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About APIOATF
Getting to Know the Los Angeles Office
Amy Phillips, Director
Amy
Miyako
Phillips became the Director of the Asian and Pacific Islander Older
Adults
Task Force (APIOATF) in July 2008. Prior to that, she worked in the
Social Services Department of the Little Tokyo Service Center, a
non-profit
social service and community development agency in
In the process
of advocating for clients, Amy gained first-hand knowledge about the needs of
seniors and the various resources available to them, as well as the contours of
the API and nonprofit communities in the
Christine Lee, Program Coordinator - Training & Resources
Christine Najung Lee was born and raised in Garden Grove, Calif. She graduated from UCLA with a B.A. in English and Asian American Studies, then returned to pursue a joint masters degree in Asian American Studies and Social Welfare. As an MSW student, she conducted research on multiracial relations in Los Angeles, specifically during the 1992 Civil Unrest, and had the privilege of serving Korean seniors living in Little Tokyo as part of an internship.
Christine oversees the coordination and delivery of training and workshops for APIOATF's M.E.N.T.O.R.S. program, as well as resources for technical assistance. Her previous professional experiences include AFSCME District Council 36 as an organizing intern, lead trainer for the K.W. Lee Center for Leadership's Korean American Youth Leaders in Training program, the UCLA Asian American Studies Center's Student and Community Project, and the National Korean American Service and Education Consortium. Christine joined APIOATF's staff in October 2008.
Veronica Garcia, Program Associate
Veronica Garcia joined APIOATF in February 2006 as Administrative
Assistant. In June 2006, Veronica became more involved in the
M.E.N.T.O.R.S. Project and the Cambodian Senior Nutrition Program as a
Program Associate. She provides demographic & statistical research
for cultural competency trainings to senior service providers
throughout L.A. County. In addition to providing research, Veronica
coordinates and assists in the facilitation of these diversity
trainings, as well as M.E.N.T.O.R.S workshops and API Community
Roundtable events. In 2005, Veronica graduated Magna Cum Laude from
California State University, Los Angeles, earning her Bachelor's degree
in Psychology with a focus on Gerontology. It was an internship for her
Certificate in Gerontology at a senior housing dementia unit that
solidified her interest in the aging field. Veronica enjoys
photography, reading, painting, the beach, spending time with her
family, and anticipates earning a Master's Degree in Gerontology.
Getting to Know the Long Beach Office
Aaron Va, Senior Community Specialist
Aaron joined APIOATF in 2003 as the Senior Community Specialist leading the Cambodian Senior Nutrition Program (CSNP) in Long Beach. Aaron started his work in the community at the United Cambodian Community (UCC) in 2001, after which he was introduced to the CSNP. His passion to help the Cambodian senior population has motivated him to push the program to new heights. His goals are to ensure that every senior involved in the program has the capacity and confidence to effectively interact with mainstream society in a way that is positive for the development of their quality of life, for example he encourages them to make their voices heard to help themselves and sees the program as not only a nutrition program but also a social support group for one another. His interests include watching movies, traveling, helping people, gardening, listening to Buddhist preaching (Dhamma) and spending time with the family.
Serey Hong, Community Specialist
Serey joined APIOATF in March 2006 as the Community Specialist for
the Cambodian Senior Nutrition Program (CSNP). Referred to the program
by Aaron Va, Serey now plays an integral role in the program's
development, effectiveness, and expansion. He has been successful in
encouraging more Cambodian seniors to join the CSNP.
On his off-time, Serey enjoys taking walks, continuing to help the community, and playing soccer.
