Washington, D.C. — Thu Nguyen will serve as the next executive director of OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates, one of the nation's oldest Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) civil rights organizations announced Monday.
Nguyen, a proud Houstonian and the daughter of Vietnamese refugees, currently serves as OCA’s deputy executive director. She will assume the new role on November 1, following a rigorous selection process spearheaded by the OCA Executive Committee.
“We are thrilled to have Thu take on the role of executive director,” said OCA’s National President Linda Ng. “Since her first day at OCA, she has brought an exceptional combination of proven experience and infectious enthusiasm that has allowed our organization to thrive. All of us stand firmly behind her as she shapes our advocacy work to be more inclusive, intentional, and impactful.”
“Thu began her journey as an intern with the OCA-Greater Houston chapter, and it has been a joy to see her rise as part of the next generation of AAPI leaders,” said OCA’s Chief Executive Officer Ken Lee. “Having been an intern, chapter board member, national staff member, and deputy executive director, she has a deep understanding of OCA’s history and values. Amid a heartbreaking year for our communities, I have confidence that she will work to advance an inclusive, positive vision that supports the most vulnerable and voiceless.”
"I am honored to have the opportunity to lead OCA into the future," said Nguyen. "When I became a chapter member in college, OCA became my family away from home. I have found mentors, friends, and co-conspirators for my advocacy here along with my hobbies in food and art. These are the kinds of connections that I hope everyone who engages with OCA will experience. From grassroots organizing to conversations around the digital divide to participation in the arts, I look forward to growing OCA into a more intergenerational, multidisciplinary social justice organization.”
On Monday, OCA also announced that its chief executive Ken Lee, who joined the nonprofit in 1997 as president of its Georgia chapter, will transition into the honorary role of CEO Emeritus. Lee will continue to advise OCA’s senior leadership, focus on special long-term projects, and maintain long-term relationships with OCA’s corporate partners, while stepping away from general operations.
After working 37 years as one of the highest-ranking Asian Americans at UPS and spending nearly a decade on OCA’s Executive Council beginning in 2001, Lee served as OCA’s National President from 2009 to 2012 before being named as CEO. He currently chairs the Comcast NBCUniversal Asian Diversity Advisory Council and is a member of other advisory bodies at Charter, AT&T, and T-Mobile.
“Since becoming CEO at the end of 2013, I have enjoyed watching the development of many of our great OCA staff over the years,” Lee said. “Stepping into the position of CEO Emeritus will allow me to be a financial advisor to OCA and devote time to consult with both the Executive Director and the National President. I trust this organization is in very good hands with Thu and Linda, and I am proud to have served OCA over the years.”
In his honor, OCA will rename its annual Corporate Executive Excellence Award as the “Ken Lee Executive Excellence Award.” The distinction, which recognizes an AAPI executive who has demonstrated excellence in the corporate sector and has also taken a leading role in a nonprofit, is given at OCA’s Corporate Achievement Awards Gala every October. Lee was the first executive to receive the recognition following its creation in 2013.
