Our Team
Susan (Sue) Au-Young | President
Sue is a nationally recognized Senior Mortgage Professional and Financial Wellness Strategist with over 30 years of trusted experience. Guided by a global perspective and an entrepreneurial spirit, Sue is a visionary leader and community influencer dedicated to fostering community unity and helping businesses thrive. Early in her career, Sue focused entirely on building deep, lasting relationships. This signature “Focus + Network” approach enables her to uncover exclusive cross-border opportunities and create custom, long-term wealth strategies for individuals, families, and businesses alike.
As a longtime leader with local chambers and policy committees, Sue is a trusted voice on navigating changing markets, giving business owners the practical economic tools they need to stay resilient. She is equally passionate about building vibrant communities—whether co-mobilizing emergency helicopter supply lines during the 2021 Abbotsford floods or driving a wide range of local volunteer causes. Her knack for building meaningful partnerships earned national Corporate Social Responsibility recognition, which funded the Asian North American History Timeline Project and advanced multicultural media representation.
Sue and her team are deeply dedicated to empowering the next generation of leaders. Recently, she has been working behind the scenes to build dynamic new collaboration spaces that connect people across the region’s fastest-growing industries—bridging professionals across Clean Energy & Tech, Advanced Manufacturing, Transportation & Logistics, and Digital Media & Entertainment. Her insights as a premier entrepreneurial voice have been highlighted on Canada’s Podcast, where she shared her strategic approach to building wealth through focused networking.
To further elevate multicultural narratives, her team is also launching a landmark digital storytelling initiative and the highly anticipated VanNextGen Voices podcast. Known for her competitive, high-energy drive, Sue stays sharp outside of work through a disciplined passion for tennis, golf, road cycling, pickleball, and an active, multi-sport lifestyle.
Iven K.S. Tse | Senior Vice President Legal Counsel
Gary Ma | Senior Vice President
Stan Lowe | Senior Vice President of Operations
Brandon Au-Young | Treasurer
Ben Hum | Senior Advisory Board Member
Ky Co | Senior Advisory Board Member
David Chu | Chief Growth Officer
David Chu is an Account Manager with the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC), where he helps entrepreneurs and business owners across Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley access financing and advisory solutions to support growth, acquisitions, innovation, and long-term business success.
Outside of his professional role, David is actively involved in the local business community. He serves on the Events Planning Steering Committee with the Greater Langley Chamber of Commerce and is a member of the Chamber’s newly established Langley Asia Pacific Business Network Steering Committee. The Network was created to engage Langley’s growing and diverse business community through programming, connections, and advocacy, bringing together professionals, entrepreneurs, and business leaders, particularly those representing Asia Pacific communities, to strengthen relationships and foster collaboration across industries.
David also serves on the Innovation & Industry Advisory Committee for the Surrey & White Rock Board of Trade, contributing to discussions around innovation, technology adoption, manufacturing, sustainability, and economic competitiveness. In addition, he is a Committee Member and Judge for the Surrey & White Rock Business Excellence Awards of 2025 and 2026, helping recognize outstanding businesses and entrepreneurs in the community.
Passionate about entrepreneurship and community development, David enjoys connecting business owners with strategic partners, resources, and opportunities that help businesses grow while strengthening the local economic ecosystem.
Areas of Focus: Business Financing • Entrepreneurship • Business Growth • Manufacturing • Innovation • Economic Development • Community Leadership • Diversity & Inclusion • Professional Networking
Alvin Wang | Advisory Board Member
is a dynamic engineering consultant, entrepreneur, and workforce strategist based in western Canada. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Materials Engineering from McMaster University, paving the way for a prominent career in the Canadian energy sector. Alvin has managed multi-million dollar infrastructure and compression portfolios for major organizations including TC Energy (formerly TransCanada) and SA Energy Group. He currently serves as a vital infrastructure project consultant for FortisBC, overseeing core compliance and structural operations for major regional pipelines like the Eagle Mountain–Woodfibre Gas Pipeline (EGP) Project. Driven by an entrepreneurial spirit, Alvin expanded his footprint from heavy industry into human resources by launching the Burnaby, British Columbia territory for Express Employment Professionals. As a franchise owner, he acts as a direct conduit for local workforce solutions, matching regional talent with high-demand placements in administration, trades, and professional sectors. By marrying technical project delivery with specialized executive recruitment, Alvin has established himself as a versatile business leader in the Metro Vancouver region. He is uniquely equipped to empower the next generation of Asian-Canadian professionals by sharing actionable strategies on corporate scaling, engineering project management, and the realities of modern business franchise ownership.
Merryjoy Funchica Nicolas – Director of Global Corporate Engagement
is a business development and people-focused leader whose work spans higher education, talent development, and community engagement. As Business Development Manager at University Canada West, she brings a relationship-driven approach to institutional growth, student outreach, and partnership building. A UCW alumna with academic training in human resources and business administration, and a member of CPHR BC, her professional path reflects a sustained commitment to inclusive leadership and professional advancement. Her earlier roles as Peer Leader, Senior Peer Leader, and Unibuddy Ambassador also speak to a strong foundation in student engagement and mentorship. As a board director of NAAAP Vancouver, she brings an energetic, people-centred perspective shaped by education, leadership development, and a commitment to supporting emerging professionals.
Jessica Chan | Director of Strategic Narrative
is a pragmatic, business-minded Corporate-Commercial Lawyer at Torkin Manes LLP in Toronto, Ontario. She leverages an untraditional background across media, publishing, and real estate to advise startups and mid-sized companies on strategic commercial arrangements, corporate restructuring, acquisitions, and divestitures. Prior to her legal career, Jessica served as Editor-in-Chief of Ricepaper Magazine, working closely with founder Jim Wong-Chu to develop Asian Canadian writing as a new literary genre. Deeply committed to professional advocacy and community leadership, Jessica serves as a Director and Vice-President (Internal) of the Federation of Asian Canadian Lawyers (FACL) Ontario. She is also the Director of Communications and Strategic Narrative for NAAAP, driving the organization’s storytelling and strategic messaging. Jessica holds a Juris Doctor from Dalhousie University and a Master of Publishing from Simon Fraser University.
Jeanne Chen | Associate, Liaison Officer
is an award-winning digital marketing strategist and the founder of Ripple Marketing. Her entrepreneurial journey began as a local food blogger, which evolved into a strategic marketing agency dedicated to amplifying Vancouver businesses. Notably, Jeanne championed the elevation and preservation of local Chinese cuisine during the pandemic. For over a decade, she has mentored youth through Junior Achievement of British Columbia. Her impactful blend of business leadership and cultural advocacy earned her a spot on BC Business’s 30 Under 30 list. Jeanne is a proud Simon Fraser University alumna.
Brian Pang | Director of Strategy & Enterprise Programming
With a proven track record as a senior leader within the interactive entertainment industry, leading cross-functional global teams to deliver over 45+ AAA game titles across world-renowned franchises, Brian is a passionate and strategic executive leader with 20+ years of deep expertise driving organizational growth, corporate strategy and operations, product development, and community advocacy.
Brian serves as the Director of Strategy & Enterprise Programming for NAAAP Vancouver. Drawing on his extensive experience as a nonprofit board director, he bridges critical gaps in the organization’s strategic planning.
A dedicated change maker for Asian North Americans, leading initiatives in professional development, equal opportunity, and youth empowerment across the US and Canada, serving on boards and leadership teams for several other nonprofit and community organizations. Brian is the proud founder of Asians in Gaming, co-Executive Director of Asian Leaders Alliance, and a co-leader of several summit series including Chinatown Solidarity, EXNW, and Remembering March 16th, all focused on community revitalization and amplifying underrepresented voices.
James Chung | Corporate Community Liaison Officer
Alongside his role as a Commercial Specialist at COIT Cleaners. He leverages his expertise in building strategic partnerships and connecting diverse networks to drive meaningful civic engagement and champion cultural representation across Greater Vancouver, the Lower Mainland, and the Fraser Valley. By building deep alliances with local organizations, corporate partners, and affiliates, James actively expands chapter visibility and advances professional growth for Asian-Canadian professionals. His core initiatives include co-hosting large-scale networking events and visibility campaigns during Asian Heritage Month and Lunar New Year to elevate Pan-Asian voices, engage regional executives in corporate diversity, and foster strategic partnerships. Additionally, he collaborates with non-profit organizations and corporate businesses to preserve cultural heritage, mobilizes volunteer teams to raise funds for regional hospital and youth foundations, and accelerates next-generation leaders into executive roles through corporate mentorship and targeted skill-building workshops.
Cherry Yang | Advisory Board Member
is a technology entrepreneur and STEM advocate dedicated to empowering emerging professionals. As the Founder and Principal Consultant of Claribase, a premier operations architecture agency, she helps businesses scale globally using custom relational databases, no-code automation, and streamlined workflows. Cherry brings this deep expertise in digital transformation to the North American Association of Asian Professionals (NAAAP) Vancouver Next Gen Advisory Board to provide strategic oversight and governance, free from operational duties. In her advisory role, Cherry focuses on driving STEM initiatives by bridging the gap between technical entrepreneurship and leadership development.
She leverages her background in building modern tech infrastructure to guide programs that equip young Asian professionals with the tactical skills and networks needed to thrive in technical sectors. Her guidance directly enhances NAAAP Vancouver Next Gen, the region’s premier platform for young professionals. Next Gen excels at merging cultural identity with professional excellence, providing a structured ecosystem for mentorship, skill-building, and senior networking. By helping the committee identify tech industry trends and design high-impact pipelines, Cherry ensures Next Gen continues to cultivate the culturally agile leaders shaping today and into the future.
Judy Chan | Global Next Gen & Strategist Specialist
With over 22 years of vast experience in academic leadership, entrepreneurial and professional coaching expertise Since 2004, she has served as an Educational Consultant & Faculty Liaison at the University of British Columbia’s (UBC) Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology (CTLT), where she develops institutional programming for faculty, post-doc fellows, and staff, with specialized interests in case-based learning, qualitative research, and holistic education. A co-author of the Educational Development Guide Series (ED Guides) and a background in protein chemist teaching food science, Judy is also an accomplished investor, entrepreneur, and UBC Internal Coach who helps clients unlock their full personal and professional potential. Deeply committed to the Asian community—a passion reflected in her family’s Richmond-based English literacy tutoring centre and her passion to help others whether it’s in the arts/culture and educational community —Judy will focus her advisory efforts on strategic planning initiatives for NAAAP. She will directly support the development of membership campaigns, Morning Mixer events, and funding pipelines from City, corporate, and donor sponsors, while overseeing core programming for the Asian Professional Network (APN), including panel engagements, virtual coaching, career path development, and mentor-mentee frameworks.
Margarett Lange | Associate, Special Projects & Events Liaison Officer
is a Outreach and Events Manager at Metro Vancouver Crime Stoppers and a seasoned community engagement professional with more than 30 years of experience across hospitality, tourism, film, and nonprofit work. Her career reflects a sustained commitment to public-facing leadership, partnership development, and cause-driven outreach, with a strong emphasis on building trust and civic participation. In her current role, she works closely with community and law-enforcement partners to strengthen public awareness, crime prevention, and regional engagement. As a board director of NAAAP Vancouver, she brings extensive experience in events, stakeholder relations, and community trust-building, along with a longstanding dedication to service and public impact.
Saleh Tjandra | Associate Liaison Officer (Asean Countries to Canada)
Richmond-based entrepreneur and international trade expert, Saleh specializes in building commercial bridges between Canada and Southeast Asia. He has facilitated high-level trade operations, including importing consumer goods for major retailers. Alongside his entrepreneurial ventures, he serves as the VP of Trade Development for the Canada Indonesia Diaspora Society (CIDS). Saleh holds a Mechanical Engineering degree from the University of Alberta and a Culinary Arts diploma from the Art Institute of Vancouver, offering a unique blend of technical acumen and operational excellence. At NAAAP, he leverages his deep corporate networks to drive international strategic initiatives, foster cross-border collaborations, and champion the 2026–2027 membership growth campaign.
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