Edgar Chen
Special Policy Advisor
National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA)
Edgar Chen is Special Policy Advisor to NAPABA. He brings nearly two decades of legal and advocacy experience in the private law firm, government, and non-profit sectors. He is responsible for developing and advancing policies that support NAPABA’s strategic goals and working with affiliates, organizational allies, and executive branch, and congressional offices to promote NAPABA’s work. In this role he has spearheaded NAPABA’s efforts, in concert with affiliates, to combat the resurgence of anti-Asian “alien land laws” across various states.
Prior to joining NAPABA, Chen served in three different federal agencies during administrations of both parties, including as Chief of Staff at the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network of the Department of the Treasury; as Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General of the Criminal Division of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ); and as attorney advisor for oversight matters in the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Chen began his governmental career as a trial attorney in the DOJ’s Office of Special Investigations, which was responsible for identifying and taking legal action against participants in Nazi-sponsored acts of persecution and against modern day human rights violators who entered the United States by concealing their roles in war crimes. He also served in the DOJ’s Office of Legislative Affairs, where he spearheaded the Department’s interactions with Congress on a variety of issues including transnational organized crime, money laundering, human trafficking, forensic science reform, tribal law and order, fraud, the DOJ response to the financial crisis and other high-profile matters. He also worked to guide Presidentially Appointed nominees through the Senate confirmation process and handled oversight from congressional committees of jurisdiction.
Chen holds an A.B. in History and a certificate in East Asian Studies from Princeton University and a J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School. He also serves on the Board of Trustees of Princeton In Asia.
Ashley Gorski
Senior Staff Attorney
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
Ashley Gorski is a Senior Staff Attorney in the ACLU’s National Security Project, where she litigates and advocates on issues related to privacy and government surveillance, racial and religious discrimination, and the freedoms of speech and association. Her cases have included Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle v. Baltimore Police Department, a successful challenge to Baltimore’s mass aerial surveillance program; Kariye v. Mayorkas, a suit by Muslim Americans subjected to discriminatory religious questioning at the U.S. border; and Shen v. Simpson, a challenge to a Florida law that restricts many Chinese immigrants from buying homes in the state.
She has also represented Asian American scientists seeking accountability for wrongful prosecution by the U.S. government, including in Chen v. United States, which resulted in one of the largest settlements ever paid by the Commerce Department. Gorski has provided expert testimony on U.S. surveillance law in international fora, and her writing and commentary are routinely featured in national media outlets.
Prior to joining the ACLU in 2013, Gorski worked at Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP. She also served as a law clerk to the Honorable Jon O. Newman of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and the Honorable Miriam Goldman Cedarbaum of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
She is a graduate of Yale College and Harvard Law School.
Gene Wu
Texas State Representative
State Representative Gene Wu proudly serves the people of District 137 in the Texas House. Prior to being elected in 2012, he served as a prosecutor in the Harris County District Attorney’s Office, where he sought justice for thousands of crime victims. Wu is currently an attorney in private practice.
Since being elected State Representative, Wu has maintained a focus on improving the lives of Texas children. Wu has authored numerous pieces of legislation supporting greater justice for juveniles; specifically fighting the school to prison pipeline and passing comprehensive CPS reform.
Now in his 6th term, Wu serves on the Appropriations Committee, and sits on the subcommittee on Article II which is responsible for the funding of health and human services programs. He also serves on the Juvenile Justice and Family Issues Committee, bringing his expert knowledge and professional experience to help represent kids and families across the State of Texas. He has also been appointed to the Texas Access to Justice Commission, the Texas State Child Fatality Review Team, and the Energy Council. Wu currently serves as Vice Chair of the Texas House Democratic Caucus and as Co-Chair of the Asian American and Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus.
Outside his legislative work, Wu remains active and involved in the Houston community. Additionally, he is passionate in supporting young people becoming active in civic roles, and is proud advocate for the AAPI community across Texas and the nation.
He earned his B.Sc. from Texas A&M University, a Master’s Degree from the LBJ School for Public Affairs at the University of Texas in Austin, and a J.D. from the South Texas College of Law in Houston.
Dr. Jeremy Wu
Founder and Co-Organizer
APA Justice
Dr. Jeremy S. Wu retired from the U.S. federal government after more than 30 years of public service. During his tenure, Dr. Wu maintained a two-track career in statistics and civil rights. As Departmental Director of the Office of Civil Rights at the Department of Transportation, Dr. Wu was principal advisor to Secretary Norman Mineta on civil rights and equal opportunity issues after 9/11. He also served as Acting Chief Statistician at the Department of Transportation. As the National Ombudsman at the Department of Energy, Dr. Wu was advisor to Secretary Bill Richardson on advancing diversity and trust in the workplace. He was the first Asian American career employee to reach Senior Executive Service in USDA after serving 15 years as Chief Statistician for the Marketing and Regulatory Programs.
Dr. Wu managed a pioneering project to integrate multiple data sources and create a national longitudinal household and employment data system at the Census Bureau. He received the Department of Commerce Group Gold Medal Award for Scientific/Engineering Achievements. Dr. Wu is passionate about public and community service. He founded the APA Justice Task Force in 2015 to create a non-partisan platform that addresses racial profiling and selected justice and fairness concerns for the Asian Pacific American community. Dr. Wu was elected as Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration in 2022. He is a member of the Committee of 100 and the Cosmos Club. He served three terms as Chair of the Asian American Government Executive Network. He earned his doctorate degree in Mathematical Statistics from George Washington University. Dr. Wu is a member of Committee of 100.
