APF Announces Incoming President & Executive Director

Dear Friends & Supporters,

On behalf of the Asian Pacific Fund Board of Directors, we are excited to announce Tamara Saito Chao as our new President and Executive Director, effective September 22, 2025. We are confident that Tamara’s outstanding blend of leadership, fundraising, operations and communications skills will springboard the Asian Pacific Fund into its next chapter of growth and impact.

Tamara is a proven strategist in the philanthropic, social enterprise and international development sectors where she has addressed injustices and inequities around the globe, in the US and in the Bay Area. Her experiences since 2007 range from building Burmese/Myanmar government capacity to combat human trafficking to her most recent role as Vice President of Learning and Impact at Women Donors Network (WDN) where she has served since 2016. At WDN, Tamara was a powerhouse relationship-builder with exceptional fundraising and management skills. She oversaw a $13 million grant portfolio and engaged a network of 250 philanthropists while leading ambitious donor initiatives and overseeing an organizational restructuring with a doubling of staff.

Born and raised in Oakland, Tamara is steeped in the values of service and impact imparted by her parents and their involvement with various AANHPI organizations, which continues today. Tamara’s grant making at the Women Donors Network sent critical funding to AANHPI communities both nationally and regionally, familiarizing her with the needs in our community.

Tamara will be bringing her builder energy and partnership savvy to the Asian Pacific Fund as we face persistent challenges from anti-immigrant sentiment to mental health needs to gaps in representation.

“This is a pivotal moment of change and opportunity for APF, a cornerstone organization that serves as bedrock, convener, partner and catalyzer for the AANHPI community,” said Tamara. “Fueled by a lifelong drive to ensure all people thrive, I am thrilled to be working alongside passionate partners and changemakers to use my skills and expertise in the place I call home.”

The Board extends its gratitude to our APF senior staff Tavae Samuelu and Gurpreet Tung for expertly stepping in as interim co-executive directors during the transition. We also thank DSG/Koya for its excellent work as our executive search firm as well as board member Margaret Lapiz for her skillful and tireless work leading the board search process.

We look forward to publicly introducing Tamara at the Asian Pacific Fund Annual Gala on October 25, 2025. It will be an opportunity to gather and celebrate our community as we mark the start of an exciting new chapter for the Fund and those we serve.

With appreciation from the APF Executive Committee,

Tom Cole, Board Chair

Kai Hong, Board Treasurer

Emerald Yeh, Board Secretary