The National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development (National CAPACD) is a membership based network of local community based agencies who have been and are active players in various social and economic empowerment movements that came together after the Civil Rights era and developed through the War on Poverty initiatives. The work of our member organizations range in experience, approach and technique to community building, planning and empowerment. Our member organizations are 5-35 years old and serve a diverse community base including Asian Americans, Pacific Islander, Native, refugee, immigrant, low income communities nationwide that work to promote community empowerment through service, housing and economic development and organizing impacted constituencies.

Over the past five years, National CAPACD has brought together some of the most sophisticated, comprehensive and active community development agencies, social service providers, national organizations, advocates and organizers. Through national forums and venues for local indigenous leadership to be visible and fostered, we have been able to promote peer to peer learning through our annual conventions and task forces and link organizations and resources to broader networks. Building on the reputation of our member agencies, we have also developed strategic partnerships, with national, regional, and local organizations, intermediaries, financial institutions, policy makers, immigrant, workers rights and other social change movements.

National CAPACD board and staff on Capitol Hill with Congressmen Honda & Abercrombie

National CAPACD is led and supported by a multigenerational, ethnically & geographically diverse board, staff, interns and volunteers with a variety of experience in grassroots organizing, organizational management and program development, real estate management, business development and finance, campaign development, research and policy advocacy, and experience in the various sectors of the federal government, intermediaries, and financial institutions. Currently National CAPACD has 20 Board members and 7 dynamic and highly qualified staff. Our main offices are located in Washington D.C. and we have affiliated offices in Los Angeles, CA.
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Sue Taoka, Co-President
Seattle Chinatown/International District Preservation and Development Authority
Seattle, WA

Kerry Doi, Co-President
Pacific Asian Consortium in Employment
Los Angeles, CA

Lynette Jung Lee, Vice President
East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation
Oakland, CA

Grant Din, Treasurer
Asian Neighborhood Design
Oakland, CA

Seema Agnani, Secretary
Chhaya CDC
Jackson Heights, NY

Kapi'olani Barber
Nanakuli Neighborhood Housing Services 
Kailua, HI

Joni Byun
Nakatomi & Associates 
Los Angeles, CA

Sandy Hoa Dang
Asian American LEAD, Inc
Washington DC

Robin Puanani Danner
Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement
Anahola, Hawaii

Jennifer Iba

Ken Katahira
InterIm Community Development Association
Seattle, WA

Michelle Kauhane
Hawaiian Community Assets
Honolulu, HI

Daphne Kwok
Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies
Washington DC

Eun Sook Lee
National Korean Americans Service and Education Consortium
Los Angeles, CA

Dean Matsubayashi
Little Tokyo Service Center
Los Angeles, CA

Tim K. Otani
Washington Mutual
Seattle, WA

Jim J. Park
Aviara Group
San Diego, CA

Faaluaina Pritchard
Korean Women's Association
Tacoma, WA

Asherlev Santos
San Diego County Public Health Service
San Diego, CA

Annetta Seecharran
South Asian Youth Action
Elmhurst, NY

Julie Sun
Freddie Mac
MacLean, VA

Bo Thao
Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy
Jersey City, NJ

Jo-Ann Yoo
Asian Americans for Equality
New York, NY

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Lisa Hasegawa, Executive Director

Since 2000, Lisa Hasegawa has led National CAPACD's efforts to be a powerful voice for the unique community development needs of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities and to strengthen the capacity of community based organizations to create neighborhoods of hope and opportunities.  She currently serves as the Chair for the National Council for Asian Pacific Americans and on the Board of the National Neighborhood Coalition.  In 2003, Lisa was a Fellow in the Rockefeller Foundation's Next Generation Leadership Program.

Prior to joining National CAPACD, Ms. Hasegawa was the Community Liaison for the White House Initiative on AAPIs where she was responsible for ensuring that AAPI community groups from across the country were involved and informed about Initiative activities.  She also worked for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Office of Minority Health.  Lisa previously worked at two community health centers serving low-income AAPIs in Los Angeles and Oakland, California.  Lisa is a fourth generation Japanese American from California, and is a graduate of UCLA and the Harvard School of Public Health. 

Nina is the newest addition to the National CAPACD team, where she oversees outreach to members, funders, and other stakeholders, and creates communications strategies for the organization. 

Prior to National CAPACD, Nina worked as a Research Analyst for SEIU Local 11, organizing condominium workers in South Florida.  In 2004, she worked as the Canvas Director of the Miami office of America Coming Together, where she mobilized tens of thousands of voters in the largest voter contact program in history.  She began her political career heading up Florida PIRG's Clean Water Campaigns. Nina has served on the Board of Directors of SAAVY (South Asian American Voting Youth) as the Fundraising Chair, and mentored SAAVY fellows at the University of Florida as part of a larger South Asian Youth Voter mobilization movement.  

Nina graduated from New York University with degrees in Sociology and Environmental Studies and is currently pursuing her Masters in Business Administration at the University of Florida.   

TC Duong, Community Resources Program Manager

TC Duong is the Community Resources Program Manager at National CAPACD, where he oversees the ACTION Technical Assistance Program.  TC has over 12 years of experience in training, community organizing and policy in both the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, and the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender communities.  

Prior to National CAPACD, TC worked at Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) as the East Field Manager to provide technical assistance to over 200 of PFLAG chapters on issues of coalition building, member recruitment, strategic planning, and diversity.  TC organized the Families of Color Network and the Spanish Speakers Network to provide support for GLBT people of color and their families.  TC also provided leadership and policy technical assistance to community-based nonprofits in his work with the Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC), monitoring a wide range of issues of interest to the Southeast Asian American community and organizing SEARAC's annual Leadership and Advocacy Training.

Darshan Khalsa, Deputy Director

Darshan is the Deputy Director at National CAPACD, where she oversees the Leadership Development and Community Convenings program areas, as well as the organization's development, communications, and operations.

Prior to National CAPACD, Darshan founded the Racial Justice Campaign Fund (now the Racial Justice Campaign) in 2003, a program at Progressive Majority that works to support and elect progressive candidates of color who are committed to racial and social justice.  As the Program Director, Darshan cultivated a new population of candidates, community leaders and donors - and 57% of the program's candidates were elected in November 2004.  She continues to serve on the program's Advisory Board.  In addition, Darshan has served on the board of South Asian American Voting Youth, now a program of APIA Vote, working to educate, organize and mobilize young South Asians to form a united political voice, and the National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum - DC Chapter. 

Darshan was born in Sioux City, Iowa and grew up in Vacaville, California.  She is a graduate of California State University, Sacramento and New York University School of Law.  In her spare time, she sings in a choir, attempts yoga and indulged in "chocolate happy hours" and occasional slumber parties with her friends.

Nira Ly, Program Coordinator

Nira Ly has worked towards empowering the Asian American and Pacific Islander community and social justice since she was a college student.  She is now the Program Coordinator at National CAPACD, implementing programs that will cultivate a strong, multi-generational continuum of active, vocal AAPI leaders by providing scholarships, fellowships, internships, trainings, and networking opportunities.

Prior to her work at National CAPACD, Nira worked with the Minnesota Democratic Farmer Labor (DFL) Party on the "Coordinated Campaign" for Saint Paul Mayor and School Board where she mobilized Hmong Americans to exercise their right to vote.  She has done extensive work organizing with NARAL Pro-Choice Minnesota where she supervised student activists working to protect reproductive rights.  She also co-founded and led Hmong College Students of Minnesota's efforts to be a powerful voice for Hmong students and the needs of the Hmong community.

Nira is a Hmong American born and raised in Oshkosh, Wisconsin and is a graduate of Carleton College. 

Ann Surapruik, Congressional Fellow

Ann Surapruik is National CAPACD's Congressional Fellow, where she works on housing and community development policy in the office of Congressman Al Green, Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Housing Task Force.

Before joining National CAPACD, Ann worked at the Office for Civil Rights in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on policies that increase access to services and the civil rights of low-income immigrant and minority communities.  Through this work, she provided assistance to service providers, state agencies, and community-based organizations to address discriminatory practices, language barriers, health disparities and the devastating effects of immigration and welfare reform laws.  Prior to OCR, she worked for HHS' Health Resources and Services Administration, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and Office of Minority Health.

Ann is passionate about working to ensure rights, support, and dignity for Asian Pacific Americans, women, immigrants, communities of color, and LGBT communities and has served on the boards of the National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum (NAPAWF) and the D.C. Mayor's Commission on Asian and Pacific Islanders Affairs.  She is the daughter of Thai-Chinese immigrants and a graduate of UCLA and Yale University's School of Public Health.

Chue Yang, Administrative Associate

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Los Angeles, CA

Asian Pacific American Community Development Data Center
Center Coordinator/Research Analyst
UCLA Asian American Studies Center
PO Box 951546
Contact: Melany dela Cruz
Email: melanyd@ucla.edu
Phone: 310.267.2474 

website: http://www.aasc.ucla.edu/cic/default.htm

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