Our Team
LEAP Board of Directors
Officers
-
Linda Akutagawa
PRESIDENT & CEO
Los Angeles, CALEAP
-
Rachel Gabato
TREASURER
San Francisco, CASenior Director, Product Management Merchandising Innovation Technologies at Walmart
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Patricia “Denise” Lopez
VICE CHAIR
Los Angeles, CAProfessor, Organizational Psychology at Alliant International University
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Annabel Sheron
SECRETARY
Washington, DCSenior Engineering Manager at Arcfield
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Wen-Fu Wu
CHAIR
New York, NYManaging Director, Deputy CIO
and Head of Fixed Income at TIAA
Directors
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Arti Arora
Atlanta, Georgia
Vice President of Global Scientific & Regulatory Affairs at The Coca-Cola Company -
Tami Bui
San Francisco
Senior Government Affairs Manager at Turo
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Kenneth Chung
Dallas, Texas
Former Executive Vice President of Commercial Insurance at Chubb Group
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Carlo Dela Fuente
Folsom, California
Director of Business Operations at Cisco -
Sylvia Fulton
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Vice President of New Stores & Remodels at Target -
Jeff Hong
Hartford, CT
Senior Manager, Business Strategy at Accenture -
Shu Han Journay
Dallas-Forthworth, Texas
Chief Financial Officer at The People’s Accords
-
Ursula Quan
Kaneohe, HI
Director, Human Resources at Hui O Hana Pono -
Lillian Teng
Washington, DC
Senior Director of Cyber Intelligence at Capital One -
Tammy Tran
Rosemead, California
Senior Manager of Local Public Affairs at Southern California Edison -
Chris Yu
Seattle, Washington
Staff Product Designer at Lexion
LEAP Staff
Management Team
-
Linda Akutagawa
PRESIDENT & CEO
(213) 485-1422 ext. 4115
lakutagawa@leap.org
Let’s Connect on LinkedIn ⇗
Download Headshot ⇗ -
Grace Toy
SR. VICE PRESIDENT OF ADMINISTRATION & CFO
(213) 485-1422 ext. 4117
gtoy@leap.org
Let’s Connect on LinkedIn ⇗ -
Alexander Cena
CHIEF PROGRAMS OFFICER
(213) 281-0255
acena@leap.org
Let’s Connect on LinkedIn ⇗
Program & Development Team
-
Akemi Mechtel
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
(213) 810-8644
amechtel@leap.org
Let’s Connect on LinkedIn ⇗ -
Chingcha Vang
SENIOR PROGRAM MANAGER
(323) 572-5992
cvang@leap.org
Let’s Connect on LinkedIn ⇗ -
Elaine Chiu
PROGRAM MANAGER
(323) 646-7899 echiu@leap.org Let’s Connect on LinkedIn ⇗
-
Celine Hoang
DEVELOPMENT MANAGER
(323) 646-0655
choang@leap.org
Let’s Connect on LinkedIn ⇗ -
Eledy Vargas Gonzalez
OPERATIONS MANAGER
(213) 453-7840
evargas@leap.org
Let’s Connect on LinkedIn ⇗ -
Phillip Huynh
PROGRAMS SPECIALIST
(213) 361-7844
phuynh@leap.org -
Lauren Kojima
PROGRAM COORDINATOR
(213) 631-6980
lkojima@leap.org
2023 LEAP Faculty
Abe Ali
VP, Human Resources
Mt. San Antonio College
Alan Kumamoto
Founding Partner
Kumamoto Associates
Alison De La Cruz
Co-Artistic Director
Outside In Theatre
Audrey Yamagata Noji
VP, Student Services
Mt. San Antonio College
Brian Tsukimura
Professor
California State University, Fresno
Calvin Chen
Founder
Calvin Chen Coaching International
Colleen Yamaguchi
Founder
Colleen Yamaguchi Coaching & Consulting
Erin Yoshimura
Chief Empowerment Officer
Empowerful Changes
Ernest Mark
Principal
Ernest Mark Consulting
Ernelyn Navarro
Principal
PEARL Coaching and Consulting
Farah Bala
Leadership Coach and Trainer
Performance of a Lifetime
Fatima Bustos-Choy
Founder
Gaia Flow Consulting
Frank Chong
President
Santa Rosa Junior College
Gerald Napoles
President
Lone Star College – North Harris
Grace Toy
SVP of Administration & CFO
LEAP
Hayden Lee
Executive Leadership Coach
Hayden Lee Coaching
Henry Gee
VP, Student Services
Rio Hondo Community College
Jag Soni
Principal
Results Inc.
Janice Won
Founder
The WON Principles
Kelley Lowe
Director of Member Empowerment
National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development
Kyle Reyes
VP of Student Affairs
Utah Valley University
Leroy Morishita
President
California State University, East Bay
Linda Akutagawa
President & CEO
LEAP
Lori Ideta
Interim Vice Chancellor for Students
University of Hawai’i at Manoa
Marilyn Tam
President & CEO
Marilyn Tam & Company
Maria Meier
President & Founder
MariaMeier.us
Mark Nozaki
President & Founder
Odyssey Leadership Consulting
Mary Ann Takemoto
Associate VP for Student Affairs
California State University, Long Beach
Nancy Wada-Mckee
VP for Student Life
California State University, Los Angeles
Nancy Yap
Executive Director
CAUSE
Patrick Hayashi
Associate President (Retired)
University of California System
Penelope Hsu
Principal
Guiding Clarity
Pratichi Shah
President & CEO
Flourish Talent Management Solutions
Sam Bersola
Assistant Vice Provost for Graduate Education
University of California, Los Angeles
Stacia Kato
Vendor Management Consultant
Toyota Financial Services
Stacy Lee
International Students Program Specialist
Mt. San Antonio College
Stephanie Lowe
Vice President of Leadership Programs
Stephanie Lowe
Steve Lin
Consultant
Steve Lin Consulting
Steve Terusaki
CEO & Certified Business Coach
SEIDO Consulting
Tria Vang
Program Implementation Manager
Minnesota Office of Higher Education
Wyman Fong
Vice Chancellor, Human Resources
Chabot-Las Positas Community College District
Wynne Chin
Professor
Bauer College of Business
University of Houston
Yengee Lor
Leadership and Team Coach
Faithful Consulting