AAPI Power Players 2024

Abhinav Rastogi is president and CEO of Temple University Hospital Inc., the chief clinical training site for Temple University’s Lewis Katz School of Medicine. He’s also executive vice president of Temple University Health System. He has over 22 years of experience in business transformation and creating profitable service delivery programs. He earned his MBA/MIS degree from Temple University’s Fox School of Business and Management, and a bachelor of engineering degree from Mumbai University.

If you could give your younger-self advice, what would it be?
My advice to my younger self would be to embrace your passions and not to let other people dictate your path in life. I would also tell myself to try to see failure as an opportunity. Setbacks can seem like roadblocks, but the lessons you learn from them are often the foundations for success.

Do you have any event/movie/music suggestions for our readers to check out in celebration of AAPI Heritage Month?
One Indian film I would highly recommend is called “Laagan.” It’s about cricket – the most beloved sport in India – but it’s also a story of how underdogs can win through dedication and hard work. It’s a great movie for anyone looking to be inspired to achieve the impossible.

How has your heritage shaped the person you are today?
I credit my background for helping me understand why it’s so important for underserved populations to have access to essential healthcare services. Outside of the U.S., I’ve seen what health care disparities look like at their most extreme, and I know they lead to very poor patient outcomes. That’s why promoting health equity is so crucial, as is building trust with, and promoting health literacy and early screening and detection within, our community.

What can Philadelphia policymakers do to support the AAPI-community in the short-term? In the long-term?
I think it’s critical to focus on providing fair and sustainable funding for public education, so children from all communities can benefit from cultural diversity in our schools and have an equal chance at success. That’s why Temple Health is partnering with local high schools to provide internships in a variety of health care-related disciplines to train students for sustainable careers that they can immediately pursue after graduation.

Bella Rushi, founder of Symmetri Consulting and an innovation management consultant, works with large corporations to enhance return on investment and cut research and development costs. Her pharmaceutical background and wide experience enable her to consult across various industries, focusing on growth strategies and incorporating innovation into corporate processes. Bella is dedicated to unlocking each company’s unique innovation potential and sculpting a future where innovation capabilities are not just imagined but fully realized.

If you could give your younger-self advice, what would it be?
To my younger self, I would firmly say – when you commit to something, pour your whole heart into it. If others fail to appreciate you for your authentic self, then truly, it is their loss.

Do you have any event/movie/music suggestions for our readers to check out in celebration of AAPI Heritage Month?
PECO Multicultural Series at Penn’s Landing – a succession of outdoor festivals that celebrate cultural traditions from across the globe, including Festival of India hosted by Council of Indian Organizations (CIO).

How has your heritage shaped the person you are today?
Witnessing my immigrant parents’ relentless work ethic and adaptability instilled in me a profound drive to succeed. I remember my father working tirelessly, balancing a full-time job and a weekend newspaper stand. Assisting him taught me that dedication and commitment are key to fulfillment. My family’s resilience continues to inspire me daily.

What can Philadelphia policymakers do to support the AAPI-community in the short-term? In the long-term?
To enhance the Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage community’s growth, policymakers must support women’s entrepreneurship and facilitate their advancement to executive positions. Addressing unconscious bias and significantly increasing early childcare support are essential steps towards creating an inclusive environment that empowers women returning to work, fostering resilience, and promoting equity.

Dr. Jaewon Ryu, M.D., J.D. is an ER physician by training whose career has spanned across payer, provider, and government/policy, taking him to places like Geisinger, Kaiser Permanente, Humana, CMS, and currently as the CEO at Risant Health. Previously, he worked as a corporate health care attorney, and throughout his career has been involved with policy, specifically payment policy, and currently serves on the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission.

In Society Hill sits “Philadelphia’s Queen of Sushi” Madame Saito. For more than 30 years, she has impressed Philadelphia with her culinary creations, including her invention of the world-famous ‘Philly roll,’ in her efforts to achieve the American dream. Saito has been an ambassador of Japanese culture and fusion cuisine in the Greater Philadelphia community, continuing that legacy through her private sushi making classes.

If you could give your younger-self advice, what would it be?
I would ask myself, “What is the dream that you want to become? If so, how can you make it achievable?” I would tell myself that you can make your realities come true and that you can become one of the greatest sushi chefs and sushi making instructors. Only you can stop yourself from your dreams.

Do you have any event/movie/music suggestions for our readers to check out in celebration of AAPI Heritage Month?
I would recommend the movie, “Jiro Dreams of Sushi” by David Gelb. I would also recommend the song, “Yue Liang Dai Biao Wo De Xin/The Moon Represents My Heart”.

How has your heritage shaped the person you are today?
I love Japanese culture as well as other country’s cultures. I find everyone’s food and culture inspiring and I love learning about other people. Different cultures are beautiful and that’s how I feel.

What can Philadelphia policymakers do to support the AAPI-community in the short-term? In the long-term?
I think helping the community learn more about different cultures in general is beneficial in bringing us more together and closer together. We are one family and it’s beautiful to learn more about other people and their backgrounds. There is alway something more to learn about everyone.

Senator Nikil Saval is a father, husband, writer, and organizer representing Pennsylvania’s 1st Senatorial District. He serves as Democratic chair of the Senate’s urban affairs and housing committee and chair of the Senate’s Philadelphia Delegation. Saval led the creation of Pennsylvania’s nationally acclaimed Whole-Home Repairs Program, which supports home repairs and weatherization for low- and moderate-income households across the commonwealth, while building up a skilled local workforce.

If you could give your younger-self advice, what would it be?
You are not powerless. Work to build solidarity with people you trust, and build organizations out of that solidarity. That’s how you build power.

Do you have any event/movie/music suggestions for our readers to check out in celebration of AAPI Heritage Month?
I recommend “All This Could Be Different,” by Sarah Thankam Mathews – a great queer South Asian debut novel published in 2022 about youth, the links between Asia and America, and becoming politicized.

How has your heritage shaped the person you are today?
I take inspiration from the decolonizing, socialist roots of South Asia’s struggle for independence, which had as its roots the need to build solidarity with people of diverse backgrounds and ages to achieve the common goal of self-determination.

What can Philadelphia policymakers do to support the AAPI-community in the short-term? In the long-term?
In the short term: We need to preserve AAPI communities and neighborhoods, build language access into all aspects of public policymaking, and enable Asian American studies in the classroom. In the long term: We need to guarantee housing as a human right; repair, build, and fund schools, not prisons; and establish a Green New Deal.

Chef Chutatip “Nok” Suntaranon’s Kalaya opened in April 2019 to critical acclaim, accumulating 2020 honors including a James Beard Award nomination for Best New Restaurant, Esquire’s Best New Restaurant in America, and one of the nation’s best new restaurants as selected by Food & Wine magazine. In 2023, Suntaranon brought home the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic. The restaurant moved to a newer, significantly larger space in Philadelphia’s Fishtown neighborhood in November 2022.

 If you could give your younger-self advice, what would it be?
I would tell my younger self that everything will be OK. Tomorrow will be a better day, always. That’s the advice that I think would help me get through any difficult times and challenges.

Do you have any event/movie/music suggestions for our readers to check out in celebration of AAPI Heritage Month?
“Crazy Rich Asians.” I love it. It cheers me up.

How has your heritage shaped the person you are today?
Growing up in a household and the village like the one I grew up in with my mother really helped me to learn and understand Thai-Chinese culture and Asian culture, and it provided me with the work ethic, the background, and the ability to come to America to do what I am doing today. I credit my success and the person I have grown into today to my childhood and my heritage.

What can Philadelphia policymakers do to support the AAPI-community in the short-term? In the long-term?
I think Philadelphia policymakers, and policymakers everywhere, should just make sure that the AAPI community is getting equal opportunities and equal treatment. That’s really all you can ask for, in both the short-term and long-term. Everyone deserves an opportunity, especially underrepresented communities.

Michael Tang’s career path began in NYC’s nightlife industry and transitioned into the restaurant business. When he was presented with an opportunity to expand his SET Restaurant and Bar concept to Philadelphia’s Northern Liberties he took it in stride. He has two additional concepts opening this year, Essex Squeeze Juice Bar and a speakeasy called Newsroom. With his innovative spirit and ambition, he’s poised to make a significant impact in Philadelphia’s hospitality industry.

If you could give your younger-self advice, what would it be?
I would tell myself to keep the ambition but take more calculated risks.

Do you have any event/movie/music suggestions for our readers to check out in celebration of AAPI Heritage Month?
I would recommend checking out the Asian Festival and Business Resource Fair Event. Watch the “Young and Dangerous” movie series and enjoy SET Nolibs AAPI May specials!

How has your heritage shaped the person you are today?
Watching my immigrant parents work seven days a week instilled a strong work ethic and a deep understanding of the value of hard work. Recognizing that as a minority outworking your peers is often necessary to achieve your goals.

What can Philadelphia policymakers do to support the AAPI-community in the short-term? In the long-term?
The city of Philadelphia can make our cultural celebrations more mainstream so that the city as a whole can understand our heritage more and enjoy the celebrations the way our culture does. Long term help would be to provide entrepreneurial assistance programs and to make it more easily accessible.

Born and raised in Tokyo, Japan, Kazumi Teune moved to Philadelphia in 1982 after studying at the University of Hawaii for her master’s degree. In 2001 she was appointed the executive director of the Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia (JASGP). For the next 15 years, she dedicated herself to pursue the mission of JASGP. In 2016, Kazumi received a commendation award from Japan’s ministry of foreign affairs. After six years of retirement, Kazumi returned to JASGP in 2022.

If you could give your younger-self advice, what would it be?
Keep your goal high and pursue it no matter how difficult it may be. Always think of others and appreciate support from your immediate circle starting from your own family and friends. If you dedicate yourself to the benefit of others and society through your work. What you have done will eventually come back to you.

Do you have any event/movie/music suggestions for our readers to check out in celebration of AAPI Heritage Month?
Please visit Shofuso Japanese House and Garden in Fairmount Park. The House is a representation of Japanese culture yet showcases the components of the East Asian cultures including those in China and Korea.

How has your heritage shaped the person you are today?
Respect for history, education, laws, hard work, art, and culture, all helped to shape myself to come to where I am now.

Catzie Vilayphonh is an award-winning writer. As Yellow Rage, she was one of the first Asian Americans on HBO’s “Def Poetry Jam.” In 2013 Catzie received a Knight Foundation Arts Challenge award to start her organization Laos In The House. Having served the Mayor’s Commission on Asian American Affairs, she became the first non-citizen Pennsylvania Council Member on the Arts in 2018. Born in a refugee camp, enroute to America, Catzie considers herself “.5 Generation”.

If you could give your younger-self advice, what would it be?
Learning to read and write in Lao isn’t as hard as you think it might be. There’s an entire world you get to be a part of once you understand even just a few words and even more vocabulary to learn through music and literature. In speaking with elders, they appreciate you trying to speak the same language so don’t worry about the shame of not knowing and just enjoy the conversations to come.

Do you have any event/movie/music suggestions for our readers to check out in celebration of AAPI Heritage Month?
Yes! Our #BLESSED Lao Pop-up Dinner on Saturday May 25th at BOK! It’s quite the experience because diners get to sit on the floor and eat the way we would when visiting the temples.

How has your heritage shaped the person you are today?
My heritage has shaped the way I see the world and how it sees me. My family came to the U.S. from Laos as refugees of war. It took me 18 years to understand their journey wasn’t a choice made willingly. I feel the weight of my immigrant status in my face and skin color, my fluency in English foreshadowing a lifelong responsibility to educate what and where is Laos, and why are we here.

What can Philadelphia policymakers do to support the AAPI-community in the short-term? In the long-term?
As a Southeast Asian American, my calendar is full in April for Lao New Year, in May for APIA Heritage Month, and June for Immigrant Heritage Month and World Refugee Day. I appreciate that these timed activities help others recognize our communities and give reason to celebrate us, but we are here to stay. Acknowledge us, invite us, listen to us, cater to us, work with us, learn with us. We’re your community too.

Carol Wong is the executive director of the Chinatown Learning Center, a school program focussed on high-quality early childhood education to English language learners, and is part of the Asian American Chamber of Commerce Board. In 1993 she opened the preschool and after-school and is involved in many community organizations.