Board of Directors – Asian Pacific American Coalition

About Mitz Lee

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.

About Dr. Allen Chan

Dr. Allen W. Chan is a family man, a well-respected Doctor of Chiropractic, successful entrepreneur, and community leader. His achievements demonstrate his passion to improve the community and help those who are less fortunate, locally and around the globe.

Despite a respectful and well-paying career as a pharmacist in Los Angeles, Dr. Chan went back to school and received his doctorate degree in chiropractic after he discovered this holistic approach to relieving patients’ pain without medications or surgeries. He received his doctorate degree in chiropractic in 1985 from the Los Angeles College of Chiropractic. In 1988, he settled in San Diego and founded Chan Chiropractic Center and later the multi-disciplinary Jasmine Health Center. Successful years of practice led to other opportunities including establishing the largest and most popular local Asian restaurant.

Dr. Chan’s community work serves to empower the various Asian ethnic communities in San Diego. In 2010, he was recruited as the Partnership Specialist for the US Census Bureau. He helped organize the Complete Count Committees for the various Asian communities to ensure an accurate count of this “Hard to Count” Asian population. He was the co-founder and co-chair of The Alliance for Asian and Pacific Islander Americans in 2001 and Asian Pacific American Coalition (APAC) in 2011. Thorough these organizations he played a leading role in San Diego’s 2001 and 2011 City Council redistricting processes for fair representation of San Diego’s Asian American community. His relentless effort successfully leads to the first ever Asian City Council District in 2012 and has successfully helped to elect the first Asian American City Councilman representing the first Asian City Council District in San Diego in 2014.

Dr. Allen Chan is the recipient of the “San Diego Asian Business Association Community Service Award”, the “Special Congressional Recognition for Outstanding and Invaluable Community Services” award and the “Community Service Award” of the Citizens Oversight Committee, San Diego Community College District, among others. He is also the recipient of the 2014 KPBS’s “Local Heroes” program for his achievements and contributions in the community. On May 9, 2015, Dr. Chan received the prestigious “Ellis Island Medal of Honor” from National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations (NECO). as an outstanding immigrant who has fulfilled his American Dream.

APAC Board of Directors

About Mitz Lee

About Ellaine Esteller

About Jantima Danford

About Alexander Nguyen

About Dr. Allen Chan

About Steve Hsieh

About Sara Kamiab

About Jason Paguio

About Justin Paik

About Margaret Sanborn

About Alan Sioco

About Sandy Spackman