Susan Lew

President and Board Chair

Susan Lew, MS, is a public health professional, health and science writer, musician, and community activist. Her writing has appeared in Brown Medicine Magazine, the Journal of Risk Research, and the publications of for-profit and non-profit healthcare organizations. Susan has a BA from Brown University and a MS from Harvard School of Public Health, where she specialized in social determinants of health, behavior change, and health communication. She served on the board of Pacific Symphony Youth Ensembles from 2010-2018 and has been a singer in Pacific Chorale since 2010. Susan currently serves on the board of the Community Action Fund of Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino Counties, and was a member of the planning committee for the Orange County Women’s March 2018 and 2019. ​

Patty Yoo

Field Operations Director

Patty Yoo is one of the founding board members of Asian American in Action.  As she was volunteering on various campaigns during the 2018 mid-term elections, she saw the need for increasing API outreach and civic engagement in Orange County. She has been working with founder Tammy Kim on establishing AA Action which focuses on API engagement and building a bench for in the API community.

During the day, is a Brand Manager for licensed Harley-Davidson products overseeing all aspects of the business from product development, sales and marketing of the product. She has been in this industry since 2004 starting originally as an inside sales person. At her current company, she succeeded in spearheading 16% growth in sales in 2018 after re-structuring the customer service and sales division. Her sales and marketing background brings a business world sensibility to this organization.

Patty is also a Climate Reality Leader and gives presentations on climate change awareness with Former Vice President Al Gore’s organization, Climate Reality Project. She is currently on the leadership team of the Orange County Chapter of Climate Reality Group as well as  the Orange County advisory council of the Climate Action Campaign, which advocates for community choice energy and strong climate action plans in local government. 

When she is not working, advocating or volunteering, she enjoys spending time with her two active boys, her many pets and is an aspiring permaculture gardener.

Priscilla Huang

Secretary

Priscilla is a senior attorney at the National Health Law Program. Her work focuses on reproductive and sexual health and immigrant access to health care issues in low-income communities and communities of color. Before joining the organization, Priscilla served as a consultant and senior advisor to the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders under the Obama Administration. Prior to moving to California, Priscilla spent over 10 years as a non-profit advocate on a variety of federal policy issues including health care reform, immigrant health, and reproductive justice at the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum and the National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum in Washington, D.C. 

Priscilla spends her free time trying to keep up with her two energetic young boys, who inspire her to fight for a more just and equitable world.​

Naz Hamid

Treasurer

From the time she was a child, the pursuit of education has been the cornerstone of her life. Naz Hamid is a second generation American who came to the United States in the early 90s to pursue a college degree. The desire for liberty and the pursuit of happiness influenced her decision to settle in Los Angeles and begin her career. Her background includes over twenty years in management consulting, working with the largest FORUNE 100 companies. She holds a director-level position in a prestigious, global consulting firm, in their intelligent automation division. When she is not working, Naz is heavily committed to her local community. Her passions include activism for social justice issues, and working towards equal access to quality education for all. This inspired her to run for a board position on the IUSD board of education in 2016. She serves as a board appointee on the IUSD health advisory committee, helping to roll out curriculum in compliance with the California Healthy Youth Act (CHYA). She also leads the Assisteens of Irvine, the teenage auxiliary of the Assistance League of Irvine- a national non-profit. She is a girl scouts troop leader and active for more than a decade. Nothing brings her more joy than the work she does with helping kids advance and pursue their passions.
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Naz also serves as the membership chair for the Democrats of Greater Irvine (DGI)- a local, political club that is chartered under the DPOC. She serves as the treasurer for the Orange County Equality Coalition (OCEC) and leads its school compliance task force, and is a former board member for the National women’s political caucus, orange county (NWPC-OC). Currently, Naz lives with her partner and two children in Irvine, California- a community she has called home for nearly seventeen years. She is very proud of her Asian heritage and spends time exploring the music, literature and arts from that region.