Board of Directors

Board of Directors 2023-2024

President
Jeffrey Koji Maloney, Council Member, City of Alhambra

Jeff Koji Maloney is Chief Staff Counsel for the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, an agency of the State of California that is dedicated to the protection of open space and urban parks and has preserved nearly 80,000 acres of parkland throughout the greater Los Angeles region.

In 2018, Jeff became Mayor of the City of Alhambra, California after winning election to the City Council in 2016. Jeff remains active in a variety of community and governmental organizations, serving as a board member of the Asian Pacific Islanders Caucus of the League of California Cities, the Go For Broke National Education Center, and was co-chair of the Alhambra Host Town Committee during the 2015 Special Olympics World Games.

He attended law school at the University of Southern California and completed his undergraduate studies at the University of California, San Diego. Jeff lives in Alhambra with his wife, Akiko, and their young two children.

1st Vice President
Malia Vella, Council Member, City of Alameda

Malia Vella previously served on the City's Historical Advisory Board and continues to serve on the Alameda Family Services Board, Spectrum Community Services Board, and Alameda Family Services League. Before assuming office she also volunteered with the Philippine Independence Day Committee and Alameda's Sister City Association for several years.

A former staffer for members of the California Senate and Assembly from the East Bay, Malia has a background in policy and constituent services. Since 2013 she has worked as a policy director and attorney focusing on labor and employment law. She is also an adjunct professor of practice at Mills College's Lokey School of Business and Public Policy, teaching ethical policy making and an introductory class on economics and policy-making.

Malia was born at Alameda Hospital. She grew up enjoying Alameda's parks and beaches and has fond memories of rowing the estuary with Oakland Strokes as a teenager. Her family came to Alameda in the 1960's when her grandfather was stationed at the Alameda Naval Air Station.

Malia is a graduate of Wellesley College, where she earned a B.A. in Architecture and Political Science. She earned her J.D. with a special certificate in Public Interest and Social Justice at Santa Clara University School of Law. Malia is a licensed attorney admitted to practice in California and the U.S. Supreme Court.

2nd Vice President
Helen Tran, Mayor, City of San Bernardino

Helen Tran is a public servant, non-profit leader, and mother of three. The daughter of Vietnamese refugees in search of the American Dream, Helen grew up in San Bernardino. After graduating from Cajon High School, she became the first person in her family to graduate from college, earning her bachelor’s degree from UC Santa Cruz.

Helen’s professional experience started in high school, when she worked as a grassroots organizer, helping to elect candidates across Southern California. In 2006, Helen began working for the City of San Bernardino as the Executive Assistant to the Director of Human Resources. Ten years later, Helen became the youngest Director of Human Resources for the City of San Bernardino.

Helen has always been passionate about giving back to her community, and she understands the importance of reciprocity and engagement. She devotes much of her spare time to civic leadership, taking on numerous roles in the city, including: School Site Councilmember for Bob Holcomb Elementary; member of the Verdemont Revitalization Project (VRP); member of the San Bernardino League of Women Voters; member of the National Women’s Political Caucus; member of the Rotary Club of San Bernardino; member of Kiwanis; Board Member of the Habitat for Humanity San Bernardino Area; and member of the San Bernardino County Trails Committee. Helen previously served as member of San Bernardino’s Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Commission.

Secretary-Treasurer
Farrah Khan, Mayor, City of Irvine

Mayor Farrah N. Khan is first and foremost a mother of two boys. She was first elected to the Irvine City Council in 2018 with the highest votes among 12 candidates and is the first woman of color to be elected to the Council. She is a small business owner and a recruitment consultant. Prior to that, Farrah served 8 years as a Regulatory Affairs Manager for a biotech company in Emeryville, CA. And for 4 years, from 2015-2019, she served as the Executive Director for a local nonprofit, Newport Mesa Irvine Interfaith Council, where she worked with the local faith communities and other non-profits to tackle issues like homelessness and human trafficking while promoting peace and understanding.

She grew up in the San Francisco/Bay Area, is a graduate of UC Davis and moved to Irvine in 2004. Her boys attended Irvine public schools since Kindergarten, with one still in high school. She and her husband are also Legacy Partners with the Irvine Public School Foundation. She proudly served 3 terms as PTA President at her sons’ elementary school, PTA Board member at the middle school and served on the School Site Council at the high school.

Farrah has worked extensively with many community organizations in Irvine and Orange County. She has served on the Steering Committee for the Irvine Global Village Festival, is a CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) volunteer with the Irvine Police Department and an active member of the Irvine Rotary Club. Farrah was appointed as a Community Services Commissioner in 2014, where she took the time to get to know the city parks, open spaces, land development, amenities, and employees.

She has received numerous awards and recognitions throughout the years which is a testament to her commitment to service. She was also awarded the Community Service Leader Award from the OC Human Relations Commission. Building bridges and bringing communities together is a priority for her as is making sure Irvine is environmentally and economically sustainable for years to come.

Immediate Past President
Juslyn Manalo, Mayor, City of Daly City

Juslyn Manalo was elected to Daly City Council and appointed Vice Mayor in 2016. She served as Mayor in 2017-2018. Juslyn is the first Asian American woman in these aforementioned respective roles.

She was raised in Daly City since she was 8 years old, and has deep roots in serving the community from a young age. Being raised in the multi-ethnic city of Daly City has given Manalo a deep appreciation for diversity. Early in her career, she became a Community Service Worker providing direct service to the Filipino World War II Veterans. Juslyn also managed the Bill Sorro Housing Program (BiSHoP), a program that helped low to moderate income families, find, defend and sustain their housing.

Currently, she is a Community Engagement Associate with Brookfield building partnerships to create community development opportunities such as affordable housing, jobs, open space, and youth development.

Manalo currently serves as a Board of Director for the Bay Area Water Supply Conservation Agency (BAWSCA), Senior Disability Action(SDA),Affordable Housing Committee for Daly City and is seated on the Skyline College President Council.

Previously she served on the Personnel Board for the City of Daly City Chairwoman for the SamTrans Citizen Advisory Committee ensuring that local community voice is represented.

Manalo earned her Masters of Public Administration, from San Francisco State University's School of Public Affairs and Civic Engagement. She has also attained a Bachelor of Arts, in Asian-American Studies and a Minor in Women Studies from San Francisco State University.

Director At-Large
Gabriel Quinto, Council Member, City of El Cerrito

Mayor Gabriel "Gabe" Quinto became El Cerrito's first Filipino-American, the second Asian-American and first LGBTQ Councilmember in the history of the city of El Cerrito. Born in Berkeley, he grew up in El Cerrito, where he attended public schools. At Cal State University, Long Beach he earned his BS in Radio, TV & Film.

Prior to his election, he served as a member of El Cerrito’s Committee on Aging and as Chair of the Human Relations Commission. For many years Gabe was an elected member of the Sierra Club Bay Chapter’s Executive and Political committees, and Chair of the West Contra Costa County Group.

Quinto began his first term on the El Cerrito City Council on December 2014. His second four-year term began in December 2018 when he was instrumental in the passage of Measure V which established El Cerrito as a Charter City and implemented a property transfer tax. Measure H was also passed to fund parks and city’s pool.

Quinto has been council liaison to most of the city's Boards and Commissions. In 2020 he became the first El Cerrito Councilmember to Chair the Contra Costa Mayors Conference since the 1990s when Councilmember Jane Bartke served. In 2021 Quinto became the first El Cerrito Councilmember to be on the Marin Clean Energy Executive Committee.

In 2021, Mayor Quinto became the first El Cerritan to be appointed as Boardmember statewide for the League of CA Cities. Gabe just finished his term as President of the East Bay Division & LGBTQ Caucus and in 2018-2019 was President of the API Caucus as well as a member of the Environmental Policy Committee. Mayor Quinto also was appointed to the Committee on Equity, Inclusion and Diversity, Committee on Governance and Committee on Board Nominations.

Director At-Large
Sheng Thao, Mayor, City of Oakland

Sheng Thao was elected in November 2018 as the District 4 City Councilmember in Oakland. She is the first Hmong American to be elected to the Oakland City Council.

Sheng Thao comes from humble beginnings. One of four daughters of asylum seekers from the Vietnam War, she is a member of a tight knit, Hmong American family. As a single mother, and domestic violence survivor, Sheng put herself through college while working and raising her son. She graduated as Valedictorian from Merritt College and transferred to U.C. Berkeley, where she earned her degree in Legal Studies. During her time at Cal, she co-founded a food access program for students with children because she encountered many students who struggled to afford healthy food for their families.

Sheng has many years of experience on the Oakland City Council as a senior legislative staff member and as Council Chief of Staff. As Chief of Staff, she has managed multiple city budget cycles - focused on balancing a transparent and responsible budget. Sheng also has extensive experience staffing regional government Boards and Commissions where she has worked on ways to bring funding to Oakland for public safety, transit, and capital improvement projects. Sheng is also an active participant on the Alameda Labor Council's Rapid Response working group, which aims to protect undocumented immigrants in Oakland and its neighboring cities. As a champion for the environment, Sheng has worked on policy solutions to provide cleaner air and water for Oakland residents.

Sheng is a lifelong public servant and currently serves as a board member on the Redwood Heights Association, she is also on the board for the Oakland Asian Cultural Center, and serves as the Vice President for the Asian American Democratic Caucus of Alameda County. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her son, biking through Joaquin Miller Park, and camping in the Stanislaus and El Dorado forests with her family. Sheng lives in District 4 with her 11 year old son, Benedict, who is a Joaquin Miller Elementary alum.

Director At-Large
Ali Sajjad Taj, Mayor Pro Tem, City of Artesia

Ali Sajjad Taj has served on the Artesia City Council since December 2013. He was elected Mayor Pro Tem on December 14, 2015.

Mayor Pro Tem Taj has focused his energy and time on improving day-to-day quality of life issues for all Artesia residents. He has supported improved lighting, street quality and traffic safety, while being an advocate for bringing new businesses to the City both to generate revenue for City services and to provide new amenities for residents.

Mayor Pro Tem Taj possesses a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Political Science and a postgraduate degree of Master in Public Administration.

Mayor Pro Tem Taj has been in the financial services industry for the last 15 years. During his career he has held several key leadership positions including District Manager, Regional Manager, Managing Principal, and Vice President with multinational firms like American Express, Ameriprise Financial, Weddell & Reed and T.D. Ameritrade.

Mayor Pro Tem Taj currently serves on several of the City of Artesia's internal committees, as well as representing the City as a member of several regional Boards and Committees. He chairs the Membership Committee and serves on the Board of Directors for the California Contract Cities Association. He serves on the Public Safety Policy Committee of the League of California Cities. He is a member of the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of the Eco-Rapid Transit Orange Line Development Authority of Los Angeles County, and serves the Executive Committee in the capacity of Internal Auditor. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the California Joint Powers Insurance Authority. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Asian Pacific Islander Caucus of the League of California Cities, serving as a Director at Large.

Council Member Taj remains humble about his accomplishments. He maintains that it’s important to keep the right perspective, something he’s strived to instill in his son. He often reminds him, as well as his colleagues, of a story from one of his favorite books, The Noticer: Sometimes, all a person needs is a little perspective. The author says that life is a lot like a game of Monopoly: you may own Boardwalk and Park Place with two hotels but, when the game is over, all those pieces are going back in the box.

Director At-Large
Jocelyn Yow, Council Member, City of Eastvale

Jocelyn Yow is dedicated to a career in public service. She currently serves as a director of a national nonprofit organization. Yow also served as a district representative for California State Senate and the United States House of Representatives, where she worked tirelessly to help seniors, families, small businesses, nonprofit organizations, and children to access valuable government services as they navigated through the complexities of our government.

From an early age, public service has been part of Jocelyn Yow’s life and a source of growth and inspiration. Growing up in a working-class immigrant family, her family emphasizes the importance of giving back and community service.

In 2011, Yow’s family moved to the Inland Empire and settled in Eastvale, where she quickly found a home.

Yow obtained her master’s degree from Harvard Extension; her bachelor degree from the University of California, Berkeley; and her associate’s degree from Norco College.

Director At-Large
Darren Suen, Council Member, City of Elk Grove

Darren Suen joined the council in 2014. Beginning with his great grandparents settling in the Delta, Darren was born and raised in the nearby Greenhaven/Pocket neighborhood. He and his family has lived in Elk Grove since 2001.

Darren represents the city regionally on the Sacramento Area Council of Governments as Chair of the Transportation Committee. He is also the past Chair of the Sacramento Public Library Authority and the Sacramento Transportation Authority. For the city, Darren serves on the Economic Development, Affordable Housing, and Legislative committees.

His professional background as a civil engineering manager specializing in transportation and water resources, and land use planning experience have proven useful previously on the FLACPAC and currently on the Council. Darren is a Principal Engineer and Policy Advisor for the California Central Valley Flood Protection Board.

Darren is a registered civil engineer with a master’s in business administration and a certified project management professional (PMP) with the Project Management Institute (PMI). He is a graduate of Sacramento's City Management Academy and a Great Valley Center I.D.E.A.L. Fellow.

Darren is a proponent of fiscal responsibility and using our limited resources efficiently while still investing in our community.

Darren's family includes his wife Denise and their three children.

Director At-Large
Hong Alyce Van, Council Member, City of Stanton

Hong Alyce Van was born in a refugee camp in Hong Kong. She is the daughter of Vietnamese immigrants and is the second oldest of seven children. Alyce has lived in Stanton since the age of two. Alyce attended Twila Reid Elementary School, Orangeview Junior High School, and graduated from Rancho Alamitos High School as valedictorian of her class. She went on to receive degrees from Yale University and Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.

Alyce has had a robust international career which includes advocating for survivors of human trafficking, addressing issues of poverty and child malnutrition, and promoting cross-cultural understanding between the United States and other nations. During her tenure as Vietnam Program Director for a company headquartered in Washington, D.C., Alyce helped rebuild schools, construct homes, and improve access to sanitation for numerous communities in rural Vietnam. After her return to the United States, Alyce worked for California State University to organize and provide training to international groups seeking an American perspective and education.

Alyce has a deep passion for community service and believes in paying it forward. She currently serves as a City Council Member in Stanton, Vice-Chair of the Stanton Community Foundation, Secretary of the Stanton Community Garden, PTA Executive Vice President at DeMille Elementary School, and Library Advisory Board Member of the Orange County Public Library.

Alyce and her husband have been foster parents since 2015, and their son was born in 2016. They enjoy going to libraries, parks, and community events as a family.