NAPAWF Continues Strategic Growth With Expansion Of Senior Leadership Team

New Executive Hires Bolster Organization’s Leadership in Communications, Policy and Government Affairs, Internal Administration

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 3, 2021
Contact: Randy Bunnao, (310) 910-6810, rbunnao@napawf.org

CHICAGO & WASHINGTON, D.C. – The National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF), the leading organization advocating for Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) women and girls, announces new senior level appointments. “Each team member was strategically chosen based on their deep experience, demonstrated leadership, and proven record of success,” said Sung Yeon Choimorrow, Executive Director at NAPAWF. “Building our executive leadership capacity will ultimately deepen the impact we make in the lives of AAPI women and girls.”

New appointments include: Randy Bunnao as Chief Communications Officer; Yvonne Hsu as Chief Policy and Government Affairs Officer; Isra Pananon as Chief of Staff; Valeri Chow Tao as Chief Administrative Officer; and Jennifer Wang as Chief Strategic Partnerships and Research Officer. A Chief Field Officer will also join and complete the senior leadership team at NAPAWF.

Randy Bunnao, Chief Communications Officer

Randy Bunnao (he/him), a second-generation Filipino American, has spent over a decade working in social justice. He previously served as Communications Director at Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Los Angeles, advancing strategic messaging and advocacy goals related to the protection of immigrants and Limited English Proficient communities. Prior to this, Randy was Education Director at the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law. In this role, he ensured key research on LGBT communities reached policymakers, advocates, and journalists during the national movement for marriage equality. Randy was a Coro Fellow in Public Affairs in New York. He is a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University and University of California, Santa Cruz and was a Public Policy and International Affairs (PPIA) Fellow. Randy lives in Los Angeles with his husband and two kids and an elderly dachshund named Marco.

Yvonne Hsu, Chief Policy and Government Affairs Officer

Yvonne Hsu (she/her) is a 1.5 generation immigrant with fifteen years of nonprofit and government experience. She brings extensive legislative and Capitol Hill experience through her work for Rep. Katherine Clark (D-MA) as senior advisor on appropriations and as part of her Democratic Caucus Vice Chair team and previously for Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA). Yvonne served as an Obama Administration political appointee at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity and Office of Public Engagement where she championed a signature civil rights initiative to desegregate communities and secured changes to the American Housing Survey, the most comprehensive national housing survey, to disaggregate data on AAPI households. Most recently, she worked for the National Council of State Housing Finance Agencies leading appropriations strategy and other affordable housing advocacy efforts. Yvonne was the former president of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Staff Association and led the Taiwanese American Citizens League Political Internship Program. She has a bachelor’s degree in history and sociology from the University of California, Riverside. Yvonne lives in Washington, D.C.

Isra Pananon, Chief of Staff

Isra Pananon (she/her), a second-generation Thai American, brings a wide variety of leadership skills and experience. Most recently, she served as Program Manager for Project Management and Strategy and as Chief of Staff to the President and CEO at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). Prior to NRDC, Isra was an Obama appointee at the U.S. Department of the Interior and served in three roles and offices during her time at DOI: the Secretary’s immediate office, Office of Intergovernmental and External Affairs, and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks, where she ended her term as Chief of Staff to the Assistant Secretary. Outside of her civilian career, Isra is a Captain and Civil Affairs Officer in the U.S. Army Reserve. She holds masters from the University of Baltimore School of Public and International Affairs and the NYU Silver School of Social Work. Isra hails from Washington, D.C. and currently lives in Brooklyn with her fiancé, Julia, and two dogs.

Valeri Chow Tao, Chief Administrative Officer

Valeri Chow Tao (she/her) is a third-generation Chinese American born in Washington, D.C.  She has spent her career working with people and building systems to sustain mission-driven work. She strives to be an empathetic, solutions-oriented, consensus builder. A committed learner and developer of people, communities, and systems, Valeri has served in many capacities including teacher, mentor, administrator, program manager, fellowship director, event planner, hospital chaplain and pastor.  She holds a Masters of Management from North Park University and Masters of Divinity from North Park Theological Seminary. Valeri has called Chicago home for over 15 years and has lived and worked on every side of the city. She enjoys spending time with her family, cooking, being outside and making music.

Jennifer Wang, Chief Strategic Partnerships and Research Officer

Jennifer Wang (she/her) will transition from Deputy Director of Programs to Chief Strategic Partnerships and Research Officer. In her new role Jennifer will increase NAPAWF’s power and leadership in the AAPI progressive movement through building cross-racial solidarity with others who share our priorities and values. Jennifer will also grow and expand NAPAWF’s research capacity and footprint. Jennifer has spent more than a decade working for progressive policy change, including in the reproductive rights and health, youth, consumer protections, and economic justice movements. Jennifer holds dual degrees in psychology and gender studies from UCLA, and a JD from the University of Iowa College of Law. She is the proud daughter of immigrants and now lives in Washington, D.C., though Los Angeles will always be home.

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The National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF) is the only multi-issue, progressive, community organizing and policy advocacy organization for Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) women and girls in the U.S. NAPAWF’s mission is to build collective power so that all AAPI women and girls can have full agency over our lives, our families, and our communities.