NATIONAL CEO

Since APAPA was established in 2001, Mary has served in various roles for APAPA, including a local chapter leader, treasurer, and event planner. She is committed to building a strong team for APAPA as the organization grows.

As a McDonald's franchisee in Sacramento, Yolo, and Solano counties, she was elected as the first female and minority President of the Northern CA McDonald's Operators Association. In her prior career, she served as a Deputy District Attorney, and Vice-President of the Solano County Women Lawyers Association. She was appointed to the Yolo County Planning Commission, and is passionate about giving back to the community. She is also the Founder of the nonprofit Thriving Pink.

NATIONAL PROGRAM DIRECTOR

Andrew works closely with our HQ team to plan core APAPA programs, including the APAPA National Internship Program, APAPA Youth Leadership Academy, Legislative Advocacy Days in California and Washington DC, and community partnerships. Andrew has been an active Davis Chapter board member, and a past APAPA volunteer for over a decade. In his prior career, he worked as a U.S. congressional staffer, and is currently a commercial real estate broker. He also serves on the Economic Development & Housing Commission for the City of West Sacramento, and the Climate Action Commission for Yolo County. Andrew is a Certified Project Manager from Stanford University, and a proud UC Davis alumnus.

NATIONAL DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

Marilyn manages APAPA’s relationships with policymakers, major sponsors, and key stakeholders. She aims to expand organizational capacity with new partnerships, represents APAPA as a spokesperson and public affairs representative, and is part of the HQ team developing media strategy, chapter support and training, and enhancing operational efficiency. She has experience as staff for a CA legislator, is a First 5 Commissioner and Commissioner for Women and Girls in Contra Costa County, and serves on the Tri-Valley APAPA board. She holds degrees in communications, psychology, and education from Santa Clara University and a Public Leadership Credential from the Kennedy School of Government.

COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST

Jacqui drafts press releases and media advisories for APAPA HQ, and coordinates media suport for our signature events and programs. Jacqui is also responsible for leading our APAPA Government Appointments Committee which supports well-qualified candidates for gubernatorial appointments in the state of California. Jacqui has experience at the California State Legislature as a Press Secretary, and is a former television reporter and anchor. She is the first Asian American to serve on the Solano County Commission on Women and Girls. She also serves on the board of the Asian Pacific State Employees Association (APSEA) and the Greater Sacramento Chapter of APAPA.

CHAPTER & PROGRAM MANAGER

Melody runs APAPA's digital and social media presence, and works closely with chapter leaders to support our events and programs. Prior to joining APAPA, she played a key role in a historic campaign to elect Sacramento County’s first Asian-American District Attorney Thien Ho. Melody graduated from UC Berkeley as a political science major, and was a former APAPA Intern for U.S. Congresswoman Doris Matsui.

EVENTS COORDINATOR

Aaron is a valuable member of our team, leading and planning our signature APAPA events. He believes in partnership and collaboration in bringing our community together. He also provides graphic design elements for our special events, programs, and newsletters. Aaron has served as a dedicated board member for the APAPA Davis Chapter. He is passionate about community service and volunteers much of his time to help others. Aaron has been recognized as a 'Most Effective Volunteer' by the local newspaper and an 'Outstanding Ambassador' for the local chamber of commerce. He is also the founder of the Davis Communications Guild, and the owner of Smartz Graphics.

INTERNSHIP PROGRAM DIRECTOR

Patrick is an experienced manager across multiple industries with a successful business and marketing background. He has an aptitude for team building and creating engaging company culture by utilizing best practices from the private and public sectors. Patrick leads the strategy and detailed planning for the APAPA National Internship Program. He coordinates professional development workshops, community service projects, and research and writing projects for the local diversity caucuses. Patrick is very passionate about advancing the next generation of leaders.

OFFICE COORDINATOR

Alma is a dedicated team member who has been with APAPA since 2017. She keeps the APAPA office running smoothly by organizing chapter support materials, financial documents, and office supplies. Her responsibilities include accounts payable processing, HQ building maintenance, and special event set-up. She also coordinates financial reports with the bookkeeper and accountant. Alma enjoys greeting guests at HQ, and reaching out to connect with chapter leaders to support special events.

ACCOUNTANT

Michelle has specialized as a CPA in the accounting field for over 36 years, focusing on such industries as governmental and non-profit entities. She is a Certified Fraud Examiner and audit specialist. Michelle has provided expert insight in the areas of fraud prevention, detection, and implementing processes/internal controls. Michelle provides proactive and knowledgeable operational guidance for financial statements and annual taxes.

TECHNOLOGY MANAGER

Byron has 35 years of experience in software development and information technology. He works with a team of developers and a large footprint of hosting systems in a SOC3 data center. Byron's supports and manages the APAPA database, website, software programs, and secure applications. He is also a dedicated board member of the APAPA Greater Sacramento Chapter. Byron brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to support APAPA and its chapters.

Several APAPA student interns from Northern California also work at APAPA HQ each week. They provide support in the areas of event planning, student led workshops, and research projects related to our programs. These local college student interns also engage with our chapter leaders and community partners. APAPA interns are an important part of our APAPA HQ Team.