Leadership
Board of directors of the Thai-American Association of Arizona. An organization’s board of directors is responsible for setting the organization’s strategic direction and overseeing its operations. The team will be responsible for regularly reviewing the organization’s activities and providing guidance as well as adopting the annual budget and ensuring that financial resources are allocated appropriately.
BOARD OF DIRECTOR
Jiraanong Manceau
President
Kitsuda Jaraspan
Vice President
Jet Mitro
Secretary
Piammanus Prapha-Phatana
Treasurer
Pittayaporn Hing
Director, Education
Somnuk Charuna Pasley
Community Health Advocate
Samaphorn Hester
Thai Cultural Consultant
Supapun Wichachuai
Director, Community Affairs
Jiraanong Manceau
President
Jira has lived in the US since 2005. She holds degrees with an English major from the Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn University and an MBA from Sasin of Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok. She worked as an analyst and continued up to management level in Market Research industry in Thailand and in the U.S. Currently, she is a Thai interpreter and translator in legal, medical and business fields, operated under the name Thai Language Services USA. She is the first Thai interpreter to be awarded an Arizona court credential (Tier A).
Her friends described her as a determined, sincere and organized person. She is a positive thinker who treats other with respect. She loves sports and adventure. She also spends her free time volunteering at several organizations and events, for example, Mesa Arts Center and Arizona Asian Festival by AAAA. She is actively working with Arizona AANHPI communities for public interest. Examples of participated projects are: 2020 Census, presidential voting, Anti-Asian Hate and Covid-19 vaccination.
Jira is one of the founding team and is President of Thai-American Association of Arizona since April 2019. In the course of her work, she finds many Thai people lack basic legal and social welfare knowledge (e.g. available services and how to access them). She has strong passion to help Thai people improve their quality of life. She believes that knowledge and understanding in language, culture and local practices are among the key foundations for opportunities and success. She also dreams of seeing Thai people participate more in Arizona issues and becoming part of the Arizona voice.
Kitsuda Jaraspan
Vice President
Kitsuda Jaraspan graduated with a bachelor degree in Design Science specialized in visual communication from Arizona State University. She started her career as a graphic designer & production artist. She is currently a Webmaster for Marketing Department in a Specialty Insurance Industry Company. She is an expert in Web Design, Website Technology, SEO and Website Analytics.
In her free time, her interest is reading. She believes that reading polishes mind and uplifts attitude and acceptance of coexistence in our diverse society. Key areas that motivate her are human rights, social issues and politics. Kitsuda is passionate to serve the greater Thai community by promoting understanding and knowledge among the working class, the elderly, and the less privileged people.
Jet Mitro
Secretary
Jet grew up in Bangkok, Thailand, but has been living in Scottsdale, AZ since 2008. Jet graduated with first honors from International Studies Center of Rajchabhat Pranakorn Si Ayutthaya University majoring in Tourism Industries and Hotel Management. Jet received UCE Australia scholarship in 1999, AFS New Zealand scholarship in 2000, and YORK USA scholarship in 2001. Jet was also awarded with a certificate for good leadership, problem solving, team building and overall ability of mission execution from the Ministry of Education, Thailand in 2001. In Thailand, Jet successfully started a new company which established retail nutrition stores in high-end Bangkok malls and gyms.
Jet is determined and goal-oriented. She loves yoga, hiking and cooking. She is a mother of a beautiful little girl. She is passionate in helping others achieve similar success as she did. She believes in giving back to the community. Ten years of experience in banking administration and the financial industry gives her a deep appreciation of how non-profit organizations can improve the quality of life for our Thai community in Arizona. Her contribution to TAAA focuses on compliance and humanitarian services. Jet also currently serves as Thai Director at Arizona Asian American Association.
Jet grew up in Bangkok, Thailand, but has been living in Scottsdale, AZ since 2008. Jet graduated with first honors from International Studies Center of Rajchabhat Pranakorn Si Ayutthaya University majoring in Tourism Industries and Hotel Management. Jet received UCE Australia scholarship in 1999, AFS New Zealand scholarship in 2000, and YORK USA scholarship in 2001. Jet was also awarded with a certificate for good leadership, problem solving, team building and overall ability of mission execution from the Ministry of Education, Thailand in 2001. In Thailand, Jet successfully started a new company which established retail nutrition stores in high-end Bangkok malls and gyms.
Jet is determined and goal-oriented. She loves yoga, hiking and cooking. She is a mother of a beautiful little girl. She is passionate in helping others achieve similar success as she did. She believes in giving back to the community. Ten years of experience in banking administration and the financial industry gives her a deep appreciation of how non-profit organizations can improve the quality of life for our Thai community in Arizona. Her contribution to TAAA focuses on compliance and humanitarian services.
Piammanus Prapha-Phatana
Treasurer
My name is Piammanus Prapha-Phatana, but Cat Phatana is what my foreign friends and co-workers called me. I am a proud mother of Miss Thai-Arizona of the year 2019—Anyada Prapha-Phatana.
I came to the United States in 1990 for school. I went to Weber State University in Ogden, Utah for English (ESL Program) and prerequisite classes in Business Management. Then, I transferred to Western International University in Phoenix, Arizona.
I moved here in February, 1992. Nevertheless, I fell in love with Arizona and may be Arizonian too. I met my husband, married and have a set of children—boy and girl. They both graduated from Arizona State University in Tempe. We are grandparents with a grandson now.
I love to help people in our Thai Community. I have helped them fill up applications for Thai Passport renewal, Greencard, Citizenship, American Passport, etc. Also, I have helped Wat Promkunaram when they had events since I was a student.
I would like my children to appreciate our Thai culture, language and art, so I put them to the programs that Wat Promkunaram had for our community since they were young. That’s how my daughter earned her crown and title.
As I am now Accountant I in the Finance Division of the Office of Business Management for the city of Maricopa, I have the ability to help the Thai-American Association of Arizona as a treasurer. I love the team mission and attitude to help our Thai community. So I decided to accept this position. My duties are not limited to helping them with bookkeeping, accounting, and finance. I will help them in any other areas as assigned.
Pittayaporn Hing
Director, Education
Pittayaporn or Som was born and raised in Thailand. Som holds bachelor (Burapha University) and master (Srinakharinwirot University, Prasarnmit) degrees in education. She studied baking and cooking Thai food at Dusit Thani College where she was certified in Authentic Thai Culinary Arts.
Som moved to the United States in 2007 after marrying her husband, Rodney Hing. They have two daughters, ages 9 and 12 years old. Before moving to the United States, Som was an elementary school teacher at Chitralada School at the Chitralada Royal Palace for 10 years. She is currently a preschool teacher at the Snedigar Recreation Center in Chandler. She is the head of Thai language volunteer teachers. She also teaches Sunday school at Northwest Chinese Baptist Church where she also volunteers to help with church activities. In addition, she also volunteers to help at her children’s school regularly.
Som has been participating and promoting Thai association activities since it first launched in April 2019. She has always loved and appreciated working for the benefit of the association. With her teaching experience combined with her cheerful and social character, Som is a perfect fit to be TAAA’s director of activities. Som has a passion in line with the association’s goals to help Thai people in promoting love and unity among the Thai community.
Somnuk Charuna Pasley
Community Health Advocate
Somnuk is a farmer’s daughter from Surin Province, Thailand. She loves and appreciates languages very much. She can speak English, Thai, Khmer fluently and also can understand Lao and Spanish as well. Somnuk moved to Arizona since 1993 and is married with three beautiful children.
During her 29 years in the United States, she has experienced working in many areas, such as restaurant manager, recruitment, finance and banking. Currently, she is an Independent Insurance Broker and operates her own insurance agency that focuses on Medicare, health and life insurance. She is licensed to operate in Arizona, California, New Mexico, and Texas. She also received AHIP certifications and is contracted with many insurance companies.
Somnuk decided to join TAAA team because she supported the mission of the association and wanted to help Thai community. Even though she has lived in America since adolescence, she believes and adheres to the word “Thai help Thai”. She hopes that the Thai-American Association of Arizona will be the center of Thai people to help each other and to support collaborative activities. She will be one of the important parts of the Educational team who will seek out useful information and initiate activities to benefit the Thai community.