The International Examiner

Heather Villanueva (Interim President) is the former Business Manager at the Minority Executive Directors Coalition (MEDC) of King County and a member of the King County Civil Rights Commission. She received her BA from the University of Washington in American Ethnic Studies in 2003 and became associated with the ACLU as a field intern in 2004. Heather was formerly an IE intern in photojournalism. She currently works in the Public Affairs department at SEIU 775, a homecare worker’s union, and is currently the Chair of the King County Civil Rights Commission.

Gary Iwamoto (Vice President/Treasurer) is a grantwriter, nonpracticing attorney, playwright, creative writer, and conducts student disciplinary hearings and section 504 hearings for the Seattle School District. He was a member of Gordon Hirabayashi’s coram nobis legal team, which successfully overturned Hirabayashi’s World War II convictions for violating exclusion and curfew orders. As a playwright, he wrote “Miss Minidoka 1942,” the first play which the Northwest Asian American Theatre produced at the Theatre Off Jackson. He has been connected with the Examiner as a writer/volunteer since 1974.

Ammara Kimso is second generation Khmer American, and an American Ethnic Studies major from the University of Washington.  She was born in Long Beach, California and grew up in South Seattle and Tukwila.  She has worked with the Wing Luke Museum for six years in the education department.  Her community involvements also expands to the Khmer community and other community organizations through organizing, programs, projects and events. Ammara is currently Chair of the Seattle scholarship committee for the national Nisei Student Relocation Commemorative Fund, which awards outstanding Southeast Asian high school seniors to attend college.

Arlene Oki works for the City of Seattle Human Services Department as a Planning & Development Specialist for the Homeless Intervention & Block Grant Administration. She is active with the Nikkei Heritage Association and was board president of the Japanese American Citizens League. A long-time activist in the Asian American community, Arlene has also been involved with the IE as a contributing writer.

Cindy Domingo is legislative aide to King County Councilmember Larry Gossett. Previous to that, Cindy worked for 10 years as program manager at Central Area Motivation Program (CAMP). Other organizations she is or has been involved with: Church Council of Greater Seattle, N.W. Labor and Employment Law Office (LELO), Chair, and Every Woman’s Movement for Cuba.

Angela Garbes is a freelance writer for a number of publications. Formerly in advertising sales, Angela was also editor of a nonprofit poetry press.

Alison Alfonzo Pence has been a community activist for over 30 years. She works on issues that affect immigrant, refugee and undocumented families. Currently, she works with the Children’s Alliance Public Policy Council, Pacific Asian Empowerment Program and South King Council of Human Services. When she is not working in the community Alison plays her ukulele with the Nikkei Concerns Kimochi Band.

Andy Yip was born and raised in Hong Kong. He moved to Seattle in 1995 with his family to further his education. After his graduation from the University of Washington, he was recruited by Prudential Financial to lead a diversity effort in the Pacific Northwest. In 2008, Andy saw the opportunity and became independent and started his firm in Mercer Island with his partner, with a focus on financial and estate planning. Andy now lives in Bellevue with his wife, Elizabeth, his son and daughter. Andy also serves on the following community organizations:

• Executive Advisor – National Association of Asian American Professionals – Seattle Chapter
• Interim Executive Director, International Community Health Services Foundation
• Board Member, Newcastle Chamber of Commerce
• Advisor, Collaborative Artists EastWest