About Us

Board of Directors

Rupal Thanawala
President

Rupal is from Mumbai (Bombay) India and she is fluent in four Indian languages. Rupal has 25 years of business and technology consulting experience. She is the Managing Director of Trident Systems She is Tech Editor of Indianapolis Recorder and serves as the board of director for the American Lung Association, Black Data Processor Association and Techpoint Foundation for Youth. She is on the Dean’s Advisory Council for Luddy School of Informatics and Computer Engineering.

She is a Bio-Medical Engineer from Mumbai University and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management. Rupal has lived in Indianapolis since 1998 with her husband Amit and their two sons, Ninad and Rahil. She is the recipient of the Torchbearer Award by the Indiana Commission for Women, Rosa Parks Champion Diversity Award by Indianapolis Recorder, Trailblazer Award by NAWBO and Leading Lights Award by Women & Hitech.

Glen Kwok

A native of Washington, D.C., violinist Glen Kwok has been the Executive Director of the International Violin Competition of Indianapolis since 2000. Prior to moving to Indianapolis, Mr. Kwok was Director of the D’Angelo School of Music at Mercyhurst College in Erie, Pennsylvania.

Mr. Kwok was privileged to serve as the first American President of the Board of the World Federation of International Music Competitions based in Geneva, Switzerland from 2010-2015. The Federation is the international governing body of the world’s foremost competitions in all disciplines. In Indianapolis, he previously served as President of the Indianapolis Consortium of Arts Administrators and the Asian American Alliance boards and currently serves on the Stanley K. Lacy Advisory Council.

Mr. Kwok received his Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from Indiana University and continues to remain active as a violinist outside of his administrative duties by performing as a substitute violinist with local orchestras.

Kanwal Prakash (KP) Singh

Kanwal Prakash (KP) Singh is owner and founder of KP Singh Designs, since 1972, which specializes in fine architectural drawings. KP was educated in India and at the University of Michigan in Liberal Arts, Architecture, and City Planning.

KP has been a resident of Indianapolis since 1967. He is one of the founding members and past President of the International Center of Indianapolis. He actively supports many international, cultural, interfaith, and race relations activities in Indiana.

KP is the author of a recently published book, The Art and Spirit of KP Singh~ Selected Drawings & Writings (2003 Guild Press- Emmis Publishing). KP is a regular contributing writer for The Indianapolis Star and other ethnic national publications.

KP’s APA VISION: To see Indianapolis become a world-class city: “Where all cultures, faiths, and diverse spectrums of thought, offerings, and programs are encouraged and prosper. Where new immigrants step forward and build their communities with all their talents, gifts, and spirit and help dispel some of the stereotype perceptions about their ethnic origin, cultures, traditions, and their commitments to the new nation: United States of America.”

Ralph Taylor

Ralph Taylor is an independent youth development consultant and an employee of Purdue Sports Properties, in which he is the Radio Color Analyst for Purdue Men’s Basketball. Ralph is currently Purdue University’s representative on the Big Ten Advisory Commission.

Current boards/committees involvement: Teachers’ Treasures, IUPUI Board of Advisors, Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame Executive Committee and YMCA of Greater Indianapolis DIG committee.

Past boards/ committees involvement include: Purdue University HHS Alumni Board, Purdue University Athletic Advisory Committee, Arts Council of Indianapolis, Planned Parenthood of Central Indiana, Social Health Association of Central Indiana, Indiana Multi-Ethnic Conferences Planning Committee, American Indian Center of Indiana, Indiana Council on Adolescent Pregnancy, Assistance League of Indianapolis Community Advisory Committee and Grantmakers Concerned With Immigrants and Refugees.

He is Past President of the Rotary Club of Indianapolis and Past President of the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame Board of Directors.

During his career, he served in the Mayor’s Office (Indianapolis) of International & Cultural Affairs; Co-Director, Welcoming Indianapolis; Grant Officer for the Central Indiana Community Foundation; Director of Community Service for The Indiana Youth Institute; Recreation Administrator for Indy Parks; an Extension Educator for the Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service and Indianapolis Public Schools educator.

He resides in Indianapolis and is a graduate of Purdue University.

Sonia Chen

Sonia S. Chen is an attorney with Eli Lilly & Co. Prior to that, she practiced at the law firm of Bingham McHale, LLP. An Indiana native who graduated from Carmel High School, Sonia attended Vanderbilt University for her undergraduate degree, where she double majored in Violin Musical Arts and Human and Organizational Development. Sonia earned her law degree from Indiana University School of Law in Bloomington, Indiana in 2001.

Committed to the Asian American Alliance’s mission to inspire Asian Americans to serve and lead, Sonia has taken an active role in the community. In addition to her role as President of AAAI, Sonia also serves on the Board for the International Violin Competition of Indianapolis. She is active with the American Cancer Society, serving on the Coaches Huddle organizing committee for the past 2 years and as Entertainment and Activities Chair for the Washington Township Relay for Life prior to Coaches Huddle. After graduating from IU, Sonia joined her law school classmates in helping to establish a new organization, Teb’s Troops, Inc., a not-for-profit organization committed raising funds for the treatment, prevention and research of cancer, including melanoma. Sonia is a graduate of Class XXXIII of the Stanley K. Lacy Executive Leadership Series. Sonia is also a graduate of the Indianapolis Bar Association Bar Leader Series and currently serves on the IBA’s Professionalism Committee and Bar Foundation’s Impact Fund Committee. Sonia was also recognized in 2010 and 2011 on the Indiana Rising Stars list, featuring outstanding young lawyers in the state. In her spare time, Sonia enjoys running and golf. She is a member of Indy Runners and Indy Women’s Golf League.

As a first-generation immigrant from Taiwan, Sonia is committed to helping other immigrants succeed in the community. She was selected to be the Master of Ceremonies in the 2006 Taiwanese American Heritage Week celebration. She has also served as a representative of the Indianapolis Bar Association at regular naturalization ceremonies to welcome new citizens of the United States and the State of Indiana.

Anita Lerche

Anita Lerche is a Billboard Top-5 Charting internationally acclaimed award-winning Singer-Songwriter. Known as ‘Heer from Denmark’ she was the first non-Asian woman from the West to release an album in Punjabi in 2006. After more than a decade in the South Asian music scene she was honored to receive the ‘Special Contribution Award’ at the UK Bhangra Awards, 2019. Anita’s latest solo album ‘Love Is My Religion’ has got a strong message of Love & Unity across borders and religions, and this album won her the Global Music Award 2021 (Silver Medal) for ‘Best Female Vocalist’.

You can also find Anita as a Host at Rukus Avenue Radio, the World’s #1 South Asian Radio station, where she has her own show ‘Around the world with Anita’.

Mari Yamaguchi

Mari Yamaguchi is the Senior Manager, Strategic Programs and Operations for the Global Office of Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) at Genesys. She is also the co-creator and co-host for Take a Moment, Genesys’ first branded podcast. Mari brings over 15 years’ experience with a diverse career background spanning communications, politics, and technology – including as an award-winning broadcast journalist and advisor to elected officials.

Fluent in Japanese and proficient in Spanish, Mari believes that effective communications and storytelling, where one is willing to listen and create dialogue and rapport, is an essential building block of creating exceptional experiences. She draws much of her inspiration, philosophy, and practice of DE&I and service design from her Japanese heritage.

She is certified in Design Thinking with IDEO, Design Thinking Facilitation by DesignThinkersGroup USA, and Virtual Training Facilitation through ATD. Her areas of focus have included engagement, end user journey mapping, and experience and service design.

In addition to her work with the Asian American Alliance, Inc., she is a member of the U.S. – Japan Council and is on the Indy Chamber’s Story Board team dedicated to attracting and retaining more diverse talent to Central Indiana and enhancing the region’s culture focused on diversity and inclusivity.

David Wong

David A. W. Wong is a partner at the law firm of Barnes & Thornburg LLP where serves a member of the Intellectual Property department and Chair of the Internet & Technology Group. David regularly advises a range of clients from start-ups to multinational corporations, including Internet businesses, software developers, computer hardware and device manufacturers, toy manufacturers, media and publishing companies, automotive companies, clothing retailers, and financial institutions. David enjoys providing seminars and workshops, both locally and around the country, to attorneys and non-attorneys alike on the topics of intellectual property and Internet law.

Before becoming an attorney, he earned an undergraduate degree in music and then received a Juris Doctor Degree from Indiana University School of Law. His civic and community involvement includes serving as a Board Member for Classical Music Indy f/k/a Fine Arts Society, Heartland Film, and Techpoint Foundation.

Yige Li

With the opportunity to live in three different continents, Yige has learned and believes that success should never define one’s happiness. Rather, success should flow from purpose-driven happiness. Not only will this continue to guide him into the future, he wishes to help others in the community to find true, and purpose driven happiness.

While proudly serving on the board for Asian American Alliance, he also served as a co-lead for Asian Business Resource Group at Roche Diagnostics and Genesys Women in Tech.

Raymond Mark

Raymond W. Mark is a CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT (CPA) and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional. Raymond started his own financial planning firm M Financial Inc. in 2015, and shortly after started his accounting firm M Accounting Group. Raymond concentrates on helping clients with investments strategies and tax planning.

Prior to starting his own businesses, Raymond worked for PricewaterhouseCoopers and Crowe, advising them in accounting, finance, and operations. His clients ranged from Fortune 500 companies to privately owned businesses. He has been serving clients in the Central Indiana community for almost 20 years. Raymond received his B.A. from Indiana University in Accounting, Finance, and International Studies.

An Indiana native, Raymond grew up in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He currently lives in Noblesville with his wife and two children.

Marlon Alfonso

My parents together with my 4 brothers and sister migrated in the U.S. in 1970 from Manila, Philippines. I became a U.S. citizen in 1984.

I am a Business Analyst Senior, Anthem’s Corporate Clinical Quality Management, working on Medicaid and Medicare health plans, membership, providers and claims. I graduated from Indiana University and Purdue University with a degree in Business (Accounting) and Computer Technology.

Currently, a board member of Asia American Alliance. I am also the Indiana State Lead for Anthem’s ACE (Asians Committed to Excellence). Involved with the following organizations: Philippine Barangay Club of Indiana, currently a board member and previous President 1989 and 2019; Circle City Toastmasters, President 2006; Nationalities Council of Indiana board member and previous President 2005 and 2007.