National Convening Program Books 2014 YEO National Convening Program Book | Page 41

Jay Chen

Leland Cheung
City Councilor
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Leland Cheung is currently serving his third term on the Cambridge City
Council and is a candidate for Lieutenant Governor of the Commonwealth
of Massachusetts. If elected, he will be the first Asian American to hold
statewide office in the state. Throughout his tenure as a City Councilor,
Cheung has been a strong progressive leader in economic development,
regional cooperation, and community building. Cheung was first elected to the Council in
2009, while pursuing an MPA at the Harvard Kennedy School and an MBA at MIT. He was the
first currently enrolled student to be elected to the Council as well as the first Asian American.
Prior to joining the council, Cheung worked at a Cambridge-based venture capital firm focused
on digital media, mobile, and internet infrastructure. @lelandcheung

Victor Cirilo
Town Councilman
West Orange, New Jersey
Councilman Victor Cirilo was elected in 2012 to the township of West
Orange, New Jersey. He is the former chairman of both the Public
Library Board and the Valley Area Neighborhood Preservation Program.
Professionally, Cirilo is executive director of the housing authority for
Passaic, New Jersey. Cirilo has prioritized property tax relief and economic
development during his tenure as an elected official. He graduated from Montclair State University
with a degree in political science and from Rutgers University with a master’s degree in public
administration. @CouncilmnCirilo

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41

YOUNG ELECTED O FFICIALS

Board of Education Member
Los Angeles, California
Board of Education Member Jay Chen is the past-president of the Board
of Education for Hacienda La Puente Unified School District, one of the
largest districts in the San Gabriel Valley. During his seven year tenure
on the school board, Chen has overseen a steady increase in academic
achievement and has implemented several innovative new programs,
including a culinary arts facility, free SAT classes, edible school gardens, and
Mandarin language immersion classes. Chen’s efforts to promote and improve international
language and culture programs have been covered by The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, The
Los Angeles Times, BBC, and other media outlets. Board Member Chen is a proud graduate
of the Hacienda La Puente school system as well as Harvard University. Professionally, Chen
manages real estate investments and serves as an intelligence officer in the United States Navy
Reserves. @jfchen