Advisory Panel

The advisory panel established by Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi in 2017, is made up of nine members appointed by the Governor, Speaker of the Assembly, and Senate Committee on Rules to evaluate and make recommendations on grant applicants to the State Librarian. The members provide insight and expertise in ongoing civil liberties and civil rights issues and Japanese American experiences during World War II.

Members

Asmaa Ahmed (Irvine) was most recently at the Greater Los Angeles Area office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-LA) for two and a half years, where she served as the Policy Manager for the organization. CAIR is the nation’s largest grassroots Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, and as policy manager, Ahmed advocated for issues impacting Muslims, immigrants, refugees, women and communities of color. Ahmed was the lead organizer for the #NoMuslimBanEver March in Los Angeles, and led CAIR-LA’s advocacy campaigns for SB 31 and SB 54, two state laws that protect Muslims and immigrants in California. She is a native Southern Californian with a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the University of California, Los Angeles and a Master’s degree in Public Policy from Pepperdine University. (Appointed by the California Speaker of the Assembly)

Zahra Billoo (San Jose) has been director at the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations since 2009. She was an employee rights advocacy extern at the National Employment Lawyers Association from 2008 to 2009, where she was a Peggy Browning Fund fellow in 2008. Billoo was a law clerk at Bay Area Legal Aid in 2007 and a field organizer for the Service Employees International Union in 2006. She holds a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law and a Bachelor’s degree in political science from Long Beach State University. (Appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown)

Carin Fujisaki (Walnut Creek) has served as an associate justice at the First District Court of Appeal since 2018. She served as principal attorney to the chief justice at the California Supreme Court from 2015 to 2018, where she was a judicial staff attorney from 1991 to 2014 and a staff attorney from 1990 to 1991. She was an associate at Howard, Rice, Nemerovski, Canady, Robertson, and Falk from 1986 to 1990, a research attorney in the Civil Law and Motion Department at the San Francisco County Superior Court from 1985 to 1986, and a paid student extern at the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office from 1983 to 1985. Fujisaki earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. (Appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown)

Diane Miyeko Matsuda (San Francisco) has been secretary and treasurer at the Henri and Tomoye Takahashi Charitable Foundation since 2010. She served as executive director at the John Burton Foundation (also known as the John Burton Advocates for Youth) from 2008 to 2016. Matsuda was executive officer at the California Cultural and Historical Endowment from 2004 to 2008, program director at the California Civil Liberties Public Education Grant Program from 1998 to 2004, and coordinator at the Osaka International House Foundation from 1992 to 1997. She is a member of the San Francisco Historic Preservation Commission and the San Francisco Japantown Foundation. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. (Appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown)

Dennis M. Robinson (Watsonville) is the western regional director at MedShare International and has been a philanthropic and relationship advisor and lecturer for over 20 years. He was senior philanthropy advisor at the Silicon Valley Community Foundation from 2015 to 2020, and an independent philanthropic & social impact investment advisor and relationship strategist since 1997. He was regional advancement director at the Southern Poverty Law Center from 2012 to 2013 and development director at the St. Francis Medical Center Foundation from 2008 to 2012. Robinson was director of major gifts and planned giving at Chapman University from 2007 to 2008 and chief advancement officer for principal investments at the Arizona State University Foundation from 2006 to 2007. Robinson is also an advisor to the chief executive officer of the Real Medicine Foundation and the chairman of Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, USA. (Appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown)

Monnee Tong (San Diego) is a Supervising Librarian at the San Diego Public Library. In her role, she oversees the Central Library and branches in the neighborhoods of Mission Hills, North Park, and University Heights. Monnee has over a decade of public service experience in public libraries in which she has provided reference help, developed community partnerships, and planned and implemented programs for adults and teens. Most recently, she was co-Director for the California Humanities-funded program The Rebellious Miss Breed, a quarter long public programming series about the Japanese American Incarceration and the activism of San Diego Public Library’s former Director, Clara Breed. Monnee was also part of a team of librarians who requested the rescission of Resolution 76068, which was passed in 1942 and called for the removal of Japanese Americans from San Diego. In 2022, the San Diego City Council rescinded the Resolution and made a formal apology to the Japanese American community. Monnee holds a Masters in Library and Information Science from the University of Washington, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in History of Art from the University of California, Berkeley. (Appointed by Senate Committee on Rules)

Shaojie Amy Chu (Long Beach) currently holds a pivotal role in the capital markets and strategic finance division at a leading eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft) enterprise, ensuring streamlined financial operations for the company. Beyond her primary responsibilities, Ms. Chu is actively engaged in government affairs. Transitioning from the EV to the eVTOL sector, her dedication lies in fostering a greener, sustainable world through advanced technologies. Her proficiency spans equity financing, M&A, and the fusion of finance with big data analytics. A proud alumna of Krannert School of Management at Purdue and Paul Merage School of Business at UC Irvine, Ms. Chu is an avid sports enthusiast with a particular passion for golf. Her professional path exemplifies innovation, commitment, and a vision for a sustainable future. (Appointed by the California Speaker of Assembly)

Member (Governor’s Office) – Yet to be appointed

Member (Senate Committee on Rules) – Yet to be appointed

Meetings

Meetings of the California Civil Liberties Public Education Program’s advisory board are held on an as-needed basis. Please check back here for an agenda and additional information.

Next Meeting

Previous Meetings

If you are unable to utilize the PDF Portfolio of meeting materials, please see the links below. The first link has the bulk of the meeting materials, but the full packet also include the Education Code sections relating to his program as well as the bill AB 491.