Our Team

  • Founder & Executive Director

    Annie Guo VanDan is the executive director of Colorado Asian Culture and Education Network, where she works to create equitable spaces and opportunities for Asian American Pacific Islanders. She previously worked at Change Matrix and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, where she provided training and consultation on health equity and community engagement. Born in Taipei, Taiwan, her family immigrated to Denver in 1987.

    In 2006, she co-founded Asian Avenue magazine, a monthly Denver publication that lifts up the stories of the Asian community. She received her bachelor of journalism degree from the University of Missouri Columbia and is a Maynard 200 Fellow, a fellowship program for journalists of color. She also obtained her MBA in Health Administration from the University of Colorado Denver and is a Colorado Family Leadership Training Institute graduate and facilitator, which is a training that promotes civic engagement and community leadership.

  • Director of Operations

    Dao comes to us from College Track, where she served as an Operations Manager supporting students on their path to and through college. She brings strong experience in facilities management, people operations, and systems-building.

    Her involvement in the Asian American community began in 2011 through the Miss Asian American Colorado Leadership Program, where she later went on to serve as President for four years. During this time, she also mentored Asian American middle school girls. Her passion for working with students also led her to working at the Asian Pacific Development Center as a youth educator. From 2015-2016, she volunteered for the main stage with the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival.

    Over the years, Dao has also emceed and volunteered at many CACEN events, and we’re grateful that the universe has brought her back into our orbit.

  • Host - Lanterns Over the Rockies

    A 2024 Asian American Young Hero awardee.

    Lanterns Over the Rockies, is a weekly AANHPI-focused radio program on KGNU Community Radio, produced in partnership with CACEN (Colorado Asian Culture and Education Network).

    You can hear episodes here: https://kgnu.org/shows/lanterns-over-the-rockies

  • Manager - Outdoor Equity Programs

    Originally from Boston, Kim has a long-standing commitment to community building and cultural preservation. She led the Vietnamese American Community Network in Boston, organizing cultural events, connecting families to social services, and creating opportunities for multicultural engagement. She also supported local leaders to help kick off establishing Boston’s Little Saigon cultural district.

    Since moving to Colorado in 2022, Kim has been excited to support the AAPI community in her new home. She currently serves as our Outdoor Equity Programs Manager, where she combines her passion for equity and access with her background in strategy and organizational development.

    Professionally, she brings experience as a chief of staff and management consultant, having worked with large enterprises, government agencies, nonprofits, and startups. She holds a BA from Brown University and an MBA from Georgetown University.

  • Events Coordinator

    Bryan is a recipient of the Asian American Young Hero of Colorado Award and a dedicated leader in the non-profit sector. With extensive experience in non-profit management, he brings expertise in youth leadership, geography, cartography, geomatics, and natural resources.

    Bryan holds a Bachelor of Science in Land Use and the Geosciences from Metropolitan State University of Denver, with concentrations in GIS, natural resources, and environmental science.

    Passionate about community building, he actively volunteers with organizations such as NAAAP Colorado, Colorado Dragon Boat, Outdoor Asian, and others.

  • Project Director - Colorado Lotus Project

    The Colorado Lotus Project, a groundbreaking data research initiative focused on understanding the experiences and needs of Colorado’s Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities, is officially launching its next phase operating under CACEN!

    “We’re excited for this next phase of the Colorado Lotus Project and our partnership with CACEN. Building upon CACEN’s strong foundation in the community and the progress from our first phase, we look forward to advancing our long-term goals of expanding accessible disaggregated data, increasing equitable resource allocation across Colorado, and laying the groundwork for a dedicated advocacy infrastructure.”

    Find more information under our CO Lotus Project tab!

Board of Directors

Community Partners

We look forward to partnering with you or your organization! Please email hello@coloradoasian.org with any ideas for collaboration!

  • CACEN is working with Asian Chamber of Commerce to develop an AANHPI Business and Leaders Directory.

  • CACEN partners with Asian Girls Ignite to organize events for AANHPI families and youth, including outdoor programs.

  • CACEN works with the Asian Pacific American Bar Association to host an annual winter drive to collect items for local seniors, and a lunar new year drive to put together baskets for recent immigrants during Lunar New Year.

  • Colorado Asian Pacific United is a founding member of the Social Fabric Hub. CAPU’s traveling exhibit featuring Denver’s historic Chinatown is displayed at Social Fabric Hub.