2011 Operations Committee

STAFF:

 
ERIN YOSHIMURA, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Erin Yoshimura began volunteering with the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival in its first year, 2001, and was the chair of the Performing Arts Committee and worked with public relations for seven years. She was named Executive Director of the festival in 2010. Erin is a certified Personal Brand strategist, certified Emotional Intelligence trainer, and a certified coach. She’s the recipient of the Girl Scouts of Colorado’s Women of Distinction Award and the Minority Enterprise & Educational Development Advocate of the Year Award.

VOLUNTEERS:

DRAGON BOAT RACES

DING-WEN HSU, RACES & TEAMS CHAIR
Ding-Wen Hsu is co-owner and President of Pacific Western Technologies Ltd. (PWT), a Colorado company established in 1987. PWT specializes in information management, and environmental management. Currently, PWT employs over 80 employees in Colorado. Ding-Wen, a native of Taiwan, has been very active in the Asian and Chinese American communities in Denver since she moved to Colorado in 1978. She is one of the founders of Colorado Dragon Boat Festival, the largest Asian American festival in the Rocky Mountain region. In addition, she also serves on the Boards of Chinese American Council of Colorado. Ding-Wen is a national fellow of Asian Pacific American Women’s Leadership Institute. She is also the co-founder of International Multi-Cultural Institute, a nonprofit organization that promotes understanding and interaction among various cultures.
 

PERFORMING ARTS

JINNY KIM, PERFORMING ARTS CO-CHAIR
Jinny Kim, a recent transplant to Colorado, stays busy as manager of marketing and communications for APDC, as well as serving as a board member of Mile-Hi JACL. This is Jinny’s first year with CDBF. “Last year was my very first experience at the festival,” she says. “I saw not only Asians but all races and ethnicities come together to celebrate cultures, food, arts, and diversity. I thought this could be something big. And instantly, I wanted to be part of it!”

CHARMAINE CAMVEL
Charmaine Camvel is known for her creativity, in addition to her ability to build harmony and goodwill. Her 15 years in communications, marketing and production gives her a solid background in managing high profile events. Although born in Honolulu, Hawaii, she has lived throughout the U.S., enabling her to work in diverse environments. Her past employers run the gamut from Fortune 500 firms and nonprofits to celebrities such as Paula Abdul. Charmaine is presently employed at Humana MarketPOINT in sales administration.
 

GATEWAY TO ASIA

SACHIE NINOMIYA, OPENING CEREMONY, GATEWAY TO ASIA CO-CHAIR
Born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, Sachie is a fourth-generation Japanese American who graduated from the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and is a geriatric nurse for Kaiser Permanente. She enjoy doing martial arts, softball and volunteering. This is Sachie’s second year volunteering for the CDBFas Co-Chair of Gateway to Asia, and she’s also returning as the Chair of this year’s Opening Ceremony, a unique and popular aspect of the festival. “I am excited to volunteer again for the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival because I feel it represents the uniqueness of our Asian cultures here in Colorado, and is an enjoyable weekend activity to spend with your friends and family,” she says. “This festival allows an opportunity for us to share our history, arts, traditions, and cuisine with others. We hope to make the experience entertaining, educational, fun-filled, and memorable.”

CULTURAL UNITY

LEO TSUO, CULTURAL UNITY CO-CHAIR
Leo Tsuo helped launch Cultural Unity, and is thrilled to serve as co-chair with Jared for the 11th annual Colorado Dragon Boat Festival. “Cultural Unity has been a unique opportunity for me to share my pride in Asian culture and Hip-Hop culture!,” says Leo. “CDBF is a great opportunity to bring a park jam for the Colorado Hip Hop scene where the best DJs and dancers come out to chill to a fresh positive vibe… and to bring an opportunity for the Hip Hop community to gain a better understanding of Asians in Hip Hop!” Between the two of them, Jared and Leo will being a whole new level of cross-cultural performances to Cultural Unity this summer, and make Hip Hop culture hipper than ever!

JOIE HA
When Joie Ha first got into the hip-hop scene, she was surprised at the warmth and spontaneity that it emanated. Inspired and empowered, Joie embarked on a journey to start her own jam. At Smoky Hill High School, she created and ran T.O.E.jam for two years, inviting renowned showcasers and judges such as Bboy Taiyo, Hype 303, D2L, Audrey Gibson, and more. Currently, Joie is President of Next Generation Voices (an organization for Asian American Pacific Isander youth), as well as Vice President of Pioneer Breakers at the University of Denver. Joie is ecstatic to be working with the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival, especially the Cultural Unity Tent!

DRAGONLAND

EVE TANG
Eve is currently a graduate student at the University of Colorado, Denver, studying Linguistically Diverse Education. Eve has a real passion in working with various youth organizations and is currently the President of a non-profit organization- CO Chinese Youth Foundation. As a volunteer and team captain for CDBF since 2001, Eve is honored to join the Operations Committee as co-chair of Dragon Land. She looks forward to working with schools and other local youth organizations around the Denver metro area in order to bring a fun, educational, and exciting area to the children and families who attend CDBF!

LAN VONG
Lan Vong graduated from CU Boulder in 2009 and currently works as a Finance/Accounting Assistant at a biotechnology company. Lan is currently the Conference Head Chair of the Colorado Chinese Youth Foundation. As a committee member of the CCYF, Lan is active in participating in volunteer activities and promoting the Chinese-American community in Colorado.

MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS

GIL ASAKAWA
Gil is a veteran of the local media scene from Westword to The Denver Post and many online sites including serving as adviser to the CU Independent, CU Boulder’s student news website. He has volunteered for the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival since its 2001 debut. He manages the content for the festival’s website and newsletters, and is the lead emcee on the Main Performing Arts Stage. He is also a blogger and social media expert, and manages CDBF’s online social media presence.

TESIA CHEN
Tesia is a recent graduate of the University of Notre Dame, where she studied philosophy and English. Afterwards, she returned to her home state, having heard the siren call of the mountains and of Colorado’s hot, hypnotic summers. Tesia has celebrated dragon boat festivals since childhood, and is very excited for her first year being able to bring the festival to life here in Colorado. Her passions are for languages and bringing people together. With her love of these two things, she works to assist in communicating with local and out of state communities about the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival.

PUBLIC SAFETY

TARIKA CEFKIN
Tarika recently graduated from the University of Denver with an M.A. in International and Intercultural Communications, concentration in Human Rights. A long-time Colorado resident, Tarika grew up very involved in Colorado’s Thai community performing with various Thai music and dance troupes around the Denver Metro area. She is passionate about raising intercultural awareness and currently works for the Nathan Yip Foundation, an organization that funds educational projects for children around the world. As a performer and spectator at the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival since its inception, Tarika is very excited to be joining the CDBF Operations committee this year and looks forward to further serving Colorado’s Asian American Pacific Islander community.

MICHAEL JOHNSON
Michael Johnson is not an original Colorado Native, however he’s lived here since the age of five. As a resident of 40 years, he calls no other place home than Colorado. “I am honored to share in this opportunity to assist in the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival as a way of giving back to my community. Being of mixed ethnicity, the Festival also allows me to extend appreciation of my Asian/Pacific rim heritage.” Michael’s education originally centered around art, but his career path evolved into the age of Software and information Technology where he’s been conducting the practice of Software Configuration Management over the last 18 years. “I am a proud parent of a wonderful daughter and again by aiding in this Festival I can provide my child a means to understand the wonderful heritage, culture and people of the Asian community.”

TOM KAZUTOMI
I am a paramedic field training officer at Denver Health Paramedic Division. I have been providing emergency medical care to the citizens and visitors of City and County of Denver since 1999. My involvement with the Dragon Boat started the second year of the festival. I was one of the paramedics that provided first aid to the festival attendees. I functioned in this capacity until 2005. From 2006 to 2009, I volunteered for the festival, working as the liaison to the paramedics. In 2010, I was also a captain of one of the race teams that I organized in the Hong Kong recreational category.
 

VOLUNTEER MANAGER

JEN NGUYEN
Born and raised in Colorado, Jen Nguyen has been a long-time volunteer with the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival. She has assisted in managing volunteers and is back because she feels that this one of the ways to give back to the Asian community. “It is such a great way to connect so many different communities together. It is an honor to serve as this year’s volunteer manager,” she says. Jen graduated from the University of Denver with a Bachelors in Psychology and is currently pursuing her masters degree in Clinical Counseling Psychology at the University of Colorado at Denver. When she is not studying or volunteering you can find her curling, cooking or reading the Harry Potter series.

VIP RECEPTION & HOSPITALITY

BING WALKER
Bing embraces cultural diversity and has been involved with the CDBF since its second year in numerous roles including volunteer coordination, public safety, Gateway to Asia, and VIP Hospitality.
 
 
 

WEBSITE MANAGEMENT

ROBERT GARCIA
Robert Garcia is currently the Coordinator of the University of Colorado at Boulder’s CAMP Scholarship program. The Colorado native is expecting his second child with his wife Kim and is a doctoral candidate at the University of Colorado at Denver. Robert has been involved in the festival for nearly two years as a web developer, graphic designer and festival volunteer. “I am always finding ways to be involved in community efforts that promote cultural unity and the Dragon Boat Festival exemplifies this effort. I am proud to be a part of such a great event, even in just a small way.”
 

SPECIAL PROJECTS:

WELLNESS & EDUCATION VILLAGE

IVY HONTZ, WELLNESS VILLAGE COORDINATOR
Ivy Hontz began her human services career in 1983 in the field of juvenile justice in Pennsylvania and Maryland. After moving to Colorado she was employed by the Asian Pacific Development Center for 13 years, and is currently a board member of the Asian Chamber of Commerce, a steering committee member of the Beeler Community Garden, and a volunteer for the Colorado Asian Culture and Education Network and the Aurora Symphony Orchestra. She has degrees in Criminal Justice Administration, and Counseling Psychology, and has traveled extensively throughout Asia. Ivy began participating in the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival in 2001, and this is her first year to be on the CDBF operations committee, and the Wellness Village.

TRANSPORTATION

JIM WAGENLANDER
Jim, an attorney and Colorado’s Honorary Consul General for Mongolia, has been involved with the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival in many ways since its inception, including by co-sponsoring a race team, Wagenkamp’s Frozen Fishsticks.
 

DESIGN COMPETITION & SIGNAGE

WENDY BARILE
Wendy Barile, half-Japanese and half-Italian, was born and raised in Brazil. She has a Bachelor and a Master degree from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro with majors in Foreign Languages and Linguistics. Besides Brazil and USA, she has also lived in Yokohama, Japan, and London, UK. Wendy loves to travel and learn about different cultures including arts, people and food. She likes to go hiking and camping, although in the winter she enjoys cooking different ethnic foods and watching a good foreign movie. A woman of free spirit, open mind and a big heart, Wendy has been volunteering at the CDBF office since August and she is excited for helping the festival even more!

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

JAEJIN KIM
Jaejin Kim has a M.A. in Organizational Psychology from Columbia University, and has worked in varied aspects in behavioral health and the non-profit sector, including research, counseling, and executive administration. During her undergraduate studies at Miami University, she served as VP of Campus Affairs for the Korean Student Association, and delegate to the Diversity Affairs Council. She is passionate about cultural diversity and education, the arts and humanities, and is currently working on a writing project inspired by her mother. She has volunteered for CDBF in the past as part of the performing arts committee, and is honored and excited to be involved once again.

CONTRACTORS:

PRODUCTION

PAMELAH MARAGH
Pamelah has a BFA from the California Institute of the Arts, and is a multifaceted artist: she’s a teacher, dancer, drummer, festival event planner, stage manager who manages CDBF’s production logistic from stages and sound to duct tape and cord ties. She’s also performed with her African drum troupe at the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival.
 

The Operations Committee meets monthly on Wednesday evenings. For more information on this committee, please email: info@cdbf.org