Presidential Asian Advisory Council Sworn In

OCA staff with Chair Daphne Kwok and commissioners Ramey Ko and Sefa Aina

WASHINGTON - OCA joined the APA community in welcoming the 17 new members of the White House Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs). Reestablished by Executive Order in October 2009, the Advisory Commission will advise the President on efforts involving the AAPI community and work with the White House Initiative on AAPIs to increase access and participation in federal programs.

“The Advisory Commission serves an integral role in bridging the work that organizations like OCA does with federal programs and resources,” said Ken Lee, OCA National President, “OCA is proud to see several appointees directly connected to the work that OCA has done over the years.” Commissioner Chair Daphne Kwok was OCA Executive Director for over 10 years. Commissioner Sefa Aina is a trainer for OCA’s APIA U college leadership training program, Commissioner Ramey Ko is a former OCA intern, and Commissioner Rozita Villanueva Lee is a leader within the OCA-Las Vegas Chapter.

“OCA looks forward to working with Chair Daphne Kwok and all the members of the Advisory Commission and continuing to work with the White House to address the needs of the AAPI community,” said George Wu, OCA Executive Director, who represented OCA at the swearing-in ceremony, “The breadth of experiences and varied background of these individuals will serve to show the diverse needs and perspectives of our community.”

The Advisory Commission on AAPIs appointments include:

Daphne Kwok, Chair, Executive Director of Asians and Pacific Islanders with Disabilities of California
Sefa Aina, Director of Asian American Resource Center at Pomona College
Debra T. Cabrera, Social Science Faculty Member at St. John’s School
Kamuela J. N. Enos, Director of Community Resource Development at MA`O Organic Farms
Frances Eneski Francis, Partner with Spiegel & McDiarmid LLP
Farooq Kathwari, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Ethan Allen Interiors
Hyeok Kim, Executive Director of InterIm Community Development Association
Ramey Ko, Associate Judge of the City of Austin Municipal Court
Rozita Villanueva Lee, National Vice Chair of the National Federation of Filipino American Associations
Sunil Puri, President and sole owner of First Rockford Group, Inc
Amardeep Singh, Co-founder and Director of Programs at the Sikh Coalition
Unmi Song, Executive Director of the Lloyd A. Fry Foundation
Dilawar A. Syed, President and CEO of Yonja Media Group
Khampha Thephavong, Physician at the Veterans Affairs Hospital
Doua Thor, Executive Director of Southeast Asia Resource Action Center
Hector L. Vargas, Jr., Executive Director of the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association
Hines Ward, Professional football player and founder of the Hines Ward Helping Hands Foundation