Press Release

For Immediate Release Contact: July 12, 2005 Doua Thor Tel: 202/667-4690, doua@searac.org

Khammany Mathavongsy Named California Projects Director by the Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC)

Washington, DC — The Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC) is pleased to announce the appointment of Khammany Mathavongsy as its California Projects Director.

Mr. Mathavongsy will implement the Southeast Asian American Healthy Elders Leadership Project (HELP) with major funding from The California Endowment, as well as other initiatives in California. Through HELP, Mr. Mathavongsy will provide advocacy, training, and technical assistance services to Southeast Asian American community organizations that provide services to the elderly.

Mr. Mathavongsy's appointment marks the establishment of SEARAC's California office, in Sacramento. "This has been a dream of ours for many, many years. The Southeast Asian American communities are largest in California, so it's important that SEARAC have a strong presence there. Through this office in Sacramento, we'll be able to provide better services in the state, and make sure state policies are more responsive to the communities" according to Doua Thor, SEARAC's incoming Executive Director. SEARAC, based in Washington, DC, has been primarily managed by and for Southeast Asian Americans since 1979. SEARAC strengthens a national network of over 180 community organizations, carries out advocacy for and with the communities, and produces informational resources.

Mr. Mathavongsy came to the United States as a teenage refugee from Laos. He graduated from California State University, Chico in 1995 with a BA in International Relations. While pursuing his undergraduate education, he completed his internship with SEARAC. He received his Master of Public Administration degree in Public Policy from California State University, Hayward. Prior joining SEARAC, he was with the San Francisco Unified School District, Marin Education Fund, Mills College, Council for Opportunity in Education and AACE Educational Services. He is a founding member of Southeast Asian Students Association (SEASA) at Chico State, and the Laotian American National Alliance (LANA). Currently, Khammany is also the Vice President of the LANA Board, and a Vice President of the Board of Trustee for the Wat Lao Rattanaram temple in Richmond, California.

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