APANO names new Executive Director!

We are thrilled to announce that the boards of APANO and the APANO Communities United Fund have made a decision on who will serve as our next executive director. As valued members of our community and close supporters of APANO, we appreciate your input in letting us know the leadership qualities that are important to you.

Last November, APANO launched a nationwide search with a committee comprised of six longtime and newer board and staff members. We were delighted to receive a highly qualified and diverse pool of applicants. After multiple rounds of interviews, the staff and boards were united in their desire to have Chi Nguyen continue to lead APANO into this next chapter.

Toni Tabora-Roberts, APANO C3 Board Chair and longtime APANO member says, “We are thrilled to have Chi’s energy and experience as a trusted community connector, political leader, and socially conscious entrepreneur. I look forward to collaborating with her and our team at APANO as we enter an exciting phase of organizational growth.”

During Chi’s seven-month interim period, she greatly expanded the capacity of APANO’s internal administrative systems while leading the organization through an extremely successful election cycle and responding to the humanitarian crisis in Sheridan, where 123 asylum-seekers, most from South Asia, were detained in a federal prison. Chi brings a unique combination of business, political, education, and social justice experience, as well as important perspectives key to APANO’s work — as a Vietnamese immigrant and refugee, parent, member of the LGBTQ community, former elected official, and successful business owner. Before joining APANO, Chi started the socially-minded company AutoMedic and served as a city councilor in King City, Oregon. She also teaches at Willamette University’s Atkinson Graduate School of Management.

“I feel incredibly grateful for the opportunity to continue to serve our community. I’m honored to work with an incredibly talented staff and supportive board to prepare for all that is to come: the grand opening of our community center, statewide expansion, and the development of our next strategic plan,” said Chi.

We are excited about the possibilities for APANO to grow and affect change with Chi as our next executive director. Please plan to help us formally welcome Chi and celebrate the opening of our new building at SE 82nd Avenue and Division Street!



This programming message brought to you by APANO, a 501(c4) organization.