Commissioners

Commission Members
Ethnicity and county of residence in parentheses

Chair:
Yang Yu, Ph.D. (Chinese, Howard County) – Dr. Yang Yu is the Associate Dean of the Liberal Studies Division at Howard Community College (HCC) and was appointed to represent HCC in Howard County’s Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Commission. She previously served as the Acting Associate Dean of the Social Sciences and Teacher Education Division and the chair of Social and Cultural Sciences Department at HCC. She holds a Ph.D. in geography from the University of Sheffield, UK, and BA degree in environmental management with environmental science at the University of Leeds, UK. Dr. Yang Yu is a published author, with 11 journal articles and one co-authored book.

Vice- Chair:
Siu Cheung Rossmark (Chinese, Baltimore County) – Siu immigrated to the United States from China when she was six years old, growing up in Southeast Washington, DC, and Prince George’s County, MD. In a 35-year career as an entrepreneur and restaurateur, Siu has owned several Chinese restaurants and real estate brokerage, financial services, and residential mortgage companies in the Washington metropolitan area. In March 2023, she retired from the restaurant industry by selling her last restaurant, Siu’s Asian Bistro. Siu is currently the Executive Director at Asian American LEAD, a non-profit that serves Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) youth with educational empowerment, identity development, and leadership opportunities through after-school programs, mentoring, and summer programs in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.

Members:
Isabelle Balakit (Filipino, Charles County) – is a dedicated community advocate, serving on the Board of the Filipino-American Association of Southern Maryland (FIL-AM) and promoting diversity in the arts with the Port Tobacco Players Theater. She previously supported Asian Pacific American employees at the Department of Justice and worked as an Outreach Coordinator for the Center for Abused Persons in Charles County. She holds a B.S. in Criminal Justice and Behavioral Science from the University of Maryland.

Tim Chng (Taiwanese, Baltimore City) 

Amy Jean Chung Fry (South Korean, Prince George’s County) – a second generation Korean American serving on her first term as a Commissioner for the Governor’s Asian Pacific American Affairs Commission. With a passion for serving her community, Amy has served in an elected role in the Town of Cheverly, Maryland, since 2019 as the Council Member for Ward 6 and current Vice Mayor. She is the co-founder and President of the AAPI Democratic Club of Prince George’s County, an At-Large Board Member for the Prince George’s County Municipal Association (PGCMA), co-founder and Chair of the Maryland Municipal League (MML) Asian Pacific American Caucus, and recently appointed to the New American Leader’s Elected Advisory Council. In her day job, she is the Chief of Staff for the Prince George’s County Council Chair Jolene Ivey, District 5.
Brian Gerardo (Filipino, Baltimore City) –
 
Larry La (Vietnamese, Montgomery County)

Alanna Lee (South Korean, Montgomery County) –is currently a Vice President of the Peaceful Unification Advisory Council of Washington, DC, Deputy Secretary General of the Federation of Korean American Associations of USA, and a board member of the Coalition of Asian Pacific American Democrats of Maryland. Alanna immigrated to the US from South Korea in 1976 and has worked in the Retail industry for over 30 years. For the past several years, she has dedicated her time to working with Maryland’s government officials to help better the community. 

Dr. Ping Lu (Chinese, Montgomery County) – a retired cardiologist, has dedicated 18 years to social service, showcasing her leadership in various organizations in Pennsylvania and Maryland. As the first female President of CAAGW, she has been instrumental in advancing its mission. Her tireless efforts have earned her prestigious awards, including the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award and the Governor’s Volunteer Award in Maryland, recognizing her unwavering commitment to volunteerism. Currently, she provides invaluable guidance as an advisor in multiple positions, continuing to make a positive impact on her community.

Thai Nguyen (Vietnamese, Montgomery County)

Sirikarn “Sarah” Prammawat (Thai, Baltimore City)

Young Ran Smith (South Korean, Howard County) –  the President of the League of Korean Americans, a non-profit organization focused on empowering the voices of Maryland citizens through programs and services that bridge the gap between the government and the people. She continues her work by acting as the commissioner for Asian American Pacific Islander Commission for Howard County and the Governor’s Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs in the state of Maryland. With a focus on civic engagement, Young hopes to engage citizens in dialogue, promoting community vibrancy.

Jarrett Stoltzfus (Chinese, from Hong Kong, Prince George’s County)

Jessie Su (Chinese, Baltimore County) – Associate Director of Alumni Relations at Johns Hopkins Carey Business School by day. She is also one of the AAPI Advisory Council members of Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and serves as a Board member for Art with A heart, a non-profit organization in Baltimore that enhances the lives of people in need through visual art programs. She has been involved in Baltimore Sister City Committee since 2015 and co-started Chinese American Parents Association Baltimore Area with several local Chinese American parents since 2023. Jessie lives in Baltimore County with her husband and two daughters.

Tho Tran (Vietnamese, Montgomery County)

Cecilia Vergara (Filipino, Frederick County) – is chief financial officer at both the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce and the Montgomery County Chamber Community Foundation. She has worked as a finance leader for several nonprofit organizations focused on business advocacy, Veteran’s training, youth empowerment and social service organizations.  She also volunteers with an orphanage and health center.

Roxanne Yamashita, PhD (Polynesian, Montgomery County)

Lili Zhang (Chinese, Howard County)