TAAF x PbP : From Career to Community
Join The Asian American Foundation (TAAF) and Project by Project (PbP) for an evening exploring a question many successful professionals eventually ask themselves:
“How can I transform professional success into community impact?”
Through an intimate fireside conversation with an accomplished AAPI leader, attendees will hear the personal experiences and motivations that inspired them to invest their time, talent, and resources back into the AAPI community.
More than a conversation, this evening is designed to help emerging AAPI leaders see community leadership as a natural extension of professional success. Attendees will leave with new perspectives, meaningful connections, and practical ways to begin investing in the future of AAPI communities.
The evening will include Asian food, boba, and space for attendees to connect with other early- to mid-career AAPI professionals committed to the AAPI community.
Why Attend?
Attendees will:
Hear honest stories about leadership, identity, and community impact from accomplished AAPI leaders
Learn how professionals across industries have used their expertise, influence, and networks to strengthen the AAPI community.
Discover practical pathways to invest in the AAPI community
Connect with other early- to mid-career AAPI professionals who share a commitment to community impact.
Leave inspired to take one meaningful step toward investing in the future of the AAPI community
Event Details
Tuesday, August 4
5:30 - 8:30PM (Doors close at 6:15PM)
SŌHN (2535 3rd St, San Francisco, CA 94107)
Food: Dinner will be provided to all attendees
Type: Standing reception
APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED FOR THE EVENT
This event is intentionally designed to bring together early- to mid-career AAPI professionals who are eager to explore how they can invest their time, talent, and resources in strengthening our communities together.
Please direct registration questions to jason.liu@taaf.org
Special thanks to our partners for their generosity and their belief in our mission
Speaker Bios
Nelly Lin
Team & Leadership Member, Project by Project; Senior Product Manager, TikTok
Nelly Lin builds technology and communities that protect people. As an AI Product Leader with 7+ years of experience across consumer technology, digital health, e-commerce, and Trust & Safety, she currently leads the development of AI safety systems at TikTok, focusing on the responsible deployment of multimodal AI across global markets to protect more than 1 billion users from extremism, violence, hate, and terrorism. Previously, she built AI-powered personalized care experiences at Twill (Happify) and data-driven commerce products at Wayfair — work rooted in the same conviction: that intelligent systems should also be trustworthy, human-centered, and continuously improving.
That same conviction drives Nelly's advocacy work. She serves on the leadership development team at Project by Project San Francisco, developing the next generation of Asian American leaders through programs like Project LEAD and the Plate by Plate benefit, and previously founded a podcast raising awareness of mental health and ADHD in the Asian American community.
Dave Lu
Managing Partner, Hyphen Capital; Co-Founder, Stand with Asian Americans; Advisory Board Member, Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center; Co-Founder, Asian Leadership Center; Leadership Council Member, Apex for Youth
Dave Lu is the founder and Managing Partner of Hyphen Capital, which has invested over $35M in Asian American founded companies. He is a Silicon Valley veteran, having worked at Yahoo, eBay, Apple and Cisco before starting two companies. In 2021, Dave started a movement with an open letter condemning hate crimes against Asians that was signed by over 8,000 prominent business leaders and influencers including the CEOs of Google, LinkedIn, DoorDash, President George W. Bush, Andre Iguodala, and JJ Abrams, and was published as a full-page ad in the Wall Street Journal which led to the launch of Stand with Asian Americans, a non-profit organization committed to fighting discrimination against Asian Americans. Dave was also an executive producer of the Emmy Award-winning HBO documentary ‘38 at the Garden’ about Jeremy Lin. He regularly writes thought pieces about leadership and hosts a podcast with influential Asian American leaders on Hyphen Nation.
Meet the Host Organizations
Developing leaders through innovative philanthropy 
Project by Project is a 100% volunteer-run organization helping raise awareness & funds for underserved causes for the AANHPI Community in SF, LA, and NY. Each year, PbP hosts the AAPI Community’s longest & largest standing tasting gala, Plate by Plate, helping to raise over $1M for AAPI causes.
The Asian American Foundation serves the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community by promoting safety, fostering belonging, and advancing prosperity.Launched in 2021 in response to the rise in anti-Asian hate and to address the long-standing underinvestment in AAPI communities, TAAF builds safety and economic prosperity in cities, advocates for the teaching of AAPI history in classrooms, advances decision makers and creatives in Hollywood and journalism, ensures that we are represented across all levels of leadership, and conducts research to inform our communities. Through groundbreaking programs, essential research, and cross-sector partnerships, we’re creating a permanent and irrevocable sense of belonging for millions of AAPIs in the United States.