president obama appoints daphne kwok to advisory commission on asian americans and pacific islanders

Received word today that President Obama has appointed Daphne Kwok as Chair of his Advisory Committee on Asian American and Pacific Islanders.

Kwok, who currently serves as the Executive Director of Asians and Pacific Islanders with Disabilities of California, has more than two decades of experience as a community leader at both the national levels. From the White House Media Affairs Office press release:

"Daphne knows what services and protections Asian American and Pacific Islanders need and what resources they can bring to the table to build a strong collaboration with the Obama Administration," said Ahuja. "Together, we're going to work hard to let all Asian American and Pacific Islanders know the resources the Administration has available to help improve their everyday lives."

Kwok is currently the Executive Director of Asians and Pacific Islanders with Disabilities of California. She previously served as the executive director of the Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation, the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies, as well as the Organization of Chinese Americans, a national civil rights organization with more than 10,000 members. She was also the first-elected Chair of the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans.

In addition, Kwok has served on the Secretary of Energy's Advisory Council and on the boards of a wide range of Asian American and Pacific Islander groups, including APIA Vote, National Japanese American Memorial Foundation, Southeast Asia Resource Action Center, National Coalition of Asian Pacific American Community Development and the Asian Pacific American Caucus of the American Political Science Association. She is also a Founding Board Member of the Asian & Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund.

As chair of the Commission, Kwok will work with the White House Initiative to increase public- and private-sector collaboration and community involvement in the effort. Kwok will work closely with Ahuja and the Initiative co-chairs, U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan and U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, in addressing issues that are critical to the AAPI community.

The President's Advisory Commission was re-established last year by Executive Order 13515 as part of a White House Initiative to improve the lives of Asian American and Pacific Islander communities underserved by federal resources. For more information on Daphne Kwok's appointment, go here.