Staff and Board
AIISF Board
President Buck Gee
Vice President Katherine Toy
Treasurer Michael Hardeman
Secretary Larry Low
Advisory Board
Dale Minami
Judy Yung
Staff
Buck Gee
Mr. Gee is President of the Board of the Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation. He also a board member of Ascend/Northern California and founded Ascend’s Corporate Executive Initiative, an organization of Asian corporate executives in the Bay Area. He serves on the Nominating Committee for the Chinese Historical Society of America and the Donor Advisory Committee for the Silicon Valley Community Foundation. He also serves on the advisory boards of Teranetics, a start-up IC developer, and Valladium, a start-up internet shopping web developer.
Mr. Gee retired from Cisco Systems in 2008, where he had served as Vice President and General Manager of Cisco’s Datacenter Business Unit. Prior to that role, he was President and CEO of Andiamo Systems, a storage area networking (SAN) switch supplier acquired by Cisco in 2004. He received BS/MSEE degrees from Stanford in 1972 and an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1980.
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Jeffery Lee, DDS
Dr. Jeffery Lee is a 4th generation Chinese American. He is the youngest of 5 children born and raised in Oakland, California. His wife, Susan, is a pharmacist. Dr. Lee’s son, Jeff, is a Johns Hopkins undergraduate and graduate school student in Biomedical Engineering and Computer Science. His daughter, Kathryn, is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania in Psychology, Biological Basis of Behavior, and Health Management (Wharton School).Jeffery earned an undergraduate degree from the University of California, Berkeley and graduate DDS degree from Loyola University, School of Dentistry, Chicago in 1974.
Dr. Lee is in private dental practice treating adults and children since 1975 in San Jose, California.
Since 1991, Dr. Lee has been a member of the Committee of 100, a national organization of Chinese Americans whose mission is to build and improve relations between the United States and Greater China. He is also a Founding Board Member of Self Help for the Elderly (SHE), San Mateo and former Director, Self Help for the Elderly. SHE services over 25,000 seniors in San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties and has an annual operating budget of over $22 Million.
He is a Founding Executive Board Member, former Director and former Trustee of the Chinese Historical and Cultural Project.
Jeff is a former Director for Eastfield Ming Quong, a nonprofit focusing on assistance to youth in need. He is also a former member of the Santa Clara County General Plan Advisory Board, appointed by Congressman Michael Honda.
Dr. Lee is a Board of Director with Asian Americans for Community Involvement, the largest Asian Pacific social service nonprofit organization focusing on advocacy, education, health and human services in Santa Clara County. AACI treats over 55,000 client visits annually.
Dr. Lee currently sits on the Board of Trustees of Harker School, a private college preparatory school, K-12, San Jose, and the National Board for the Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation.
The 2008 Gordon N. Chan Leadership Award was presented to Dr. Lee at the Asian Americans for Community Involvement’s 35th Anniversary Gala. He was also honored with the 2005 President’s Award from the Chinese Historical and Cultural Project for his community service on local and national levels.
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Michael Hardeman
Michael Hardeman retired in 2011 as the Business Representative/Political Director of the Sign, Display and Allied Crafts Local Union #510. He has also served as President and Vice-President of the San Francisco Port Commission. Mr. Hardeman is a former member of the Executive Committee of the San Francisco Labor Council and was a member of the San Francisco Convention & Visitors Bureau (now called the San Francisco Travel Association).
He is a third-generation San Franciscan and an Angel Island Immigration Station descendant. His parents emigrated from Russia and entered the United States through Angel Island.
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Anne A. Chen
Anne A. Chen is a third-generation Angel Island Immigration Station descendant. Her maternal grandparents immigrated from Zhongshan, China and entered the United States through Angel Island.
Ms. Chen is founder and managing principal of Quantum Success, LLC, a business consulting firm in the greater Portland, Oregon area. Previously, she was Senior Vice President of Marketing and New Business at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry and Vice President Business Development/CFO at Oregon3D. She also has 10 years of experience at Sony Pictures Entertainment and Sony Computer Entertainment America where she worked with the PlayStation® Computer Entertainment System and PlayStation.com. She earned an undergraduate degree in Business Administration from the University of California, Berkeley, an MBA from the University of California, Los Angeles and is a licensed CPA.
Her other nonprofit activities include working with pro bono clients, such as Dress for Success and their strategic plan, and fundraising the past 6 years for Doernbecher’s Children Hospital, which is affiliated with Oregon Health & Science University. She currently serves as Secretary for Oswego Friends of Doernbecher and has also worked on the annual Heart of Doernbecher Auction, the largest fundraiser for the hospital.
John Cu
John Cu is a partner and chair of Hanson Bridgett's Diversity Committee. He is trial lawyer and litigator with over 20 jury trials to verdict. John's litigation practice involves commercial litigation and business risk management, including strategic planning, pre-litigation counsel, alternative dispute resolution, and trial. In the business litigation area, John handles matters involving contract disputes, financial market disputes, shareholder matters, unfair competition and fiduciary duty claims, and corporate and partnership dissolution actions, serving clients in the financial, retail and arts/entertainment industries, and environmental and toxic issues.
John has also served as general counsel to various emerging and start-up companies, ranging in industries from software, telecommunications, mobile service, e-commerce, and retail, to name a few. Prior to joining Hanson Bridgett, John served as a deputy district attorney for the County of Contra Costa, where he served as acting supervisor of the misdemeanor trial team for the Western Division of the County. John has a J.D. from the University of San Diego School of Law and a B.A. from the University of British Columbia.
Henry Der
Henry Der is a senior program officer at the Four Freedoms Fund, a national funders’ collaborative housed at the Public Interest Projects, Inc. He is working with immigrant rights groups across the nation to advance immigrant integration, including the legalization of 12 million undocumented immigrants, and defense of rights. Return to top
Heather Fong
Born and raised in San Francisco, Heather Fong served as Chief of Police in San Francisco from 2004 to 2009. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of San Francisco and a Master's degree in Social Work from San Francisco State University. She was sworn in as a Police Officer in 1977, and worked through the ranks of inspector, sergeant, lieutenant, captain, commander, deputy chief, assistant chief, acting chief and, permanent chief. She was the first woman to lead the San Francisco Police Department, and the first Asian American woman to head a major metropolitan city police force.
Heather Fong received a number of awards including the Women of Achievement Award from Legal Momentum; the Leadership, Courage and Commitment Award and also the Women Warrior Award from the Pacific Asian American Women Bay Area Coalition (PAAWBAC); Outstanding Public Service Award from the Asian Pacific American Community Center; and the Officer of the Year Award from the San Francisco Police Department
Rodney Fong
Rodney A. Fong is a native San Franciscan and a third generation operator/owner of the world famous Wax Museum at Fisherman’s Wharf, where he serves as President. He also presides as President of Fong Real Estate Co., LLC, overseeing leasing and tenant concerns for the family properties, such as the 100,000 square foot Wax Museum building in the heart of historic Fisherman’s Wharf. Rodney has been working in the family owned tourist attraction and learning the business since he was a child. He always loved the family’s fascinating business and decided early on to build his career within the organization. When he finished college, he devoted himself full time to learning all phases of the family enterprises, beginning with the daily operations and management technique at the Wax Museum, a world-renowned tourist attraction. He eventually made marketing his main focus, gradually learning the concepts, strategies and procedures of that profession. Today, Rodney not only directs marketing activities for the family’s enterprises, he is actively involved in overall operational management procedures and decisions as well.
Rodney has been active and held office in a wide variety of civic, tourist and travel related organizations including the Fisherman’s Wharf Merchant’s Association, Fisherman’s Wharf Community Benefit District, Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation, and California Travel Industry Association. Rodney served on the San Francisco Port Commission from 2006 to 2010 and has served on the San Francisco Planning Commission since 2010. He is also the former chair of the San Francisco Convention and Visitor’s Bureau. Rodney is also the Director of the Fong Family Foundation, a philanthropic organization created by his grandparents to benefit many worthwhile social services in the City.
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Ming Hsu
Commissioner Hsu is a Consultant on international business. She is a Senior Advisor to the NOL Group and a Director of the J.T. Tai & Co. Foundation and a Director of the Committee of 100.
Hsu is a former Commissioner of the Federal Maritime Commission, appointed by former President George H.W. Bush and confirmed by the US Senate in 1990. She served in this capacity until January 2000. As Commission, she held many meetings with China’s Ministry of Communications which culminated in the US-China Maritime Bilateral Agreement. She represented US maritime interests in dealing with the European Union and delivered Keynote speeches in London, Rotterdam and Amsterdam. She also played a crucial role in the passage and implementation of the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 1998.
Prior to her service as FMC Commissioner, she was a Vice President of RCA Corp. (now GE) where she held a variety of positions in the areas of international marketing and planning. She led the first delegation visit to Beijing in 1978 and has made over fifty business trips to China since then.
She is the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including the Maritime Medal of Freedom, the Eisenhower Award for Meritorious Service, the Woman of the Year Award, Asian American Professional Woman’s Association, Philbrook Award, and Woman’s Political Caucus and is listed in Who’s Who in American Politics and Who’s Who in America.
A naturalized American, Hsu was born in Beijing, China and has lived throughout Asia. She is a Summa Cum Laude Graduate of George Washington University and member of Phi Beta Kappa. At New York University, she was a Penfield Fellow for International Law. Hsu is a recipient of the George Washington University Alumni Achievement Award and holds several honorary degrees.
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Lawrence B. Low
Lawrence B. Low is the Chief Legal Officer of Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP. As the Chief Legal Officer, Larry is responsible for strategic planning and managing the firm’s global legal affairs, including matters relating to governance, litigation, contracts, insurance, ethics, risk management, human resources and compliance. In addition to his responsibilities to the firm, Larry represents public and private emerging growth companies, and venture capital funds in a broad range of industries including, energy, semiconductors, internet, software and consumer products. He has extensive experience in venture financings, public offerings, mergers and acquisitions, and advises companies and investors in cross border transactions involving Asia. Larry is a frequent lecturer and has published numerous articles on corporate finance matters. He also has leadership roles in numerous professional and civic organizations, and was appointed by President Clinton in 1995 as one of four U.S. representatives to serve on the panel of arbitrators of the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes.
Katherine Toy
An educator by training, Katherine Toy’s passion for the Angel Island Immigration Station project comes from years of work with her students to discover their own immigrant and migrant stories, and from her own firm belief that “everyday people make history every day.” A fifth-generation Chinese American, Ms. Toy’s own ancestors traveled frequently between the United States and China in the early twentieth century, subjecting them to the interrogation faced by all Chinese during the era of exclusion. Ms. Toy has been involved with the work of the Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation for more than a decade, serving as the organization’s first Executive Director and now as a member of the Board of Directors. Ms. Toy holds a bachelor and a master’s degree from Stanford University where she now works to engage alumni in positions of volunteer leadership
Gerrye Wong
Gerrye Wong is the author of Chinese in San Jose and Santa Clara Valley and Eternal Spring. She is also the columnist for Asian Week and Hokubei Mainchi Daily News. The Co-Founder of Chinese Historical & Cultural Project and Chi Am Circle Women’s Club, she is a fourth generation Chinese American in California and is passionate about volunteering for good causes. Gerrye is the proud golfing mother to five, an avid traveler, a 30 year veteran elementary school teacher, and a graduate of University of Michigan. Return to top
Eddie Wong
Eddie Wong became the Executive Director of the Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation in May 2008. From 2006 to 2008, he served as the Strategy and Investment Principal for Media and Advisor on Social Justice for the Democracy Alliance, a network of progressive donors.
From 1996 to 2006, he served as Executive Director of the National Asian American Telecommunications Association (now known as the Center for Asian American Media), a non-profit organization which funds, produces, presents and distributes Asian American and Asian films for PBS and produces the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival. He was nominated for a regional Emmy award in 2004 as Executive Producer for the PBS series, “Searching for Asian America.” He has also written, directed and produced several documentary films.
Eddie is a UCLA graduate with a BA and MFA from School of Fine Arts Motion Picture and Television Program. He was also co-founder of Visual Communications, the nation’s first Asian American film production company. Return to top
Grant Din
Grant Din is Director of Special Projects at AIISF, where he is working on the Immigrant Heritage Wall campaign, other resource development efforts and on research and educational projects. He has over 25 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, including 18 years at Asian Neighborhood Design in San Francisco in resource development and management positions.
An avid family history researcher and genealogist for over twenty years, Grant has traced his grandparents' and other relatives' lives including their stays at Angel Island. He loves to help others learn more about their family histories and always seeks to learn new ways to find information. He and fellow researchers are starting to develop a Chinese American Genealogical Society.
Grant serves on the boards of the Marcus Foster Education Fund and Mu Films, and is a former member of several other local and national boards. He has a B.A. from Yale University, an M.A. from Claremont Graduate University, and is a graduate of the Coro Fellows Program in Public Affairs. Grant and his family live in Oakland, and he enjoys helping with his children's schools and sports teams. To see some of his family research, visit www.tonaidin.net.
Julie Phuong
Julie Phuong has been with Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation since May 2008 where she works as the Administrative Coordinator. Prior to joining AIISF staff she worked with the Chinese Culture Center of San Francisco for 3 years working on administration, various cultural enrichment programs and leading tours in San Francisco Chinatown.
Julie has B.A. from UC Berkeley and is interested in Asian American art, culture, and history. Return to top