Meet The 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.

  • High School Intern

    Jayden Shi is the current high school intern at CACEN. He assists with updating the business plan, keeps the website current, and helps manage content to support the organization's outreach.

    He is a rising senior at Cherry Creek High School, where he serves as an FBLA chapter officer. Jayden hopes to pursue a business major in college.

  • Community Hub Manager

    Jadyn Nguyen is the community hub manager at the Social Fabric Hub operated by CACEN. He is a relationship-driven leader, and an advocate for equitable education.

    Jadyn is also the Marketing & Community Relations Coordinator for Colorado Asian Pacific United.

    While in high school, Jadyn co-founded Future10X a student-driven organization, backed by Teach for America Colorado that aimed to “reimagine the future of education”. After graduating from DSST in 2019, Jadyn chose to become a leadership apprentice. His work experience so far has been with youth development organizations, philanthropic community research projects, and podcast production.

  • Operations Manager and Outdoor Equity Programs Manager

    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 Operations Manager and 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.

CACEN’s Board of Directors

Thank You to Our Funders

The Colorado Health Foundation

•

Rep. Jason Crow's Office

•

Gates Family Foundation

•

AJL Foundation

•

Colorado AAPI Giving Circle

The Colorado Health Foundation • Rep. Jason Crow's Office • Gates Family Foundation • AJL Foundation • Colorado AAPI Giving Circle