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.
The Board
Vincent Wong (Board President, 2009-2011)
Vincent J. Wong is Director, Contract Strategy & Operations with Roche in Indianapolis, where he has worked since 2003. He is accountable for leading a team of 15 professionals in managing Roche's contracts with its institutional customers and channel partners for Roche's Diabetes Care business area with over $540M in revenue.
Before joining Roche, Vince led a Telamon Corporation division from start-up to profitability, delivering broadband and VPN management services to Fortune 500 enterprises. Vince practiced employment law and business litigation at Locke Reynolds. After receiving his J.D. at Indiana University School of Law, Bloomington, Vince studied Mandarin Chinese and worked in Beijing with an organizational development consulting firm serving multinational firms.
Vince received his B.A. from the University of Notre Dame. He is pursuing a Masters in Business Administration at the Kellogg Graduate School of Management, Northwestern University. Vince is licensed to practice law in Indiana.
Vince was recognized by Indianapolis Business Journal's "40 Under Forty". Active in the community, he has served on several non-profit organizations' boards of directors, including Dance Kaleidoscope, Indianapolis Museum of Art, Indiana Association of Chinese Americans. In addition to serving as President of AAAI, Vince presently serves on the board of the International Violin Competition of Indianapolis. Vince is the founder of Asian American Alliance's cAtAlyst program, a professional and leadership development program specifically tailored for the needs of Asian Americans. Vince is a member of the Penrod Society.
An Indianapolis native, Vince and his wife, Lori, live in the Meridian Kessler neighborhood with their daughter, Ellison, and dog, Madison.
Sonia S. Chen (2009-2010 Vice President)
Sonia S. Chen is an attorney with the law firm of Bingham McHale, LLP. Sonia Chen primarily concentrates her practice in business litigation but routinely handles a full range of business and litigation matters. 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. She was recently selected to participate in Class XXXIII of the Stanley K. Lacy Executive Leadership Series (SKL). Sonia is a graduate of the Indianapolis Bar Association Bar Leader Series and currently serves on the Steering Committee for Class VI of the Bar Leader Series. Sonia is also serves on the Executive Committee for the Business Litigation Section of the Defense Trial Counsel of Indiana and the Steering Committee for the Vanderbilt University Alumni Club. In the past few years, Sonia has been busy helping a newly established organization, Teb's Troops, Inc., a not-for-profit organization committed raising funds for the treatment, prevention and research of cancer, including melanoma, develop and gain recognition in the Indianapolis community. Each year, she organizes Teb's Troops' annual Indianapolis fundraiser, "A Call to Arms." 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.
Jill Robinson Kramer
Jill Robinson Kramer, a senior program officer for Lumina Foundation for Education, helps manage the Foundation' grant review process and coordinates its Indiana grant portfolio. She also represents the Foundation on the National Rural Funders Collaborative Steering Committee.
Kramer has spent her career working for nonprofit organizations. After college she joined The Hudson Institute, an Indianapolis-based policy think tank, as assistant director of special events. In addition to coordinating the Institute's events, she also assisted with marketing, public relations and fund raising. In 1999, Kramer joined the organization that would later become Lumina Foundation. Lumina Foundation is a private, independent foundation dedicated to higher education access and success.
Kramer earned a master's degree in philanthropic studies from Indiana University in Indianapolis and a bachelor's degree in communication and Spanish from Hanover College in Hanover, Indiana.
Kramer is an active member of the Indianapolis community. She serves on the boards of Castleton United Methodist Nursery School and the Asian American Alliance. She also volunteers for College Mentors for Kids and First Meridian Heights Presbyterian Church. She lives in Indianapolis with her husband Ray, daughter Lucy and son Theodore.
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.
Hre Mang
Born and raised in Burma, Hre Mang left Burma in 1988 to continue his student pro-democractic movement to change the course of Burma's political history, which had been dominated by military dictatorship since 1962. Hre also left his study of Bachelor of Physics at Mandalay University, Burma in 1988 and continued his political movement outside the country until he came to the States in 2000.
Before he came to the States, Hre produced a report about the situation of refugees in India titled "The Plight of the Chin Refugees in Mizoram State of India," which was widely published. With the partnership of the Bracket Foundation, he established the Aizawl Chin Education Committee which provided many Burmese refugees full scholarship program in India. Hre also loves to write about Burma's political situation, social movement, and spiritually enlightening articles.
Hre now works for the State of Indiana as a State Eligibility Consultant at the Indiana State Government Center. He is also a board member and the General Secretary of the Chin Community of Burma, USA Inc.; Secretary of the Chin Christian Fellowship of Indiana; and the Chairman of the Falam Christian Church of Indianapolis. Hre graduated with Master of Public Affairs with Non Profit Management concentration from Indiana University Purdue University at Indianapolis in 2005; Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with honors from Hartwick College in 2002, New York; and Master of Theology from Cohen Theological Seminary (India Campus) in 1999.
Hre is actively involved in community service to help people meet their day to day needs, spiritual growth, and to access local resources by giving personal coaching, teaching, and by conducting seminars and workshops for targeted groups. He also works with local service providers to help the refugee population in Fort Wayne and Indianapolis, Indiana.
Being a former student political activist, Hre sees very clearly the challenges and potential of the Asian Americans in the United States for which, he has started to invest part of his life.
Hre, his wife Lynda Tumpar and two sons Ginny and Moses live in Indianapolis.
Ping Poulsen
Ping Poulsen is president & CEO of Safis Solutions, LLC, a regulatory compliance consulting firm located in Indiana University's Emerging Technology Center in downtown Indianapolis. The company, which Ping started in 2002, assists pharmaceutical and medical device companies with FDA regulatory approval, clinical trials, quality systems, and computer system validation for their therapeutic and diagnostic products and manufacturing facilities.
Ping was born and grew up in China. She has been living in the U.S. for 19 years, the last 12 in Indiana. She is married to Don Poulsen and has a daughter who is a senior at IU Bloomington.
Ping's hobby is table tennis. She won the state title in 2003 in the Women's Open Division. In 2006, with Alan Grambo as her partner, she won the Indiana State Games mixed-doubles championship.
Mie-young Reed
Mie-young Reed has been with the Westin Hotels for 20 years. She has been in Hotel Operations for 12 years and Director of Human Resources from 1998 to present. She is the Director of Diversity for Human Resources Association of Central Indiana, member of Indianapolis Urban League Advisory Council, member of Regional Diversity Council for Starwood Hotels and Resorts, Board member of Minorities of Hospitality, and a chairperson of Indianapolis Hotel and Lodging Directors of Human Resources. She was born in Cincinnati, Ohio and raised in Seoul, Korea. She moved back to Ohio in 1980. Under her direction, Westin was awarded the Urban League President's Award in 2004 and the Mayor's Diversity award for Workforce in 2005. Mie and her husband, Greg, have two girls and live in Carmel. Mie is an active member of Korean Presbyterian Church in Carmel.
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 a Program Officer for the Central Indiana Community Foundation. Ralph works in the areas of Youth Development, Education, Environment, Civic, and Inclusiveness. He is the lead staff person for the Summer Youth Program Fund (SYPF) collaborative with eleven local funders and one national funder. SYPF funds ($1.8 million) summer programs of youth service agencies in Indianapolis. Ralph is also the lead staff person for CICF's Sam H. Jones Creating Greater Awareness Forum Series and the Uncommon Common Ground Series that spotlights the invisible communities of the Greater Indianapolis Area.
Prior to joining CICF, Ralph was Director of Community Service for the Indiana Youth Institute. In addition to IYI, he has served as Recreation Administration for Indy Parks, as an Extension Educator with the Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service, and as a teacher with IPS.
Current community and civic activities include Asian American Alliance, Inc. Board, Immigrant Welcome Center Board, Rotary Club of Indianapolis, Coburn Place Safe Haven Board Member, Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame Board Member, Pacers Foundation Grant Review Committee, Indianapolis Association of Chinese Americans, Purdue Alumni Association of Indianapolis, the Big Ten Conference Advisory Commission on behalf of Purdue University, 100 Black Men of Indianapolis, and United Way's Successful Kids Impact Council. Past community involvement: Arts Council of Indianapolis Board, Planned Parenthood Board, The Indiana Council On Adolescent Pregnancy Board, Indiana Sports Corporation CHAMPS Proposal Review Panel, 7001 of Indianapolis Board, Indianapolis Naturally Steering Committee, Social Health Association of Central Indiana Board, Purdue Marion County Extension Service Board, Concerned Male Group of Greater Indianapolis Co-Founder.
Ralph is a native of Indianapolis, IN and is a graduate of Purdue University.
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.
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.
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 and outreach events for campaigns such as "Shattering the Silence", the station's signature annual campaign on domestic abuse.
Other WTHR community outreach projects 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 numerous awards including five regional Emmy Awards from the National Association of Television Arts and Sciences/Lower Great Lakes Chapter; seven Spectrum Awards from the Indiana Broadcasters Association; and three Community Impact Awards from the Indiana Associated Press.
While much of her community involvement is work-related, Young-Hee also volunteers her time with Asian American Alliance and the Writers' Center of Indiana. 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 and has a grown stepdaughter, Tracy.
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 44 years. He enjoys traveling, arts, music, and ballroom dancing. He was a board member of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, and Indiana Chinese American Association. In addition to the Alliance, he is also a current Board member of Indianapolis Opera Company and the United Way of Central Indiana. Professionally, he is a member of American Diabetes Association, North American Association for the Study of Obesity, and Society of Chinese Bioscientists in American.