FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 7, 2021
Contact: Kathy Nakagawa, Board President, Asian Pacific Community in Action, email: kathy@apcaaz.org, phone: (602) 373-7322
Asian Pacific Community in Action Announces Appointment of
Zeenat Hasan as Executive Director
PHOENIX, AZ—Asian Pacific Community in Action (APCA), a community organization that advocates for equity and improved outcomes in health, announced that it has appointed Zeenat Hasan, MPH, MA, as executive director, effective August 16, 2021.
Zeenat (she/her) previously worked as a grants and contracts manager at the Arizona Alliance for Community Health Centers and as program director for Asian Pacific Community in Action, where she led their work on the Kellogg Foundation Health Through Action initiative. Zeenat also served as the advocacy subcommittee co-chair for the national AIM For Equity Coalition and was a founding member and chair of the Arizona Chapter of National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum. She has also served as a board member for Sonoran Prevention Works and is the Founder of Indigo Arizona, a company focused on creating equitable workplaces in Arizona.
Zeenat is a skilled community organizer with a talent for helping diverse communities establish and build power in the civic sphere. Since 2007, she has worked to ensure a rights-based approach to healthcare and immigration policies that is both inclusive and equitable for communities of color. Zeenat has led local and national advocacy efforts to ensure that the needs of immigrants were included in the Affordable Care Act and in subsequent efforts to expand healthcare access.
Trained as a cultural anthropologist, Zeenat has expertise in cultural studies, population health, and the appropriate methods to broaden the inclusion of marginalized people in all facets of life. She holds an MPH from the University of North Texas Health Science Center and an MA from the ASU School of Human Evolution and Social Change.
“APCA is incredibly fortunate to have Zeenat’s leadership talents and deep connections with the community to strengthen the work APCA does,” said Kathy Nakagawa, APCA Board President. “We are excited to work with her to expand APCA’s programs and outreach in the Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander community.”
As Executive Director Zeenat will oversee two major grant initiatives related to APCA’s COVID-19 vaccination outreach work. In addition, she will focus on expanding APCA’s grant work and collaborations with other AA and NHPI organizations. “Being asked to lead APCA at this difficult moment for our community is an opportunity of a lifetime, and one that I accept with heartfelt gratitude and humility,” said Hasan. “For me, it is like coming home. I entered this work with an ambition to ensure that all people have access to high quality affordable health care regardless of their legal status. Twenty years on, we are still in this fight, but I know that we are now sharing this work with a whole community of allies. An institution is only as strong as the people on the inside, and I welcome everyone to join APCA in this movement to create a community of strength, prosperity, and unity.”
About APCA
APCA is a tax-exempt, non-profit organization formed in 2002 to meet the health–related needs of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AA and NHPI) individuals and families residing in Arizona. APCA’s vision is to inspire diverse communities to seek healthier futures. APCA’s mission is to provide services, advocacy and education for diverse communities resulting in a healthier and more empowered population seeking good health. AA and NHPI communities are the fastest-growing segment in Arizona. APCA is the premier non-profit serving this very diverse community. APCA partners with community members to advance health equity for all Arizonans, to champion access to care, and defend community rights.
For more information about APCA, please visit www.apcaaz.org. To reach Zeenat Hasan, please email zeenat@apcaaz.org
