SPEAKER BIOS (in order of appearance on call)

MODERATORS
CURTIS CHIN
NINA AHMAD
PATRICE YAO

JUDY CHU, CALIFORNIA BOARD OF EQUALIZATION AND CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE

Dr. Judy Chu was elected to the California State Board of Equalization in November 2006. Prior to this, Dr. Chu served three terms as a State Assembly Member for the 49th District in the West San Gabriel Valley from 2001 to 2006. She was Chair of the Assembly Appropriations Committee, the California Asian and Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus, Assembly Select Committee on Hate Crimes, and Assembly Subcommittee on Health and Human Services. She was also a member of the Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee, Labor and Employment Committee, and Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee. Prior to the State Assembly, Dr. Chu served on the Monterey Park City Council for thirteen years from 1988 to 2001, and served as Mayor three times. She began her career in public service as a Board Member of the Garvey School District from 1985 to 1988. Dr. Chu has been dedicated to education for decades, and was a community college professor of psychology for 20 years. She holds a Ph.D. in psychology and a B.A. in mathematics.

JOE SESTAK, CONGRESSMAN, MEMBER OF THE ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN CAUCUS

Joe Sestak is serving his second term as the Representative from Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District, which includes most of Delaware County and parts of Chester and Montgomery Counties. Born and raised in Delaware County, Joe Sestak spent 31 years serving our nation in the U.S. Navy, rising to the rank of three-star Admiral. After graduating from Cardinal O'Hara High School, Joe followed in the footsteps of his father, a Navy captain who served in World War II, and attended the U.S. Naval Academy, where he graduated second in his class. Joe also holds a MPA, and a PhD in Political Economy and Government, from Harvard University. He is a member of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.

KONRAD NG, EDUCATOR AND ACTIVIST

Konrad Ng is an Assistant Professor in the Academy for Creative Media at the University of Hawaii. Konrad earned a PhD in Political Science from the University of Hawaii and a MA in Contemporary Social and Political Thought from the University of Victoria. Konrad was a key figure in mobilizing AAPI support for President Obama’s campaign. He is married to Maya-Soetoro-Ng, President Obama’s sister.

TAMMY DUCKWORTH, ASST. SECRETARY FOR VETERAN AFFAIRS

Tammy Duckworth currently serves as Assistant Secretary of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs for the Department of Veterans Affairs. Prior to this appointment, she served as the Director of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs where she implemented many programs for service members in the areas of health care, mental health, housing, and employment. Under her leadership, the state has become a leader in the provision of services for its veterans. As a Major in the Illinois Army National Guard, Ms. Duckworth also received various prestigious decorations for her service in Iraq. Many have seen her most recently as a speaker at the 2008 Democratic National Convention where she was given a prime-time speaking slot and led a tribute to service members and veterans.

TINA TCHEN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE WHITE HOUSE OFFICE OF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT

Tina Tchen, who has been with Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom since 1985, has broad litigation experience in state and federal courts. She has worked on cases involving shareholders, intellectual property, constitutional matters, insurance, real estates and breach of contract. Some of the companies she has represented, according to her law firm bio, include Sprint Corporation, Abbott Laboratories, McDonald's, Aon Corporation and Motorola. Tchen has also represented public agencies, including the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, the Illinois Department of Public Aid and the Chicago Housing Authority. She successfully argued a case before the United States Supreme Court in 1992 on behalf of the State of Illinois. Tchen has also done extensive pro bono work and has served on numerous Chicago boards, including for the Chicago Public Library, University of Chicago Hospitals, Field Foundation and the Chinese American Service League.

SONAL SHAH, DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL INNOVATION AND CIVIC PARTICIPATION

Sonal Shah, former head of global development at Google.org, the search-engine company’s philanthropic arm, is head of the new White House Office of Social Innovation. Members of President Obama’s transition team proposed creating an Office of Social Innovation to promote government efforts to help innovative nonprofit groups and social entrepreneurs expand successful approaches to tackling pressing social problems. Ms. Shah was a member of the Obama transition project’s advisory board and co-chair of a transition group that made recommendations about technology and innovation, including “innovation and civil society.” She is co-founder of Indicorps, a nonprofit group that offers fellowships to Indian-Americans working on development projects in India. She has also held positions at Goldman, Sachs & Company, the Treasury Department, the Center for Global Development, and the Center for American Progress.