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Board
Board
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he/him
Chris is working toward his PhD in social welfare where his research focuses on how tax credits and other public policies affect families and individuals. Chris previously worked at The Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis (TCI), where he led TCI’s tax policy research.
Chris attended college and graduate school in the great state of Indiana. He was born in South Korea and identifies as a transracial and transnational Korean adoptee.
she/her
Ha Nguyen (Nguyễn Phạm Thái Hà ) currently works at the National Alliance of Community Economic Development Associations (NACEDA), where she takes a deeper dive into public policies and resources aimed at improving the lives of those living in low and moderate-income places on a national level. Prior to NACEDA, Ha worked at NAKASEC VA (now Hamkae Center) as the Field and Membership Coordinator to get out the Asian American vote for the 2020 General and 2021 Primary Election with the Civic Engagement Team. This year, Ha is elated to return to Hamkae Center in a new capacity as Nominations Chair.
Ha is fluent in Vietnamese and attempts to learn Spanish and Korean in her free time.
she/her
Katie Zhang (å¼ è‰¾å¦®ï¼‰is a second generation Chinese American born and raised in Henrico, Virginia. Katie joins the Board after interning for Hamkae Center in the New Leaders Collective program (2020) and for the Policy & Communications Team for the 2021 General Assembly. During Katie’s internships, she organized to expand Medicaid access and lobbied for translation support for immigrants in Virginia.
In her free time, Katie crochets cat hats and tries to make compost on her balcony.
she/her
Kylie is a proud first-generation college student who has worked towards education equity throughout her career. Focused on college access and persistence for historically underrepresented students, she came from a background in diversity, equity, and inclusion within higher education administration before transitioning into the nonprofit sector. She currently serves as Director of Development for APIA Scholars, a national non-profit providing resources to Asian and Pacific Islander American college students. Having partnered with Hamkae Center previously through youth leadership programs, she is eager to serve Hamkae Center in her role as a board member.
Kylie holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from James Madison University and a Masters of Arts in Student Affairs Administration from Appalachian State University. In her free time, she enjoys DC nature walks, perfecting Filipino food recipes, or exploring the local pizza scene with Pizza Club DC.
she/her
Sara is a young and aspiring activist who, at 20 years old, graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University. Prior to joining the Hamkae Center as a board member, she worked at various nonprofit organizations and political campaigns, such as The Hub Project, For Our Future, Supermajority, and Need To Impeach to name a few. She recently canvassed for Asian Americans for Change Action Fund during the 2022 midterm elections.
Sara currently works in Washington, D.C. for an advertising agency. Outside of the office, Sara can be found at the gym, socializing with her peers, playing video games, or reading a good (comic) book.