Major: Public Policy Analysis/Economics
Profession: Programs manager, nonprofit/public sector
Hometown: Los Angeles
What are you doing now?
I am a full-time Programs Manager at the Center for Asian Americans United for Self-Empowerment (CAUSE), a nonprofit advancing the political and civic engagement of Asian and Pacific Islander (API) leaders across Southern California. I play an important role in CAUSE’s voter outreach and education initiatives and help run civic leadership training and programming for college students and mid-career professionals.
Outside of CAUSE, I am also a part-time Programs Manager with the Ivory Bridges Foundation (IBF). I draw on my background as a first-generation, low-income (FGLI) college graduate to support current FGLI students. IBF is a nonprofit that provides fellowships offering personalized success coaching to help students transition from college to the workforce, with holistic training in wellness, professional development and financial literacy.
How did you get there?
From as early as I can remember, I helped my family navigate government services and public assistance programs. Most of the time, I experienced firsthand the access and language barriers people face, and the effects of those barriers when families are not given proper support and outreach.
When I was applying for Pomona College, I knew I had a passion for accessibility and for trying to solve the ongoing broader question of how we can make things better. Through that, I discovered the Public Policy Analysis major, which became my steppingstone for understanding how policy can affect our everyday lives.
How did Pomona prepare you?
Pomona prepared me through a combination of research, hands-on experience and coursework that grounded my understanding of policy in real-world impact.
Through the 2022 Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP), I conducted research under Politics Professor Sara Sadhwani, examining Congressional districts with Asian American candidates and assessing cross-racial support and outreach to AAPI communities. I co-led interviews with AAPI politicians and community leaders, gaining qualitative insights into election outcomes and AAPI political representation.
That experience led me to the 2023 CAUSE Leadership Academy, where I was introduced to the Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) nonprofit and advocacy space in Los Angeles and learned how community organizing can shape policy, particularly around redistricting and voting accessibility. I continued with CAUSE through my PPA internship for the following fall semester. At the same time, I was writing my senior thesis on Mapping Equity: A Geospatial and Racial Analysis of Vote Center Distribution in Los Angeles County, which analyzed the California Voter’s Choice Act (VCA) and proposed community-based recommendations to improve election administration in Los Angeles County. The thesis was awarded the 2024 Lorn S. Foster Prize in Race and Politics, presented by Pomona College’s Department of Political Science.
Right after graduating, I began full-time at CAUSE, where I’ve since worked on voter outreach, education and turnout across AANHPI communities in Los Angeles County, including advocating for stronger in-language voter materials and working directly with the LA County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk’s Mobile Voting Team to strategize targeted outreach and turnout in low-propensity neighborhoods.
During my first year, CAUSE launched the Together We Vote initiative, and I’ve helped lead its election-season activations since then, turning GOTV into a community-centered celebration through culture, art, food and storytelling. Through this work, I’ve helped advance improvements in election administration, pulling directly from recommendations I made in my senior thesis. I brought the knowledge I gained from writing my thesis around LA County voting and the local policy Voter’s Choice Act to CAUSE, which helped to inform our Together We Vote initiative and helped our team make the case about the importance of conducting tailored outreach to communities that have historically been kept out of the ballot box. Within the Together We Vote initiative; I support coordination between AANHPI community partners across Los Angeles County to strengthen collaboration between community organizations and county government.
In this capacity, CAUSE serves as a key liaison, bridging communication and facilitating more effective, trust-based partnerships.
Lastly, I would be remiss not to acknowledge my favorite PPA course, Policy Implementation and Evaluation with Professor David Menefee-Libey (DML), and to express appreciation for his mentorship as I navigated the civic landscape of Los Angeles County and delved deep into the weeds of the VCA policy. This course significantly shaped how I understand the gap between policy design and implementation. In all the spaces I find myself in today, I often emphasize that intention does not always translate into implementation, a perspective I first developed in DML’s class. This understanding continues to guide my commitment to local governance and community-centered policymaking.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
This is a challenging question to answer with specificity, but whether in the nonprofit or public sector, I know I want my work to remain centered on community. I believe community insights lead to stronger policies and more meaningful change, as policies are intended to serve people and should meaningfully incorporate public engagement. I recently completed my service on the Los Angeles City Charter Reform Commission as the youngest commissioner and one of two Asian American commissioners. We were tasked with reviewing the City Charter—the foundational document governing the structure and operations of city government—and developing recommendations for a more accountable and representative city, a comprehensive review that had not been undertaken in over 25 years.
During my service, I grounded my work in listening, learning and collaborating with community members across Los Angeles. I supported recommendations, including expanding language access, establishing recurring charter reviews every 10 years, city council expansion, police accountability, and governance reforms related to ethics and the powers and duties of elected officials.
A consistent through line in my work has been centering community and elevating community perspectives. In five years, I see myself continuing this work by advancing community-centered approaches to policymaking and expanding access and understanding across the diverse communities that make up our city, county and state.
Any advice for current or prospective students?
Don’t be afraid to get involved and explore all of your interests. Stay curious and embrace the unknown—you never know where it might lead or what doors it may open (a lesson I learned through Alexander Technique classes at Pomona, which I highly recommend). Even if your passions seem different, you’ll be surprised by how interconnected everything can be.
There is real value in not doing things alone and having community by your side. It is easier to activate, mobilize and create meaningful change when you have a village alongside you. Surround yourself with peers and mentors who inspire you, challenge your thinking and push you to grow.