2003 APIO Award Recipients
Leadership/Visionary
Quan D.
Quan
Provides leadership to the APIO National Council 5th training
conference logistics. Continues working with the Department of
Housing and Urban Development to join the APIO next training
conference. Continues working with centers, institutes and NHQ to
increase diversity in the workforce. Works with Vietnamese students
in the Washington, DC and Maryland areas with recruitment effort.
For his continued support and hard work
since the beginning of the Organization.
Award
of Excellence in Natural Resources Conservation
Lee Ko
Lee served as chairman of the Technical
Session last year. Her concise and detailed APIO programming
distinguishes and mirrors her ability as a Water Quality Specialist
in Oregon. Lee helps administer $1.1 million of EQIP funds within
her Basin Team. She has served in 8 field offices and in 3 States
since 1981.
Lee’s diverse agricultural background
got its roots from her grandparents immigrating from China to
Canada. She grew up in Kalamazoo, Michigan and took the move with
SCS to the Pacific Northwest to become more Asian (eating more
rice).
For her excellence in technical
assistance to the Oregon Lower Willamette Basin and private lands
conservation.
Award
of Excellence in Asian Pacific Islander Community Outreach
SAM VANG
Washoua S. Vang, Fresno, California has
been an APIO NRCS employee working on outreach efforts for the last
three years. Sam’s commitment and outstanding outreach and partnering
efforts have shined while conducting the Southeast Asian Specialty Crop
Experimental Project, which entails the growth and demonstration of
numerous management practices. Sam showcased his leadership and
dedication at the last APIO Training Conference for a variety of
specialty and high value crops, and resulted in publications being
translated in the Hmong language and shared throughout California,
Australia, and Thailand.
OUTSTANDING MEMBER AWARD
Jean
Nodzon
Jean has served as the hard-working
treasurer for the APIO for three years. Throughout the year, she
collects membership dues, and is responsible for handling the budget
for our annual conferences – not an easy task for anyone, but she
manages to keep us within our budget and maintain operating funds
for the year.
She also is an active member of the APIO
National Council, participating in numerous teleconferences, and
always offering good guidance and sound input when necessary.
Jean handles a myriad of questions from
members and prospective members, and provides advice when asked.
She is always eager and willing to review the APIO website, and
provides feedback to make the site workable and complete. I really
appreciate her “eagle eyes” in this area.
To sum it all up, Jean is an active
member of the APIO, has been a national council member for three
years, is willing to take on additional tasks as needed, and
provides excellent support and guidance to the organization and its
members. I feel she is very deserving of this award.
Special Achievement Award
THomAS a.
Weber
For his critical support and guidance to
APIO in its early formative years. For his assistance in obtaining
funding for the first two years of the AA/Pi Liaison position in
Cal-Poly Pomona and his demonstrated support of the organization’s
goals provided the firm basis for APIO’s establishment and
development as a viable and effective employee organization.
For his encouragement and championship
of APIO outreach and development activities which is a signal
demonstration of leadership in the Agency’s pursuit of diversity and
effective service to the nation.
Special Achievement Award
Pat
Levenworth
For her outstanding leadership in
providing outreach programs and services to underserved communities
in Wisconsin. Her consistent and effective commitment to and
support of programs assisting the Hmong community, Native American
tribes and other groups is a particularly effective demonstration of
leadership in support of the Agency’s outreach goals.
