NORC Expands Amplify AAPI Advisory Council with Five Distinguished Leaders
CHICAGO, March 10, 2026 — NORC at the University of Chicago today announced the expansion of the Amplify AAPI Advisory Council, welcoming five distinguished leaders whose expertise spans research, public policy, philanthropy, communications, marketing, and community advocacy. Their appointments strengthen Amplify AAPI’s mission to elevate Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander voices through data-driven research, storytelling, and systems change.
The newly appointed Advisory Council members are:
- Patricia Ratulangi, strategic communications leader and former Nielsen AANHPI thought leader, advancing data-driven narratives that demonstrate the business and cultural impact of Asian American audiences
- Charitie Dantis-Gayo, corporate vice president at New York Life, a transformational insights and marketing executive with more than two decades of experience driving brand growth through consumer understanding and data fluency
- Mark Lee Keam, president of the Korean American Institute and former Virginia state lawmaker whose career spans public service, law, entrepreneurship, and national Asian American chamber of commerce leadership
- Michael S. Spencer, Ballmer Endowed Dean and Professor at the University of Washington School of Social Work and a leading scholar advancing health equity and wellness for Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, and Oceania communities
- ToQuyen Doan, senior director of client partnerships at The Stott Group and an accomplished fundraising and strategy executive supporting large-scale campaigns for organizations advancing racial equity and community power
They join a distinguished group of returning Advisory Council members whose continued leadership has been instrumental in shaping Amplify AAPI’s growth and impact:
- Daphne Kwok (Amplify AAPI Chair), vice president, Asian American & Pacific Audience Strategy at AARP; former chair of the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders
- Karthick Ramakrishnan, director, AAPI Data Project, Asian American Research Center and the Institute for the Study of Societal Issues at UC Berkeley; founder of AAPI Data
- Bill Imada, founder, chairman, and chief connectivity officer of IW Group; former member of the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders
- Qin Gao, professor of social policy and associate dean for Doctoral Education at Columbia University School of Social Work; founding director of the Columbia China Center for Social Policy
“We are honored to welcome these extraordinary leaders to our Advisory Council. Their collective expertise will deepen our ability to translate rigorous data into meaningful action, and to ensure that AAPI communities are not just counted but truly heard.”
“Amplify AAPI was created to ensure that Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities are fully visible in the data that shape decisions about our nation’s future,” said Alex Chew, AmeriSpeak® director and Amplify AAPI lead at NORC. “We are honored to welcome these extraordinary leaders to our Advisory Council. Their collective expertise will deepen our ability to translate rigorous data into meaningful action, and to ensure that AAPI communities are not just counted but truly heard.”
Together, the Advisory Council reflects the breadth, depth, and diversity of the communities Amplify AAPI serves. The Council provides strategic guidance to strengthen research initiatives, advance representative data practices, and inform storytelling and advocacy efforts that drive measurable, lasting change.
Amplify AAPI, an initiative of NORC at the University of Chicago, is dedicated to strengthening data quality and expanding representation for Asian American and Pacific Islander communities nationwide.
For more information about Amplify AAPI, visit amplifyaapi.norc.org
About NORC at the University of Chicago
NORC at the University of Chicago conducts research and analysis that decision-makers trust. As a nonpartisan research organization and a pioneer in measuring and understanding the world, we have studied almost every aspect of the human experience and every major news event for more than eight decades. Today, we partner with government, corporate, and nonprofit clients around the world to provide the objectivity and expertise necessary to inform the critical decisions facing society.
Contact: For more information, please email press@norc.org or call (877) 832-0392.
