IGNITE 2018 Speaker Bios
Gloria S. Chan, JD, PCC is Senior Vice President of CoachDiversity Institute (CDI), the world’s only institution that combines the transformational power of coaching with diversity and leadership training. Through CDI’s coach certification program, Gloria provides instruction, training, and mentorship to the next generation of diversity coaches and instructors. She is a Professional Certified Coach (PCC), credentialed by the ICF. Gloria is the founder of the Asian Pacific Islander Life Coaches Network and a noted expert in the Asian American community.
Based in Washington, DC, Gloria is an award-winning author of Colorful Leadership: How Women of Color Transform Our World. Her clients have included senior leaders and organizations in government, corporate, nonprofit, foundations, journalism, and youth and education sectors.
Previously, Gloria spent seven years as an executive leader in national politics. She served as President and CEO of the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS), which trains the political leadership pipeline for the Asian American and Pacific Islander community. She has also served in the U.S. Congress as executive director of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), as well as legislative counsel to Rep. Michael Honda.
In 1999, she founded Chinatown Youth Initiatives (CYI), a youth leadership nonprofit for high school students in New York City that has served over 2,000 youth since its founding.
Gloria received her law degree from Harvard Law School and an undergraduate degree from Swarthmore College.
For more information, visit www.coachdiversity.com.
Sue Ann Hong has worked at State Farm Insurance Companies for over 28 years, gaining experience in Auto Claims, Technology, and Diversity and Inclusion. She has led a department of 400-600 employees who serviced customers in 23 states. As an experienced leader, she is passionate about helping those who want to advance in leadership through building trusting relationships, talent identification, development, and coaching. As the new interim Executive Director for the Center for Asian Pacific American Women, she has been creating a unified vision, while expanding the visibility and influence of the organization. Sue Ann has a MBA in Finance from Western Michigan University and she is a Certified Life Coach from Life Purpose Institute. She currently resides in Atlanta, GA and has lived and worked in several states including New York, Illinois and Michigan.
Marisol Rodriguez is a business management consultant with 20 years of experience coaching executives and individuals. As an Associate Certified Coach by the International Coach Federation (ICF), she has designed and launched dozens of new ventures in the private and public sectors. Marisol works with business leaders to strategize solutions to human capital issues and drive interorganizational collaboration.
As a registered coach mentor, Marisol has increased employee performance by inspiring them to turn challenges into opportunities. Today Marisol works to grow businesses across Asia, Australia, Europe, and North America by pushing executives and high achievers to greater levels of success, well-being, and freedom.
Marisol holds a B.A. in Communications from American University and an M.A. in International Administration from the School for International Training.
Soo Rho
Liz Jung
Liz Lee
Keith Preciados
Daphne Kwok is the Vice President of Multicultural Leadership for the Asian American & Pacific Islander Audience Strategy at AARP. Her work empowers Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) to choose how they live as they age. She brings to AARP her experience as a “leader of leaders” through her community service in promoting and empowering the AAPI community.
Ms. Kwok was appointed by President Barack Obama to chair his Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (2010-2014). The Commission served as the “eyes and ears” of the community advising the President and the federal government about the issues impacting the AAPI community. As Chair, Ms. Kwok met with AAPI communities throughout the country, connecting them to regional federal agency representatives who were able to learn more about their programs and services.
Previously, Ms. Kwok was Executive Director of Asians & Pacific Islanders with Disabilities of California. She was also the Executive Director of the Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation in San Francisco.
For 11 years, she was the Executive Director of the Organization of Chinese Americans (OCA), a national membership-based civil rights organization, where she addressed: hate crimes, campaign finance, immigration, Census 2000, English-only, and affirmative action. She was the first elected Chair of the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans, a network of national APA organizations.
A 1984 graduate of Wesleyan University, Ms. Kwok is the first Asian American to serve on its Board of Trustees, is a trustee emeritus and chaired the Wesleyan Alumni Association.
Amy Chase is a first-generation Chinese-American born in New York, NY, where she started her 7-year long career in marketing and sales. Inspired by her travels abroad, she ultimately switched careers to work on human rights and international development. Since then, Amy has spent 8 years managing and implementing USG-funded projects in conflict, post-conflict, and transitional countries. She has worked in Iraq, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Kosovo, and Rwanda. Her expertise is in women’s rights, elections, education, process improvement, capacity-building, and operations.
Derek Cha has extensive experience in business growth and leadership. He has served as the President, CEO, and board member of Managers of Zzaam International, LLC for four years so far. Derek is also the founder and former CEO of the extremely successful frozen yogurt chain, Sweet Frog.
After leading the growth of Sweet Frog and Zzaam, Derek Cha leveraged the potential of another self-service based product: craft beer. In this new industry, Derek analyzes economic growth trends and market data to sustain his successful business. Derek bases its integrated model ion a self-service and pay-by-the ounce system.
Brian Park is a startup evangelist, advisor, and angel investor. He is currently the director at Startup Grind DC and is a managing partner at SparkLabs Cyber+Blockchain (Formerly Fishbowl Labs), which is the premiere startup incubator in the Washington DC area. He is also the Director of Technology for the edtech startup, Real Time Cases, which uses video technology to teach students business case studies.
Brian was the former global COO of Startup Grind and has over 18 years of professional experience in web and mobile product development for both consumer and enterprise audiences. Brian launched three startups and previously worked as a software developer at AOL and Merrill Lynch, the latter at which he worked on hi-speed trading platforms.
He has been featured in various publications such as Forbes, The Washington Post, Huffington Post, Politico, and Washington Business Journal.