Celeste A. Barron (she/her)
Secretary
A proud graduate of California State University, Fresno, Celeste published her first haiku in elementary school and later published poetry as a grown up. Most of her professional career has been spent as an advertising copywriter, writing content for print, radio, TV, and digital advertising mediums—and winning her several industry awards along the way.
After blazing writing paths through Silicon Valley, the Central Valley, various-sized ad agencies up and down California, and several nonprofit community service organizations, Celeste found her groove as the Content Development Manager for Central California custom software firm, Bitwise Industries, a tech hub focused on building a technology workforce from underestimated and disenfranchised community groups.
At any given time, you can find her injecting snarky comments into most of her conversations. In between the snark, she finds time to volunteer for organizations such as Human Rights Campaign, Fresno Justice Coalition, and San Francisco Pride. Celeste has sat on various governing boards for Rotary International (District 5230) and ValleyPBS.
Fun Fact: Celeste has been running in San Francisco's Bay to Breakers 12K run every year for the past ten years.
Kristelyn Beldua (she/her)
Kristyelyn was born in the Philippines and grew up in Santa Clara, CA. She later moved to San Diego where she finished her high school and college years.
Fun Fact: Kristelyn is obsessed with Bob, her french bulldog.
Emma Brockway (she/her)
Emma received a Bachelor of Arts in English at Texas State University and a Juris Doctor from the University of Houston Law Center. While in school, she discovered her passion for justice and advocacy. Emma was a leader on her college and law school campuses. She is a progressive activist and lawyer. As a plaintiff’s lawyer, Emma proudly represents workers in employment retaliation lawsuits, injured individuals in personal injury actions, consumers in mass tort litigation, and more. In addition to the Prism Foundation’s Board, Emma serves on the Texas Freedom Network’s Board of Directors. Emma is a leader in her community and an active volunteer at The Montrose Center.
Fun Fact: Emma can play three different instruments (cello, violin, and guitar).
Jonathan Cheung (he/him)
President
Jonathan was born and raised in Long Beach, CA. After graduating from UC Irvine with a degree in Political Science, he moved to San Francisco. There he experienced a whole new world of queer and trans API activism, philanthropy, and community. His first involvement was through leadership programs at the San Francisco Community Health Center. He then joined GAPA Org board and continued to grow community events like Runway and develop his leadership skills. Finally in 2013 he joined the Prism Foundation (formerly known as GAPA Foundation) board and recently became the President in 2020.
Jonathan currently works as a Business Relationship Manager at JP Morgan Chase, working with entrepreneurs start and grow their businesses. He also spends his time leading the PRIDE employee group at Chase, helping create a diverse and inclusive environment at JPMorgan. This past year he also joined the board of directors New Leaders Council San Francisco, a nonprofit educating a new generation of leaders and providing those leaders with tools they need to succeed. A Saggitarius, he loves to travel and explore new cultures
Fun Fact: Jonathan was born three months premature!
Anita Kanoje (she/her)
Born and raised in Mumbai, India, Anita graduated as a computer science engineer and started her professional career writing code before taking a leap of faith just three months later and switching over to marketing. 14 years on, Anita has not looked back—she has since led marcomm strategy for a variety of US-based and international corporate and nonprofit organizations such as United Way, YWCA and Public Health Solutions. Throughout her career, Anita has focused on building powerful brands through innovative campaigns, digital storytelling and inclusive communications that moves people to take meaningful action.
As a proud bisexual, immigrant woman of color, Anita is passionate about creating safe spaces for the AAPI queer community. She was the former Board President of SALGA NYC (formerly known as the South Asian Lesbian and Gay Association of NYC) which serves the desi queer and trans community of the NYC tri-state area.
Fun Fact: Anita is an avid traveler and photographer, a self-proclaimed nerd with a passion for all things sci-fi/fantasy, and always looking for something new to learn (currently, it is bookbinding).
Clara Lee (she/her)
Clara is a parent of a bi/queer son with trans experience. She is the founder of the API Rainbow Parents of PFLAG NYC chapter, a group providing support for LGBTQ+ individuals and families of Asian heritage. She is currently serving on the PFLAG NYC Board of Directors. She is also a co-founder of Korean American Rainbow Parents, a network of Korean parents and family with LGBTQ+ loved ones.
Clara immigrated to the US in the early 1980's from Korea, grew up in Los Angeles, and now lives in Brooklyn. She has 25+ years of IT experience in the financial service industry as a software developer, business analyst, and project manager. Clara is currently transitioning to become a mobile app developer at JPMorgan Chase, involved in various diversity and inclusion initiatives, and building allyship for LGBTQ+ colleagues. She serves as a co-chair of the Community Engagement Sub-committee in Pride Tri-State BRG at her work.
Fun Fact: Clara loves traveling with her father and climbed the top 3 highest mountains in South Korea.
Ty Lim (he/him)
Ty Lim is the Co-Founder and President Emeritus of Prism Foundation. Having come to the United States as a refugee from Cambodia, he learned early on the importance of community and service and has since dedicated much of his life to both. In addition to Prism Foundation, Ty currently serves on the Board of the New Leaders Council where he was a 2018 NLC SF Fellow. Ty is also a Program Leader with the Roots: Him Mark Lai Family History Project, where he helps Chinese Americans conduct genealogical research to discover their ancestral roots in China and subsequently leads them back to visit their ancestral villages in China in the summer.
Professionally, Ty is the Legal Chief of Staff at Lyft and leads the Office of the General Counsel. Prior to Lyft, he led Privacy and Trust & Safety strategy and business operations at Adobe and has spent over 10 years managing and scaling global teams at Google and Meta working on trust & safety, legal compliance, and intellectual property issues. In the workplace, he has been active in both the queer and Asian & Pacific Islander employee resource groups serving as the Executive Chair for the Asian Employee Networks, specifically focusing on diversity and inclusion, cultural education, professional development, and mentorship.
Ty graduated with honors from UC Berkeley with degrees in Political Science, Ethnic Studies, and Asian American Studies.
Fun Fact: Ty loves food and travel, ideally both at the same time.
Alex Morales-Yoon (they/them)
Alex is a Korean/Latine Non-Binary Texan with over seven years experience working with non-profits focused on Trans Rights & Trans Liberation in the South. The child of a trans Korean adoptee from rural Ohio, Alex moved South at 16 and found home in the virbant communities created by Queer & Trans Texans in the state they now call home.
Alex has a wide range of experience, but they primarily focus on illustration and design work. Through their creations, they strive to uplift the voices and beauty of BIPOC Trans existence in the South, as these communities are often overlooked and ignored even as legislation seeks to erase their existence.
Fun Fact: Alex is obsessed with gaming and has logged over 500 hours on all of their favorite titles.
Mocha Macabenta (she/her, they/them)
Vice President
Mocha Macabenta, also known as Mocha Fapalatte, is a polyamorous, transgender Filipino-American drag queen, activist, and kinkster. Dark, sweet, and guaranteed to keep you up all night, she hopes to lead the community toward sex positivity, self-love, and self-acceptance through her use of horror, filth, and sex on stage.
By day, she works in fashion doing fabric R&D for one of the largest specialty apparel manufacturers in the country. By night, you can see her on stage all over San Francisco's burlesque and drag scene. Find her on social media to learn more, @mochafapalatte.
Fun Fact: To further support and uplift the QTAPI community, Mocha is also proudly the reigning Miss GAPA (2019-2020). For additional information, and to keep up with her performances, follow her on Instagram at @mochafapalatte.
Derick Ngan (he/him)
Treasurer
Derick Ngan has been on board since 2016. He is currently Prism Foundation's Treasurer overseeing the foundation's finances. Previously, he was a Philanthropy Co-chair responsible for the scholarships and grants arm of the foundation.
Derick has more than a half a decade of talent acquisition and operations experience and is currently an Engagement Program Manager at Facebook working with recruiting and business leaders to drive employee engagement and support for recruiting goals and initiatives. Throughout his career, he has been a strong advocate and driver of diversity and inclusion initiatives within this space.
His experience earning a Bachelors in Asian American Studies at UCLA was the catalyst that sparked his continued interest in social justice and uplifting underrepresented communities.
Fun Fact: Derick produces electronic music under the alias "DNZA" and hopes to perform at a festival one day.
Bao Pham (he/him)
A board member since 2016, Bao has previously focused on the many philanthropic efforts of Prism Foundation. He currently works in the education and nonprofit sectors at Resource Area For Teaching (RAFT), formerly on the fund development team, and now as an Operations & Systems Specialist. He hopes to use his experience at RAFT to fortify Prism Foundation's fundraising effots and to streamline and improve its internal systems and processes.
Bao has a Bachelor's in Molecular & Cell Biology from UC Berkeley and has also danced on a number of local Bay Area dance groups, including Senior Stacks, Main Stacks, and The Movement at UC Berkeley; Squirrel Friends in Oakland; and Hungry Bumz in San Jose.
Fun Fact: Bao has officiated a gay wedding.
Milo Santos (he/him)
Milo was born in the Philippines and immigrated to the United States with his family when he was 10. He is fluent in Tagalog, makes excellent chicken adobo, and is passionate about advancing social justice and equity. He has previously served on the boards of the GAPA Org and B-change Foundation, and served as the president of the Carleton College Filipino American organization, Barkada.
Currently, he is a professor at the University of California San Francisco, and a Senior Research Scientist at the San Francisco Department of Public Health. He has been conducting research to advance the health and advocate for the rights of marginalized and minoritized populations for over 15 years. He has also served as a mentor for over 50 early-stage investigators, the majority of whom were from minoritized and underrepresented backgrounds in research.
Fun Fact: Milo loves puns; for example, he has a 4lbs yorkie with a big personality, aptly named Minnie Minaj.
