Yee Xiong, Manager of Communications and External Affairs  

As the Manager of Communications & External Affairs for CAPIAA, Yee Xiong spearheads initiatives to enhance community engagement, and builds impactful partnerships with civic, educational, and community organizations, strengthening CAPIAA’s impact and engagement extend to diverse audiences. 

Yee leads CAPIAA’s strategic communications efforts, managing press releases, statements, annual reports, social media, and newsletters. Through her work, CAPIAA has gained greater visibility and expanded its media coverage. She is equally committed to mentoring and guiding a diverse team of interns, creating opportunities for professional growth and fostering collaboration in an inclusive and supportive environment. 

In 2022, she was named one of the top 40 Asian American Pacific Islander political operatives and public affairs professionals in the United States for her efforts to increase marginalized communities’ representation and participation in public service at all levels of government. 

Before joining CAPIAA, Yee served as Director of Operations & Communications for Sacramento Councilmember Katie Valenzuela. She has also led impactful initiatives for the League of California Cities’ API, LGBTQ, and Women’s Caucuses; facilitated the Asian Pacific Islander Legislative Staff Academy for the California API Legislative Caucus Institute; and directed APIs Mobilize Youth Leadership Programs. 

Yee has over a decade of experience in nonprofit and program management, organizational leadership, communications, and building multiracial coalitions. Her roots in public service are inspired by her parent’s legacies: her father’s role as a revered peacemaker and her mother’s resilience and dedication to uplifting others in the Hmong community. Yee earned her bachelors degree in Asian American Studies from the University of California, Davis, where she was honored as an Outstanding Alumni for her impactful work in the AANHPI community.