Our Staff
Nancy Yap
Executive Director
Pronouns: She/Her
Nancy Yap is the Executive Director of the Center for Asian Americans United for Self Empowerment (CAUSE), a nonprofit organization that is committed to advancing the political and civic engagement of leaders in the Asian and Pacific Islander (API) community. Through this role at CAUSE, Nancy brings her experience working in Asian and Pacific Islander communities for over 20 years with a focus on strategic planning, community partnerships, curriculum design, programs facilitation, and executive leadership development.
Prior to CAUSE, she was the Vice President of Development at LEAP (Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics). She also owned her own artist management business representing spoken word and hip-hop artists, including poets from the 2003 Tony Award-winning “Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry Jam on Broadway.”
Outside of CAUSE, she is a Member of the Board of Los Angeles Building and Safety Commissioners, appointed by Mayor Karen Bass and confirmed by the Los Angeles City Council. She is actively involved in the Little Tokyo community as a previous President of the Arts District Little Tokyo Neighborhood Council and the Co-Founder of two programs in Little Tokyo, Community Feeding Community, which raised over $200,000 for small businesses during Covid-19 closures, and Haunted Little Tokyo, which brings thousands of people to the neighborhood each year.
Heather Sit
Director of Strategic Operations
Pronouns: She/Her
As the Director of Strategic Operations, Heather plays a critical role in driving organizational effectiveness, adaptability, impact, and innovation. She oversees CAUSE’s operational strategies and day-to-day operations functions, ensuring alignment with CAUSE’s mission and vision. She is excited to work with CAUSE to scale the organization, leveraging its strengths and developing staff to build greater access to opportunities for APIs and their advocates.
Heather brings over 15 years of strategic leadership, corporate governance, and operational expertise. Her track record includes founding and scaling multiple organizations across industries, including consulting, tech, law and policy, and media and entertainment. Prior to CAUSE, she was the founding Head of Product at United Talent Agency and COO of rheli.co, Inc., spearheading internal effectiveness, productivity, and staff development efforts. She is a former advisor to the board of Innovate@UCLA, an organization connecting IT industry leaders with UCLA faculty and students to inspire innovation and positive disruption. She has built teams from 0 to 100 and secured multi-million dollar revenues.
She is also a trained poll watcher through the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, a legal observer through the National Lawyers Guild, and a lifelong member of Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity. In law school, she interned with the Massachusetts Tax Fairness Commission, the Massachusetts Joint Committee on Revenue, and the Boston Municipal Court.
Beyond her work at CAUSE, Heather serves as a facilitator and planning committee member for Women in Product’s PM Cooperative for Mid-Career Growth. She is a leadership coach and consultant to SMBs. Additionally, she holds Advisory Council positions with UCR’s Women in Leadership program and Harvard Business Review.
Farrah Su
Senior Communications Manager
Pronouns: She/They
As Senior Communications Manager, Farrah advances the work CAUSE is producing through creative and innovative marketing strategies. She is excited to work with CAUSE to continue engaging and fostering the API community through political and civic empowerment.
Prior to CAUSE, Farrah worked with various non-profit organizations that serve AANHPI communities, such as APIFM (Asian Pacific Islander Forward Movement), Visual Communications, and LEAP (Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics). Most recently, she served as a Production Coordinator and executed a six part video series to promote AANHPI engagement in the 2020 Census, produced by Visual Communications in collaboration with APIELA (Asian Pacific Islander Equality Los Angeles), and EPIC (Empowering Pacific Islander Communities).
Farrah graduated from Chapman University with a Bachelor’s in Film Production and freelances as a photographer and filmmaker during her spare time.
Denise Aquino
Communications Associate
Pronouns: She/They
Denise Aquino is the Communications Associate providing enthusiastic collaboration and support to the Senior Communications Manager at CAUSE. She is excited to work at CAUSE to cultivate community engagement, coalition building, and to empower the API voices through various political and civic engagement initiatives.
Before becoming a member of the CAUSE team, Denise gained valuable experience working with AJSOCAL (Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California), an organization dedicated to serving the AANHPI communities. This experience has provided her with a deep understanding of the diverse needs and challenges faced by various communities.
Coby Nguyen
Programs Coordinator
Pronouns: He/Him
As Programs Coordinator, Coby works to produce the events and programs hosted by CAUSE, including the Summer Soirée and Haunted Little Tokyo. He’s enthusiastic about creating spaces and opportunities for folks of different backgrounds to feel excited to engage with their community and the communities around them.
Prior to joining CAUSE, Coby worked to facilitate engagement and partnerships within his community. He was the Producer of a $50,000+ cultural show, he organized his community’s Mid-Autumn and Lunar New Year festivals, and he coordinated special events for the 2023 Viet Film Festival.
Coby graduated from UC Berkeley with a BA in Political Science and a minor in Data Science.
Andrea Mac
Programs Coordinator
Pronouns: She/Her
Andrea is a passionate advocate for addressing accessibility issues and fostering civic engagement among AAPI communities in Los Angeles. Born and raised in LA, Andrea has actively collaborated with multiple nonprofit organizations to uplift underrepresented and marginalized voices—whether by tabling for voter registration in AAPI communities or conducting her undergraduate thesis on the geospatial and racial distribution of 2024 primary election vote center locations across LA County. Andrea is excited to continue this work with CAUSE, where she will explore the intersection of policy, data research, leadership development, and community engagement to drive impactful change and foster stronger, more informed communities.
Beyond her work with CAUSE, Andrea dedicates her efforts to the Ivory Bridges Foundation, where she assists in paving a pathway to an equitable future for first-generation college students through 1-on-1 coaching in wellness, financial literacy, and professional career development.
Andrea graduated from Pomona College with a BA in Public Policy Analysis-Economics.
Isalys De La Rosa
Programs Coordinator
Pronouns: She/Her
As Programs Coordinator, Isalys De La Rosa plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of AAPI leadership. Isalys is dedicated to nurturing the next generation of leaders, providing them with the tools, guidance, and inspiration they need to make a lasting impact. Isalys is passionate about ensuring that AAPI voices are heard and valued at all levels of government. She believes that adequate representation is not just a goal, but a necessity to address the unique needs and perspectives of the AAPI community. Through her work, Isalys hopes to not only empower the leaders of tomorrow but also pave the way for a more inclusive and equitable political landscape.
During her time at UC Irvine, Isalys spent years coordinating mentorship programs at both the college and high school level. Her work has been instrumental in helping students navigate their educational journeys, discover their passions, and develop the skills necessary to become effective leaders in their communities.
Isalys graduated from UC Irvine with a BA in Political Science and a minor in Sociology.
Jackie Wu
Political Communications Consultant
Pronouns: She/Her
Jackie Wu is an experienced consultant who specializes in multicultural civic engagement, communications, and outreach in Orange County. Jackie's past work experiences include working for the Orange County Registrar of Voters, Orange County Asian & Pacific Islander Community Alliance (OCAPICA), the City of Palos Verdes Estates, and the California State Senate. Having worked in nonprofit advocacy and government agencies of differing levels allows Jackie to develop innovative and resourceful solutions to voting and election challenges that take multiple perspectives into consideration. Jackie is a graduate of UC Irvine with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and holds a certificate in Advanced Public Engagement for Local Government from Pepperdine University and in Applied Compassion from Stanford University.