Meet Our Team

THU NGUYEN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Thu Nguyen (she/her) serves OCA National as its Executive Director. A graduate from Rice University with degrees in Chemistry and Sociology, Thu found her way into the nonprofit sector through organizing Asian American students on campus and bridging partnerships between student groups and local Houston community organizations. She curated the first Asian American student art gallery at Rice, which pioneered the university’s annual underground Asian American art exhibition. Before OCA, she freelanced for non-profits and Asian-owned start-ups to do community outreach and social media marketing.

In her capacity, Thu oversees storytelling, relationships, and operations for OCA. She brings a unique understanding of grassroots organizing and design to her work in managing grants and fundraisers. She serves as the Chair of the Asian American Media Alliance and sits on the diversity, equity, and inclusion council for Charter.

With her spare time, Thu focuses on the intersection of advocacy with small businesses. She works 5-9 in hospitality, cosmetology, and zine-making. You can find her exploring how to spacemake via thudawin.org.

KEN LEE, CEO EMERITUS

Ken Lee (he/him) is a retired UPSer after 37 years. Ken started as a part-time employee while he was in college in 1971. Ken retired in 2008 as the Vice President of Security for UPS’s International and later U.S. Operations. He was the first Asian Pacific American (APA) to attain the title of Vice President and was one of the highest ranking APAs at UPS. A leading activist for Asian community affairs at UPS, Ken was a mentor and role model for other Asian employees and served on UPS’s corporate diversity committee.

Ken serves as the CEO Emeritus of OCA, an Asian advocacy organization that has had a long-term relationship with a number of large multinational corporations across the United States. Over the years Ken served in several other OCA capacities including the OCA Georgia Chapter President, OCA National EVP and OCA National President. In addition, Ken currently serves on the Comcast NBC Universal as Chair of the Asian Diversity Advisory Council, member of Charter Diversity Council and member of the AT&T Consumer Advisory Panel.

Due in part to his success in his career, his active role in the OCA, and his involvement with many community organizations in the Georgia area, Ken was selected by UPS to be the recipient of the OCA National Asian Pacific American Corporate Achievement Award. Ken was also honored by "Who’s Who in Asian American Communities”, Outstanding 50 Asian Americans in Business and LEAP’s Leadership Award.

Ken was born and raised in San Francisco, CA. He now lives in Henderson, NV with his wife Ashley and their daughter, Vincy.

KELLY XU TIAN, DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATION

Kelly Tian (she/her) has been with OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates for 15 years. Born and raised in Beijing, China, she moved to United States in 1996 with her husband. 

Currently, Kelly resides in Columbia, Maryland with her husband and younger son, who is a sophomore at Oakland Mill High School. Her older son is re-settled nearby her home. Kelly’s daily job is to oversee the OCA financial books and office day-to-day operating. Kelly also ensures the administration of the organization's invoices, revenue processes, and Tax Auditing.

KENT TONG, SENIOR PROGRAMS MANAGER

Kent Tong (he/him) oversees OCA’s youth programs, including high school and college leadership and advocacy trainings, scholarships, and internships.

Kent was born and raised in the Greater New Orleans Area to Vietnamese refugee parents. An alumnus from Loyola University New Orleans, majoring in Studio Art and minoring in Film Studies, Kent dedicated his time outside the classroom to various Vietnamese-interest organizations. It's through his experiences as Executive Director of Camp Delta, President of the Union of Vietnamese Student Associations Gulf Coast, and President of the Loyola Asian Student Organization where Kent developed a passion in youth development and programming.

Prior to joining OCA, Kent was a volunteer staff member of The 2020 Project, 2017 Jubilee Project Fellow, and 2014 Disney College Program Cast Member. In his free time he enjoys watching movies in theatres, usually one or two every weekend, writing reviews on his blog, and baking Ted Lasso biscuits.

LADY MARIE BULILAN, CHAPTER AND MEMBERSHIP DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

Lady Marie Bulilan (she/her) serves as the Chapter and Membership Development Manager for OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates. In this position, she acts as primary liaison with all OCA chapters to fulfill their potential to grow by supplying resources from the National Center, supporting initiatives for chapter growth through workshops, training, and programs, and maintaining membership records for each chapter. Lady also works to bring more members into OCA and build a stronger community to advocate for all AAPI’s.

Lady was born in New York, raised in New Jersey, and grew up in Florida. Though she originally studied nursing - a common track in her Filipino community - Lady decided to change her major and receive a Bachelor’s degree in History, focusing on American history, museum studies, civil rights, and social justice/inequality at the University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida. Lady would like to be a part of the movement towards building a National Asian American History Museum to create and curate exhibits that share the rich and strong history that AAPI’s have contributed to this country for centuries.

In her free time, she likes to watch feel-good movies and TV shows, discover music for her Spotify playlists, try out different recipes, and learn languages!

HOJIN KIM, ASSOCIATE PROGRAMS MANAGER

Hojin Kim (he/him) serves as the Associate Programs Manager at OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates. In his role, he oversees logistics for national events and programs, ensures their successful execution, and supports various departmental needs. A first-generation immigrant to the United States, Hojin brings a global perspective having been born in South Korea and raised in Japan at a young age. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Global Affairs with a concentration in Global Inequalities and Responses from George Mason University in the Spring of 2021, becoming the first in his family to graduate from college in the U.S.

As an undergraduate, Hojin dedicated his time in advancing Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) initiatives at George Mason University. He supported the establishment of the AAPI Studies Minor by managing social media outreach, engaging with student leaders from the Asian Pacific American Coalition (APAC), and facilitating focus groups to address student needs. Additionally, he co-founded a new chapter of an Asian-interest fraternity on campus, serving as chapter president and organizing educational events on AAPI history and issues, including fundraising efforts with other chapters in the region to address BLM and anti-Asian hate crimes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In his free time, he enjoys singing at karaoke, exploring new places, eating Korean BBQ, and spending quality time with friends.

CAROLINE BUARON, ASSOCIATE DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

Caroline Buaron (she/her) serves as the Associate Development Manager for OCA - Asian Pacific American Advocates. In this capacity, she works alongside the national team to execute fundraising goals, stewardship programs, and executes the President’s Circle Initiative. A proud Filipina-American from New Jersey, Caroline hopes to be a part of the effort in disaggregating Asian American and Pacific Islander data in order to create and recommend policies that justly represent each distinct community.

As an undergraduate, Caroline has worked as a Voting Engagement Intern with North Carolina Asian Americans Together, a Census Intern with OCA - Asian Pacific American Advocates, and as a Field Intern for a congressional campaign. From 2018-2020, she established the first Liberty in North Korea at North Carolina State University where she and her team organized events to enhance refugee awareness. She has also spearheaded service events as Philanthropy Chair for the Filipino American Student Association at NC State, and served as Logistics Chair for the Triangle-Area Asian American Student Conference, where she coordinated financial and programming logistics for keynote speakers and workshop applicants.

In her free time, Caroline enjoys film photography, journaling, traveling with friends, and chasing sunsets. 

SOCHEATA SUN, SENIOR COMMUNICATIONS ASSOCIATE

Socheata Sun (She/Her) is a Senior Communications Associate at OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates. In her role, she collaborates closely with the policy team to advance the organization’s objectives through strategic messaging and marketing. Her responsibilities include writing press releases and social media posts, creating promotional materials, managing social media accounts, and overseeing email communications.

Born in Cambodia and raised in the San Gabriel Valley, just east of Los Angeles, California, Socheata is a proud graduate of the University of California, Riverside. She holds degrees in History and Liberal Studies, with a minor in Political Science. Before joining OCA, she gained valuable experience as a communications intern and staff assistant for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), where she contributed to advocating for the interests and improving the lives of Hispanic Americans. Socheata is passionate about continuing the fight for people of color during her tenure at OCA.

In her free time, Socheata enjoys catching up on her YouTube subscriptions, watching movies, traveling, and spending quality time with family and friends.

LAHIRUNI DIAS AMARAWARDENA, OLGA MAY WONG POLICY FELLOW

Lahiruni Dias Amarawardena (she/her) is the inaugural Olga May Wong Policy Fellow, supporting OCA's national policy, advocacy, and organizing strategy and programming. She is a senior undergraduate student at the University of Maryland, College Park, where she is pursuing her Bachelor’s of Arts in Government and Politics - International Relations and a Minor certification in both Asian American Studies and History. As a student organizer with four years of experience, and as current Co-President of the Asian American Student Union, she believes that collective education and grassroots mobilization are key ways to accomplish wins for the AANHPI community and propel pressing issues to the national stage. To commemorate her work and contributions to the APIDA community, she was awarded with the 2024-25 Timothy J. Ng Scholarship in Asian American Studies. Outside of her academic and professional passions, Lahiruni enjoys her 14th year as a Bharatanatyam classical dancer at Nrityanjali Dance Inc., cooking new recipes for her friends, and watching foreign films.

CASSIE MICAH, PROGRAMS ASSOCIATE

Cassandra "Cassie" Micah (she/her) serves as the Programs Associate. As the Programs Associate, she supports the development and facilitation of OCA's youth programs, including high school and college leadership and advocacy training and OCA's scholarships and internships. 

Cassie was born in Guam and raised in the Pacific Northwest to Micronesian parents. She later moved to Washington, D.C. to attend George Washington University where she earned her Bachelor's degree in International Affairs, focusing on conflict resolution and the Asia-Pacific region. Throughout her academic career, she dedicated her research to studying issues impacting Asians and Pacific Islanders in the U.S. and globally. As an undergraduate, Cassie interned at two federal agencies - Homeland Security Investigations: Honolulu and the Office of Personnel Management's Office of Congressional, Legislative, and Intergovernmental Affairs, and an NHPI nonprofit - the National Association of Pasifika Organizations, all of which cultivated her passion for service. Outside of the classroom, she also oversaw the programming for a student experiential learning organization and engaged in an Oceania youth leadership program, experiences where she found joy in youth development and programming. Cassie is excited to bring her experiences in advocacy and youth programming to OCA to uplift her community.  

In her free time, Cassie enjoys dancing ori Tahiti at her local Pasifika cultural center, visiting cafes and museums with friends, and baking.

ETHAN JOHANSON, ARCHIVES FELLOW

Ethan Johanson (he/him) graduated from Georgetown University in 2024 with a major in American Studies and a minor in Journalism. His research interests include Labor History, Asian American Studies, and intersections between sports and society. In his undergraduate thesis, “Barriers Left Unbroken: How Narratives About Racial Progress Stifle Jackie Robinson’s Voice,” Johanson wrote about how public depictions of Jackie Robinson sanitized the history of U.S. race relations and contradicted Robinson’s own racial critiques. As a student researcher at Georgetown University, Johanson also works on a project about the first Mexican contract labor program from 1917 to 1922. The project springs from a digitized set of labor identification cards issued to Mexican contract workers crossing the border into the United States. He and his team members are developing a website that will lend insight into migrants’ movement, work, and living conditions.

In addition to his role as a student researcher, Johanson works as a Curatorial Assistant for the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center’s forthcoming exhibition on the Filipino American community in Stockton, California. The exhibition, titled How Can You Forget Me: Filipino American Stories, chronicles the history of Stockton’s Little Manila, once home to the largest community of Filipinos outside of the Philippines. Through migrants’ personal belongings, How Can you Forget Me documents Filipino Americans’ work and leisure lives and highlights present-day attempts to preserve the history of a community broken apart by urban redevelopment. The exhibition will be on view at the National Museum of American History from November 2025 to November 2027.

In his free time, Johanson enjoys running, cooking, and shooting hoops.

KRISTYNA LE, ARCHIVES FELLOW

Kristyna Le (she/they) is a current graduate student at Simmons University pursuing a masters in History and Library Science, with an emphasis in archives management. She is a recent graduate of the University of Missouri – Columbia, which she earned her bachelors in History, with an emphasis in Public History,  and Sociology, with a minor in Spanish and certificate in multicultural studies. Kristyna was raised by two Vietnamese immigrants and is a first-generation scholar who is deeply proud of her cultural upbringing and heritage. Originally on track attend veterinary school, she had found her passion for history and preservation after visiting the Hue Imperial Palace in Vietnam as a teenager. 

Throughout her academic career, Kristyna has been deeply concerned with the development of digital archives, obstacles to access, and social perceptions and memory of historical events. Additionally, she is incredibly passionate about issues of conservation, preservation, and POC history, including AANHPI history. She has served as a student researcher for multiple projects. This includes working as the head archives researcher for the Age of All Women project and upcoming documentary that covers the life and art of Senegalese feminist artist, Younousse Seye. Furthermore, Kristyna has worked as an archives intern, volunteer, and conservator at the University of Missouri-Columbia, the State Historical Society of Missouri, and the city planning department of Boston’s City Hall. She has contributed to multiple digital exhibits, helped discover original research materials, and is committed to furthering access to history for the general public.  

In her free time, Kristyna enjoys sewing and crafting, listening to music, and going out to try new culinary dishes.  

CLAIRE CHOI, DOCUMENTARY FELLOW

Claire Choi (she/her) serves as the Documentary Fellow for OCA - Asian Pacific American Advocates. She is a queer diasporic Korean filmmaker and spoken word poet based in NYC. Her films and spoken word have found recognition in the Twilight Showcase & Art Fest, Poetry Out Loud, KoreanAmericanStory ROAR Story Slam, and Tea Haus Poetry Series.    

Claire is currently pursuing freelance documentary editing, and has worked with the likes of Sixty First Productions, Actuality Abroad, Salpuri US, Ain’t I A Woman Campaign, and the Asian American Arts Alliance. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Korean Studies, with a minor in Cinema from Binghamton University. In crafting film and poetry, she learns how to build stronger communities through storytelling, amplifying the mundane moments of everyday life and the overlooked stories of underrepresented people. 

In her free time, Claire attempts to produce music with her friend and hangs out with her grandma throughout the week. 

REHANA MORITA, DOCUMENTARY FELLOW

Rehana Morita (she/her) is a writer, filmmaker, and multimedia storyteller based in Southern California, crafting narratives that center community histories, identity, and power. She holds dual degrees in Film & Media and Asian American Studies from the University of California Irvine, where she honed her voice at the intersection of art, archives, and activism. Her experience spans arts programming, journalism, museum curation, and immigrant organizing. She most recently served as Program Coordinator at Visual Communications for the 2025 Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival. Beyond filmmaking, Rehana has produced oral history exhibits for the Smithsonian Museums and California State Parks, and led editorial teams at Her Campus Media and UC Irvine Admissions. Her work has appeared on the Los Angeles Times, Film Independent, UCI Magazine, and the ImmigrAsians podcast.

Spirituality grounds Rehana's storytelling and social justice practice. As a professional tarot reader, She is training as an energy healer and spirit doula to offer holistic, non-institutional care to her community. Rest is central to her life, nourished by travel, books, and music.