APAC Board of Directors
Steve Hsieh
Board Chair
Steve Hsieh Bio
Cynthia “CK” Suero-Gabler
Vice Chair
Cynthia Suero-Gabler Bio
Sandy Spackman
Secretary
Sandy Spackman Bio
Steve Hsieh
Board Chair
Steve Hsieh Bio
Cynthia “CK” Suero-Gabler
Vice Chair
Cynthia Suero-Gabler Bio
Sandy Spackman
Secretary
Sandy Spackman Bio
Steve Hsieh has been living in San Diego for over 30 years and has devoted his effort promoting API involvement in public affairs. Steve has also been actively involved in community affairs to boost API visibility.
Steve is currently serving on San Diego City’s Commission on Police Practices as well as the vice president of Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce of San Diego. Steve is also a commissioner to the Republic of China Taiwan’s Overseas Community Affairs Council.
Steve Hsieh holds a bachelor’s degree from University of California and a master’s degree from the University of Texas. Steve also receives a board member certificate from The Nonprofit Institute at University of San Diego.
Cynthia “CK” Suero-Gabler serves as a community activist and organizer in Southeast San Diego. She led a grassroots movement of diverse community leaders and Bay Terrace senior citizens to advocate for a group of Filipino seniors to receive funding for a senior center to be built at Bay Terrace Park, of which they were promised since 1990. Their advocacy efforts were blessed with $5.5M, fully funding the project. Construction was completed in October of 2020 and the grand opening will be July 30, 2021.
As an advocate for small businesses, CK served at the pleasure of Jerome E. Horton, former Chair of the California State Board of Equalization (BOE) for several years in Los Angeles. As a champion for diversity, inclusion, and equity, she serves as the Senior Diversity and Economic Opportunity Representative for the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the second largest transportation agency in the United States, where she helps to empower disadvantaged, minority, women, and disabled veteran small business owners to do business with LA Metro.
CK is a 2006 graduate of LEAD San Diego and a 2015 graduate of the RISE San Diego Urban Leadership Fellows Program. She earned both a Bachelor of Arts degree in Interdisciplinary Studies with an emphasis in Literature and a Master of Science in Organizational Leadership from National University. She is currently a doctoral candidate, attending Northcentral University to earn her PhD in Organizational Leadership.
She is a proud lifetime member of BAPAC (Black American Political Association of California, San Diego Chapter) and serves as the Board President of Maraya Performing Arts center in Chula Vista. Cynthia was a recipient of APAC’s 2019 Excellence in Civic Engagement award.
Sandy Spackman has enjoyed volunteering at her church, work, and the community for over 30 years. She has served in the Relief Society (Global Women’s Organization) and Young Women organizations at her church as president at different times.
As president, she was responsible for the spiritual and physical well-being of about 500 women in her congregation. Her duties included coordinating the weekly activity, Sunday instruction, and assisting with the physical and emotional needs of each member.
At work, Sandy served as the Civilian Morale Welfare Recreation (CMWR) COO for a two-year term where she was responsible for coordinating the day-to-day operations and execution of the CMWR programs and activities; including oversight of standing committees and clubs at SPAWAR.
In the community, Sandy served as secretary and president of the Lao Community Cultural Center of San Diego at different times and currently serves as president of the Lao American Coalition (LAC), secretary of Lao Advocacy of San Diego (LAOSD), and as a local representative for JustServe.org. Some of her efforts included planning of and executing the annual Lao New Year celebration at the Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation, Chollas View Neighborhood Clean-Up, the annual New Year’s Eve Fundraiser, Community Health Fair, Southeast Asian Refugee Experience, and the annual Asian Pacific Islander Culinary Health Cuisine.
Presently, Sandy is involved with LAOSD to advocate with local and state legislators for the inclusion of Lao American refugee stories in K-12 public schools. At work, she leads the Happiness Committee in planning and executing social events in order to build comradery and facilitate good rapport between employees and cross-team collaboration in her organization. As a JustServe.org local rep, she promotes volunteerism in the community by connecting non-profit organizations and volunteers through the website. Sandy works as a configuration management specialist for the Navy. She and her husband have four children and two grandchildren.
Fluent in Thai and Lao and English – Subject Matter Expert (SME) of Thai language and cultural studies. Over twenty years in the United States of America, as a community leader, helping the Thai community and Asian Pacific American communities. Innovative and highly motivated individual with strong experience in foreign language acquisition and intercultural communication. Specialized background in counseling, training, and organizational development. Strong interpersonal skills and organizational communication.
Over thirty years experience working as a Medical Convention Organizer managing international conventions and exhibitions in several specialties in Thailand and in the United States. Offered full-service organization for convention and exhibition of any size and type. Planned, programmed, budgeted and directed the acquisition of conventions and exhibitions involving millions of dollars, thousands of people, and state-of-the-art technical equipment in coordination with both civilian and government agencies in Thailand and other countries. Experience working in Sales and Marketing/Project Manager/Office Manager, Casino Marketing, Payroll, Executive Secretary,
Marketing Coordinator, and Fundraising fields. Managed staff, payroll, office management, equipment procurement, and financial matters.
Alexander Nguyen is an Emmy award-winning journalist. He is currently the web producer for KPBS News. As web producer, he is responsible for covering breaking news online, writing web stories, and copy editing and updating the station’s website and social media.
Alexander has covered Southern California extensively for several publications, including Patch, Times of San Diego, MyNewsLA.com, and NBC San Diego where he won several Society of Professional Journalists and San Diego Press Club awards for his writing. He is a member of the Asian American Journalists Association and San Diego Press Club.
In addition, he’s been on the board of several community organizations, such as the Mira Mesa Town Council, Mira Mesa Theatre Guild, Vietnamese American Youth Alliance. He is also involved in producing, either directly or indirectly, several community events, such as the annual San Diego Tet Festival, City Heights Lantern Festival, among others.
He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Southern California and a master’s degree in journalism innovation from Syracuse University.
Mitz Lee has been a community leader, coalition builder and neighborhood advocate for nearly three decades. Mitz’ early public service started the same way many others have served. She was a military spouse, a Youth Soccer and Little League Team Mom, a Den Mother, a school classroom volunteer, and a School Parent Volunteer Coordinator.
Later, Mitz was elected to the San Diego Unified School District’s Board of Education. Mitz has also served on San Diego City Human Relations Commission. She cofounded several nonprofit organizations and has served on their Board of Directors. In addition, she is now spearheading two neighborhood-focused projects as Executive Director of Mira Mesa Senior Center and Chairperson of D6 Night Market. She continues to serve as President and CEO of Alliance for Quality Education. She also accepted the position of Chair of the Board of Directors of Parents for Quality Education and Asian Pacific American Coalition.
Mitz has received numerous awards for her efforts including the Governor and First Lady’s Service Award, Special Recognition from the U.S. House of Representatives, the California State Legislature, and from local elected officials, and was named one of the Top 50 People to Watch in San Diego by San Diego Magazine. She also received the 2016 Woman of the Year for the Assembly 77th District, State of California
Mitz received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Economics from the University of the City of Manila and a master’s degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Financial Management from National University in San Diego. Mitz has made San Diego her home for 37 years with her husband, a U.S. Navy veteran, and their 2 sons.
Denise Uilani Meyer was born in Honolulu Hawaii and arrived in in San Diego in 1958. She lived in military housing and later moved to the Encanto area and attended O’Farrell Middle School and graduated from Samuel F Morse High School. Her parents and other Hawaiians organized and created the Social Club Hui O Hawaii O San Diego in 1967.
Denise joined Hui O Hawaii O San Diego in 1989 and served as Pelekina (president) for a total 12 years. She joined Ahahui Kiwila Hawaii O San Diego (Hawaiian Civic Club of San Diego) in 1994 and holds the office of Pelekikena. Ahahui Kiwila Hawaii O San Diego created the Pacific Islander Festival Association in 1995, which has become the largest Polynesian, Melonesian, and Micronesian Festival in California.
Her purpose, and intent as a Hawaiian Civic Club Leader and Kupuna (Elder) of her community is to continue the Hawaiian Culture, Education, Language, and Civic involvement. Denise has four children and five grandchildren.
Natasha Wong is an international law attorney who began her career in San Diego as the Executive Director of the Chinese Service Center. Providing various social services to low-and middle-income Chinese, the Center provided services ranging from job referrals to free financial literacy courses. Wong helped implement the first IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program for mono-lingual Chinese.
Under her leadership, hundreds of Chinese restaurant workers also received training and earned a Food Sanitation certificate from the County of San Diego Health Department to work in restaurants all over San Diego County. Wong earned her bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of California at Berkeley.
She earned her Juris Doctorate from Whittier Law School and a Master of Law in International Law from the University of San Diego, School of Law. She currently serves as the Vice President of the Avery Tsui Foundation. She is a trustee of the Stephen Hawking Professorship at Cambridge University in England. She also serves on the Board of Advisors for the University of California at Berkeley’s School of Letters and Sciences. She is also the treasurer and serves on the board of directors of San Diego Balboa Park’s House of China.