development. She is passionate about access to culturally competent resources, and even created a mental health resource, for her master’s thesis.

She hopes for healing and thriving for all.

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Brian Liu is the Community Development Manager at APANO. With an education background in geography and urban planning, he is dedicated to promoting spatial equity through collaborative planning and design. Previously, as a community organizer in Seattle’s International District, Brian connected small businesses, seniors, and immigrants with relief funds, facilitated public engagement for neighborhood place-keeping projects, and organized COVID-19 vaccination clinics. He is committed to continuously serving the API communities in Portland.

Grace is second generation Korean-American. She grew up in Los Angeles and called San Francisco home before migrating North after completing culinary training. In Portland she was the chef at Santé earning The Oregonian's Restaurant of the Year award.

Grace eventually founded her own business, developing it into one of the Top 10 Women Owned Businesses several years running as noted by the Portland Business Journal. She managed her company through the lens of sustainability and reached many benchmarks in sustainable business operations including earning the BCorp Certification.

After 16 years, she sold the business to pursue her desire of working in the non-profit sector.

She is passionate about social justice and is pleased to be a part of the Community Development Team. As Small Business Advisor Manager for APANO she offers support, coaching, mentoring and development to small business owners and entrepreneurs.

Grace enjoys an active lifestyle riding her bike, yoga, hiking, running, surfing and paddling on a Dragonboat team.

As a native Oregonian and longtime Portland resident, Peyton has a deep understanding of the local business landscape. After a successful career as a serial entrepreneur, he transitioned into education, teaching business and writing at both high school and university levels. He has created two fully-funded business programs in Portland for at-risk populations, and he served as the State Representative for Vocational Education in Oregon.

Drawing on his extensive experience as a management consultant for iconic brands and as a small business advisor, Peyton now brings his expertise to APANO as a Business Advisor. He is excited to offer resource guidance, coaching, and mentoring to local small business owners and entrepreneurs. Peyton specializes in operational efficiency, Go-To-Market strategies, and branding.

Working at APANO aligns with his deep passion to build sustainable legacies in business, education, and philanthropy. In his free time, Peyton can be found teaching writing or voraciously reading. He also enjoys planning the next family adventure.

Jules Estacio (they/them) is a queer mixed Filipinx tender spoonie artist born and raised in unceded Duwamish land (Seattle, WA), currently residing in Cowlitz/Multnomah land (North Portland). They believe everyone is an artist and that art should “make the revolution irresistible,” so the art they create is reflective of joy, sorrow, play, connection, memory, and liberation. Jules centers a love ethic in their work grounded in their immediate community and the teachings of bell hooks, James Baldwin, adrienne maree brown, and other radical thinkers. They are passionate about building intentional relationships based on trust and a shared vision of a liberated future.

Outside of work Jules likes to read, game, journal, practice tarot, spoil their friends, and spend quality time with their fur babies, partner, and chosen family.

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Grace Kwon is the Cultural Work Manager and a social practice artist who uses ritual, research, and viewer interaction to explore how people are impacted by colonization and how collective healing can be resistance to the status quo. She creates art centered around collaboration, care, and human connections to co-create new worlds that reject old, destructive systems. Grace created Kimchi Leavings for APANO’s 2021 East Portland Art and Literary Festival (EPALF), a collective cleansing ritual calling on native Korean culture (shamanism and kimchi-making) to release the ghosts of dominant culture residing within the body, mind, and spirit of BIPOC folks. She is currently an artist-in-residence for East Portland Art + Justice Lab (EPAJL) where she produces a newspaper with residents of Orchards of 82nd (O82) to connect residents to each other, APANO, and the broader East Portland community. Grace also makes art with a group of BIPOC artists on the O82 Art Crew, creating exhibits about SE 82nd.

Grace was an English and Creative Arts teacher in South Africa from 2017 to 2019. She studied and made art at Ewha Womans University in Seoul, South Korea from 2015-2016. She studied Visual Art and Arts Management at the University of Oregon and graduated in 2017.

Grace loves exploring new places, having deep conversations, dancing to live music, and soaking up the sun.

Brittney Pioquinto is a first-generation Filipina American, born and raised in East Portland. Her first language was karaoke, being part of Filipinx communities in Portland by singing at cultural events. At 17, Brittney joined the Multnomah Youth Commission, catalyzing her work in social justice, policy, and youth advocacy. After high school, she studied communications and ethnic studies at the University of Oregon, organizing with college students and identity-based groups. Brittney also loves to explore the world through her body by dancing, laughing, and staying active.

Sage Spicer-Orak is a queer mixed Palauan poet, born and raised in Portland Oregon. A BSW graduate, author, activist, and organizer Sage has come to understand herself and her culture through her relationship to the land and ocean. Their strong passion for learning and teaching involve them in many positions centered around building community resilience and healing. Sage believes in the power of knowledge, and its ability to transform our impact on both each other and the Earth. In her work, Sage intentionally amplifies the voices of her people and their struggles. Without recognition and action several smaller Pasifika communities will continue to suffer silently in the development of climate crises.

Outside of APANO, Sage can be found organizing with Pacific Climate Warriors PDX, a local Pasifika youth climate chapter, attending and performing at local open mic events, or exploring hikes and trails with their dog Bella.

As the youngest daughter of refugee parents, Coua was born in Eau Claire, Wisconsin and moved to Portland, Oregon in 2007. She attended the University of Oregon, Lundquist College of Business. On campus is where she quickly realized her identity as a Southeast Asian woman, the significance of her Hmong roots and refugee history of her people. Her participation in students of color organizations fostered her passion for racial equity and social justice.

Since then she has advocated for Asian and Pacific Islander experiences and narratives, especially within Southeast Asian communities. As a community organizer, she co-leads New Year in the Park; is a board member for the Hmong American Community of Oregon and the Cambodian American Community of Oregon; and is an Ambassador for the Hmong Women Today of Oregon.

Maiyee (they/she) is a second-generation Chinese-American and has lived in Oregon their entire life. They have had the privilege of working with diverse Asian communities throughout their professional journey from student clubs and the department of Diversity & Cultural Engagement at Oregon State University to neighborhood organizing and greening in the Jade District and program integration efforts between teams at APANO.

In their current role as Culture, Equity, and Integration (CEI) Manager, Maiyee is focused on supporting staff capacity and wellness through integrating principles of collective care, healing, and learning into organizational systems and culture. She is a strong believer that healing one’s self is also healing one’s community as self and community are never separate.

Her knowledge and practices draw strongly from the intersectional writings of adrienne maree brown, Grace Lee Boggs, and bell hooks and shared conversations and social media posts with friends. In addition to reading books on healing and “self-help”, Maiyee also enjoys getting delicious foods and goodies from local BIPOC small businesses and various pop-ups & farmers markets across the Portland/Metro area.

Jason has over 14 years of experience in financial management, including ten years and counting working with Portland and Southwest Washington area nonprofits, with a proven track record in audit compliance and organizational leadership. With a willingness to think outside the box, Jason is passionate about supporting unique and innovative programs that impact local communities, and exploring the role that finance can play in promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace and the world.

Michael worked in the non-profit entertainment industry under Theatre and Music as a production stage manager for various San Francisco companies and organizations, most notably Berkeley Rep, Campo Santo, Aurora Theatre Co., and SFJAZZ.

Prior to joining APANO, he worked as office manager for ICF International and SFJAZZ, building 18 years of experience in office administration. Outside of trying to save the world, Michael enjoys cooking with his wife and boarding doggies.

Summer first started working as a receptionist and has worked her way up to be a Lead Employment Specialist with Express Employment Professionals before joining APANO. She has 10 years of HR knowledge and experience. She is thrilled to have the opportunity to work closely with various HR teams from different industries. Summer finds success through partnering with hiring managers to determine staffing needs leading to place the right candidate with the right company. She acts as a liaison between employees and managers. Her extensive background as a life insurance agent has broadened her lens to community issues and finding solutions. With her knowledge she wants to make an impact in people’s lives and share resources to those who are in need. Summer believes in doing the right things for the right reasons. Summer is friendly and always acts with a sense of urgency adhering to applicable laws and policies. She is passionate about her community and will give with kindness.

Karen grew up in NE Portland. She is dedicated to supporting the capacity of social justice leaders and organizations to create thriving communities.

She is dedicated to supporting social justice leaders, organizations, and individuals to create thriving communities and a sense of belonging.

Karen got started in the nonprofit sector in Seattle, WA as a Children's Advocate at Solid Ground and received her Bachelors in Social Work from Seattle University. She shifted her focus to nonprofit management and received her Masters of Social Work, with a focus on Practice and Leadership with Communities and Organizations. Karen joined APANO in 2020 as the Development Coordinator prior to her current role. She is excited to celebrate everyone who engages with their communities.

Linh is 1.5 generation Vietnamese-American who came to the states with her parents and brother in 1980 and grew up in Houston, Texas. She’s been in Portland 7 years and has grown to love it more each year.

She has been connected to her community since childhood, when her parents were involved with non-profit organizations and social activism, but only understood it more deeply when she worked with various organizations in Houston. She also grew up in an environment where self-employment was a path toward independence and empowerment, and gave one the opportunity to help others.

She joined the Jade District team because she believes that a multi-ethnic diverse community can thrive and flourish, and ethnically-owned small businesses are crucial in that development and vision.  She would love to see more people of color-owned small businesses along Division Street and 82nd Ave, and for the area to continue beyond the destination for families, youth, and residents alike to catch-up, eat, drink, shop and connect with their roots or share their roots.

Wanna Lei is the Community Engagement Manager at APANO, is an immigrant herself, and a mom of two. She got involved with APANO because of her passion to get a Chinese Dual Language Immersion (DLI) program to SE Portland, an area in which most new Chinese Immigrants live. Leading a group of new immigrant moms (Spicy Moms), they won the campaign to bring Portland’s third Chinese DLI program to Harrison Park Elementary School in SE Portland in September of 2017.

At APANO, Wanna focuses on organizing parents and expanding APANO’s immigrant base to include tenants and workers. She hopes to bring immigrant parents together to address issues the Chinese community struggles with. She is inspired by the many super moms she has worked with, forming a collective of smart, dedicated, and passionate people.  She challenges herself to grow and is on a mission to grow with the many immigrant moms who have similar experiences and struggles as ones she’s faced and continues facing.

She loves Zumba, Yoga, beauty, culture exploring and living a healthy life style. She welcomes Chinese immigrants and parents to join us!

Oom is a first-generation Thai-American who was born and raised in Bangkok before relocating to Portland 13 years ago. In Thailand, she earned a degree in Advertising but embarked on her initial career path as an actress and TV show host. Later, she ventured into entrepreneurship, founding her own media company. Over the years, Oom has produced and hosted numerous TV shows, including one focusing on organic rice farming, where she purchased land and transformed it into an organic rice farm. Additionally, she began publishing a magazine and pocket books.

Her journey led her to Portland when she married her husband, Christopher. Together, they have two lovely daughters who currently attend a Japanese-Immersion school. Oom cherishes spending time with her family, exploring new cuisines, hiking, embarking on trips, and delving into new board and card games.

Identifying as a lifelong learner, Oom consistently seeks to master new skills, whether it's pickleball, sewing and knitting intricate patterns, experimenting with baking recipes, or simply expanding her knowledge on various subjects. She contributes regularly as a columnist for 'The Cloud,' an online magazine in Thailand, where she shares insights about life in Portland.

Deeply invested in community health and well-being, Oom actively engages with the Asian community within Portland Public Schools. She eagerly anticipates her role as a Community Coordinator at APANO, where she aims to facilitate connections for individuals with the resources they rightfully deserve.

Nha got a scholarship from Vietnam to study abroad and started her education at Oregon City High School. After that, she moved to Portland and fell in love with Oregon, making it her home for more than 15 years. Nha’s educational background is in Public Health and Nursing. Like many other immigrant families in the U.S., her family had to go through many obstacles for a stable life. She believes that where people end up is not dependent on where they began in life.

Nha enjoys working with people and connecting them with resources to achieve their needs. She focuses her work on health programs at APANO such as Reducing Cervical Cancer in Vietnamese Women with OHSU Knight Cancer Institute, Covid Vaccine Clinics with Oregon Health Authority and PCC, etc. Her wish for the Vietnamese community is to be united and their voices to be heard. Her motto that she lives by is “Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.” – Isaiah 1:17

Sam was raised in Chicago, Illinois where she completed her Bachelor's in Environmental Science and later went on to earn a Master's in Public Policy as well from Loyola University Chicago. She is the daughter of a Cantonese immigrant parent and proud member of the queer community. Through her work in advocacy and environmental justice, Sam aims to bridge the gap between policy/decision makers and the people they serve. Since moving to Portland a few years ago, she has developed a deep appreciation for the people here and is continuously inspired by all Oregonians. When not working, she likes to game, read, and spend time with her puppy, XingYin.

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My parents and I are refugees from Laos. I resettled in Portland Oregon in 1980 with my parents. I graduated from California State University Chico with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with core classes in Power, Wealth, and Inequalities. I have a Master of Social Work degree from Portland State University. The refugee experience has shaped my values of equity, social justice, and community and I am committed to making sure that our immigrant population has an equal opportunity at success. I serve on the Advisory Board of the Pacific Islander and Asian Family Center, East County Rising PAC Board, and Asian Pacific Islander Community Coalition of Oregon. I am also the elected President of Iu Mien Association of Oregon, and Reynolds School Board Director.