APICC STAFF

Executive Director - Vinay Patel (he/him)

Patel has over a decade as an arts administrator and has been a critical factor in the growth of Asian Improv aRts’ as an arts advocate (as a co-founder and a coordinator of the California Asian American and Pacific Islander Arts Network), producer (from local to international concerts, festivals, tours, recordings) and organizational development consultant as well. Patel has been the Executive Director of Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Center since 2009.

Artistic Director - Melanie Elvena (she/her)

An arts organizer, activist, and independent curator living and working in the SF Bay Area, she received her B.A. in Art History from the University of California Irvine with an emphasis in Modern and Contemporary Art. Melanie currently serves as Artistic Director at Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Center where she is committed to the community impact and growth of its programs. Melanie also serves as Programs Manager at Asian American Women Artists Association and was the APAture Festival Coordinator for Kearny Street Workshop in the multidisciplinary arts festival’s return in 2013. She concurrently worked as co-curator for the festival’s Visual Arts and Performing Arts committees from 2013-2014, showcasing the works of local emerging Asian Pacific American artists. Melanie has extensive experience in the nonprofit sector, specifically working in community arts and actively supports art that is engaging, socially conscious, and brings awareness to the community.

Office & Communications Manager - TJ Basa (she/her)

TJ Basa is a seasoned nonprofit administrator with 18 years of experience under her belt working for various grassroots and mid-sized organizations in San Francisco. She previously served as Program Manager– and subsequently Executive Director– for Kearny Street Workshop, the oldest Asian American arts organization in the country. She is a community organizer and volunteer, having deep involvement with the San Francisco Filipino American community. Currently, she serves on the Board of Directors of Bindlestiff Studio, where she has been a resident artist since the mid-2000s. She holds a BA in Interdisciplinary Studies from the California Institute of Integral Studies.

Program Manager - Jo Alvarado (she/they)

Jo Alvarado is a queer Pilipinx artist and academic based in the San Francisco Bay Area. She received her B.A. in English and Comparative Literature from UC Berkeley, where she was the Editor-in-Chief of Maganda Magazine, the longest-running Pilipinx publication in the country. Dedicated to serving their communities through art and research, they collaborate with various multicultural organizations such as the Bulosan Center for Filipino Studies and Overachiever Magazine. As a creative, Jo was a finalist for Button Poetry’s Chapbook Poetry Prize, and her written work has been featured in Marias at Sampaguitas, COUNTERCLOCK, and Depth Cues. Overall, they work from a place of healing and reclamation and hope to provide a space for others to do the same.

APICC Board

President - Janey Madamba

Secretary - Yukiya Jerry Waki

Pamela Wu Kochiyama