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Dear Friends, Colleagues and Supporters,
On behalf of the Asian Pacific Fund Board of Directors, it is my great pleasure to announce that after an extensive executive search, Carolyn Wang Kong will be our new President & Executive Director, effective November 1, 2022. Carolyn comes to the Fund with significant leadership experience, management expertise and deep understanding of the community which we believe will successfully guide the Asian Pacific Fund in its next phase of growth. She has served in operational leadership roles at Kaiser Permanente and will be transitioning from her current position as the Chief Program Director at the Blue Shield of California Foundation.
Over the past year, the Fund faced dramatic challenges in meeting the needs of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community due to the pandemic and a surge in anti-Asian harassment and hate. We more than doubled our grantmaking to support nonprofits tirelessly serving the community's most vulnerable members, and we increased the visibility of the Asian Pacific Fund’s work nationally. With Carolyn’s 20 years of deeply informed work dedicated to issues such as health equity, domestic violence, language access and mental wellness for underserved communities, we look forward to her leadership in amplifying our philanthropy and impact on the well-being of the AAPI community. You can read more about Carolyn here.
“Joining the Asian Pacific Fund at this moment in my career is like coming home,” Carolyn said. “I have been raised by the AAPI community and my culture has always been a source of strength. Our communities have been through so much over recent years and we continue to face challenges often invisible to others. I am honored to be selected to take the Fund into the next phase of meeting the needs of our most vulnerable AAPIs who need all of us now more than ever.”
The Board of Directors and staff would like to thank Interim Executive Director Adrienne Pon for her guidance and leadership during this time of transition and Azzani Search Consultants for leading the executive search.
Please join us in welcoming Carolyn as we usher in an exciting new chapter for the Asian Pacific Fund. We look forward to introducing her at our Annual Gala on October 22, 2022.
Warmest regards,
Tom Cole
Board Chair
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