Staff

Prior to serving as interim executive director for the Commission of Asian Pacific American Affairs, Nam Nguyen served as an Assistant Attorney General in the Revenue and Finance Division and in private practice for law firms in Bellevue, WA, and Houston, TX. He graduated from Boston University School of Law.

Nam has a history of serving his community. After law school, he volunteered in Bayou La Batre, AL (where Forrest Gump started the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company) to help address the economic and social problems caused by the BP Oil Spill. There, he developed, managed, and implemented youth development programs, social service programs for those with limited English proficiency, and work training/retraining programs for workers displaced by the BP Oil Spill. Nam has, in the past, volunteered as an assistant scoutmaster and troop leader for both boy and girl scouts troops in Alabama, Massachusetts, Texas, and Washington.

He is also currently as the Treasurer of the Board of Directors for the Family Support Center of South Sound, a non-profit organization that provides families with coordinated supportive services in the Olympia area. He is on the board Seattle University’s School of Law. In April 2022, Nam was elected as a Governor on the Washington State Bar Association’s Board of Governors for a three-year term.

In addition to his law degree, Nam has a Master in Public Policy from the University of Michigan and an undergraduate degree from the University of Washington. He grew up in the Seattle area and currently lives in Tumwater, WA with his Dog Vader.

K’gnausa Yodkerepauprai joined CAPAA in February of 2022.Previously, he served in a number of legislative offices, including the Office of Senator Joe Nguyen (34th LD), the Office of Senator John McCoy (38th LD), and the Office of Congressman Denny Heck (10th CD). These experiences kindled a passion for public policy and advocacy that he proudly brings to CAPAA.

K’gnausa is a first-generation Thai Canadian-American, who immigrated with his mother to Madison, Wisconsin before moving to Olympia, Washington. He holds a B.A in Political Science from The Evergreen State College. K’gnausa cares deeply about preserving the environment, as well as access to affordable health care, housing and college. He enjoys the great outdoors, playing soccer and chess and trying new recipes.

Brenda O’Brien is a first-generation Korean-Irish American born in Seoul, Korea. After her parents’ divorce in 1997, she moved to Tacoma, WA with her mother and two younger sisters. She graduated from Corban University (formerly Northwest Baptist College) in Salem, OR, with a B.S. in Psychology, after transferring there from Central Washington University. She has 23 years of combined experience in serving in both an administrative capacity and in case management as a social worker. She also cares full-time for her mother when she is not working.

Prior to joining CAPAA, Brenda managed a busy office for the Pierce North Community Services Office at DSHS in Tacoma. There, she was appointed a REDI (Respect, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) Ambassador representing Pierce North at the Regional level. She has a strong passion for advocating for the marginalized, elderly, high school youth, and animals, as well as keeping up-to-date on current events impacting our communities. Brenda’s interests include gardening, animals, singing, winning at board games, and posing as a coffee connoisseur.