Meet the TEAM

Led by a multi-generational team and board of directors and dedicated volunteers, CAPU is comprised of Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander (AANHPI) leaders, educators, creatives, and allies.

Dr. Soon Beng Yeap professional headshot, a Board Member at CAPU, background is a blue backdrop

  • Board Chair

    Dr. Soon Beng Yeap is a dynamic brand marketer, skilled community organizer, and respected scholar with more than 20 years of global leadership experience in retail, higher education, journalism, and global health.

    In addition to his branding, communications, and reputation management roles at Starbucks and Microsoft, he has held senior academic and administrative positions at leading universities in Singapore, Australia, and the United States. As a scholar, his expertise lies in identity politics, the ethnic diaspora of Asian immigrant communities, and the representation of Asian cultures in media. A former journalist, Dr. Yeap honed his storytelling and analytical skills working with an international news agency and major local newspapers. Born and raised in Penang, Malaysia, he identifies as Straits Chinese and has lived, studied, and worked across multiple countries. This diverse global experience fuels his unwavering commitment to advancing social equity, racial justice, and human dignity in both professional and community settings.

    Dr. Yeap holds a doctorate in political science, along with master’s degrees in communications, political science, and international journalism, and a bachelor’s degree in mass communications.

Joie Ha professional headshot, the Executive Director, at CAPU, smiling confidently, background is a slightly dark room with light fading in from the right.

  • Executive Director

    As the child of refugees, Joie Ha has always endeavored to do more good for more people. She has been an organizer for minority communities in Colorado for over 15 years. She has a B.A. in Anthropology and a Masters in Development Practice with a focus on holistic methods of treating mental health for Vietnamese refugees. Joie is the founder of CORE, a DEI consulting firm that doubles as a community organizing agency. She often engages in initiatives with focus on anti-racist work, collective liberation, civic engagement, and the intersection of art and activism.

Meet the boarD

  • Board Treasurer

  • Board Secretary

Ben Niamthet

  • Board Member

Jadyn Nguyen, a Marketing and Community Relations Coordinator, at CAPU, smiling confidently, background is a forest wallpaper

  • Marketing & Community Relations Coordinator

    Born and raised in Denver, Jadyn believes the key to this universe is being your full self. His experience includes working with leading philanthropic foundations and serving as a founding team member for three Denver-based non-profits. As the founder of Penkhay J, LLC, he supports Denver non-profits with social media strategy and content creation. Jadyn is passionate about building community through storytelling. Jadyn is a Denver Public Schools alumni and serves as a board member for the Colorado Youth Congress. He loves learning, playing card games, and spending time with loved ones.

Catharine McCord professional headshot, an Operations Manager, at CAPU, smiling confidently, background has a window on the right.

  • Operations Manager

    As a proud Taiwanese American, Catharine brings a wealth of expertise in science, wellness, and community development. With an M.A. in Biochemistry and a Master’s in Landscape Architecture, she seamlessly integrates mindfulness and wellness practices into community initiatives. Passionately advocating for racial equity, Catharine’s holistic approach empowers underrepresented communities, focusing on their resilience and the preservation of their cultural heritage. Catharine excels in managing operational processes, ensuring efficient and effective execution of projects and programs.

Gil Asakawa

  • Board Member

    Gil Asakawa is a cultural consultant, journalist, author and blogger who covers Japan, Japanese American and Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) culture and identity in blogs, articles and social media. His blog is at www.nikkeiview.com. He is a nationally-known speaker, panelist and expert on Japanese American and Asian American history and identity. He’s the author of “Being Japanese American” (Stone Bridge Press), a history of Japanese in America originally published in 2004 and revised in 2014, and co-author of “The Toy Book” (Alfred Knopf, 1991), a history of the toys of the Baby Boom generation. His latest book is “Tabemasho! Let’s Eat!” (Stone Bridge Press), a history of Japanese food in America.

    He is a member of the board of CAPU, and the current Chair of the Denver-Takayama Sister City Committee. Asakawa served twice as president of the Mile High chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), and has written a column called “Nikkei Voice” for the JACL’s national “Pacific Citizen” newspaper since the early 2000s. He served as chair of the editorial board for the “Pacific Citizen” and was a national board member of the JACL. He has just been named a board member of the National Japanese American Memorial Foundation in Washington D.C.

    He is also a longtime member of the Japan America Society of Colorado, Nikkeijin Kai of Colorado, and the US-Japan Council. He was founder of and president for the Asian American Journalists Association’s Denver chapter. Asakawa was appointed in 2014 by Mayor Hancock to Denver’s Asian American Pacific Islander Commission.

    He has given presentations to many organizations and libraries across the country about the history of Japanese Americans, including Japanese Americans in Colorado, and to Denver’s Sakura Foundation for its Mirai Generation groups of young local leaders. He has also presented on the history of Asian American in American pop culture.

    In 2023 he was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays from the Japanese government for his longtime efforts to build bridges between Japan and the United States.

Sophia Siong professional headshot, an Intern, at CAPU, smiling confidently, background is a grey photo backdrop.

  • Intern

    As the eldest daughter to a family of refugees, Sophia carries a strong sense of resilience, cultural pride, and commitment to her community. She is a current senior studying Biology and Peace and Justice studies at Regis University with interests in public health, community organizing, and clinical research. She has served as the president of the Asian Student Alliance at Regis to plan events and engage in initiatives that honor and celebrate AAPI culture and history. Coming from a Hmong background, Sophia is passionate about uncovering the hidden stories of the Hmong community and history through her academic research and work with CAPU. 

Joanne Liu

  • Board Member

Work with us

We’re looking for folks to help us on our mission! Please see below for openings.

Members of the CAPU board and volunteers stand in front of a big green wall, smiling and posing for the camera. Planning post-its are behind them on the wall.

Want to volunteer?

If you are interested in volunteering with CAPU, we welcome your support!