Victoria Tung
Associate Director: Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs for the U.S. Department of Commerce
2003-2005 Fellow: office of Rep. Mike Honda.
Biography
Victoria Tung is currently the Associate Director of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs in the Secretary's Office for the Department of Commerce. In this position, she acts as an advisor to Commerce Secretary Gary Locke on legislative issues, congressional relations and the Department’s outreach to the nation’s governors and mayors. Victoria was appointed by the Obama Administration a year ago to fill this position after spending five and a half years in Congress. During her tenure in Congress, she served as the first Executive Director of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC). Under her leadership, she increased the visibility of Asian American and Pacific Islander issues within Congress and nationally. Victoria has been a leader in the fight for comprehensive immigration reform, eliminating racial and ethnic health disparities, worked on the passage of the Voting Rights Act reauthorization, and ensured Filipino WWII Veterans were recognized and compensated for their military service. Victoria was listed as one of Capitol Hill’s top staffers in the National Journal’s “The Hill People” and received the Kellogg Health Scholars Minority Health Award.
What did you gain from your APAICS Fellowship experience?
"Before I worked in Congress, I was involved with grassroots organizing. I realized that in order for me to be effective in making changes, it was important to understand this from both the grassroots and the grasstop approach. The APAICS Fellowship gave me the opportunity to work with constituents, stakeholders, local elected officials and Members of Congress, to work on important policy issues affecting our community. I gained a keener sense of the legislative strategy process and a stronger understanding of both the policy and political world."
Why do you believe it's important for Asian Pacific Americans to have a presence in policy and government?
"It is about leadership and representation. If you are not at the table, your concerns and recommendations will not be taken into consideration. The experiences and understanding of our communities need to be understood. We live in a country that prides itself on its diversity and that diversity needs to be presented in all levels of policy making and government. "
What advice do you have for future APAICS Fellows?
"Take as many risks as possible, take initiative and never be afraid to ask questions. You're young and you’re energetic—this is the best time to learn as much as possible. APAICS provides the resources and this community of other Fellows that have been there before you to support you. This is the best time for you to work hard to learn about yourself, the issues you care about and improve your skill set to be an effective leader in our community."
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