Board Members

Hao Quach is the President for the Kansas City chapter of the National Association of Asian American Professionals. He also serves on the Advisory Board for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Kansas City. In addition, Hao is a proud Big Brother to his Little Brother, Daniel.

Apart from his non-profit work, Hao is the owner and operator of Ginkgo Embroidery. He is also a certified audit professional with experience in the retail, food, and insurance industries.  

There are very few Asian woman bankers in senior leadership roles. I am the first Asian female appointed to the Community Bank Advisory Council with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. I hope that my accomplishments inspire young Asian women. I’m also an Ambassador for United WE, I serve on the Board for Downtown Shareholders of Kansas City Kansas and the Financial Review Board for the Empower Minority Loan Fund with the Wyandotte County Economic Development Council, Advisory Board for the Academy of Finance with Bishop Ward High School along with this board position. 

Will Vorngsam serves as the Treasurer of NAAAP, driven by a passion for helping others and a strong commitment to uplifting the local Asian community. Of Cambodian descent, Will is a Senior Software Engineer by profession and brings both technical acumen and financial insight to the organization. In this role, he is dedicated to supporting NAAAP’s mission and ensuring the continued success of its programs and initiatives through sound financial stewardship.  

Ailisi was adopted from Hunan, China and has lived the rest of her life growing up in the Kansas City region. She is currently a pre-med in her senior year at college. Along with participating in NAAAP, she is passionate about connecting Asian adoptees and helping others further explore their adoptee identity. She is dedicated to improving the diversity, equity and inclusion with our communities.

Shah is a senior software engineer at Hallmark Cards.   He is a Java/Android developer and web/app server administrator. Shah interned with Sprint and Missouri Lottery and joined Hallmark out of college in 1998.

Shah received undergraduate degrees in CIS and Accounting and M.S.I.T. degree in Software Engineering from the University of Central Missouri (UCM) and briefly taught programming at UCM.

Shah is one of the founding members of the Asian American ERG called AARCH at Hallmark and is the chair of the group for 2020.  He is also involved with the Hallmark IT diversity and inclusion council and serves as its communications lead. 

Shah is a founding member of the Bangladesh Association of Greater Kansas City (BAGKC) and performed various roles in its board over the years. He is also involved with various non-profit organizations in the greater KC area.

Shah was an undergraduate honors student for English Literature in Bangladesh and was involved in the pro-democratic movement of the late 80s. He had studied many literary figures of the major languages of the world.

Shah lives with his wife (also an English major!) and daughter in Liberty, Missouri. His daughter is an undergraduate at MU, studying Chemical and Nuclear Engineering.  His family is split in 3 countries in 3 different continents: Bangladesh, England, and the USA.

In spare time, Shah reads classical literature, writes blog posts on socio-economic and literary topics, volunteers for non-profit organizations and runs long distances.

As a public health professional, I use data-driven evidence to inform actionable programs that improve the health of people and communities. I am committed to advancing diversity and inclusion in my career and communities, working as an advocate and ally for racial and gender equity and LGBTQIA issues.  I’m a science nerd and social butterfly who enjoys connecting people and projects that align with one another. 

Nita Norris is a multidisciplinary designer and art director who loves helping brands tell their stories through print, digital, and film. As a freelance designer, she oversees the design and production of several lifestyle magazines and manages social media content for nonprofits like the Filipino Association of Greater Kansas City and The Film Society KC. Previously a senior graphic designer at Evergy, Nita played a key role in the rebranding efforts during the merger of Westar and KCP&L. Her creative passions also extend into film, where she has art directed short films and music videos that have screened at festivals like Sundance and SXSW.

Coral was born in China and raised in the suburbs of Maryland. After spending 15 years in San Francisco training to become a biologist, Coral moved to Lawrence, Kansas in 2025 to become an Assistant Professor of Biology. Outside of running a research lab and teaching, Coral enjoys serving the broader Asian American community in the Kansas City area, yoga, and cooking new dishes.

Ruth (they/she) is a public servant with more than a decade of experience in teaching and youth development. After moving to Kansas City in 2022, they spent 3.5 years as a restorative justice practitioner with the Center for Conflict Resolution, where they taught youth and educators nonviolent conflict resolution skills. Currently, Ruth is working as an English Language Learning Project Specialist for the Kansas City Public Library’s Refugee & Immigrant Services & Empowerment (RISE) program, providing classes for Kansas City’s English learners. They also perform with OUTside Voices KC and Shawnee Mission Unitarian Universalist Church’s choir, and enjoy roaming area antique malls in their spare time.

Zabeth Chang is a seasoned marketing strategist and creative leader with a deep passion for brand storytelling and community engagement. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Fashion Marketing from The Art Institute of Charlotte in 2011. Shortly after graduation, she moved to New York City, where she spent four formative years collaborating with iconic brands such as Nickelodeon, Walmart, Toys ‘R Us, Karmaloop, Sprayground, Creative Recreation, New Era, ICECREAM by Pharrell Williams, and Moschino.

Today, Zabeth serves as Senior Marketing Coordinator at VSM, a QK Company, where she leads social media and digital strategy across multiple platforms. Her work focuses on strengthening brand identity, increasing visibility, and driving meaningful engagement through thoughtful content and creative direction.

Beyond her professional career, Zabeth is passionate about giving back. As a proud first-generation Hmong American, she actively volunteers her time to support underserved communities, youth programs, and cultural initiatives. Her service includes teaching English to refugees, mentoring young women, leading Sunday School classes, and organizing school supply drives—efforts grounded in her commitment to connection, compassion, and empowerment.

Known for her tenacity, creativity, and strategic mindset, Zabeth thrives on building digital presences that resonate both emotionally and commercially. She draws on her diverse brand experience to develop campaigns and partnerships that elevate visibility and build lasting relationships.

In her free time, you’ll find her watching reality TV shows, staying active with fitness, experimenting in the kitchen, or exploring new cultures through international travel.

Kim Shiu is a Certified KonMari™ Consultant and professional organizer with Tidy for Good, LLC. She is the only Marie Kondo-trained consultant within the state of Kansas. Her mission is to help overwhelmed and busy people in the Kansas City area live more organized lives. Kim holds a Bachelor’s of Arts degree and a Master’s of Public Health from Boston University. Kim’s personal interests and hobbies include baking, volunteering, and writing to her pen pals.

Sravani Chandaka is a board member of the Kansas City chapter of the National Association of Asian American Professionals. She served as the President of the Telugu Association of Greater Kansas City, where she led Telugu community initiatives, cultural events, and youth engagement programs.

Apart from her nonprofit work, Sravani is the Sr. Director of Research IT at the University of Kansas Medical Center. She is currently pursuing her PhD in Population Health and specializes in leveraging data, advanced analytics, and artificial intelligence to drive innovation in healthcare research. Her work focuses on using large-scale data to better understand and address health disparities.

Yvonne Chen is a first-generation immigrant from Taiwan who brings both professional expertise and cultural understanding to the communities she serves. As an IRS Enrolled Agent, along with holding multiple securities and insurance licenses, she provides comprehensive guidance in financial, tax, and protection planning.

Drawing from her own journey, Yvonne brings both professional expertise and cultural understanding to the communities she serves. She deeply understands the challenges and opportunities faced by immigrant professionals, especially Asian women in the United States.

Yvonne is passionate about fostering strong community connections, advocating for greater support, and empowering women to grow, lead, and uplift one another. She believes true success comes not only from individual achievement, but from building a more inclusive and supportive community for future generations.

Junann is Past President of the NAAAP-KC. She has worked at Hallmark Cards for 19 years, and is currently a Senior Credit Representative. She is the Vice Chair of the Asian American Resource Community at Hallmark, (AARCH). Through Hallmark’s volunteer program she has contributed to the community in a variety of organizations. She was lead for the Finance Division United Way Campaign, Special Olympics committee member, organized the first Disc Golf Fundraiser for Heartland MS Society, and judges debate and forensics tournaments for Basehor Linwood High School. Junann also volunteers for the Japanese Festival, Harvesters, Salvation Army, Headquarters Counseling Center, Friends of the Zoo, Christmas in October, Karios, Guadalupe Center and multiple church gatherings.

Junann has two children, Nicole a University of Kansas graduate working at Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center, Lawrence, Kansas, and Nick a Marine currently stationed at Ft Lee, Virginia for training. She crochets, reads and loves traveling to new places.

David is the Senior Director of Programs for NAAAP, The National Association of Asian American Professionals. He is also a Production Designer at Hallmark Cards and has been with the company for 22 years, where he has held various positions at the Kansas City-based greeting card company, including Production Artist, Process Artist, and Multimedia Designer. David is involved with several Employee Resource Groups at Hallmark and was the 2015 and 2018 Chair of AARCH, Asian American Resource Community at Hallmark. David is also a member of Hallmark's Cultural Sensitivity Consultants, a team brought together to thoroughly consider diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging across the business and build a culture of inclusion for employees and consumers. Before Hallmark, he was Operations Manager for Vanguard Airlines Reservations Center and served in the U.S. Army during Desert Storm. In addition to his duties at NAAAP National, David serves as Director of Marketing and Communications for NAAAP Kansas City and was the Program Director for the 2019 Leadership Convention in Kansas City, MO. David is also a founding member and past National Director of NAAAP Pride, a national program for the Asian American LGBTQ community, and is co-host of the Pride Talk podcast. Born in Saigon, Vietnam, he has lived in various countries, including Spain and Germany. David loves to travel and is obsessed with live theatre. He recently returned to school to study his first passion for fashion design and presented his debut collection at Kansas City Fashion Week's 2022 Spring/Summer Runway Show.

Hoang-Anh L. Tran is Chief of Staff for the Administrative Pillar at UMB Financial Corporation. She is responsible for project management supporting the successful integration of strategic organizational initiatives, processes, and communication strategies throughout UMB's Administrative pillar in partnership with Administrative leadership. Prior to her arrival at UMB in 2015, Hoang-Anh served as Assistant Chancellor and Chief of Staff at Syracuse University, providing critical, high-level support to the Chancellor and President in implementing the strategic goals and objectives set forth by the Board of Trustees, and established key institutional leadership networks to guide the planning, designing, and coordination of policies, programs, and projects that impact the structural & programmatic operations of University divisions and units.

Hoang-Anh has over 15 years of experience in administration and academia, from theological education to legal education as well as Division I higher education, and previously worked at Syracuse University, Washington University School of Law in St. Louis, and Church Divinity School of the Pacific in Berkeley, CA. She has a bachelor's degree in arts and literature from Southern Methodist University, and masters of fine arts in creative writing from the University of North Carolina - Wilmington.

In addition to serving as an Advisor on the Board of NAAAP-KC, she currently serves on the Board of the Folly Theater, as well as the Education Committee of Kansas City Young Audiences, which oversees staff efforts to develop and deliver resources for unmet and emerging needs in arts curriculum & programming in school districts. She is also an advisory member of the KC Degrees Business Engagement Advisory Committee.

Sharon Chen joined KCTV5 News in April of 2022.

Sharon took the first steps of her broadcasting career in Scottsbluff, Nebraska, where she was an anchor, reporter, photographer, and producer at KDUH-TV. From there, she moved to 10/11 News in Lincoln. After four years in the Cornhusker state, Sharon moved to Colorado Springs and was a reporter/anchor at KOAA TV.

After braving the cold of the Midwest and Rockies, Sharon left for the beautiful islands of Hawaii. At KHNL-TV, she was a reporter/anchor covering the latest news in both the bustling city of Honolulu and smaller island communities.

Sharon left island life to move to San Diego, California, where she has spent the last 12 years. She joined the team at Fox 6 News and then later at Fox 5 San Diego. As a reporter/anchor, she covered top headlines that included the massive May Wildfires of 2014 and the fallout of infamous Mayor Bob Filner.

Sharon was born in Chicago, but raised in the college-rich town of Claremont, California. She graduated from California State University – San Bernardino with a degree in Communications and Broadcast Journalism. She also attended the University of California – Los Angeles.

Previous to KCTV 5- Sharon was a part of the Anchor team at WOWT - the NBC affiliate in Omaha.

When Sharon isn’t in the newsroom, you might find her in the kitchen experimenting to find a new culinary creation. She also loves to spend time with her family. Her favorite moments are doing arts and crafts or just being silly with her young daughter.

Sharon is proud of her Chinese heritage and it's why she strongly believes it's important to celebrate all cultures.