Celebrating the Asian American, Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Community

Meet Leah Martin, our dedicated Impact and Engagement Coordinator here at United Way of Pierce County (UWPC)! ✨

Leah plays a crucial role in coordinating UWPC's Impact team, channeling her passion into supporting our volunteer and donor engagement initiatives. With her expertise, she fosters strong relationships with community partners, companies, and various community groups, amplifying our collective impact.

Proud of her Filipina and Black heritage, Leah's roots run deep in the vibrant tapestry of Tacoma's Eastside. Her connection to her Filipino heritage is especially dear to her heart, having journeyed to the Philippines seven times to embrace and celebrate her mom's side of the family.

Leah's commitment to service, community, and diversity enriches everything she touches. Join us in recognizing Leah's invaluable contributions and celebrating her inspiring journey! 

#AANHPIHeritageMonth #PierceCountyPride
 

Today, we're shining a spotlight on Tony Martin, a pillar of our community! ✨

Tony wears many hats with grace and dedication. He is a compassionate Pastor at City Bridge Church and a vigilant Security Guard at Sumner Middle School, ensuring the safety of our youth.

With roots deeply embedded in Tacoma's Eastside, Tony takes immense pride in his Filipino and Black heritage. As a local community leader, he continuously uplifts and empowers those around him. His commitment to service extends beyond his roles, evident in his involvement on the Board of the Tacoma Parks Foundation.

Tony's support for United Way is unwavering. As a leadership giver, he champions our mission to create positive change in Pierce County. He generously volunteers his time, making a difference at events like the Creating Possibilities Together Centennial Gala.

Let's salute Tony Martin for his tireless dedication, leadership, and heart of service. Thank you for being a shining example of the spirit of community! #AANHPIHeritageMonth #PierceCountyPride
 

Today, we're shining a spotlight on Emily Mendez-Bryant!

Emily continues to be a true navigator sharing her aloha spirit through innovation and leadership of organizations; helping them get to their highest philanthropic potential. She currently leads the Tacoma Community College (TCC) Foundation team, guides the college’s fundraising strategy efforts and serves as the college’s philanthropy executive. Mendez-Bryant brings nearly 25 years of experience in fundraising and development, marketing and community relations, along with exceptional leadership skills, from such industries like health care and non-profits.

As a proud Filipino-American born and raised in Seattle, she is known for her warm Aloha spirit (she lived in Hawaii for 14 years), strong collaboration with teams, and her deep commitment to the mission of the work. She possesses the ability to be a strategic thinker and has met or exceeded organizational fundraising goals, as indicated with her long track record of success. She has diversified revenue and supporters and has developed key relationships with many of our communities of color.

Mendez-Bryant earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Washington and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. She is a Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy from the American College of Financial Services. She currently serves as President of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) South Sound Chapter, and will be President of Rotary Club of Tacoma 8 in 2026.
 

Latha Sambamurti has won the 2023 Humanities Washington Award,  the highest award in the state for public humanities. The award recognizes her leadership , Scholarship,  service and advocacy in support of humanities, arts, and culture. She is  the producer and director of several large-scale arts and culture festivals in the State of Washington. She has been a Washington state Arts Commissioner and  a vice chair of Redmond Arts and Culture Commission. She is an educator, community leader, trained musician, and band leader. She also won the Kirkland Performance Center’s You Rock award for community service.  She serves as a board director for several state and regional arts and cultural organizations. Latha Sambamurti,  Indo Canadian, holds a master’s degree in English Literature  and has carried out research  on Shakespeare's translations into Indian languages .   
 

Aimee is a passionate advocate for immigrant and human rights. She is the Executive Director of Tacoma Community House, a nonprofit in Tacoma with 113 year history of serving immigrants and refugees. She served in leadership roles at Providence Health and Services as executive director of international programs for 8 years and chief of health equity for home and community care programs where she both designed and implemented programs to serve underserved populations and led systems change. She holds a Master’s Degree in Public Affairs, Nonprofit Management from University of Washington. She serves on the Board of Directors for Southwest Youth and Family Services for the past 6 years, an organization committed to providing resources for low-income families and youth. She is also a mother of two wonderful toddlers and likes to dance any time that she has the opportunity. She deeply values meeting people with similar passions and encourages you to reach out to discuss issues of migration, affordable, housing, and career exploration in the nonprofit field. 

Name:   Thushari Gooneratne
Title:      J.P. Morgan Chase Community Manager
 
“As a Community Manager for JPMorgan Chase & Co., I am actively working to reverse systemic inequalities across the financial system, break down economic barriers and support the success of our community in Tacoma-Pierce County. Along with a team of advisors, I connect both consumers and business owners to financial health tools and services via free interactive programs such as educational workshops, and support for entrepreneurs starting or expanding their small businesses.
I’m honored to partner with United Way Pierce County in their efforts to improve the quality of life in our local communities by helping them reach their financial goals.”
 

Mi-Yeoung Lee, Social Service Department Director at Korean Women’s Association (KWA), has been dedicated to serving immigrant and refugee communities since 1996. With a Doctorate in Ministry in Counseling, she understands the profound impact of her work firsthand.

Within KWA, Mi-Yeoung's department tirelessly caters to immigrants, seniors, individuals with disabilities, and survivors of domestic violence. Their services are indispensable, especially for those facing language and cultural barriers.

Their proudest achievement? Establishing the first culturally sensitive shelter for battered women and children in Washington State. Through this shelter, countless lives have been transformed, with survivors finding empowerment and renewal.

Mi-Yeoung finds purpose in daily service, whether collaborating with staff, crafting proposals, or overcoming challenges. She's proud to be part of KWA, an organization dedicated to bridging cultural divides and uplifting lives.

As Gandhi said, "The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others." And Mi-Yeoung embodies this ethos every day.
 

Faaluaina Pritchard is the Executive Director of Asia Pacific Cultural Center since May 2010.  Faaluaina has been with APCC since early 1997.  She retired from Korean Women’s Association in 2009 as its Executive Director for sixteen (16) years.  She worked for the KWA for 19.5 years.  Faaluaina has over 35 years of non -profit management and community development experience.  

Her community work is very extensive.  To name a few she is the Chair of the Asian Pacific Islander Coalition of Pierce County, Advisory board member to South Sound Housing Affordability Partners,  Multicare Community Advisory Council, ARCORA Fluoridation Advisory Board, Pierce County Affordable Housing Consortium Board, Pierce County Arts & Culture Coalition, United Way of Pierce County Board, Tacoma Urban League Board, Statewide Communities of Concern Commission, Governor Council on Environmental Justice, Commissioner of the Pierce County Arts & City of Lakewood Arts Commissioner.

She’s been honored with many awards to include: Civil Rights Award from Martin Luther King Community Association; Liberty Bell Award from Pierce County Bar Association; Lifetime Achievement Award from Asian Weekly Northwest; First Vanguard Award from Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs; Office of Chinese American Golden Circle Award for Leadership & Service; this is just a few.  Faaluaina is an individual with great passion to help others and she takes pride and joy in being a part of community development! A very proud Mom, Grandma, and Great Grandma!