Profiles

By Jennie L. Ilustre Mark Mitsui was recently appointed to a top post in the U.S. Department of Education. His title: Deputy Assistant Secretary for Community Colleges, Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE).         The Office administers and coordinates programs on adult education and literacy, career and technical education, and community colleges. Its programs and grants support a wide …

  Robert Sarvis isn’t sure whether he’s the first Asian American to run for Virginia governor, but if he wins this November, he’d be the first to hold the office. Sarvis, of Annandale, Va., is the third-party candidate in the Virginia governor’s race. Born and raised in Fairfax County, Sarvis, 37, is Chinese-American. His wife, Astrid, is a pediatrician who …

By Tamara Treichel   Think Frank Abagnale’s life in Catch Me If You Can is exciting, full of shape-shifting, danger, suspense and a sprinkling of romance? Then compare Wong Chin Foo’s life. Wong Chin Foo (1847-1898) was a real man with the flair of a Chinese American trickster hero, and he is brought back to life in Scott D. Seligman’s …

By Suchi Rudra   Since Sarah Shabbir became a U.S. Foreign Service Officer at the age of 23 back in 2005, she’s already been posted overseas twice, first based in Abu Dhabi for two years as Vice Consul at the American Embassy, and then 2 years in Hong Kong, where she was Consul at the U.S. Consulate General. Asian Fortune …

By Suchi Rudra Strolling with her parents down the boardwalk in Atlantic City, 10-year-old Mary Kong-DeVito experienced her first love—food love, that is. After swallowing the first raw oyster of her life, Mary begged her father to order more, and eventually gulped down 2 or 3 dozen that afternoon. “I think something clicked that day. All I’d ever eaten before …

By Jennie L. Ilustre Corinna Shen, owner of Seven Seas Restaurant located in Rockville, Maryland, believes that “education is the key for any kind of success.” Her great grandfather was one of the founders of Hunan University and was a secretary for the Education department in China. “In China, teaching is the most respected profession. And because of my family …

By Devika Koppikar After Sudha Patil and Pandit Patil retired from their jobs, (endodontist and mechanical engineer respectively) they started a new career – as vineyard owners. Originally from Maharashtra in India, the Patils opened the Narmada Winery in 2009 and named it after Pandit’s mother. “Pandit’s mother had to sacrifice so much and sold her jewelry for Pandit to …

By Jennie L. Ilustre Virginia Assistant Secretary of Commerce Jimmy Rhee describes Kim Maloney, president and CEO of Williamsburg Pottery Factory as a “a natural leader who has the ability to be laser-focused on her vision – one who clearly knows what she wants and follows her plan to the teeth.” He added in an email interview: “She’s consistent with …

Dr. Howard Koh’s title, and the responsibilities that go with it, are formidable. He is the Assistant Secretary for Health for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health oversees 12 core public health offices,” he said in an email. “Our broad portfolio includes disease prevention and health promotion, health disparities, women’s …

By Jewel Edwards Felix Liao, D.D.S, is not a dentist. He is a whole mouth doctor. The holistic practitioner sees thousands of patients in his pristine office in Falls Church, Va. and performs various treatments, some of which push the borders of traditional dentistry, such as mercury filling removal and jaw expansion. All procedures focus on the health of the …

By Michelle Phipps-Evans Washington, DC – Hundreds of well-wishers converged at the Mayflower Hotel in NW Washington, D.C. on June 22nd to reminisce and to celebrate the birthday of an icon. The elegantly dressed audience dined on salmon and Angus beef, and enjoyed birthday cake and lively conversations. They came to celebrate the 88th birthday of Anna Chennault, chairwoman for …

By Jenny Chen It’s a Wednesday morning in Reston, Va. The 30 plus networkers sitting in the conference room at Keller Williams Realty are laughing and clapping in unison as a young man in his 20s is dancing and making silly expressions at the front of the room. The laughter is infectious and pretty soon, everyone is smiling. “Are you …

by Geeta Goindi WASHINGTON, June 17 – There were accolades galore for Sri Srinivasan, the first South Asian American judge in the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit which is the second most powerful court in the US after the Supreme Court. The Chandigarh-born, 46-year-old judge was sworn in by Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor earlier in the …

By Susan R. Paisner Photo Credit: Susan Paisner Officer Brian Pak takes his duties very seriously. In one case, after he helped an elderly woman who had been in a minor traffic accident he followed up over the course of several weeks by calling her, even stopping by her home, to ensure she was all right. She called him to …

By: Marlena Chertock Years ago locals came to 147 Maple Ave W. looking for a doughnut. Now, the restaurant at the same location serves American food with a flair. There’s beet salad, scallops and duck. Tim Ma, the chef and owner of Maple Ave Restaurant, opened the restaurant almost four years ago. Last month Ma was voted one of the …

by Suchi Rudra It didn’t matter that her parents kept telling her no. By the time Khanh Pham moved with her family from Vietnam to the US at the age of 13, she was already determined to be a designer. Pham taught herself to sew, made her own clothes and attended college at University of Oklahoma to obtain a degree …

By Jennie L. Ilustre This month, the Asian American Government Executives Network (AAGEN) is holding major events to celebrate its 20th year of promoting a diverse, quality workforce and career advancement for its members. Small wonder that as the new AAGEN executive director, Stanley Fujii’s email Inbox of late was constantly full, and that was true with the state of …

By: Nathan Strauss When Patricia Richie-Folks first saw an ad for an office manager in the Manassas Observer, she had no idea what she was going to be in for. As it would turn out, Asian Fortune, a free, English-language publication that serves the Asian-American populations in D.C., Virginia and Maryland, had placed the ad. Richie-Folks was hired shortly afterwards, …

Filipino-American writer and immigration rights activist returned to the DMV once again to share his story to students at the University of Maryland, College Park campus preceding a large immigration rights rally and march in Washington, DC. His story, while perhaps unconventional, is still an American dream.

April, 2013 — Former laboratory director at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Dr. Tien C. Tso, better known as “T.C,” died April 9, 2013 at his residence in Riderwood in Silver Spring, of natural causes.  He was 95. A long time resident of Beltsville, MD, he began forging a distinguished USDA career in 1950 at the Tobacco Research …

By Tamara Treichel Born into a regular suburban family in Detroit, Michigan, Rick O’Shea realized he didn’t want to lead a Brady Bunch-like existence. “I was a regular kid headed for a traditional American future of school, marriage, 2 cars, 2.3 kids, and become a lawyer, doctor, or accountant, etc. I had absolutely nothing to rebel against – only the …

By Jennie L. Ilustre Mee Moua, who became president and executive director of the Asian American Justice Center (AAJC) a year ago, is ready for the civil rights advocacy organization “to turn the page on a new chapter.” “In a couple of months, we will operate under one brand name–Asian Americans Advancing Justice (Advancing Justice),” she elaborated in an email …

John Tran, 1st Asian American Judge in Virginia By Jennie L. Ilustre John M. Tran, a former state and federal prosecutor in Alexandria, made history on April 4 when the Virginia General Assembly elected him Circuit Court Judge for Fairfax County. He is the first Asian Pacific American to be elected judge in the Commonwealth of Virginia. His nomination was …

Raised in Falls Church, VA, Thao Nguyen first picked up a guitar at the age of 12 and began performing in a pop country duo in high school. She’s now a critically acclaimed artist who tours the country and the world with such artists as Andrew Bird, Mirah, Laura Viers and producer Tucker Martine. She even toured the U.S. with …