President Obama Names Kwok ’84 to Key Administration Post

Daphne Kwok ’84, a Wesleyan Board of Trustee member, was recently appointed by President Obama to serve as chair of the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Her new position will require her to be “the eyes and ears” of the Asian American community. She will continue to perform her current job as executive director of Asians and Pacific Islanders with Disabilities of California.

Kwok was recently interviewed by New America Media and was asked what were some of the issues she will focus on immediately. She said:

“The key issues will include the economy, jobs, education and health disparities. We want to increase the under served AAPI communities in federal programs.

“The oil spill in the Gulf and its impact on the Vietnamese community is already a key issue for the Initiative. Vietnamese fishermen have been especially hard hit by the spill.”