A4 APPOINTS GEORGE HIROSE TO BOARD OF DIRECTORS; NAMES MICHELLE PHAM AND SERINA YAMADA AS BOARD CO-PRESIDENTS; BINDU GEORGE AS VICE PRESIDENT; AND JOSH CIPKALA-GAFFIN AS TREASURER

Asian American Arts Alliance (A4) is pleased to welcome George Hirose to the organization’s Board of Directors. Additionally, A4’s Board of Directors have voted unanimously to appoint Michelle Pham and Serina Yamada as Board co-presidents, Bindu George as vice president, and Josh Cipkala-Gaffin as treasurer. Tariq Ahmad will continue to serve as secretary.

“I’m thrilled that our Board offers a diverse range of perspectives across the Asian diaspora,” said Lisa Gold, A4’s executive director. “We also extend our sincere gratitude to Reena Jana, who served as Board President for three wonderful years. Among her many accomplishments during her tenure is the annual Anjeli Jana Memorial Internship, which was established in honor of her late sister to encourage other AAPI artists to pursue their creative passion and build a life devoted to the arts. We are grateful for Reena’s continued support of this internship, particularly amid declining opportunities and systemic challenges for young artists.”

George Hirose says, “During these difficult times when the arts are under attack, the need for solidarity and support is of utmost importance. I am honored to be joining my colleagues on the A4 board, to help support the arts and fight for our community and the greater good.”

“It’s been a year full of changes to our world across all facets of life,” Michelle Pham adds. “One constant is that art always remains a form of human expression—a necessary ingredient to capture the human experience. I am proud of the work that A4 does to represent artists across all disciplines. As the owner of a textiles and home decor business, I deeply respect the arts and appreciate how difficult it is for artists to sustain their practices in this modern world. I am delighted to work with my co-president, Serina, to build out a new era for A4 in the years to come.”

“Having grown up between Japan and the US, I’ve always believed in the power of art to bridge cultures and give voice to stories that might otherwise go unheard,” says Serina Yamada. “A4 embodies that belief. I’m excited to help lead the organization with Michelle into its next chapter — one that continues to uplift artists, strengthen community, and ensure the long-term vitality of Asian American creative voices.”

About George Hirose
George Hirose is a film maker, producer, artist, photographer, curator, educator, and activist. He began his creative career as a film maker focusing primarily on experimental film work which segued into fine art photography. Until he retired from teaching in 2022, he was an Associate Professor in Photography at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York. As a fine art photographer, he is currently working on a book of night photographs shot in NYC’s community gardens called “Midnight in the People’s Garden” and has been widely exhibited in solo and group shows in the United States and abroad.

In recent years he has moved into film production centering mainly around social-justice documentary and humanistic story telling. His production credits include “Photographic Justice: The Corky Lee Story” 2022, “The Other Side of the Sea” 2022, “Call Me Mule” 2023, “Stop Asian Hate, Love One Another” 2024, “Hear, Eat, Home” (in production), “Presque Perdu: Almost Lost” (in production), and “Painting Ecological Engineers” (in production).

George is also heavily involved in NYC’s Asian-American Community. He is a former President (and current Interim-President) of the Japanese American Citizens League NY Chapter, serves on the Board of Directors of the Japanese American Association and is involved with several other Asian-American community and advocacy organizations. As an activist in support of NYC’s Community Gardens, he serves on the board of the Children’s Magical Garden and LUNGS NYC (Loisaida United Community Gardens NYC).

About Michelle Pham
Michelle Pham is a first-generation Vietnamese-Canadian from Vancouver who has adopted New York as home. She is the founder of Inner Child, a home decor and accessories brand. Formerly, Michelle led Global Strategy and Operations for the Product Solutions & Operations team at TikTok and held various positions at Google in the ad sales division. She was involved in special projects with the Asian Googler Network, where she led efforts to increase Asian American programming at Talks at Google. A graduate of Bates College, she founded the Asian American Students’ in Action group, an organization dedicated to Asian-American representation and advocacy on campus. An avid fan of the arts, Michelle enjoys collecting textile arts and learning about the history and people behind these pieces.

About Serina Yamada
Serina Yamada is the Head of Real Estate Investment Marketing at Nuveen, where she leads a global team responsible for the development and execution of strategic marketing programs aimed to drive brand awareness and expand client relationships. Prior to joining Nuveen, Serina was at Sotheby’s International Realty where she marketed luxury residential properties across New York City. Having roots in Hawaii and a childhood in Japan, Serina has called New York home for over the past decade. She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration with honors in Strategic Design and Management from Parsons School of Design. During her spare time, Serina finds joy in painting, exploring art exhibitions and uncovering hidden gems during her travels.

About Bindu George
Bindu George has been with Chase for over 20 years. She is currently an Executive Director, leading a global team as Head of Issue Resolution Management, Governance and Readiness in the Customer Service organization that supports employees in the US, India and Philippines. She is part of AsPIRE, supporting the AAPI community and Women on the Move, which promotes professional development. Prior stints include being a licensed account administrator at Charles Schwab and a Marketing Officer at HSBC. When not working, she enjoys traveling with her husband and two children, seeing broadway shows, learning to sew and mentoring. Born in New York as a first generation Indian-American, Bindu grew up in Greenwich, CT and has lived in Arizona, Washington and currently in Ohio and New Jersey.

About Josh Cipkala-Gaffin
Josh Cipkala-Gaffin is an Executive Director at J.P.Morgan Private Bank leading Securitized and US Agent Fixed Income trading efforts. He is also part of the AsPIRE Tri-State leadership team at J.P.Morgan which works to promote professional development and opportunities that support the AAPI community. Prior roles include International Banking and International Strategic Projects at J.P.Morgan and Marsh, respectively. Josh grew up in Pittsburgh and after graduating from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, has spent the last decade living in New York City. He enjoys taking part in the rich art scene that the city provides and likes to create canvas based multi-media art projects in his spare time. He has also run the New York City Marathon several times and earned a Six Star Medal by completing all major marathons. Josh joined the board of Asian American Arts Alliance in 2023.

Information about A4’s full Board of Directors is available on A4’s website.