Our Staff
Nancy Yap
Executive Director
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.
Farrah Su
Senior Communications Manager
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 APA 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.
Shanahan Europa
Senior Programs Coordinator
As Senior Programs Coordinator, Shanahan supports the Director of Programs with the execution of all CAUSE’s Leadership Programs. She is excited to work with CAUSE to help develop the next generation of civically and politically engaged leaders.
She was a 2021 CLA Intern and Fall Marketing and Communications Intern and was named a Civic Leadership U.S.A. Intern of the Year for her work on Energy Upgrade California. Prior to CAUSE, she was the Entertainment Section Editor at UCLA’s FEM Newsmagazine and President of the University Catholic Center’s LGBTQ+ Ministry Cornerstone. She is also an Outreach and Education Committee Member with API Equality-LA (APIELA).
Shanahan graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles with a Bachelor’s in English and a minor in Classical Civilization.
Coby Nguyen
Programs Coordinator
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.
Denise Aquino
Communications Assoicate
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 APA 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.
Jackie Wu
Political Communications Consultant
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.