Peter K. Yap was born in Rangoon, Burma (Myanmar). He brings over 35 years of exceptional experience in private and public sector management involving sales, business development, marketing, financing, and revenue growth. Peter has lived and worked in North America, Africa, and Asia and has a consistent record of leadership in challenging environments. He has held several executive positions covering both country and regional management assignments.

He was the former Chief Business Officer for a startup nationwide telecom license operator Ooredoo, a Qatar-based company responsible for building a foundation of the company’s business unit in Myanmar. In addition, Mr. Yap was the Asia Pacific Vice President of sales for Ceragon Networks (C.R.N.T.), one of the fastest-growing NASDAQ US-listed technology companies. Other professional experiences included Managing Director and Chief Representative roles of Harris Corporation Microwave Division (NYSE – H.R.S.) in Nigeria.

Mr. Yap was also the President Director for the Indonesia operations for Harris Stratex Networks (NASDAQ: H.S.T.X.), which later was named Aviat Networks (NASDAQ: A.V.N.W.) During the early years of his professional career, Mr. Yap was associated with the World Trade Center San Francisco. He was responsible for providing export counseling, trade finance advice, and organizing mission for exhibition services. Mr. Yap is presently the Founder and C.E.O. of Mandalay Holdings P.T.E. Ltd., a private equity business investment company headquartered in Singapore, overseeing several businesses and startup equity ventures, including the World Trade Center Yangon.

Among his recent achievements, Mr. Yap has taken on the role of Producer at Mandalay Productions, overseeing the creation of a charity feature film through a collaborative venture between the United States and Myanmar. This endeavor is dedicated to the noble cause of enhancing the well-being of orphan communities worldwide.

Peter holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in International Business from San Francisco State University, a Master of Business Administration Degree from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, and a Graduate School of Business Alumni of Stanford University in Palo Alto, California. He is a proud single father of four children.

Dr. Jean-Luc Kouyoumji is living in Bordeaux, France. He is a renowned expert in the study of bamboo, wood industry and has been a research scientist since 1997 at F.C.B.A. (French Technological Institute of Forest Cellulose Wood and Furniture).

He is the Founder and the Executive Director of the Bamboo Science and Innovations (BSInnovations), a non-profit organization established in 2007. BSInnovations aims to promote bamboo’s use and the technical progress in several areas, including Planting – Harvesting – Applications in building, structure, carpentry, joinery, panels – Sustainability – Energy – Furniture. BSInnovation’s affiliation consists of an international network of universities, laboratories, experts, and companies with expert knowledge of bamboo transformation and commercial applications.

Dr. Kouyoumji is a World Bamboo Ambassador, a highly respected and regarded appointment by the World Bamboo Organization (WBO), U.S.A. He is an active contributor to speeches and technical papers connected with Research Engineering, Acoustic, energy building, bio-sourced materials, and project preparation to develop high-rise wooden buildings for French and European countries. In addition, he is a chairman of sessions at the International Congress on Acoustics, InterNoise and WoodRise congress, a Partner of European projects on acoustics, innovative demo buildings, and energy retrofitting using lightweight construction materials.

He has been responsible for over 30 R&D projects, written over 30 papers, and has written several books for international congresses and scientific reviews on acoustics, building energy, and bamboo. In addition, he has led multiple high-level bamboo research projects in China, the Philippines, Africa and Nepal.

Dr. Kouyoumji received his Ph.D. in Civil Engineering and Building Sciences from Savoie University, France. He spends his leisure time building and designing musical instruments. He is happily married and has two sons.

Joseph Joseph, “Visionary Business Executive and Entrepreneur,” is a respected international market developer, talented negotiator, and recognized profitable growth expert. He excels at mentoring and guiding others by utilizing strategies and principles that build net worth by exceeding personal potential.

He energizes, motivates, and empowers teams that have improved top and bottom-line results, directly benefiting hundreds of people with an electrifying style.

Joseph began his career in the wireless industry, Telecommunication Corporation of Iran (T.C.I.). Since then, he has obtained a wide range of experience in all facets of the business, including a reputable and robust background in Sales & Marketing, Operation, Finance, and new international markets. During his career, he has held numerous executive positions in engineering, presales, sales, marketing, and sales operations for high profile corporations and startups such as Harris Corporation, U.S.A.; Keppel Group, Southeast Asia; Ceragon Networks, U.S.A.; Atlas Telecom, Middle East, Broad Tel Networks, (Silicon Valley) and Winsella (Silicon Valley) U.S.A.

Joseph has a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from Old Dominion University and a Bachelor of Science in Physics, Tabriz University. Joseph has over 35 years of experience in high-tech industries, managing new markets, and providing advisory services to small and medium businesses. He has a solid history of launching channel partner networks, developing new customers & markets, and operating in new territories. Joseph accomplishes sustainable growth and increased profitability by building strong, motivated teams and becoming a trusted client advisor. He is also an experienced negotiator with financial and contractual acumen, multi-task-oriented, and a hands-on approach when required.

Ms. Almaz Negash is the Founder and the Executive Director of the African Diaspora Network (A.D.N.). In 2010, she founded A.D.N. to inform and engage Africans in the diaspora to facilitate direct collaboration with social entrepreneurs, innovators, and business leaders to invest and improve the lives of everyone on the continent. Under her leadership and vision, A.D.N. is now the home of The African Diaspora Investment Symposium (A.D.I.S.), a marketplace for investors and entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley.

Valley Women of Influence for her social innovation work. She serves as the Senior Managing Director of Step-Up Silicon Valley, a social innovation network utilizing disruptive, research-based strategies to reduce poverty and increase economic opportunity in Silicon Valley.

One of her contributions to community economic developments includes her leadership in the exploration and incubation of Pay for Success (aka Social Impact Bond), a new model of social innovation financing that resulted in reducing homelessness in Santa Clara County. Before founding A.D.N., Almaz was a member of the U.N. Economic Commission for Africa, where she contributed to the High-Level Panel on Migration (2017-2019).

She was recently honored by her selection as a 2022 Fellowship candidate at Stanford University. She is a frequent speaker on regional and global development, authored several articles, and serves on many organizational, corporate, and advisory boards.

Almaz holds an M.B.A. from Golden Gate University and a B.A. from the University of San Francisco and is a loving wife and proud mother of two children.

Dr. Nora Y. Yang was born in Rangoon, Burma (Myanmar). She is a pharmacist with more than 26 years of pharmacy experience, of which she spent the past 14 years in various management roles. Dr. Yang has worked in several pharmacies, clinics, and hospitals throughout California. She started as a clinical pharmacist, then transitioned to a supervisor, and now function as the Associate Chief Outpatient Pharmacy at the Veteran’s Administration Hospital.

Dr. Yang was responsible for the outpatient pharmacy operation of approximately 30,000 veterans at the hospital where she worked. Her key responsibilities include managing, procuring, preparing, dispensing, and educating dispensed medications. In addition, she worked collaboratively with various providers to optimize pharmacotherapy management for the veterans that she served. She also precepts and mentors pharmacy residents and students throughout the year.

At her present position as an Associate Chief, Dr. Yang brings a wealth of management experiences in budgeting, writing, and enforcing policies, in addition to recruitment and retention of key staff.

Dr. Yang graduated from the University of Pacific, School of Pharmacy, where she received her Doctor of Pharmacy Degree. She is a devoted wife and a mother of three children.

Mary K. Yap was born in Rangoon, Burma (Myanmar). She served more than 26 years as the lead Court Clerk at the Trial Court for the City and County of San Francisco. Since her retirement from public service in 2005, Mrs. Yap has been actively engaged with the San Francisco Bay Area Burmese community. She is an active patron of the Burmese American Catholic Fellowship (B.A.C.F), responsible for bringing together many people from the Burmese community.

For the past 22 years, she has also been passionately pursuing the betterment of orphaned children from Burma as the Founder of the Mary K. Yap Foundation and a key contributor to the “Myanmar Orphans” project, one of the special projects of the foundation. Her contributions and commitments in Burma have brought tangible and impactful changes to Burma.

Mrs. Yap studied Law at Yangon Art and Science University for three years before immigrating to San Francisco in 1979. She later continued her studies for an A.A. Certificate in the Paralegal course at City College of San Francisco. Mrs. Yap is a loving mother of two children and a proud grandmother of seven.

Dr. Palmer brings abundant experience in global management, innovation, business development, and strategy formulation to the Mary K. Yap Foundation. In addition, he has served as a business adviser and consultant to several Fortune 500 corporations, public organizations, advisory firms, and academic institutions. Among his many achievements during his 40 plus years of business, the experience played a crucial role in the innovation and concept design team in developing the International Space Station Habitat and Laboratory.

Dr. Palmer has built new ventures and led development for employers and government clients in the energy, technology, high tech research and development, telecommunications, aerospace, and transportation sectors in 30+ countries.

He has a doctorate in International Business from Walden University from Minnesota, an M.B.A. from Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, and a B.S.E.E. from the University of Sevilla – Spain. In addition, Dr. Palmer has attended technical and business seminars at Stanford University and other esteemed American universities.

In addition to being an accomplished commercial pilot with active commercial ratings, he has also served on several corporate boards. They include Sigma Solar Energy Inc., S.J. Air Cargo, K.A.M. International Ltd., Mandalay Holdings Pte, and Sigma Consulting Group L.L.C., a boutique consulting firm with more than 150 years of combined practice in the areas of defense, healthcare, education, and I.T. consulting. In addition, John enjoys providing humanitarian support to charity organizations during his spare time, extending his generosity and care to orphaned children.