On April 12, as representatives of the Asian American Bar Association of New York, President-Elect Benjamin Hsing and Executive Director Yang Chen attended an AI Symposium at Cornell Tech on Roosevelt Island hosted by New York State Attorney General Letitia James. The symposium covered a range of timely topics, including opportunities presented by generative AI, the risks and concerns posed by this transformative technology, and how generative AI might be used to enhance the lives of people in New York State.
The symposium was convened to explore the role of law in dealing with the challenges posed by generative AI even as its potential continues to develop. Many of the panelists came from the academic sector, and a future symposium is planned to include voices and thoughts from the business sector.
We thank the Attorney General for inviting AABANY to participate in shaping this discussion.
WASHINGTON – NAPABA congratulates Krystal Ka’ai, who today was appointed by President Biden to become Executive Director of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. NAPABA has worked with Ms. Ka’ai for nearly a decade in her role as Executive Director of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.
“Krystal has been a steadfast advocate for the AA and NHPI communities,” said NAPABA Executive Director Priya Purandare. “Her experience working on nearly every important legislative and policy priority affecting the AA and NHPI populations makes her uniquely situated to lead the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders during the most critical times for these communities. NAPABA is proud to have supported her candidacy, and we look forward to working with her in her new role and strengthening our relationship with the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders.”
The White House today also announced that the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders will be housed in the Department of Health and Human Services, to ensure that the Federal government is mitigating COVID-19 related anti-Asian bias, advancing health equity for all AA and NHPI communities, and ensuring AA and NHPI communities can equitably recover from these crises.
Ms. Ka’ai’s prior experience includes working with late Senator Daniel Akaka of Hawaii, a Legislative and Research Fellow in the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and Program Associate of the National Japanese American Memorial Foundation. A graduate of the Kamehameha Schools, Ms. Ka’ai will be the first native Hawaiian to serve in this position. For more on this announcement by the White House, click here.
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The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) in the largest Asian Pacific American membership organization representing the interests of approximately 60,000 legal professionals and nearly 90 national, state, and local Asian Pacific American bar associations. NAPABA is a leader in addressing civil rights issues confronting Asian Pacific American communities. Through its national network, NAPABA provides a strong voice for increased diversity of the federal and state judiciaries, advocates for equal opportunity in the workplace, works to eliminate hate crimes and anti-immigrant sentiment, and promotes the professional development of people of color in the legal profession.
Law.com published New York City Bar Association Executive Director Bret Parker’s Letter to the Editor on March 31, 2020. Mr. Parker wrote the letter in response to an editorial in The American Lawyer on the law firm’s role in the time of crisis. The editorial noted that in times of crisis, clients will undoubtedly turn to their law firms for help.
However, at the same time, Mr. Parker stressed that it is important for law firms, attorneys, and members of the legal profession to also have a place to turn. That is where bar associations come in.
Although the New York City Bar Association’s building is currently closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Association is still very active and continuing its Lawyer Assistance Program for those in the legal community suffering from mental health or substance issues. The Association is also working on pro bono projects for small business and continuing its legal referral service remotely.
Mr. Parker’s Letter to the Editor noted that during this challenging time, many bar associations are working hard to provide their members with a place to engage, learn, and collaborate. For example, he mentioned the efforts of the Asian American Bar Association of New York to combat the rise in anti-Asian rhetoric and bias incidents that have resulted from the labeling of the coronavirus as the “Chinese virus.”
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Priya Purandare, Executive Director of the National Association of Women Judges, has been named the Executive Director of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA), the nation’s leading voice for Asian Pacific American attorneys, judges, law professors and law students.
Priya will succeed Jill Werner, who has served as Interim Executive Director since November 2019. Priya brings unparalleled institutional knowledge, having started her career at the NAPABA Law Foundation in 2009. Returning to NAPABA in 2014, Priya steadily rose through the ranks to Deputy Director, and most recently, led the association as Interim Executive Director.
“We are excited for Priya to return to NAPABA—an organization that she has made significant contributions to over the past five years. She is strategic, resilient, and determined—someone who can lead this complex organization with a deep understanding of and appreciation for our history,” said NAPABA President Bonnie Lee Wolf.
“I am thrilled to rejoin the NAPABA family,” said Priya. “This community of vibrant and diverse attorneys is unlike any other. NAPABA has been my professional home for several years and I am excited to continue working with our talented, dedicated staff and Board of Governors. My vision for NAPABA is grounded in maintaining a relentless focus on our members. I am deeply committed to seeing NAPABA thrive in 2020 and beyond.”
Priya is uniquely situated to lead NAPABA into the future and will begin her role as Executive Director on April 15.
The Executive Director search was successfully conducted by the NAPABA Board of Governors and led by President-Elect A.B. Cruz III.
For Immediate Release I December 30, 2019 For More Information, Contact: Jill Werner, Interim Executive Director, [email protected]
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) extends its gratitude to Tina Matsuoka for her dedicated service as executive director of NAPABA for more than eleven years. NAPABA flourished under her tenure, which was marked by significant financial and programmatic growth.
“The NAPABA Board is grateful to Tina for her leadership and vision,” said Bonnie Lee Wolf, president of NAPABA. “NAPABA is recognized on the national stage for its effective advocacy and policy work and emulated by peer organizations in large part because of Tina’s efforts.”
Tina was the longest-serving executive director in NAPABA’s history. Before she joined NAPABA, she was a practicing attorney with experience in government and private practice.
In announcing her departure, Ms. Matsuoka said, “It has been an honor to have worked with dedicated and talented NAPABA staff, board members, and volunteers to support the Asian Pacific American community and diversity in the legal profession. Although I am looking forward to spending more time with my family, I will truly miss the NAPABA community of lawyers who have become friends and mentors.”
Jill Werner, who is now serving as NAPABA’s Interim Executive Director, has served in various roles at the American Bar Association, including as director of member retention and staff director of the National Association of Bar Executives and the National Conference of Bar Foundations.
The NAPABA Board of Governors is working to ensure a smooth transition and has begun the recruitment and selection process for the next executive director.
MinKwon Appoints James Hong Interim Executive Director
Dear Friends
The MinKwon Center for Community Action’s Board of Directors is pleased to announce James Hong as the Interim Executive Director, effective July 1, 2016.
As Director of Civic Engagement, and since joining MinKwon in 2010, James has worked tirelessly to increase immigrant political participation through voter registration, mobilization, education and awareness campaigns and community organizing. He spearheaded MinKwon’s redistricting campaign, which brought together 14 Asian American organizations around federal, state and city-level redistricting. Through this coalition, New York’s majority-Asian districts quadrupled to better reflect the community’s growth. He also oversaw the development and expansion of APA VOICE into a pan-Asian coalition of 18 organizations, the largest collaboration of its kind in the Asian community. More recently, he has led MinKwon’s new civic engagement team to integrate the work of our advocacy, community organizing, voter engagement and Youth Empowerment Program.
James assumes the position of Interim Executive Director with the full support, confidence and enthusiasm of MinKwon’s Board of Directors, staff and allies. We look forward to his leadership in harnessing and focusing the energy that will come from this transition period, seeding the ground for MinKwon’s next executive director, as well as the organization’s ongoing efforts to empower our Korean and immigrant communities.
Sincerely, The MinKwon Board of Directors
The above message comes from MinKwon Center for Community Action. Click on the link in the title for the Executive Director Job Posting.
On February 10, we received the following announcement from MinKwon:
The Board of Directors of the MinKwon Center for Community Action announces that Grace Shim will be stepping down as our Executive Director on June 30, 2016. She will be moving to California with her daughter and husband in order to spend more time with her extended family, including her aging parents.
We are sad to hear the news of Grace’s departure from MinKwon. It has been an honor to work with her and MinKwon as a community partner for the last few years. We wish Grace all the best in her future endeavors and wish MinKwon well in its search for a new Executive Director.
Click on the link in the title for the full announcement.
New York City. The Board of Directors of the Asian American Federation (AAF) is delighted to announce the appointment of Jo-Ann Yoo as Executive Director, effective September 1, 2014. Ms. Yoo’s appointment is the culmination of a strategic review by the AAF Board. Ms. Yoo previously served as the interim Executive Director at the AAF since January, and was the Managing Director of Community Services since October 2011.
“We are excited to have Jo-Ann take the leadership helm at the Federation,” said George Wang, AAF’s Board Chair. “Jo-Ann brings years of grassroots advocacy, program development, and fundraising experience, which will be immensely helpful in building the next phase of the Federation,” continued Wang.
“I am honored to be named as the Federation’s next Executive Director,” said Jo-Ann Yoo. “I am committed to building upon the legacy of Cao O. I look forward to forging stronger relationships with our member agencies, funders and other partners, and supporting their efforts to serve some of the most vulnerable residents of our City,” added Yoo.
Ms. Yoo succeeds Mr. Cao K. O, the Founder and Executive Director who stepped down last year after 23 years of service. Prior to the Federation, Ms. Yoo served as the Director of Community Building & Organizing, and the Special Assistant to the Executive Director at Asian Americans for Equality (AAFE), and as the Administrative and Special Projects Director at the New York Immigration Coalition.
On Wednesday, October 23, AABANY Executive Director Yang Chen was a panelist at a CLE Orientation Program presented by the First Department’s Committee on Character and Fitness for a group of about 240 new attorneys who were scheduled to be sworn in to the New York State bar on October 28. The program took place at NYCLA from 9 am to 11 am, and Mr. Chen provided an overview of ethical issues confronting the new practitioner. Mr. Chen spoke from his perspective as a practitioner for nearly 20 years working on complex commercial litigation and antitrust matters. Maria Matos, Executive Secretary of the Committee on Character and Fitness and former President of the Puerto Rican Bar Association, organized the event, which is held every few weeks throughout the year.
