Department of the Interior (DOI) FAPAC Chapter

Established 2017

MISSION: To support the Department of the Interior in addressing issues of interest to the DOI Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community and to foster professional development and networking among its members.


PURPOSE: The purpose of this Chapter (FAPAC-DOI) shall be to implement the goals and objectives of the national-level entity Federal Asian Pacific American Council (FAPAC) as set forth in the FAPAC-DOI bylawsFAPAC National bylaws, and in accordance with DOI Departmental Policy.

Announcements

  • Share Your Story! FAPAC-DOI Members are encouraged to share your story through the People of Interior form. Employees may be featured on DOI social media accounts.

  • Congratulations to the Future Leaders of FAPAC-DOI! 
    We are excited to announce that we have a new board for FY 2023 term.
    Read all about them in FAPAC-DOI Newsletter_September 2022.pdf!  
        • President: Martin J. Moore III, Grants Manager, Office of Insular Affairs
        • Vice President of Outreach: Michiko Squires, Data Scientist, U.S. Geological Survey
        • Vice President of Programs: Vincent Nguyen, Facility Management Systems Specialist, National Park Service
        • Vice President of Finance: Mandian WeiAuditor, Office of Natural Resources Revenue
  • Volunteers: FAPAC-DOI relies on the dedication of its members and volunteers to create an inclusive community. Support is needed in areas of communications, membership, program development, event planning, advancing diversity, and more!

MEMBER HIGHLIGHTS

Thank you FAPAC-DOI Intern, Isha Kalia

In early September 2022, Isha completed her time with us as our Summer 2022 FAPAC-DOI Intern. Isha supported FAPAC-DOI through creating our summer newsletters, advertising and organizing the FAPAC-DOI election for the FY 2023 board, and coordinating a FAPAC-DOI social! 


Isha Kalia is a rising sophomore at Stanford University studying Public Policy with a focus on Resource, Energy, and Environmental Policy. She is a second-generation Indian immigrant born and raised in Iowa. Her trips to India as a child sparked her interest in environmental justice, sustainable agriculture, and social justice and equity issues. Isha was very excited to intern for FAPAC-DOI and used her position to foster greater community within the AANHPI community at the Department of Interior.

Read more about Isha in FAPAC-DOI Newsletter_July 2022.pdf and FAPAC-DOI Newsletter_August 2022.pdf

FAPAC-DOI Intern, Ashley Chou, returns to FAPAC-DOI for FY2023

Back from summer break, Ashley will support the new board by continuing to make monthly newsletters. Welcome back Ashley! 



Our FAPAC-DOI Intern, Ashley Chou, has been instrumental in the initiation and development of our monthly newsletters! Since November 2020, when she first joined FAPAC-DOI,  Ashley has volunteered to continue contributing to our community by giving us a place to share our stories and interests, and highlight important issues for our community. 

Ashley is a Taiwanese American student living in Boston, Massachusetts. She is currently enrolled at Harvard College as a senior, majoring in History of Science with a secondary in Mind, Brain, and Behavior. Her interests include public health, British fiction, and Greco-Roman mythology. She has always striven to stay connected with her heritage, whether by volunteering as a teacher’s assistant at a local Chinese school or participating in an Asian student exchange program. 

Learn more about Ashley in FAPAC-DOI Newsletter_June 2022.pdf





Congratulations Lena Chang and Kelly Kim! 

Congratulations to our very own Lena Chang and Kelly Kim for being awarded the FAPAC 2021 Diversity Excellence Award! This award recognizes their significant contributions to the advancement and promotion of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders.

Lena and Kelly were recognized for their "Remarkable contributions towards diversity and inclusion through collaboration against all odds." Because of their outstanding efforts, Lena and Kelly were awarded the Vanguard Award on May 2021 by the DOI Connections Team! 

FAPAC-DOI "Co-Workers"


 “This is Kaio (named after Kaio-ken from Dragon Ball Z, yes). 

She is 5 years old. Like me, she is an immigrant from Southeast Asia. She is a rescue street kitten that my husband and I adopted when we worked in Manila, Philippines. At the time, she was a little less than 4 weeks old, but her mother was run over by a car and could not nurse her. She's come a long way, and she is an introverted cat with a fun-loving streak and a warm heart.”  


Thao Tran, Office of Wildland Fire, Washington, D.C.



"My “field team” is a flock of
sikie chicken crosses.
From left to right:

 Kaki, Ume, Yuzu, Momo, and Anzu.
They are very productive!"



"Bella is a rescued Ragdoll cat; I adopted her when she was 9 years old, and she’s 15 now.
She’s incredibly affectionate and talkative…loves joining me on conference calls!
Bella is diabetic and relies on insulin and a special diet; with management, she’s as as healthy and as happy as can be."

Lena Chang, Senior Fish and Wildlife Biologist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ventura, CA




“I'd like to introduce you to my dog - Dusty, a Chocolate Lab. Dusty is 5 years old. 

He loves to go on walks; however, I must closely monitor him because

he also loves water and given an opportunity, he'll dive in.” 


Karen Ridgeway, EEO Specialist and the Special Emphasis Program Manager for Asian American and Pacific Islanders, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation & Enforcement, Washington, D.C.


Biscuit  

Female Bluetick Coonhound Mix, 

5 years old

 Mr. Krabs

Male(?) Goldfish

2 years old(?)

Out of office co-worker
that we visit frequently: 

CodyMale Quarterhorse

19 years old

Cindy K. Lowman, JD, CISSP, CIPP/G, Branch of Financial Policy and Analytics, JAO-PERMA, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Lakewood, CO


“Our sweet cat is a rescue pet and we adopted him from Anchorage Animal Care and Control in July 2013. The staff named him Mochi, and we kept the name since the thought of our family fur member being named after a Japanese rice cake immensely pleased me. The veterinarian estimated Mochi was 2 when we adopted him, so he's around 9 years old now. Mochi is a tuxedo domestic short-haired cat and he is atypical regarding the perception of a stereotypical cat.


He is very loving and affectionate and friendly to our friends. Mochi loves curling up on our lap or enjoys being next to us. I took a break to sit on the couch and he chose to perch on top of it. He is truly a great teleworking buddy.”


Barbara Green, Equal Opportunity Manager, National Park Service, Anchorage, AK

"George is an 11-year old cockapoo rescue.
He’s a grumpy old man who’s a great office mate and sleeps all day while I’m working.
When he's not asleep, George loves a good squeaky toy, head scratches, and playing fetch."

Kelly, DOI Office of Human Capital



"My family adopted Sweetie, a red-heeler/terrier mix, when she was 2 years old.  About a month into owning her, we learned that she was deaf! Although we were initially afraid that she would not be able to keep up with our adventurous life style, she proved that she was more than capable through her attentiveness, rapid ability to learn new tricks, and her endless ability to trust and go with the flow.  12 years later and we can't imagine life without her! 




"I adopted Mushu from a friend who realized that Mushu was not a good fit for her household. Little did I know how sassy this little reptile could be! Unlike most bearded dragons, Mushu is not lazy or mellow, instead she enjoys running full speed around the house, leaping off make-shift agility courses, and teasing the dogs by sprinting at them."

Karen Sinclair, Wildlife Biologist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

FAPAC is a 501 (c)(3) nonpartisan, nonprofit organization representing Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) in the military and Federal and District of Columbia governments.
Copyright ©2023 FAPAC • P.O. Box 23184, Washington, D.C. 20026-3184 

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