After an extensive nationwide search, Dr. Noël Suzanne Harmon, has been selected as the new president and executive director of the Asian & Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund (APIASF).
She will begin the job on June 30, 2018, replacing Neil Horikoshi, who served in the role for 10 years.
Harmon’s background in leadership and education includes a stint as senior vice president for strategic partnerships at Say Yes to Education, a nonprofit organization that seeks to improve inner-city education. There, she led efforts to forge partnerships and raise start-up capital.
Prior to that, Harmon served as associate director of the Global Cities Initiative at the Brookings Institution, and before that as chief program officer and national director of the Talent Dividend at CEOs for Cities.
Harmon also brings research experience in higher education and policy.
“Noël brings to us an impressive record as a strategic leader in educational policy, philanthropy and community engagement and empowerment,” said search committee chair Harsha Murthy. “In addition, her personal story as a Korean adoptee who grew up in the Midwest is compelling and inspirational. We look forward to working with her as we continue to build partnerships with colleges, universities, foundations, political and community groups and others to advance the lives of Asian and Pacific Islander American students and their families,”
APIASF, based in Washington D.C., has distributed more than $110 million in scholarships to Asian and Pacific Islander students since 2003. APIASF manages three scholarship programs: the APIASF General Scholarship, the APIASF Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISI) Scholarship and the Gates Millennium Scholars/Asian Pacific Islander Americans funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
