Staff Biographies

National CAPACD is led and supported by a multigenerational, ethnically and geographically diverse board with a variety of experience in grassroots organizing, organizational management and program development, real estate management, business development and finance, campaign development, research and policy advocacy, and experience in the various sectors of the federal government, intermediaries, and financial institutions.

Lisa Hasegawa, Executive Director

Since 2000, Lisa Hasegawa has led National CAPACD's efforts to be a powerful voice for the unique community development needs of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities. She is the former Chair for the National Council for Asian Pacific Americans and currently serves on the Board of the National Low Income Housing Coalition. In 2003, Lisa was a Fellow in the Rockefeller Foundation's Next Generation Leadership Program.

Prior to joining National CAPACD, Ms. Hasegawa was the Community Liaison for the White House Initiative on AAPIs where she worked to involve and inform AAPI community groups across the country about Initiative activities. She also worked for the U.S. DHHS Health Resources and Services Administration and the Office of Minority Health. Lisa previously worked at two community health centers serving low-income AAPIs in Los Angeles and Oakland, California.

 

Romana Lee-Akiyama, Deputy Director

Romana is National CAPACD's Deputy Director and will take a lead in coordinating our organizational processes and overseeing our programs.

Romana brings almost ten years of community development experience to National CAPACD. She comes to us directly from Philadelphia's Chinatown where she worked most recently as the Director of Development and Programming at the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation. Romana was responsible for starting the first Asian American homeownership counseling program in Boston's Chinatown at the Asian Community Development Corporation. Her work in both the Philadelphia and Boston local Asian American communities is the foundation for her work as an experienced director of community-based programs, fundraiser, and organizational strategic planner.

Romana holds a B.A. in International Relations from Tufts University, and recently completed both a Master of Social Service and a Master of Law and Social Policy at the Bryn Mawr College Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research. Her focus in her studies was Policy, Practice and Advocacy. Romana was also responsible for the creation of the Asian Pacific American Student Caucus at her graduate school, and won the college's prestigious McPherson Award - an award given to individuals who demonstrate a commitment to community service and excellence in their academic work. Romana was also awarded with the 2008 Conference on Asian Pacific American Leadership (CAPAL) Scholarship.

Jane Duong, National AAPI Housing Program Manager

Jane Duong brings a wealth of knowledge in housing, pre-purchase and foreclosure counseling, and financial education in low-income communities of color.  She developed and implemented programs addressing the financial and asset development needs in the Latino community through housing counseling at Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA) in California.  Jane is a NeighborWorks Certified Housing Counselor and Foreclosure Intervention & Default Counselor.  She also is a trainer for the National Council of La Raza in pre-purchase counseling and education.  She comes to National CAPACD with experience at one of our founding member organizations having spent several years working as the Property Management Assistant at Chinatown Community Development Center in San Francisco.  Jane graduated from University of California, Berkeley with High Honors in Sociology and received her Master of Public Administration from New York University's Robert F. Wagner School of Public Service. 

Gen Fujioka, Senior Policy Analyst

Gen Fujioka joined the National CAPACD team in September 2008, where he served as the interim California Advocacy Coordinator of the California Coalition of National CAPACD.  He worked to develop our community based strategy with local members and national staff to address the deepening foreclosure crisis and to serve disadvantaged communities.  He later transitioned as the Senior Policy Analyst providing key insight into federal policies impacting economic and community development.  A veteran attorney and community activist, Gen brings with him over twenty-five years of experience representing minority and low income communities with an emphasis on federal, state, and local housing and civil rights issues.

Vickie Asato, Office Manager/Executive Assistant

Vickie brings over 15 years of organizational management experience to National CAPACD.  She has served in the non-profit and public sector as well as for professional services firms.  Prior to joining National CAPACD, Vickie served as the Development Services Coordinator for a water conservation district in Arizona, Program Director for the Voluntary Action Center of Honolulu, and Legal Services Administrator for a Hawaii'i law firm amonst other positions.  Vickie is an AmeriCorps alumni and a former board member and advisor to the Serteens Club of Hawaii'i.

Sherilyn Tran, Housing Program Coordinator

Sherilyn grew up in Oakland, California and was active in community activism during her undergraduate years at UC Berkeley.   Prior to graduate school she worked as an organizer with a multiethnic youth program in Richmond, California.  She received a Masters in Urban Planning at NYU, and while living on the East Coast interned at member organization Renaissance Economic Development Corporation.

Josh Ishimatsu, ACTION Technical Assistance Program Manager

Josh has more than a dozen years of experience in building nonprofit housing and community facilities.  He was most recently Director of Real Estate Development at one of National CAPACD’s founding member organizations— Little Tokyo Service Center in Los Angeles, California—and partnered with a number of National CAPACD members in the Los Angeles region in community development projects.   Josh has a joint JD and Masters in Urban Planning from UCLA.  Josh will be based out of our Oakland office. 

Melvin Tabilas, Membership and Policy Associate

Melvin was most recently a Legislative Assistant for Congressman Neil Abercrombie of Hawaii, advising the Congressman on legislative matters pertaining to transportation, agriculture, taxes, budget, appropriations, trade, immigration, tourism, labor, small business, the Asian Pacific Islander community, and other issues.  He also worked previously as a Field Deputy for Congressman Xavier Becerra of California and a Field Representative for California State Senator Debra Bowen.  Melvin has a Master of Public Policy from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Public Affairs and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Hawaii at Manoa.