California Governor Gavin Newsom has appointed Manjusha Kulkarni, a well-known Asian American advocate to the Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs. The governor’s office announced Jan.16.
Based in Los Angeles, Kulkarni has been Executive Director at the AAPI Equity Alliance since 2017 and Co-Founder of Stop AAPI Hate since 2020. She was Executive Director at the South Asian Network from 2010 to 2016. Kulkarni held multiple roles at the National Health Law Program from 1999 to 2008, including Senior Attorney and Staff Attorney. She was Director of Intake at the Office of the Civil Rights Monitor from 1995 to 1999.
Kulkarni is President of the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission and a Member of the California Racial Identity and Profile Act Board and Board of Directors of LA Voice. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from Boston University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Duke University.
The California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs (CAPIAA) is a state agency dedicated to elevating the political, economic, and social issues of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
CAPIAA advises the Governor and Legislature on effective responses to the needs and concerns of the state’s diverse Asian and Pacific Islander American communities and works to foster understanding, inclusivity, and collaboration across the state
This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Kulkarni is a Democrat.