Massachusetts Asian American and Pacific Islanders Commission Names New Executive Director

AMIHAN MATIAS is the Massachusetts Asian American and Pacific Islanders Commission's new executive director. Matias was a founder of MAP for Health and the AAPI Alliance of Western Massachusetts, according to the commission, which said she also helped to lead statewide immigrant rights work at the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition. She was senior director of community partnerships at the Women's Fund of Western Massachusetts from July 2023 to September 2025, per her LinkedIn. "I have dedicated most of my life to creating, supporting, and strengthening Asian and Pacific Islander American (APIA) organizations and communities," Matias said in a statement. "Due to the anti-immigrant sentiment and policies that have taken root more powerfully in this country during this time, I feel even more compelled to protect the rights and safety, and uplift the voices, contributions, and humanity of our APIA communities." According to the commission, Matias' approach to leadership is informed by kapwa, which it described as "a Filipino concept of shared humanity and interconnectedness."