Signed in as:
filler@godaddy.com
Signed in as:
filler@godaddy.com
Amber Reed has worked to advance equity in public education through research, policy, and data analysis for over a decade, after beginning her career in publishing and finance. Amber is a Korean American adoptee, writer, and mother of two school-aged children. She graduated summa cum laude from Columbia University with a BA in English lit
Amber Reed has worked to advance equity in public education through research, policy, and data analysis for over a decade, after beginning her career in publishing and finance. Amber is a Korean American adoptee, writer, and mother of two school-aged children. She graduated summa cum laude from Columbia University with a BA in English literature and holds an MFA in Playwriting from Brooklyn College. She is proud to serve on the Episcopal Diocese of Newark’s Racial Justice and Healing Commission and as Vice Chair of the New Jersey AAPI Commission. Amber also serves as President of the Board of Directors; as Co-E.D., her focus areas are advocacy, coalition-building, and strategic growth.
Roslyne Shiao is a second generation Chinese American, born and raised in California. She is an experienced executive and nonprofit leader committed to education and community building. Roslyne has over 20 years of experience in executive leadership roles and is a founding Board Member of AAPI Montclair. She currently serves on the Board
Roslyne Shiao is a second generation Chinese American, born and raised in California. She is an experienced executive and nonprofit leader committed to education and community building. Roslyne has over 20 years of experience in executive leadership roles and is a founding Board Member of AAPI Montclair. She currently serves on the Board of Directors and in her work as Co-Executive Director, leads the Teach Asian American Stories initiative to support New Jersey educators implement the historic AAPI Curriculum Mandate. Roslyne lives in Montclair, NJ with her husband and two children..
Jeffrey Chang, Esq. has over a decade of experience in the legal, government & non-profit sectors, and currently is a member of the leadership team at the non-profit Lawyers For Children where he oversees communications, fundraising and advocacy strategies. He also is a board member of Rise.
Sumeet Kapoor is a dedicated advocate for diversity and community engagement, with a record of work promoting cultural awareness and unity. Originally hailing from the vibrant cities of Bangkok and Singapore, with a background in marketing and advertising, she has brought her rich cultural experiences and professional expertise to her cur
Sumeet Kapoor is a dedicated advocate for diversity and community engagement, with a record of work promoting cultural awareness and unity. Originally hailing from the vibrant cities of Bangkok and Singapore, with a background in marketing and advertising, she has brought her rich cultural experiences and professional expertise to her current home in Montclair. Sumeet Kapoor played a pivotal role in the establishment of AAPI Montclair as a founding trustee and has been instrumental in shaping the organization's vision and mission. Sumeet has been actively involved in producing large-scale community events, including Light up Montclair, Lunar New Year, Color Run, and the Lantern Festival. As the Director of Development for AAPI Montclair, Sumeet undertakes a range of responsibilities critical to the organization's growth and success.
Iris Shih joined AAPI Montclair as a volunteer in 2021 and took on the role of Media & Communications Chair in 2023. She most recently managed communications at the Henry Luce Foundation and has a deep well of experience in communications and graphic design, having worked on print, interactive, and corporate identity projects across a ran
Iris Shih joined AAPI Montclair as a volunteer in 2021 and took on the role of Media & Communications Chair in 2023. She most recently managed communications at the Henry Luce Foundation and has a deep well of experience in communications and graphic design, having worked on print, interactive, and corporate identity projects across a range of industries including education, non-profit, technology, and publishing. In this new role, she will expand on the work that our M/C volunteers started and will continue to build a comprehensive communications strategy for AAPI New Jersey.
Josie Williams is a local mom of three school-aged children and has enjoyed being an active volunteer at local non-profits and at her children’s schools, including being a PTA committee chair, class liaison, and a part-time preschool substitute teacher. Josie has over 15 years of experience working in the music industry at various record
Josie Williams is a local mom of three school-aged children and has enjoyed being an active volunteer at local non-profits and at her children’s schools, including being a PTA committee chair, class liaison, and a part-time preschool substitute teacher. Josie has over 15 years of experience working in the music industry at various record labels and music publishers handling film & tv music licensing. She first volunteered with AAPI Montclair in 2021 installing lanterns and most recently as the co-chair of Volunteer Management, helping recruit and coordinate volunteers for our large-scale events. Josie is excited to continue to support the organization in her new role.
Shaira Cruz is a first-generation immigrant from the Philippines, raised in Hudson County. With 8 years of experience in diverse educational settings, she is committed to cultivating inclusive and culturally responsive teaching practices. Cruz's dedication to learning is evident through her Master's in Social Studies Education from Columb
Shaira Cruz is a first-generation immigrant from the Philippines, raised in Hudson County. With 8 years of experience in diverse educational settings, she is committed to cultivating inclusive and culturally responsive teaching practices. Cruz's dedication to learning is evident through her Master's in Social Studies Education from Columbia University and professional development scholarships, including those for Facing History and Ourselves, Library of Congress, and the Center for Racial Justice Education. Over the past 7 years, Cruz has actively organized for causes such as migrant rights and workers' rights in Jersey City and beyond. Currently, she serves as a secretariat member of Migrante New Jersey and volunteers for the Justice For Jollibee Workers campaign.
Julie Kim is a founding trustee of AAPI Montclair and the current Chair of the Board. She is a second-generation Korean American with a passion for building community. As co-chair of the Events committee, she has helped organize big-tent cultural celebrations including Light Up Montclair (Diwali), Lunar New Year, Color Run, and Lantern Festival, which have attracted thousands of people from the wider community. Julie is a realtor at Sotheby's International Realty and has previously worked in a professional capacity for international human rights organization Doctors of the World, working with doctors and mental health professionals to aid political refugees who were tortured. A mother of two, she has been an active volunteer in her children's schools.
Danielle Iwata is a cultural consultant and nonprofit administrator working towards social impact and community transformation. She has served on advisory committees, grant panels and mentor cohorts for various arts organizations in the tri-state area. Danielle holds a BA from Colgate University and unaccreditedly continues her education through facilitating spaces for visioning and healing, deepening connections with her community, and reading the works of adrienne maree brown.
Meredith Nahra works as a pediatric speech-language pathologist specializing in language and literacy disorders. She is a commissioner on the Montclair Civil Rights Commission. Since 2018, she has served as a volunteer for ASIA Families, an organization committed to supporting the life-long journey of Korean adoptees. Meredith is also an active volunteer at her children’s schools and was previously a CASA volunteer.
Amy Hong-Bethards is a staff attorney with The Legal Aid Society in NYC. She represents low-wage workers in various employment law claims under the federal, state and city laws and represents her employment law clients in various immigration related proceedings for humanitarian relief. She also works closely with workers' centers, community-based organizations and other advocacy groups to provide staff and member trainings. Amy also serves as a Board member of the New York Chapter of the National Employment Lawyers Association (NELA/NY), as an Advisory Board Member to the Salvation Army’s Montclair Citadel and as a Deacon at Redeemer Montclair Presbyterian Church. She lives in Montclair with her husband and two kids.
Varsha Hathiramani is the owner of Little Earth Travel. An active volunteer in the Montclair Public Schools, she is also co-chair of AAPI Montclair’s Events committee, playing a leading role in planning events such as the Harvest Moon Soiree, the Light Up Montclair Diwali celebration, and Color Run.
Soo Najarian has been active in nonprofit leadership roles for over 15 years. She served as a field work volunteer for Stand Up For Kids NY, an organization serving homeless youths and adults, distributing food and goods to the homeless youth and adults in NYC. Also, served as a team leader in several NY Cares projects as well as a site captain for NY Cares, working with Brooklyn School of Leadership and Community Service for several years to beautify the school and make it a warm, inspiring environment for the students. She has recently been on the executive boards of school PTA at the Northeast Elementary School first as a co-VP, then then as a co-President.
Ritesh Patel moved to Montclair from London 23 years ago and has been active in the local community for many years. He has volunteered for AAPI Montclair since its very beginning and provides pro bono DJ services for AAPI Montclair as well as many worthy causes and fundraisers around town. He has been involved with the local Brick Lane Curry House restaurant since its opening in July 2011, born from the passion for providing authentic, proper British-style Indian cuisine to the residents of Montclair.
Ritesh is also the Chair of the Board of the Asthma & Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA.org) and a founding member of the new nonprofit community radio station, Radio Free Montclair.
Toral Patel is a proud second-generation Indian American born and raised in NJ. She strives to be a social change agent through increasing civic engagement among underserved communities and helping empower individuals to drive policy change. She has worked for the Governor of New Jersey, serves as the co-chair of the South Asian American Caucus and has served as a thought partner for numerous organizations over the past few decades whose mission has aligned with her purpose. Toral is also active in her community of Verona on the topic of DEI-focused initiatives for the Township and within the school system.
Lavanya Raghavan is a 1st generation Desi American girl, graphic designer, and community organizer. At AAPI Montclair, Lavi has led large-scale cultural events including Color Run and Light Up Montclair. She has served on elementary school PTAs and on the Executive Board of the Glen Ridge Civic Conference Committee, a non-partisan organization that promotes civic engagement. Lavi has consistently engaged her local school board on issues of inclusion and racial literacy and successfully campaigned to have Deepavali declared a district holiday.
Lavi has a B.A. from Dartmouth College and an M.A. in Graphic Design from the Pratt Institute. She spent a decade working in advertising for Ogilvy & Mather Advertising and Ray+ Keshavan Design, brand building for clients including Infosys Technologies, Lever Brothers, Wipro Technologies, IBM and the Indian School of Business. Passionate about art, textiles, and her hounds, Lavi firmly believes that design can connect communities and create a sense of cultural belonging.
Ruth Ro is a member of the Build Out Alliance (501c3) Board of Directors for the years 2021 and 2022 and was involved with the organization prior to nonprofit status and through its decision-making process. She is a member of the AIANY (American Institute of Architects) Diversity and Inclusion Committee, working with colleague firms to establish an EDI baseline for all architecture firms. Within Dattner Architects, Ruth heads the EDI Committee and recently organized a fundraising event to benefit the nonprofit organization Heart of Dinner.
Winnie Lam Wu grew up in NYC and has worked in the film industry for over two decades as a location manager. She enjoys bringing cultural activities to her communities because cultural engagement helps foster understanding and develop trust. Winnie graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a BA in Communications and Asian Studies.
AAPI Montclair’s work is sustained by dedicated volunteers of all ages.
Learn more about volunteer opportunities or get in touch by sending a message to info@aapimontclair.org.