The Board
Sonia S. Chen (Board President, 2011-2012)
Sonia S. Chen is an attorney with Eli Lilly & Co. Prior to that, she practiced at the law firm of Bingham McHale, LLP. An Indiana native who graduated from Carmel High School, Sonia attended Vanderbilt University for her undergraduate degree, where she double majored in Violin Musical Arts and Human and Organizational Development. Sonia earned her law degree from Indiana University School of Law in Bloomington, Indiana in 2001.
Committed to the Asian American Alliance's mission to inspire Asian Americans to serve and lead, Sonia has taken an active role in the community. In addition to her role as President of AAAI, Sonia also serves on the Board for the International Violin Competition of Indianapolis. She is active with the American Cancer Society, serving on the Coaches Huddle organizing committee for the past 2 years and as Entertainment and Activities Chair for the Washington Township Relay for Life prior to Coaches Huddle. After graduating from IU, Sonia joined her law school classmates in helping to establish a new organization, Teb's Troops, Inc., a not-for-profit organization committed raising funds for the treatment, prevention and research of cancer, including melanoma. Sonia is a graduate of Class XXXIII of the Stanley K. Lacy Executive Leadership Series. Sonia is also a graduate of the Indianapolis Bar Association Bar Leader Series and currently serves on the IBA's Professionalism Committee and Bar Foundation's Impact Fund Committee. Sonia was also recognized in 2010 and 2011 on the Indiana Rising Stars list, featuring outstanding young lawyers in the state. In her spare time, Sonia enjoys running and golf. She is a member of Indy Runners and Indy Women's Golf League.
As a first-generation immigrant from Taiwan, Sonia is committed to helping other immigrants succeed in the community. She was selected to be the Master of Ceremonies in the 2006 Taiwanese American Heritage Week celebration. She has also served as a representative of the Indianapolis Bar Association at regular naturalization ceremonies to welcome new citizens of the United States and the State of Indiana.
Kathleen Busto
Kathleen Busto is a Senior Human Resources Representative with Lilly USA, LLC. Prior to her HR experience, Kathleen spent much of her 8 year career with Lilly in Clinical Trial Operations.
Kathleen was born and raised in Wisconsin and is1st generation Filipino. She earned her bachelors of science in Medical Biology from Beloit College, in Beloit Wisconsin. Her extensive experience in clinical trial research has granted her opportunity to reside in Denver, Houston, Dallas, Chicago and Atlanta. Kathleen relocated to Indianapolis in 2005.
Kathleen is the 2009 Chair for the Lilly Affinity Group, Eli Lilly Asian Network. She also volunteers as a mentor for Teach for America and volunteers with Girls Incorporated of Indianapolis. She is also a member of United Way of Indianapolis Emerging Leaders
Kathleen lives in Indianapolis with her husband, Kevin, and their two boys, Colin and Ewan.
Elizabeth Jackson
Elizabeth (Liz) Jackson, is a registered nurse and Hospital Performance Improvement Coordinator for Wishard Health Services.
Her passion and vision for the Asian Americans are reflected in the following statement.
"I will strive to influence all Asians to become proactive, not only within their individual groups, but with other community groups to develop and enhance Asian representation. It is my desire to see all Asian Americans in our community develop reputations as solid, contributing members of growing Indiana communities."
Liz and her husband, Greg Jackson, have three children. She works with a number of service organizations including: Indiana State Nursing Association, Indiana Nurse Foundation, Big Brother/Big Sister Program, Asian American Pacific Islander Nurses Association, Brebeuf High School Mother's Association. She is actively involved in church/parish initiatives.
Glen Kwok
A native of Washington, D.C., violinist Glen Kwok is the Executive Director of the International Violin Competition of Indianapolis. Prior to moving to Indianapolis, Mr. Kwok was Director of the D'Angelo School of Music at Mercyhurst College in Erie, Pennsylvania.
Mr. Kwok was recently elected President of the World Federation of International Music Competitions, based in Geneva, becoming the first non European to serve in that position in its 53 year history. Locally, he serves as President of the Indianapolis Consortium of Arts Administrators and serves on the boards of Indianapolis Economic Development, Inc. and the Asian American Alliance.
Mr. Kwok has performed extensively throughout the United States and Canada. He received his Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from Indiana University. He continues to remain active as a violinist outside of his administrative duties by performing as a substitute violinist with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and teaching at the University of Indianapolis.
Mr. Kwok was a member of the Stanley K. Lacy Executive Leadership Series Class XXIX and a recipient of the "Forty Under 40" award by the Indianapolis Business Journal. He also was awarded the Best and Brightest award by Junior Achievement in the education and non-profit category in 2006.
John Huang
John Z. Huang currently serves as the Regional Vice President of Lighthouse Academies, Indianapolis. In this capacity, John oversees the operations of two charter schools that serve over 1,200 students from kindergarten to 11th grade in the Indianapolis metropolitan area Before joining Lighthouse Academies, John served as Assistant Corporation Counsel for the Mayor’s Office of Indianapolis, practicing general civil defense litigation. After graduating from Notre Dame Law School, John worked for two years as a Judicial Law Clerk for Justice Frank Sullivan, Jr. on the Indiana Supreme Court. John is licensed to practice law in Indiana and the District of Columbia.
John is a Teach for America alumnus and taught third grade in inner-city Los Angeles. Since moving to Indianapolis in 2007, his involvement in the community has included participating as an associate in the Sagamore American Inn of Court, serving as a Regional Council Co-Chair for Schools That Can, providing one on one tutoring at Jireh Sports, and serving as an assistant youth group leader for the Chinese Community Church of Indianapolis. John earned his B.A. in Political Science from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and his J.D. from the University of Notre Dame.
Raymond Mark
Kanwal Prakash (KP) Singh
Kanwal Prakash (KP) Singh is owner and founder of KP Singh Designs, since 1972, which specializes in fine architectural drawings. KP was educated in India and at the University of Michigan in Liberal Arts, Architecture, and City Planning.
KP has been a resident of Indianapolis since 1967. He is one of the founding members and past President of the International Center of Indianapolis. He actively supports many international, cultural, interfaith, and race relations activities in Indiana.
KP is the author of a recently published book, The Art and Spirit of KP Singh~ Selected Drawings & Writings (2003 Guild Press- Emmis Publishing). KP is a regular contributing writer for The Indianapolis Star and other ethnic national publications.
KP's APA VISION: To see Indianapolis become a world-class city: "Where all cultures, faiths, and diverse spectrums of thought, offerings, and programs are encouraged and prosper. Where new immigrants step forward and build their communities with all their talents, gifts, and spirit and help dispel some of the stereotype perceptions about their ethnic origin, cultures, traditions, and their commitments to the new nation: United States of America."
Ralph Taylor
Ralph Taylor is an International Advisor, partnering with local organizations as well as newcomer communities in Indianapolis to create a more welcoming environment for Indianapolis’ growing international community. By connecting newcomer communities to the various resources in Indianapolis and through educating the broader community to the changing demographics locally and statewide, he hopes to accomplish his goal of helping to create a more welcoming environment. Ralph is also the radio color analyst for Purdue Men's Basketball. He is a native of Indianapolis and a graduate of Purdue University.
Current community and civic engagement includes Immigrant Welcome Center Board, Rotary Club of Indianapolis, Purdue University College of Health & Human Sciences Alumni Board, IUPUI Board of Advisors, Purdue Representative on the Big 10 Advisory Commission, American Indian Center of Indiana Board, IPS Education Foundation Board, Partners of the Americas and Indiana Sports Corporation CHAMPS Grant Committee.
Rupal Thanawala
Rupal is from Mumbai (Bombay) India and she immigrated to the US in 1996 with her family. She is fluent in four Indian languages and English. She is a Board Member of India Association of Indianapolis and serves in Community Service Committee. Rupal volunteers in various youth activities for the Indianapolis Hindu Temple where she spearheaded mentoring program for Asian American youth. Rupal is a founder member of Diversity Council for BearingPoint and encourages the program across all the business units.
Rupal is a SAP Engagement Manager with BearingPoint in the Life Science practice. She has over 15 years of experience in the Medical Device and Pharmaceutical Industry. She is a Bio Medical Engineer from Mumbai University and she is pursuing her MBA from the Kellogg School of Management. Prior to coming to the US, she founded a Bio Medical instrumentation business in India. Rupal has lived in Indianapolis for ten years with her husband Amit and their two sons, Ninad and Rahil.
Tonya Vachirasomboon
Young Hee Yedinak
As Community Affairs Senior Producer, Young-Hee Yedinak produces community campaigns and outreach projects for WTHR-TV Channel 13 (NBC) in Indianapolis. She helps to educate the public about critical issues facing Central Indiana by creating public service announcements, programs and outreach events for campaigns such as "Shattering the Silence", the station's signature annual campaign on domestic abuse.
Other WTHR community campaigns that Young-Hee coordinates include "Coats for Kids" which provides free winter coats to children in need; the "Employment Opportunity Fair at the Indiana Black Expo Summer Celebration", one of the largest one-day job fairs in Indiana; the "Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure", one of the biggest charity walk/run events in the country to fight breast cancer; and "United Christmas Service" which brings holiday assistance to families in need...just to name a few. She won a number of awards including Emmy Awards from the National Association of Television Arts and Sciences/Lower Great Lakes Chapter; Spectrum Awards from the Indiana Broadcasters Association; and Community Impact Awards from the Indiana Associated Press.
Young-Hee was born in Seoul, South Korea and has lived in Indonesia and Vietnam before immigrating to the United States. She resides in Indianapolis with her husband Jim.
Terence T. Yen
Terence T. Yen, Ph.D. is a research scientist retired from Eli Lilly and Company. He is an Adjunct Professor teaching at Indiana University School of Medicine and is also a Consultant on pharmaceutical research and development. Terry is one of the founding members of the Alliance, serving on the Board since its inception in 1999. He strives to encourage other Asian Americans to make contributions to the community through the strength of diversity and inclusion. He and his wife Margaret have lived in Indianapolis for 46 years. He enjoys traveling, arts, music, and ballroom dancing. He was a board member of the Indianapolis Opera, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, and Indiana Association of Chinese Americans. In addition to the Alliance, he is also a current Board member of the United Way of Central Indiana.
Mari Yamaguchi
Mari is an award winning television journalist recognized by the Indiana Society of Professional Journalists for her reporting and producing in the areas of Education and Minority Issues. She is currently a Community Affairs Coordinator and Promotion Producer / Writer for the FOX and CW television affiliates in Indianapolis. Mari is the recipient of the 2009 Governor’s Award For Tomorrow’s Leaders.
A former competitive figure skater, Mari has traveled extensively throughout the U.S. and the world for competitions and was invited to train with World and Olympic coaches. She was honored to be a 2002 Winter Olympic Torchbearer and to make a part of the Olympic tradition.
Active in her community, Mari serves on the Board of Trustees for Dance Kaleidoscope, Co-Chair for the Associate Council of Ambassadors, the young professional’s group for the American Cancer Society, Event Logistics Chair for Stepping Out In Style. Her commitment to Central Indiana also extends to the various executive committees she serves for organizations that include Dress For Success Indianapolis, the National Conference of State Societies in Washington, D.C., the Special Olympics Figure Skating Program, and the 500 Festival Princess Program. She also holds distinction as the first Japanese to be selected as an Indianapolis 500 Festival Princess.
Currently, Mari is finishing her reign as a 3-time Miss Indiana for the National Cherry Blossom Festival; she will return in 2010 serving as the Co-Chair for the National Cherry Blossom Princess program in Washington, D.C. Mari is also fluent in three languages: English, Japanese, and Spanish. She hopes to continue to build upon her “pageant” platform of: Communication, cultural understanding, respect, and education are the cornerstones for leading a stronger community.
Mari is excited to join the Board for the Asian American Alliance, Inc and to be the Co-Chair for the 2010 Race For All Races.
Ninad Thanawala
Staff
Jessie L. Mills (Executive Director)
Born and educated in Malaysia and Singapore till age seventeen, she left for the United Kingdom to train as a State Registered Nurse and Midwife. She is fluent in English, Mandarin, Bahasa Malaysia, Cantonese and two other Chinese dialects and is well traveled in Asia, Australia, Africa, Europe and the USA.
She has nearly 21 years experience in sales, market research, program conception and development across cultures, event planning and intercultural program delivery gained from working in the UK, Singapore and the USA.
Since her relocation from the UK to Indiana in 1997, she has been eager to learn about the different cultures in the United States and has applied her considerable experience to assist international employees and their families as they face the challenges of global relocation.
She retired from her position as Director of Corporate Services and Business Development at the International Center of Indianapolis in July 2007, to become an independent consultant. At present, she is contracted as a training consultant by Prudential Relocation Services, International Professional Relations Inc. and Global Dynamics. As of July 2008, she has accepted the post of Part-time Executive Director for Asian American Alliance Inc. Jessie also serves as a Board member on two local not-for profit organizations in Indianapolis. She is the President of the Indiana Relocation Council. Jessie is married to a British International Executive, and they have two grown up children and a granddaughter.