Our Board

Paul Giusti was born in San Francisco to parents that emigrated from Northern Italy. Like many other Italian immigrants of the time Paul’s father found work at Sunset Scavenger as a trash collector and partner in the Company. Today Paul lives in the Diamond Heights neighborhood of San Francisco.

Paul started his own career with Sunset Scavenger 37 years ago and has worked in almost every facet of the Company. As was the tradition of the time he started as a helper on a garbage truck, worked his way up to driver and eventually crew foreman. Paul’s knowledge of the operations led to his involvement in special projects including route audits and pilot recycling programs. In the early 90’s Paul moved into the management ranks as the Operations Manager for the fledgling Curbside Recycling Department. Since then he has served at Recology Sunset Scavenger as Dispatcher, Customer Service Manager, Chief Operations Manager, and Business Unit Manager.

Today Paul serves as the Group Community and Government Affairs Manager for all the Recology companies in San Francisco. In his role he oversees civic involvement, employee volunteerism and works as a liaison to elected officials and City departments such as Public Works, Department of the Environment and Public Health.

In addition to his duties at Recology Paul was appointed by Mayor Lee to sit on the Workforce Investment San Francisco Board and co-chairs the Board of Directors of the non-profit Asian Pacific American Community Center in Visitacion Valley. Paul also served for nine years on the Graffiti Advisory Committee representing San Francisco business.

Myriam Chen co-founded two Information Technology companies:  the first one in the early 90’s and the second in 2005. Both headquartered in San Francisco, the last venture took her to establish a Technology Development Center in Beijing in 2006, servicing customers in the U.S. Japan and China.

Myriam is currently Consultant of the City of Wuhan and the City of Chongqing in China. In 2009, Myriam and her business partner recruited the Franco Dragone Entertainment Group (FDEG), a Belgium based global entertainment enterprise, and helped initiated a RMB 20 billion investment to develop the “Han Show”, the world’s largest water show and the first ever in China, in Wuhan. FDEG’s business model is creating/developing high tech, large scale water performance shows in Las Vegas, Paris, Italy, Dubai, Macau, Japan, Indonesia, Thailand and China.

Angela Cheung is the President and Founder of Pillar Capital, has over 25 years of experience in real estate development, project management, marketing, sales, and property management.  She has led Pillar Capital’s offices in, San Francisco, Boston and Hong Kong, into the global marketplace by forming significant partnerships locally and internationally. Her portfolio includes nearly 7% of the Millennium Towers condominium sales in San Francisco (the Millennium Tower is one of the Bay Area’s most iconic and prestigious, luxury high-rises and famed as the tallest residential skyscraper west of the Mississippi. In 2012, it was recognized by Worth Magazine‘s as one of the top ten best buildings in the World). To date, Angela has sold close to 7% of all units in the newly built high-rise luxury condominium project, Millennium Tower, in Boston.

Pearl Chen is bilingual, bil-literate and bicultural. Born in Southern China.  Immigrated to the US after elementary school in Hong Kong.  She obtained her BA in Social Work from SF State University, MA in Counseling from Idaho State University and MA in Multicultural Education from University of San Francisco.

Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, Jonathan’s interest in real estate started at an early age and in 2012 he joined Pillar Capital’s sales, property management, and commercial and residential development group. Jonathan’s experience is largely founded on Pillar Capital’s projects, and participation within the management and sales of exciting new developments from San Francisco’s SoMa district to the LuXe in Pacific Heights. Currently also the head of property management and leasing servicing over 50 properties, his multifaceted roles has refined his skills to offer his local and international clients a diverse set and holistic approach of real estate experience and knowledge as a full service real estate professional.

Jonathan is equally passionate in support of the charitable efforts to alleviate social and economic disparities that exist today, in a society where the middle class are continuing to disappear. He was born in San Francisco Chinatown’s Chinese Hospital, and shortly after his family moved to Oakland where he spent half of his childhood years. Later, they moved to the next-door suburbs of Alameda, an experience which provided a constant reminder of the social and economic disparity profoundly contrasted between two neighboring communities. At age 21, he was certified as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) at United Ambulance, a company which focused on IFT contracted throughout a number of the Bay Area hospitals and skilled nursing facilities. With that company, he found the disparity still existed and apparent even in our medical system. Eventually resigning from his position as operations manager at UA prior to committing full time with a real estate firm, it is with this experience he was driven to do more to help the underserved communities.

Serving on the board of directors at Asian Pacific American Community Center, he hopes to contribute to the continuing efforts of the organization to help empower the underprivileged community and growth of non-profit services, which provide the local underserved communities much needed support, in some cases necessary to survive.

Martin Yan is a Master Chef and the celebrated host of over 3,000 cooking shows, broadcast worldwide, Martin Yan enjoys distinction as a certified Master Chef, a highly respected food consultant, a cooking instructor, and a prolific author. His diverse talents have found expression in 30 cookbooks, which include the award-winning Martin Yan’s Feast, Martin Yan’s Asian Favorites, Chinese Cooking for Dummies, Martin Yan’s Chinatown Cooking (intro by Julia Child), Martin Yan’s Quick & Easy, and, Martin Yan’s China.

Born in Guangzhou, China, to a restaurateur father and a mother who operated a grocery store, Chef Yan possessed a passion for cooking at an early age. His formal induction into the culinary world began at age thirteen, with an apprenticeship at a popular Hong Kong restaurant. He honed his natural talent at the Overseas Institute of Cookery in Hong Kong, and then pursued an MS degree in Food Science at The University of California, Davis in the U.S. He discovered pasion for teaching when he became a chef- instructor in the university’s extension program. In 1978, he pioneered a daily TV Chinese cooking show: the now classic Yan Can Cook. Infusing lessons with his characteristic warmth, humor and vitality, he quickly won a devoted following.

Chef Yan continues to follow his dreams with his brand new television series, “Martin Yan’s Taste of Malaysia.” Broadcast on 3 major Malaysian television networks and worldwide, this series documents his experiences in Malaysian culture and cuisine. Additionally, his Fall 2014 television series, “Martin Yan’s Taste of Vietnam,” which currently airs on public television stations across the U.S. and worldwide, follows his travels and culinary discoveries throughout the far reaches of Vietnam.

A popular chef-instructor at top culinary institutions around the world, Chef Yan has lectured at The Culinary Institute of America, Johnson & Wales University, The California Culinary Academy and The Chinese Cuisine Institute in Hong Kong. In 1985, he founded the Yan Can Cooking School in California. Also a restaurateur, his Yan Can and Yan Can Cook Beijing Restaurants offer inventive pan-Asian menus. Chef Yan brings Chinese culinary tradition and culture to light through an authentic, modern dining experience with his new restaurants venture; M.Y. China and M.Y. Noodles, in the San Francisco bay area.

The recipient of numerous awards and honors, Chef Yan is internationally recognized as an accomplished Asian chef among his peers. He has also captured the attention, admiration and hearts of billions of fans by spicing up his cooking artistry and lessons with a personal ingredient: wit. Through television, or in person, a session with Chef Yan proves invigorating, as well as educational. Dedicated to dispelling the mysteries of Asian and Chinese cooking, Chef Yan furthers an understanding of Asian cuisine and culture with spirited lessons, fun and entertainment.

Christina Y. Chen is a lawyer in private practice in the San Francisco Bay Area for 31 years. She has served as legal counsel for non-profit and mutual benefit corporations such as the Gee How Oak Tin Benevolent of America, the Chan Wing Chun Association, the Ying Joe Family Association, Bow On Benevolent Association and the Teo Chew Community Center, Inc. Long before being admitted to the California Bar, Christina was a Community activist with extensive community involvement. She helped desegregate the San Francisco Unified School District; worked with the then Economic Council to establish the Newcomers Service Center, Chinese For Affirmative Action, On Lok Senior Services, Self Help for the Elderly; and served as the Executive Director of Chinatown Family Planning Services, and founded the Ching Nin Clinic. She had also served on the Board of Directors of Youth For Service, Inc., the Kevin Collins Foundation, and the San Francisco Social Services.

Cammy Blackstone is the Director of External Affairs for AT&T San Francisco, and is proud to be a board member at APACC. Prior to AT&T, Cammy worked for the City & County of San Francisco, first as a legislative aide to Supervisors Tang, Chu, Alioto-Pier and Elsbernd, and then as Deputy Director of the Entertainment Commission.  All of this follows a 25 year career in San Francisco radio and television where she worked on the air at KNBR, KFRC, KTVU and FoxSports.  In addition to her duties at AT&T and APACC, Cammy serves on the Board of Directors for the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus, the Union Square Business Improvement District and on the City & County of San Francisco’s Graffiti Advisory Board.

Sululagi Aliivaa Palega Sir. is a second-generation Samoan-American, native San Franciscan and resides in his current neighborhood for over 58 years.  He attended San Francisco Unified District School. Appointed by the Mayor and served on various Commissions and Committees.  Attended the University of Social Concern, University of Golden Gate Management course, San Francisco Chamber of Commerce leadership forum, President of theSoutheast Community facility Commission, and a short stay at the Department of Social Services Commission, then President of the San Francisco PublicHousing Authority Commission. currently serving on the Mayors Citizens Advisory Committee and also President of the Board of Directors for SamoaCommunity Development Center and employed at SFMTA as Manager of the MUNI Transit Assistant Program (MTAP).

Diarmuid MacNeill grew up in Limerick, Ireland.  He studied Engineering at University College Dublin, Ireland.  After working for Balfour Beatty in London, England for three years Diarmuid emigrated to San Francisco in 1990.  After many years of working for diverse structural engineering firms in San Francisco Diarmuid co-founded Dolmen Consulting Engineers.  Dolmen Consulting Engineers provide a variety of services including structural design, portfolio risk assessment, construction management, and development management.

Dr. Lau has been involved with APACC since 2014. He is passionate and proud to be serving APACC. Francis is a scientist with more than 15 years of experience in biochemistry and nutrition research. He has authored more than 100 peer-reviewed scientific papers, book chapters, conference abstracts, and two books on nutraceuticals in human health. He is the inventor of several patents. He currently works at Shaklee Corporation in Pleasanton as Senior Scientist. Previously, he held key positions in research and development at InterHealth Nutraceuticals in Benicia, USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging in Boston, and the NIH Institute of Mental Health in Bethesda.

Francis holds a Ph.D. in Neuroscience and Toxicology from Texas A&M University; M.S. degrees in Biochemistry from University of San Francisco and Computer Information Systems from University of Houston; and a B.S. in Biochemistry from University of Alberta. In addition to serving as a board member of APACC, Francis is an active member of many professional societies including the American College of Nutrition, American Diabetes Association, American Society for Nutrition, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, American Aging Association, the Obesity Society, and Society of Toxicology. In his spare time, he enjoys outdoor activities including camping, paddle boarding, and skiing.

Kristian is originally from the Pacific Northwest and has lived in San Francisco since 2006. He received his B.A. from the University of Washington in Political Science, then went on to pursue his J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania, where he was an Associate Editor of the Journal of International Economic Law. He earned a Certificate in Business and Public Policy from the Wharton School of Business, with a concentration in real estate finance and development. Kristian has spent more than a decade as an attorney in San Francisco. His focus has primarily been on commercial real estate transactions, including acquisitions, dispositions, financings, structuring joint ventures, leasing, and developments of commercial, mixed-use and multifamily projects. During the course of his career, he has represented some of the nation’s leading real estate lenders, national and international real estate developers and hospitality companies, and several preeminent telecommunication and technology companies.

Rex Tabora, Executive Director and Board Member. His work experience range from budget/administrative manager for City & County of San Francisco Solid Waste Management Program, co-founder of Powernet, Inc. an independent electrical design and testing company, Restaurateur, micro brewery owner and Business Consultant. In addition, Rex has represented major Real Estate developers in San Francisco for public and community affairs. These developers has and will build several million square feet of commercial and residential units. Rex’s unique ability to manage and cooperate with financial donors, staff, volunteers, government officials and other service providers, using multi disciplinary approach he acquired from his wide array of experiences, to any situation is what will lead APACC into the next level of providing quality service to its under-served clients.