MURIEL BOWSER
MAYOR
May
6, 2024
The Honorable Phil Mendelson
Chairman
Council of
the District of Columbia
John A. Wilson Building
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Suite 504
Washington, DC 20004
Dear Chairman M endelson:
In accordance with section
2 of the Confirmation Act of 1978, effective March 3, 1979 (D.C. Law 2-
142;
D.C. Official Code § 1-523.01), and pursuant to section 305 of the Office of Asian and Pacific
Islander Affairs Establishment Act of 2001, effective October 3, 2001 (D.C. Law 14-28; D.C. Official
Code § 2-1374), I am pleased to nominate the following individual:
Ms. Martha Watanabe
18th
Street, SE
Washington, DC 20003
(Ward 7)
f
or appointment as a public voting member of the Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander
Community Development, filing a vacant
seat, for a term to end April 17, 2027.
Enclosed, you will find biographical information detailing the experience of the above-m entioned
nominee, together with a proposed resolution to assist the Council during the confirmation process.
I would appreciate the Council’s earliest consideration of this nomination for confirmation. Please
do not hesitate to contact me, or Steven Walker, Director, Mayor’s Office of Talent and
Appointments, should the Council require additional information.
Sincerely,
Muriel B owser
Mayor 1
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Chairman Phil Mendelson
at the request
of the Mayor
A PROPOSED RESOLUTION
IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
To confirm the appointment
of Martha Watanabe to the Commission on Asian and Pacific
Islander Community Development.
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, that this
resolution may be cited as the "Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander Community
Development Martha Watanabe Confirmation Resolution
of 2024".
Sec.
2. The Council of the District of Columbia confirms the appointment of:
Ms. Martha Watanabe
18th Street, SE
Washington, DC 20003
(Ward 7)
as a public voting member
of the Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander Community
Development, established by section 305
of the Office of Asian and Pacific Islander Affairs
Establishment Act
of 2001, effective October 3, 2001 (D.C. Law 14-28; D.C. Official Code§ 2-
1374), filing a vacant seat, for a term to end April 17, 2027.
Sec.
3. The Council of the District of Columbia shall transmit a copy of this resolution,
upon its adoption, to the nominee and to the Office
of the Mayor.
Sec.
4. This resolution shall take effect immediately. MARTHAM.WATANABE
DepartmentofJustice,CivilRightsDivision September2000—August2022
ManagementAnalyst
VotingSection
Washington,DC
DutiesincludeprovidingoversightoftheSection'stechnologysystemsandinternalDOJ
technologysystems.ResponsibleformaintainingtheVotingSection'swebsitebothforexternal
andinternaluse.AssisttheSectionChiefinthedevelopmentoftheSection'sbudgetandother
budgetrequests.AssisttheSectionChiefandDeputieswithmanagementreports,case
managementandbudgetreportsfortheOfficeoftheAssistantAttorneyGeneral.Assistthe
ElectionCoordinatoronelectionmonitoringandfederalobserverprogram.Maintenanceofcase
managementsystemandprovidetheSectionChiefandDeputieswithreportsasrequested.
DepartmentofLabor June2000-September2000
ActingGrantsLiaisonOfficer Detail
OfficeofIntergovernmentalAffairs
Washington,DC
DutiesincludedoversightofthegrantnotificationprocessbothinternalwithintheDepartmentof
LaborandexternaltoMembersofCongress,stateandlocalofficials.Assistedwiththeoverall
coordinationandstrategyfortheannouncementofawards.
DepartmentofLabor February2000—June2000
ActingDeputyScheduler Detail
OfficeoftheSecretary
Washington,DC
DutiesincludedscreeningandinitialdeterminationofallschedulingrequestsfortheSecretary,
routedrequeststoappropriateinterdepartmentalagenciesforfurtherconsiderationand
coordinatedanyfurtheractionrequiredforacceptanceorregrets.Servedastheprincipal
assistanttotheDirectorofSchedulingandAdvanceforcoordinationofallproposalsforthe
Secretary'sweeklystrategicmeetinganddailyoperations.
DepartmentofLabor August1999-September2000
SpecialAssistanttotheDeputyAssistantSecretary
EmploymentStandardsAdministration
OfficeofFederalContractCompliancePrograms(OFCCP)
Washington,DC
DutiesincludeddevelopmentanddisseminationoftheOFCCP’spubliceducationmessageand outreach,coordinationofspecialeventsfortheDeputyAssistantSecretaryincludingall
advancepreparations,townshallmeetings,brownbagforums,workshopsandother
symposiumsinvolvingtheDASorAssistantSecretary,coordinationofoutreachtospecialty
mediaandconstituentgroups,coordinationofOFCCPpressreleasesandfactssheets,assistin
thecoordinationoftheagency'sdefenseoffederalaffirmativeaction,assistwithallOFCCP
majorprojectsandprograms,respondstoquestionsbothinternalandexternal,developsand
draftstheOFCCPannualreport,weeklyreports,newsletterandotherpublications,
IndependentConsultant November1998—July1999
NationalCouncilofAsianPacificAmericans
Assistedintheplanning,structureandset-upoftheCouncil.Providedadministrativeservices
fortheCouncil.
AsianPacificAmericanInstituteforCongressionalStudies
CoordinatedtheselectionprocessandplacementsfortheInternshipandFellowshipPrograms.
Co-coordinatedtheAPAICSAnnualGalaDinner.
CivilLibertiesPublicEducationFund May1996—November1998
DeputyExecutiveDirector
Washington,DC
Created,establishedandmaintaineda$5millionnationalfederalgrantprogramtopromote
educationalactivitiesandresearchontheinternmentofJapaneseAmericansduringWorldWar
Il,Providedcommunityoutreachandtechnicalassistancetograntees;assistedtheBoardof
Directorsinthegrantdecisions;providedoversightofbudget;allindependentcontracts,
governmentrelations,andcloseoutofoperations;responsiblefornegotiatingallagreements
withgranteesandindependentcontracts;assistedintheCLPEFinitiativesincludinga
CurriculumSummitandaNationalDayofRemembranceceremonyattheSmithsonian
Institutionandanationalconferenceforallgrantees.
WhiteHouse June1993—December1993
OfficeofPresidentialPersonnel Detail
AssistanttotheAssociateDirectorforCabinetAgencies
AsianPacificAmericanOutreachLiaison
AssistedtheAssociateDirectoronsearchespertainingtoPresidentialappointmentstothe
Cabinetagencies.AlsowasresponsibleforsearchesofAsianPacificAmericancandidatesfor
CabinetagenciesaswellasPresidentialBoardsandCommissions.
DepartmentofJustice,CivilRightsDivision
ProgramSpecialist
InformationSystemsBranch November1991—May1996
OfficeofRedressAdministration October1989—November1991
InformationSystemsBranch—responsibleforcoordinatingactivitiesoftheplanpreparationunit
fortheVotingSectionoftheCivilRightsDivision,Dutiesincludedsupervisionofcontract
personnel;coordinatedworkflowbetweenVotingSectionstaffandunitstaff;assistedand
trainedtheVotingSectionontheGIS(GeographicInformationSystems)application;provided
systemmaintenanceandusersupportforattorneysandstaff,specialprojectsfortheVoting
Section,withparticularemphasisonthelitigatedcases. OfficeofRedressAdministration—responsibleforinitialpaymentrecommendationforJapanese
‘AmericansinternedduringWorldWarI.Dutiesincluded:supervisionofcontractpersonnel;
reviewedfilestoconfirmproperidentificationandcompliancewithstatutoryrequirements;
confirmedorchangedeligibilityrecommendations;trainednewpersonnel,bothcontractorand
federal;respondedtoquestionsandprovidedguidancetoothersasunusualcircumstances
arose.
TheLeagueofWomenVoters 1987—1989
ExecutiveAssistanttothePresidentandExecutiveDirector
Washington,DC
InterfaithActionforEconomicJustice 1985-1987
AdministrativeAssistant
Washington,DC
SheridanCenter 1983-1985
‘AdministrativeDirector
Chicago,IL
ASIPersonnelServices,Inc. 1982
OfficeCoordinator
Garrett-EvangelicalTheologicalSeminary
‘AdministrativeSecretary/DeanofAcademicAffairs 1980-1981
Program/CertificationSecretary 1979-1980
EDUCATION
B.S.inBusinessAdministration,MacMurrayCollege,Jacksonville,IL1978
AWARDS
DepartmentofJustice,OutstandingPerformanceRating 1990-95,2002-05,
2007-2022
CertificateofCommendation 2004
SpecialAchievementAward 1991,1993-94,2003,
2005,2007-17,2009
-2021
MeritoriousAward 1992
DepartmentofLabor,OutstandingPerformanceRating 2000
CivilLibertiesPublicEducationFund,OutstandingPerformanceAwards1997,1998
Mayor'sCommunityServiceAward,DistrictofColumbia 2013,2023
OCA-DC,CommunityServiceAward 2015
NationalFederationofAsianAmericanUnitedMethodists,20"AnniversaryAward CurrentVolunteerActivities
NationalJapaneseAmericanMemorialFoundation 2004-06,2008
Coordinatednationaldinners 2009(2),2013
FreedomWalkChair 2011=current
AsianPacificAmericanInstituteforCongressionalStudies
Assistedw/PresidentialandPresidentialCandidateAdvance 2016,2022
ScriptwritingforGalaandSwearing-inCeremony 2022-2023
Helpedcoordinatedinner 2012,2014,
2016,2018,2019
(formerlytheCongressionalAsianPacificAmericanCaucusInstitute)1995-2005
DinnerCommittee
Intern/FellowshipSelectionCommittee 1998,2001
NormanY.MinetaLegacyProject 2015-Current
NationalAdvisor
JapaneseAmericanCitizensLeague-National 2013,2017,Washington,DC
Helpedcoordinatenationalconvention 2019,SaltLakeCity,UT
AsianPacificIslanderAmericanVote(APIAVote)-National 2004-current
Advisor
OrganizationofChineseAmericans—National
Helpedcoordinatetheirnationalconvention 2023,Washington,DC
2018,Washington,DC
2015,SanFrancisco
2014,LosAngeles
2013,Washington,DC
2012,LasVegas
2009,SanFrancisco,CA
2008,Washington,DC
2007,Sacramento,CA
2006,Philadelphia,PA
2002,SaltLakeCity,UT
2001,Seattle,WA
2000,Atlanta,GA
1999,Dallas,TX
1998,Washington,DC
PastVolunteerExperiences
DistrictofColumbiaCommissiononAsianandPacificIslanderAffairs
MemberoftheCommission1988—1994,2000-2012,2015-2019
Chair,1990—1993
AsChairoftheCommission,maintainedtheofficethroughthetransitionbetweenMayors,
headedthesearchcommitteeforstaffandservedastheliaisonbetweentheMayorandthe AsianPacificIslandercommunityinDC
Asian&PacificIslanderAmericanScholarshipFund-National
ScholarshipReader
OCA-MentoringAsianAmericanProfessionalsProgram
Servingasamentor
OCA-JACLLeadershipConference
Panelist
AsianPacificAmericanLaborAlliance
AssistedinthedinnercoordinationattheirNationalConvention
TransitionTeamforDCMayorAnthonyWilliams
NationalAsianPacificAmericanVoterRegistrationandEducationCampaign
(nowAPIAVote)
Foundingmemberandconsultant
JapaneseAmericanCitizensLeague,Washington,DCChapter
Member1985—current
BoardofDirectors1989,1993(MembershipChait),1994(Treasurer)
REFERENCESAVAILABLEUPONREQUEST
2006—2022
2009&2010
2006-2007
1999
1999
1995-1996
Executive Office of the Mayor – Mayor’s Office of Talent and Appointments
John A. Wilson Building | 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, Suite 600 | Washington, DC 20004
Martha Watanabe
Ms. Martha Watanabe is a long-time resident of the District of Columbia
and a founding member of the Commission on Asian and Pacific
Islander Affairs and served as Chair from 1990- 93.
She is a retired federal government worker, most of her positions were
at the Department of Justice in the Voting Section of the Civil Rights
Division. She has been a community engagement specialist for most of
her life and continues to support many of the Asian American, Native
Hawaiian and Pacific Islander non-profits at the national and local level.
She remains committed to helping provide a voice for the growing Asian American and Pacific
Islander community in the District to the Mayor and DC government agencies.
A Ward 6 resident, Ms. Watanabe earned her Bachelor of S cience in Business Administration from
MacMurray College in Jacksonville, Illinois. GOVERNMENT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Executive Office of Mayor Muriel Bowser
Office of the General Counsel to the Mayor
______________________________________________________________________________
The John A. Wilson Building • 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW • Suite 300 • Washington, D.C. 20004 • Office (202) 724-7681
To: Tomas Talamante, Steve Walker
From: Betsy Cavendish
Date: April 30, 2024
Subject: Legal sufficiency review of Resolutions nominating Sina Uipi, Niranjan Adhikari,
Jennifer Anderson, Jennifer Hara, Karen Kwok, Jeffrey Le, Artisha Naidu,
Anesha Bhat, Halaevalu Vakalahi, Mike Park, Moh Sharma, Martha Watanabe,
and Yilin Zhang as members of the Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander
Community Development
This is to Certify that this office has reviewed the above-referenced resolutions and
found them to be legally unobjectionable. If you have any questions in this regard, please do not
hesitate to call Erika Satterlee, Deputy General Counsel, Executive Office of the Mayor, at 202-
724-1303, or me at 202-724-7681.
______________________________
Elizabeth A. (Betsy) Cavendish