Meet Our Advisory Board
Our Advisory Board are experts in their respective fields who help ignite the mission of TeachAAPI through leadership in one of our important committees: Curriculum, MarComms, Strategy and Fundraising. Together with our Co-Founders, our Advisory Board delivers on our mission to strengthen identity and self-advocacy for future generations of AAPI children while deepening our connections with allies.
Celebrity Chef Katie Chin, Cookbook author, caterer, TV personality. Featured in USA Today, O Magazine, Cooking Light. Co-Chair of #AAPILA Task Force. Philanthropist. One Woman Show in development. Karaoke enthusiast. Hosts “Cooking with Katie and Becca” on Facebook.
Katie Chin
Advisory Board Member
Ron brings over 30 years of experience in transportation, supply chain, and logistics management to his role as co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of BEK Foods, an Asian American-owned food company. Prior to this, Ron held leadership positions including Managing Director and Vice President at global supply chain and trading companies, where he honed his expertise in operations and strategic planning. As an undergraduate, Ron was actively involved in the Midwest Asian American Student Union (MAASU), serving as Chairperson and Public Relations Officer. His involvement in MAASU ignited a lifelong commitment to advocating for Asian American representation and education. Now, as a board member for TeachAAPI, Ron comes full circle, channeling his professional and personal experiences to help advance the organization’s mission. Ron is excited to contribute his leadership, operational expertise, and passion for community empowerment to TeachAAPI’s impactful work.
Ron Escopete
Advisory Board Member
Kyle Hjelmeseth is a trailblazer in digital media, championing diversity and inclusivity. Recognized for transforming G&B into a top BIPOC influencer talent agency, he’s a featured speaker at industry events and in publications like LA Times, Business Insider and Forbes. Beyond leading G&B, Kyle drives impactful initiatives like The College of Influence and Normalize Equality, advocating for education and positive change in the digital space.
Kyle Hjelmeseth
Advisory Board Member
Stephanie Liu Hjelmeseth, a First Generation Chinese-American and California native, has made her mark as a longstanding fashion influencer and digital creator with a rich client roster including Dior, Waldorf Astoria, and Tiffany & Co. Outside of the digital world, Stephanie has built upon her family’s over 30-year legacy in the restaurant business by opening the first Chinese grab-and-go concept in Larchmont Village called Suá Superette, blending her business acumen with a passion for community and culture.
Stephanie Liu Hjelmeseth
Advisory Board Member
Linda has experience in eyewear product development, fashion PR, and finance marketing. She is a proud parent of a 3-year-old son and enjoys actively participating in his school community. Previously, she was a board member of the ACE NextGen SoCal Chapter—Women’s Initiative, and she is a passionate advocate for AAPI heritage among our youth.
Linda Hsu
Advisory Board Member
Julia is the Founder/CEO of Intertrend, a multicultural creative agency known for creating exceptional consumer experiences for leading brands. With a background in communications, Huang founded Intertrend in 1991 and manages two award-winning companies, Intertrend and Imprint. She has been recognized as one of the most influential Asian Americans and a top entrepreneur in the US. Intertrend has won numerous industry awards, including the American Advertising Award and the ANA Multicultural Excellence Award.
Julia Huang
Advisory Board Member
Juliet believes in the power of diversity, equity and inclusion in educational and corporate institutions, and has been/continues to be an active member of professional organizations that encourage and facilitate such values, including Asian Americans Advancing Justice and Asian Pacific American Bar Association. She is a graduate of Stanford University and obtained her law degree from UCLA. Juliet is a partner at Levene, Neale, Bender, Yoo & Golubchik L.L.P, where she has practiced for over 20 years.
Juliet Oh
Advisory Board Member
Jess is the SVP, Managing Director at TDW+Co, an Asian-owned, women-led, multicultural advertising agency, and a mother of two daughters. Throughout her career, Jess has been committed to creating an inclusive culture of empowerment that results in exceptional business outcomes. She’s been a champion for DEI with industry recognitions ranging from ADCOLOR Champion mentor, Advertising Week Future is Female nominee, ThinkLA’s ‘Salesperson of the Year’ to the LA Mayor’s initiatve AAPILA.
Jess Park Persson
Advisory Board Member
Founder/Creative Director of dRA clothing. Co-founder of MAM. Gold House member. President of Parent Association at St. James Episcopal school. Bloomberg’s top LA fashion brand.
Diana Ra-Lee
Advisory Board Member
As a mom of two and a seasoned brand builder who’s spent her career driving revenue at The Walt Disney Company, Paramount Pictures and Mattel, Inc., Iva is passionate about amplifying diverse family voices. Leveraging storytelling and consumer insights, she has spearheaded merchandise programs that celebrate identity. In addition to co-founding the Curtis School AAPI Group, Iva serves on the Groton School Women’s Network.
Iva Shah
Advisory Board Member
Karen Umemoto, Ph.D. is the Helen and Morgan Chu Endowed Chair and Director of the UCLA Asian American Studies Center and Professor of Asian American Studies at UCLA. She received her Master’s degree in Asian American Studies from UCLA and her Ph.D. in Urban Studies from MIT. Her research has centered on issues of democracy and racial justice in multicultural societies with a focus on youth and community building. Her publications include The Truce: Lessons from an LA Gang War (Cornell University Press), Jacked Up and Unjust: Pacific Islander Teens Confront Violent Legacies (University of California Press) and over 50 refereed articles, book chapters, and reports on issues of community development, race relations, and engaged research. She is founder and co-editor of Asian American and Pacific Islander Foundations and Futures, an open access multimedia textbook on AA/PI histories and experiences for high school and college students to be released in mid-2025.
Karen Umemoto
Advisory Board Member
Strategy and Technology Consultant leader. Former board member of the Manhattan Beach Hometown Fair. Serves as the Diversity Chair of her daughter’s school district. Implemented the ADL’s No Place for Hate school program for the past two years. She represents TeachAAPI as an ambassador for MBUSD. Betty is a proud parent to a 10-year-old and enjoys being active in the school community.
Betty Wan
Advisory Board Member
Educator, advocate for AAPI heritage. Lawyer turned fashion ecommerce pro. Founder of AAPI celebrations at preschool. BA from Cornell, law degree from Cambridge, MBA from Wharton. Passionate about fostering AAPI culture in young children.
Victoria Yu
Advisory Board Member
Susie Yoon
Advisory Board Member/OC Board Chair
