2025 Youth Symposium Speakers
- graceyu36
- Mar 13
- 13 min read
Updated: Mar 16
The 1990 Institute gratefully acknowledge the following speakers who participated in the 2025 Roots and Wings Symposium held on September 6, at the Theater of College of San Mateo. They shared generously with the participants their personal journey of following their passion and finding success. The speakers are grouped by the sessions of the Symposium below.
Trailblazer Panel: Stories Beyond the Script
These dynamic individuals shared their personal journeys — including the challenges, setbacks, and unconventional paths they took that shaped who they are today. From navigating identity to breaking barriers in their fields, their stories will empower youth to dream boldly, embrace authenticity, and chart their own course.
Andrew Chau is the co-founder and CEO of Boba Guys and Tea People USA, an Inc. 500–recognized company and one of the fastest-growing independent retail chains in the United States. Previously, he worked in consumer marketing at Walmart, Clorox, and Target, and founded and exited the startup Vergence Media in 2011. Chau is a recognized industry thought leader featured by CNN, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and NPR. He is the co-author of The Boba Book (Penguin Random House, 2020) and received Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year (2022) and the ABA Visionary of the Year award (2023). | |
Mina Fedor, founded AAPI Youth Rising in 2020 to combat anti-Asian xenophobia. She is now a freshman at Wellesley College. Mina led a 1,200-person rally and launched an educational lesson now used in 150 chapters across 35 states. Mina’s advocacy has reached over 52,000 schools and earned national recognition and awards, including honors from President Biden and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. She continues to champion social justice and equity through working with Act to Change, Free the Pill, and other initiatives and has been featured in major media outlets such as The Washington Post, “GoodMorning America”, and The New York Times. | |
Steven is in charge of investments in operating companies and funds including Waymo, Isomorphic Labs, Calico, Intrinsic, X, Tapestry, GV, and CapitalG. Previously he was Director of Operations for Google Cloud AI and served as COO for Cloud AI, leading business and engineering operations while overseeing Responsible AI and Data Privacy. Since joining Google in 2011, he led business development for Google Drive, Chrome OS, Google Wifi, and Android. Earlier roles include Apture, venture firms Clearstone and Redpoint, and Overture. He holds degrees from Yale and UCLA. | |
Julie Su is a nationally recognized workers’ rights and civil rights expert who served as U.S. Secretary of Labor in Joe Biden’s cabinet, after previously serving as Deputy Secretary of Labor. She is currently the Deputy Mayor of NYC for Economic Justice. She also served as California Labor Secretary under Gavin Newsom and as California Labor Commissioner (2011–2018), where she strengthened enforcement against wage theft and protections for immigrant workers. Before government service, she spent 17 years as an attorney with Asian Americans Advancing Justice in Los Angeles. She graduated from Stanford University and Harvard Law School and received a MacArthur “Genius” award. | |
Abigail Hing Wen is an author, film producer, director, and former tech executive. She is the New York Times bestselling author of several young adult novels, including Loveboat, Taipei, adapted into the film Love in Taipei on Netflix, where she served as executive producer. Her novel Kisses, Codes and Conspiracies is a national bestseller. She is directing a short film starring Lea Salonga tied to her upcoming book The Vale (2025). She serves on the board of Harvardwood and is a member of Rideback Rise. | |
Caroline Pan is an industry executive with nearly three decades of experience in high-tech, industrial, and automotive sectors. She most recently served as SVP and Chief Marketing Officer of Lumentum Holdings, leading global marketing for advanced photonics and optical technologies. Previously, she held senior roles at Ford Motor Company, Intel, Hewlett-Packard, and Honeywell, and was CMO of Bright Machines. She has extensive international experience across Europe and Asia and has spoken widely on global manufacturing and technology. Pan holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a mechanical engineering degree from MIT. |
Morning Breakout Sessions for Youth
Speakers from different professions shared their experience with and engaged in interactive dialogue with youth about of following their passions and finding success.
Art, Media and Culture - Telling Our Stories: Creating Culture Through Art & Media | |
Wesley Chan is a Chinese American filmmaker, creative director, and cofounder of Wong Fu Productions– a digital production company internationally recognized for 20 years of prolific storytelling including short films and original series inspired by the modern Asian American experience. Starting this year [2025], Wesley shifts focus to independently explore his own creative endeavors across various interests like filmmaking, design, and graphic arts. | |
Abigail Hing Wen is an author, film producer, director, and former tech executive. She is the New York Times bestselling author of several young adult novels, including Loveboat, Taipei, adapted into the film Love in Taipei on Netflix, where she served as executive producer. Her novel Kisses, Codes and Conspiracies is a national bestseller. She is directing a short film starring Lea Salonga tied to her upcoming book The Vale (2025). She serves on the board of Harvardwood and is a member of Rideback Rise. | |
Sean Niu is a multidisciplinary filmmaker and producer from Los Angeles, California. Sean graduated from UCLA’s Theatre, Film and Television Program with a MFA in Screenwriting. Sean also received his MBA from MIT and Bachelor of Science from the London School of Economics. Before UCLA, Sean built products at MIT and Amazon that created alternate realities and helped computers see — now his stories address his anxieties for a future he helped build. | |
Activism & Advocacy - Voices of Change: Turning Passion into Action | |
Eddie Ahn is executive director of Brightline Defense, an environmental justice nonprofit engaged in policy and legal advocacy since 2009. He is also the writer and artist of Advocate, a graphic memoir published by Penguin Random House in April 2024. Eddie serves on several government commissions focused on environmental policy, including the San Francisco Commission on the Environment, the Bay Conservation and Development Commission, and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission. As a member of AmeriCorps member, he taught public speaking and arts workshops in Oakland’s Chinatown. He holds a J.D. from UC College of the Law, San Francisco, and a B.A. from Brown University. | |
Mina Fedor, founded AAPI Youth Rising in 2020 to combat anti-Asian xenophobia. She is now a freshman at Wellesley College. Mina led a 1,200-person rally and launched an educational lesson now used in 150 chapters across 35 states. Mina’s advocacy has reached over 52,000 schools and earned national recognition and awards, including honors from President Biden and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. She continues to champion social justice and equity through working with Act to Change, Free the Pill, and other initiatives and has been featured in major media outlets such as The Washington Post, “GoodMorning America”, and The New York Times. | |
Bernard James Remollino is an associate professor of Asian American and Pacific American history at San Joaquin Delta College. Their research examines Filipinx American popular culture, labor, and migration in the early twentieth century. Remollino is the author of Pancho Villa: World Champion, 1923, which explores Filipino migration, culture, and resistance to U.S. empire through boxing. They serve as a national trustee of the Filipino American National Historical Society and on the board of the FANHS National Museum. | |
Science & Technology - Breaking Boundaries: Asian Americans in Science & Technology | |
Ting Liu is a VP and Technical Fellow at Google, leading core AI infrastructure and shaping the strategy to productionize Google DeepMind’s research at global scale. Previously, as VP of Engineering for Google Cloud’s Vertex AI, she transformed the platform into a leading generative AI powerhouse, hosting Google’s Gemini models alongside top open-source and partner models, and launching a rapidly growing agent framework. Earlier, she spent over a decade in Google Ads, co-founding and scaling multiple multi-billion-dollar products. Ting holds a Ph.D. in Machine Learning from Carnegie Mellon University. | |
Jenn Pangilinan is Vice President and Head of Genentech Research and Early Development Clinical Operations at Genentech. She leads the strategic direction and delivery of the organization’s clinical trial portfolio across therapeutic areas including oncology, immunology, neurology, and ophthalmology. Pangilinan brings extensive experience in clinical drug development and business leadership, supporting the advancement of innovative medicines for serious diseases. She earned an Executive Pharmaceutical Marketing MBA from Saint Joseph’s University and a bachelor’s degree in Integrative Biology from University of California, Berkeley. | |
Joanna Tong holds a BS in Chemical Biological Engineering with a minor in Biology from MIT. She started her career at Genentech as a process development intern and progressed into leadership roles in manufacturing and diversity & inclusion, working around the globe to manufacture and bring more medicines to patients. Throughout her career, she has bridged technical excellence with inclusive leadership. She is passionate about creating pathways for underrepresented communities in STEM and providing more equitable access to healthcare for all patients. | |
Business & Entrepreneurship - Build It Boldly: From Ideas to Impact | |
As a product leader, Stephanie has spent over 15 years leading teams to build digital products, whether it's been production tools at Dreamworks Animation and Netflix, or political tools on the Hillary and Biden campaigns. She also started a mobile game company, Kooapps, and loves to build software that changes how different industries operate as well as engage and delight users. Currently, Stephanie coaches and teaches MBAs at Berkeley Haas about product management and pivoting in their careers. She received her MBA from MIT Sloan and BA in Psychology and International Relations from Stanford University. | |
Enakshi Singh is CFO of Ohmium International, a green hydrogen company specializing in advanced PEM electrolyzer solutions. With over 20 years in strategic finance, capital raising, and M&A, she has held leadership roles at Zymergen, Mubadala Development Company, and in technology investment banking. Singh holds a B.A. in Economics from Cornell University and an M.B.A. from the MIT Sloan School of Management. | |
Zeien Cheung is a Dutch-Chinese business leader, nonprofit co-founder, chair of the San Francisco Red Cross Leadership Council, and board member. Her career spans law and tech, with expertise in negotiation, contract strategy, and building high-performing teams across global markets. Zeien is deeply committed to creating spaces of belonging and empowerment for those navigating identity across borders, whether as immigrants or diaspora, by honoring heritage and building unity. She believes in guiding and amplifying the next generation of changemakers, especially those navigating identity across cultures. | |
Follow Your Passion - Fuel What Moves You: Turning Dreams into Direction | |
Paul Bien is the Assistant General Manager of Baseball Analytics for the San Francisco Giants, a role he assumed in 2022. He leads the club’s analytics department, applying data and technology to support scouting, player development, coaching, and player acquisition decisions across the organization. Bien joined the Giants in 2012 after earlier roles in engineering and consulting, including positions at Northrop Grumman Space Technology and Accenture. He holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Electrical Engineering from UCLA and has built his career by combining engineering expertise with baseball analytics. | |
Kathy Fang is an award winning chef, cookbook author, and television personality. A first generation Asian American and mother of two, she is known for her modern approach to creating simple, healthy Asian recipes for home cooks, and inspiring others to embrace their heritage through food and entertaining. Kathy makes frequent appearances on national culinary shows and competitions—including starring in the Food Network docuseries “Chef Dynasty: House of Fang”—and has worked with major brands and organizations in the travel, lifestyle and non-profit sectors. | |
Daniel Tam-Claiborne is a multiracial author, multimedia producer, and nonprofit leader. He serves as Deputy Director of The Serica Initiative and produces public media projects at WNET. His debut novel, Transplants (Simon & Schuster, 2025), was a finalist for the PEN/Bellwether Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction. Tam-Claiborne has lived and worked extensively in Greater China and advocates for Asian American issues through storytelling, cultural exchange, and philanthropy. He holds degrees from Oberlin College, Yale University, and Warren Wilson College. | |
Morning Breakout Session for Educators
Teaching Asian America: Curriculum, Context, and Connection
This session focused on tools, strategies, and resources for bringing Asian American stories into the classroom. It explored how inclusive curriculum can deepen student identity, build empathy, and challenge historical erasure—across disciplines and grade levels.
Jayson Chang is the professional development manager for The Asian American Education Project as well as a decade-long high school social science educator in San Jose, California, with academic interests in thematic teaching, culturally relevant pedagogy, food history, and nationalism studies. He has held leadership roles in the California Teachers Association and National Education Association. He is of Cantonese-Fukien heritage, descended from Chinese Vietnamese refugees. Jayson graduated from Soka University with a B.A. in Liberal Arts and Claremont Graduate University with a Master’s degree in Education. | |
Jason Muñiz is Site Director of the UC Berkeley History-Social Science Project, a role he assumed in 2023. He leads initiatives supporting the implementation of Ethnic Studies, including professional development for educators, interdisciplinary curriculum design, and efforts to connect University of California, Berkeley Ethnic Studies resources with high school teachers. Muñiz has also supported instruction for newcomer students and multilingual learners. Previously, he was a Social Science educator in South Florida and East Oakland and helped pilot and implement Ethnic Studies curriculum for the Oakland Unified School District. | |
Eunjee Kang is a passionate educator with seven years of experience teaching 7th-grade World History and 8th-grade U.S. History at Bohannon Middle School in San Lorenzo Unified. Since 2018, she has served as Social Studies Department Chair, leading initiatives with vision and dedication. Eunjee collaborates with respected institutions like UC Berkeley’s History-Social Science Project, ORIAS, the Asian Art Museum, and the Alameda County Office of Education. These partnerships have inspired culturally responsive, innovative lessons that deepen students' understanding of diverse histories and global perspectives, making her curriculum both engaging and transformative. |
Morning Breakout Session for Parents
Bridging Generations: Understanding Our Youth
Parents engaged in a guided conversation about the pressures, identities, and experiences Asian American youth are navigating today, paying attention on how cultural expectations, mental health, and representation shape the youths' world—and how adults can best support them.
Caroline C. Lee, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in child, adolescent, and adult mental health, with more than two decades of experience working with youth and families. She focuses on treating anxiety disorders using evidence-based practices and has taught psychoeducational courses on culture and coping at Stanford University, where she earned her PhD in Educational Psychology. She also holds an MA in Education from Teachers College, Columbia University and a psychology degree from University of California, Berkeley. Dr. Lee advises national youth mental health initiatives and collaborates with schools to provide resiliency workshops for parents and teens. | |
Dr. Quach, PhD, is President of Asian Health Services, where she oversees medical, dental, behavioral health, research, and community programs serving 50,000 patients in 14 languages. Trained in epidemiology, she leads research and policy initiatives advancing health equity, language justice, and culturally responsive mental health care. Her work includes studies on worker health in nail and hair salons and community-based research on COVID-19 impacts on AAPI communities. She chairs Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations and holds degrees from University of California, Berkeley and University of California, Los Angeles. | |
Liana Szeto is the founding principal of Alice Fong Yu (AFY) Alternative K-8 School, the nation’s first Chinese immersion public school. A pioneer of Chinese immersion since 1984, she grew AFY from a small pilot into a National Blue Ribbon School and national model, also recognized as a California Distinguished and Gold Ribbon School. In 2000, she created AFY’s Cultural Exchange Program, giving 8th graders the opportunity to live and study in China while welcoming Chinese students to San Francisco. Szeto is a lifelong advocate for rigorous bilingual, multicultural education in public schools. |
Afternoon Breakout Sessions - general sessions that are open to all
Fish Bowl - Listening In, Speaking Out: A Cross-Generational Conversation In this powerful closing session, students, educators, and parents/guardians come together for a facilitated dialogue that centers shared understanding, honest reflection, and collective visioning. Through the fishbowl format, participants will listen, speak, and witness real stories and perspectives—bridging gaps between generations and roles to imagine a future where Asian American youth are fully seen, supported, and celebrated. | |
Patricia Burrows is an educator and school leader who sees teaching as a way to nurture essential human skills. She holds a B.A. in History with a minor in English and a B.Ed. from Queen’s University (Canada), along with an M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction from Chapman University. Patricia has taught middle and high school English and humanities in both Canada and the U.S. Her leadership roles have included Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Assistant Middle School Division Head at The Harker School. No matter the role, she’s focused on creating learning spaces where students grow in empathy, think critically, and connect deeply with the world around them. | |
Melinda Gonzales, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist with more than 25 years of experience specializing in adolescent mental health. For the past 15 years, she has served in the counseling department at The Harker School, helping advance mental health and social-emotional learning initiatives. She also leads workshops and community discussions for parents on emotional development, stress management, and healthy communication. Dr. Gonzales holds an M.S. and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Teachers College, Columbia University. | |
Caroline C. Lee, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in child, adolescent, and adult mental health, with more than two decades of experience working with youth and families. She focuses on treating anxiety disorders using evidence-based practices and has taught psychoeducational courses on culture and coping at Stanford University, where she earned her PhD in Educational Psychology. She also holds an MA in Education from Teachers College, Columbia University and a psychology degree from University of California, Berkeley. Dr. Lee advises national youth mental health initiatives and collaborates with schools to provide resiliency workshops for parents and teens. | |
Film Screening & Talk Back - Reclaiming Our Stories: A Film Journey with Josh Chuck After a special screening featuring clips from his acclaimed documentaries Chinatown Rising and Making Waves, filmmaker Josh Chuck discussed Asian American activism, identity, and the resilience of the Asian communities. He also reflected on his filmmaking journey, shared untold histories, and what it means to reclaim and share our narratives. | |
Josh, a fourth-generation resident of San Francisco’s Chinatown, comes from a family of doctors, merchants, teachers, and pastors. With 25+ years of experience as a youth worker, filmmaker, and fundraiser, he co-directed Chinatown Rising with his father, Rev. Harry Chuck. Most recently, he co-directed Making Waves, with Jon Osaki, a powerful film on ethnic studies and Asian American activism. Passionate about community storytelling, Josh shares vital histories to challenge stereotypes and inspire youth through the legacy of Asian American activism in his neighborhood. | |
Closing Performance - Comedy Show by Natasha Chandel
Natasha Chandel is an Indian-Canadian-American comedian, writer, and host of the hit podcast Kinda Dating. She’s appeared on The Mindy Project, SEAL Team, and voiced characters in Call of Duty, Valorant, and more. A global storyteller and UCB-trained performer, she brings sharp humor, cultural insight, and a passion for breaking stereotypes to every stage. Natasha has toured internationally, showcased for Netflix, and writes character-driven comedies with heart. Born in Dubai and raised across continents, her unique voice reflects a rich, multicultural perspective rooted in resilience, honesty, and laughter. |
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