Catherine Chen

Catherine Chen is the Executive Director of the Asian American Federation (AAF), where she leads efforts to uplift and empower AAPI communities across New York State through policy reform, community engagement, and storytelling. Previously, as CEO of Polaris, she oversaw a $14 million budget and transformed the organization’s approach to combat human trafficking through a survivor-centered model. Before that, she directed $7 million annually in global labor-rights investments at Humanity United and led child-protection programs across Asia for Save the Children. Chen serves on the boards of the National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum and the Homeland Security Advisory Council. With more than two decades of cross-sector experience advancing equity and visibility for marginalized groups, she continues to build on AAF’s legacy of advocacy and coalition-building established under former Executive Director Jo-Ann Yoo.