Join Our Board of Directors
Do you want to be a part of shaping our local and community media? Do you have a unique perspective and background that can contribute to the IE’s direction? The IE is now seeking motivated people to join our board of directors.
To inquire, please send a letter of interest and a resume to [email protected].
SuJ’n Chon (President) is the principal at Novum Lux Consulting, specializing in supporting grassroots groups and nonprofits led by people of the global majority. With over 30 years of experience in the nonprofit and public sectors, SuJ’n offers a variety of capacity-building services, including resource mobilization, organizational development, community-based research, and strategic planning. A Seattle native, SuJ’n has strong ties to the community, having spent Sundays in the Chinatown-International District as a child. As an artist, writer, and curator, SuJ’n co-founded IDEA Odyssey, a visual arts collective in C-ID. She also programs for the Seattle International Film Festival’s Asian Crossroads and New American Cinema programs and has contributed as an arts and film writer for the Examiner. SuJ’n lives on the Swinomish Reservation in rural Skagit County with Han and their three cats, Boba, Cleo, and Misty.
Sian Wu (Vice President) has over two decades of experience in writing and communications, at Resource Media, a nonprofit creative change agency in Seattle and at the International Examiner as a contributing writer and board member. Fundamental to her approach to her work is leveraging cultural power for community engagement and social change. In her role as the managing director of Resource Media, a nonprofit creative change agency, she is a trusted partner for community health partners in the Seattle, King County region, providing communications capacity for video and content production, advertising, earned media and social promotion, while staying attuned to the needs, messaging and bandwidth for BIPOC-led organizations. She continuously expands and improves her approaches as an instructor of multicultural marketing at the University of Washington’s CommLead program. As a part of her solidarity work to support communities directly, she is a board member for AMT Up 3D, a Black-led nonprofit that fosters wellness, leadership and economic opportunities through the sport of double dutch. Her current and past clients include the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Public Health, Seattle & King County, Center for Multicultural Health, Asian Law Caucus, International Community Health Services and the Department of Energy and EPA under the Obama administration.
Bunthay Cheam (Treasurer) is a 1.5-generation Khmer refugee born in the Khao-I-Dang refugee camp. He grew up in Seattle and graduated from the University of Washington. He co-founded the Khmer Anti-Deportation Advocacy Group (KhAAG) and is a Program Manager at the Port of Seattle. Bunthay was also part of the inaugural cohort for the IE’s Advocacy Journalism Fellowship Program which led to bylines in Crosscut, KUOW, the South Seattle Emerald and more.
Joan Yoshitomi (Secretary) retired from the Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) as the Director of the Center for the Improvement of Student Learning. Previously she directed the Policy and Partnership Unit of OSPI, which is the state legislative liaison operations of the agency. Joan has worked in the public sector for more than 24 years. Prior to working for the state, she managed the agenda of the King County Executive Gary Locke and the executive staff; as well as, coordinated the community outreach activities for the executive office. She worked for the Seattle Public School District as their state legislative liaison, developing, monitoring and moving education legislation. As Chief Deputy Comptroller for the City of Seattle, Joan was responsible for the staffing and management of the financial systems of the city and the operation of the City Clerk’s office.
Joan is a graduate of the University of Washington. She has been actively involved in both local community activities and Asian Pacific Islander community issues. She completed two terms as former Governors Gardner’s and Lowry’s appointment to the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges. Served on the YMCA Youth And Government Board and Wing Luke Museum Board. She is currently serving on the Executive Council of the National board of The Center for Asian and Pacific American Women as well as Vice President of the Chinese Information and Service Center board in Seattle.
Bailey Medilo (At Large) is the Digital and Communications Organizer at the Washington Bus, a statewide movement building organization that increases political access and participation for young people across Washington State and develops the next generation of young leaders. They are a young Southeast Seattle-based economic justice and anti-war organizer, who works at the intersections of climate justice, international organizing, and workers’ rights—being one of the founders of the successful Raise The Wage Renton campaign and a member of Anakbayan South Seattle. In their free time, they are a published fiction and non-fiction writer, independent video game developer, and an amateur poster collector.
Crystal Ng (At Large) works in real estate development for Seattle Chinatown International District Preservation Development Authority (SCIDpda) and advocates for creating more affordable housing in the CID. Prior to joining SCIDpda, she was part of the development management team at Pine Street Group, which was responsible for the Seattle Convention Center – The Summit project that opened in 2022. Crystal holds a Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design from Seattle University, and a Master of Business Administration from Pepperdine University.
Carole Hsiao (At-Large), PhD, was born and raised in Seattle, WA by Chinese refugees. She is a former educator focused on creating pathways for marginalized peoples to access meaningful spaces for learning and joy and disrupting external and internal silencing. She has worked in many schools and community-based institutions. Her research looked at the importance of the arts for underserved middle school girls of color. Carole is also a writer and visual artist. Her current written work explores the politics, history and culture around filial piety and her name and has been supported by Roots Wounds Words, VONA and Anaphora Arts. In the spring of 2025, Carole joined the board of the International Examiner to support free speech and ensure that the Asian American community in the greater Seattle area has access to one another and the pressing issues that impact our lives.
Lomash Sharma (At Large) was born and raised in India, where he grew up speaking six languages across cultural and regional contexts. Now based in Seattle, he is an Informatics honors student at the University of Washington, focusing on Information Management and Biomedical-Health Informatics. His work centers on tech equity and user-centered research. Lomash has led equity initiatives across campus, serving as President of iQueeries, a 2SLGBTQIA+ affinity group at UW the Information School, and previously as DEI Coordinator for the UW School of Pharmacy. After graduating from United Way of King County’s Project LEAD—a nonprofit board training program grounded in racial equity and strategic governance—Lomash joined the International Examiner board in 2025.
Bruce Miyahara (At Large) is the first Director of the International Community Health Services(originally named as the International District Community Health Center.) Bruce has a Masters of Health Administration from the University of Washington, and has served as the Secretary of Health for Washington State, and has held numerous management positions in Public Health Seattle King County. After leaving government public health, Bruce has been a management consultant in public health focusing on organizational development and strategic planning. After graduating Franklin High School in 1970, Bruce spent a couple years with Nine Lives, a local funk/rock band. Since retiring in 2016, Bruce’s hobby has been volunteering with chefs and restaurants.
Sharon Ho Chang 張曉倫 (she/her/她) (At Large) is an award-winning author, journalist, and senior communications leader with over a decade of experience advancing community-driven and social impact work. She specializes in aligning narrative and storytelling with mission and strategy to support systems change, with a focus on elevating historically underrepresented voices. Sharon currently serves as a senior communications strategist at Degrees of Change, and as a strategic communications manager at Social Justice Fund Northwest. She brings community-centered, data-informed insight to her work, along with a strong commitment to equity, inclusion, and cross-cultural engagement.
Past Board Members:
