AAPIP is thrilled to announce new and returning board members who have been elected by you, our membership. They are a distinguished group of colleagues and we are honored to have them on board – please join us in welcoming them!
Kiran Ahuja
Chief Executive Officer, Philanthropy Northwest
An immigrant from India, Kiran spent her childhood in Savannah, Georgia, and then most of her adult life in Washington, DC. She spent the greater part of her professional life being an advocate, both in and out of government, and brings that passion to the Philanthropy Northwest network and region. Most recently, Kiran served in the Obama Administration as Chief of Staff at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management and as Executive Director of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. She’s a former civil rights litigator and nonprofit CEO. Her passion for service and commitment to improving the lives of communities of color grew out of a formative educational experience at her alma mater, Spelman College. Kiran received her law degree from the University of Georgia, School of Law.
Kiran is an avid yoga practitioner with a teacher certification, and is working toward building a stronger meditation practice; however, as in all efforts in life, it is a continuous journey to find balance.
Don Chen
President & CEO, Surdna Foundation
Don Chen is the President of the Surdna Foundation where he leads the 100-year old foundation’s efforts to strengthen and further leverage its commitment to social justice. Prior to his appointment, Don was the Director of the Cities & States program at the Ford Foundation, where his work supported urban development initiatives to make housing more affordable, promote more equitable land use practices, and empower communities to have a powerful decision-making voice in American cities and in developing countries. He also led a multi-program team to support the strengthening of social justice organizations and networks in targeted U.S. states.
Previously, Don was the Founder and CEO of Smart Growth America, where he led efforts to create the National Vacant Properties Campaign (which later became the Center for Community Progress) and Transportation for America, and managed a merger with the Growth Management Leadership Alliance. He has authored many pieces on land use, transportation, social equity, and environmental policy.
Don has also served on the boards of the Funders’ Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities, West Harlem Environmental Action, the Environmental Leadership Program, and Grist magazine. He holds a master’s degree from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Yale University.
Priscilla Enriquez
Chief Executive Officer, The James B. McClatchy Foundation
With over 20 years of experience in grantmaking and philanthropy, Priscilla has facilitated community investments in human services, civic engagement, the arts, consumer protection, the digital divide, health care, and youth. Prior to leading The James B. McClatchy Foundation as its CEO, Priscilla served in various leadership positions with Sacramento Region Community Foundation, where she was responsible for grantmaking, community engagement, and program initiatives. She has also served on many nonprofit boards, previously providing board leadership in reinvigorating the operations of the Sacramento Philharmonic and Opera. She recently joined the Fairytale Town board and also serves on the Advisory Council of the Unity Center at The California Museum, and the United Way’s Steering Committee for the Square One Project.
Priscilla holds a B.A. in Anthropology and Public Health and an M.A. in Public Health– both from UC Berkeley. She is a Senior Fellow in the American Leadership Forum and was a recipient of the Pew Charitable Trust Educational Stipend.
John Kim
Chief Administrative Officer, The Annie E. Casey Foundation
John Kim is the Chief Administrative Officer, overseeing all the administrative and operational functions at The Annie E. Casey Foundation. He has played many roles both on the administrative and programmatic sides at AECF starting as a Program Associate in 2002 working with states and jurisdictions to reform child welfare and juvenile justice systems. In 2005, Kim transitioned to Director of Grants Management, where he oversaw the distribution of funds to more than 600 grantees annually while also overhauling of the organization’s grant-making process. In 2010, he served as Director of Strategic Initiatives for the federal Corporation for National and Community Service in Washington, D.C.
Growing up in a Korean-immigrant family that worked in retail in the South Side of Chicago, Kim noticed at an early age that “there were vast disparities in the opportunities people had depending on where they grew up in the city.” Working at Casey has taught him that “if you are actively engaged in finding the right solutions, have the right resources and point of view about what it takes to bring about change, you can actually improve lives.”
Kim earned his Law degree from the University of Baltimore, holds a master’s degree in International Affairs from Georgetown University and a bachelor’s degree in Public Policy from the University of Chicago.