Jason Tengco

Jason Tengco was appointed as Deputy Director of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (WHIAAPI) on May 4, 2015. Jason started at the Initiative in May 2012, first serving as the Initiative’s liaison in the White House Office of Public Engagement, then as a Senior Advisor directing the Initiative’s community engagement. In this capacity, Jason managed the first-ever White House Summit on AAPIs, launched the Initiative’s E3! Ambassadors Program for young leaders, and solicited input from the community on ways to increase participation in federal programs.

Previously, Jason was an Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS) Fellow in the Office of Congressman Mike Honda (D-CA). His issue areas included AAPI affairs, homeland security, and immigration, and he also served as the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) taskforce staff lead on immigration and appropriations. Prior to his fellowship in Congress, Jason worked for the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA), where he helped organize APALA’s largest national convention and launched APALA’s Young Leaders Council.

In July 2014, Jason was honored to be one of ten delegates to the Philippine Embassy’s Filipino American Youth Leadership Program (FYLPro), a weeklong immersion in the Philippines. Throughout his career, Jason has participated in fellowships with the New Leaders Council, Center for Progressive Leadership, and Public Policy and International Affairs Program. Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, Jason graduated from UCLA with Honors with a B.A. in Political Science.