Staff

DC Staff

Rosetta Lai, Executive Director. Rosetta spent twenty years in the corporate sector in organizational development with global corporations, such as Motorola, NCS/Pearson and SRA/IBM. Prior to joining the corporate world, Rosetta spent eight years in education, where she was Dean of Women at Lake Forest Academy in Chicago, and Academic Dean at St. Mary’s Academy in South Bend, IN. Throughout her adult life, Rosetta has been active in Asian American non-profit organizations. She served as the President of the Organization of Chinese Americans (OCA), Chicago Chapter in the 1980s and was the National President of the Organization of Chinese American Women (OCAW) from 2003 – 2008. Rosetta received a B.A. in History from St. Mary’s College, Notre Dame, IN and a Master’s in Sociology from the University of Notre Dame.

Surjeet Ahluwalia, Director of Operations. Over the last 10 years, Surjeet has worked to build and strengthen several non-profit organizations as well as a local government agency.  Most recently, she was project manager for the Health Impact Fund, a proposal to increase innovation and access to life-saving medicines globally.  She was also a project manager with AmericaSpeaks, where she managed several large initiatives to engage citizens more directly in governance, as well as with the District of Columbia’s Child and Family Services Agency.  Surjeet has a Master’s in Public Policy degree from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Rochester.

Jon Anderson, Chief Development Officer. Jon has over fifteen years experience working in fundraising leadership positions with well-known international non-profits, including the Christian Broadcasting Network, World Vision and Human Life International, as well as several smaller organizations and start-ups. Earlier in his career he worked in strategic planning and new product development for Fortune 100 consumer products companies. His academic background includes undergraduate and graduate degrees in psychology from Loyola University of Chicago and an MBA from Wake Forest University. A veteran marathon runner, Jon also enjoys golf and travel. He recently re-visited Vietnam where he served as an Army Artillery Lieutenant on his previous visit.

Jennifer Apel, Parent Outreach Coordinator. While working toward her masters degree in human resources and industrial relations at the University of Minnesota, Jennifer interned at a number of non-profit organizations.  During these interns Jennifer discovered her passion for working to help her community and others.  Since graduating and moving out to D.C., Jennifer has worked across the Asian-American community in the Washington Metropolitan Area.  As an immigrant from Taiwan, Jennifer enjoys helping others integrate and find their way in a new community.  Jennifer hopes to continue to work in non-profits within the community and one day return to Taiwan to continue similar work.  Outside of work, Jennifer enjoys traveling, meeting interesting and diverse people, and hanging out with friends.

Alex Cena, DC Secondary School Coordinator. A community organizer and a poet, Alex has spent 10 years working with various Filipino American and Asian American organizations. He began his exploration of identity and community through the Filipino American Cultural Society (FACS) of Salem High School in Virginia Beach in 1998. While in college, he served as president for the Filipino American Coming Together (FACT) and the Asian Student Caucus (ASC) at Virginia Commonwealth University. From 2003-2004, Alex served as a National Director for Filipino Intercollegiate Networking Dialogue (FIND) and co-chaired the FIND conference at William and Mary in 2005. In 2009, he helped found the Filipino Americans Creating A Dynamic Environment (FACADE) in Virginia Beach. Alex graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a B.A. in International Studies and a minor in Religious Studies.

Rick Chen, Director of Development and Communications. Rick joins AALEAD from the legal sector, having received his law degree from the Indiana University School of Law and worked several years as Case Manager for a prominent legal solutions firm based in D.C. Having grown up in the Midwest and raised by immigrant parents, he understands many issues related to Asian cultural identity. Rick was a participant of the Overseas Compatriot Youth Formosa Study Tour to Taiwan, whose primary goal was to acquaint young people of Taiwanese and Chinese descent living in other parts of the world with its culture and language. Rick also spent one year prior to his legal studies teaching English to children in Taiwan. He is proficient in Mandarin Chinese, and some Taiwanese. In his free time he enjoys music, movies, and playing badminton.

Raj Chinta, Manager of Accounting. Raj completed his education in Pune, India with a Master’s degree. His educational background includes Accounting and Computer Science. He joined AALEAD with eight years of first-hand experience working with non-profit organizations both in India and in the U.S. While working in India, he served in the field of accountancy for a non-profit organization called Seventh-day Adventist Organization, which includes schools, churches and hospitals. Its world headquarters is located in Silver Spring, MD. He is happy to be with the AALEAD and enjoys his work with his wonderful colleagues.

Micah Shearer, Elementary Program Manager. Micah holds a Masters of Arts degree in Chinese Intellectual History from the University of Tennessee. She lived in China for two years, working first as an English teacher at a private university then subsequently volunteering full time with an international NGO that managed the care of disabled orphans in two cities in Hunan Province. She is proficient in Mandarin and loves doing anything that pushes her outside of her comfort zone.

Melor Suhaimi, Mentoring Program Coordinator. Melor graduated from the University of Maryland College Park with a B.A. in Sociology and Public Health.  While in college, Melor interned at a local non-profit, A Wider Circle, working with individuals coming out of homelessness.  Prior to working as the Mentoring Coordinator, Melor worked as a Teacher with AALEAD’s Elementary After-School Program as well as being the Summer Program Coordinator for AALEAD’s 2010-2011 Elementary Summer Program.  She is fluent in Malay.  Outside of work, Melor enjoys going to concerts, eating and trying new dishes, and exploring D.C.

Maryland Staff

Ryan Ball, Middle School Program Coordinator. Ryan graduated from The College of William and Mary with a B.A. in International Relations.  While in college, Ryan interned at The Asia Foundation through William and Mary’s D.C. program, learning about and working with development efforts in Asia.  After graduating, Ryan lived in China for one year, teaching English at the Shandong University of Science and Technology in Qingdao.  He also studied Mandarin Chinese, tutored local children, and traveled as much as possible.  He hopes to have the opportunity to visit again soon.  Ryan also loves eating, cooking, playing tennis and meeting new people and hopes to receive a Master’s in the near future.

Sumiko Chambers, Volunteer Maryland Coordinator. Sumiko graduated from the University of Oregon with a B.A. in History and International Studies and a minor in Japanese. She studied abroad in Japan for three months during college, and after graduation spent a year teaching English at a middle school in South Korea. Sumiko came to AALEAD from Portland, Oregon, where she was the volunteer coordinator for the World Affairs Council of Oregon, an international education non-profit. She is excited for her year as Volunteer Maryland Coordinator and is looking forward to exploring the D.C. area in her spare time.

Sharon Choi, Middle School Program Coordinator. Sharon graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park, with a B.A. in journalism and minors Asian American Studies and Korean Studies. In college, she served on the Asian American Student Union’s (AASU) executive board where she coordinated the Yuri Kochiyama Awards Program for high school youth, co-directed the annual F.U.E.L Leadership Conference and acted as a liaison for the campus’ Asian American newspaper, The PublicAsian. Sharon studied abroad in South Korea and soon after, traveled to India, where she started her work with survivors of human trafficking. After graduating, she took on various internships and experiences and soon fell in love with AALEAD, while serving as a teacher for the ES program. Sharon loves everything Disney, writing, music, dancing, pigs, games, fruit and traveling to different countries!

Francine Gorres, High School Program Coordinator. Francine graduated from Villanova University with a B.A. in Human Services and a minor in Psychology and Sociology.  While in college she served as a case management intern for Gift of Self Partnership in Philadelphia, volunteered as a tutor and mentor for students in inner-city Philadelphia, and served on the Asian Students Association Executive Board at Villanova for two years. Prior to working as the High School Program Coordinator, Francine worked as an Assistant Teacher with the Elementary After School program with AALEAD and as an intern at the Center for Student Opportunity. Francine has enjoyed her time thus far at AALEAD and looks forward to working with her High School students. She loves learning about new cultures, dancing, cooking, and playing sports (especially football).