BIG. ASIAN. ENERGY. is a Bay Area cultural force, elevating Asian power, women’s leadership, and the unstoppable vitality of our AAPI communities. Through headline events and community activations, BAE champions economic recovery, public safety, and support for small businesses by bringing bold visibility to Asian stories year-round. It’s a catalyst to celebrate, amplify, and activate the future of San Francisco. 

Come and hear more about BAE and how you can join the force.

About the Speakers

Dion Lim, our moderator, is an Emmy Award–winning journalist known for nearly two decades as a TV news anchor and reporter, most recently in San Francsico and the Bay Area. She is also a sought-after keynote speaker and as the author of the forthcoming book AMPLIFY! My Fight for Asian America. Lim made history as the first Asian American woman to anchor weekday evening newscasts at television stations in multiple major markets, including Kansas City, Charlotte and Tampa Bay. Her reporting on racism and violence targeting Asian Americans has been featured on "Good Morning America," "20/20," "Nightline," and "ABC News Live." Lim’s impact is undeniable. She was named to the Gold House A100 alongside Vice President Kamala Harris and, in 2022, was invited by the Biden administration to the first AAPI Heritage Month celebration at the White House. 

Lim is the recipient of the Champion of Truth Award from SF Cause, Dress for Success San Francisco’s 2022 Honoree, and has received multiple commendations from the California State Assembly and the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office for AAPI and LGBTQ+ advocacy. Peninsula leaders also named July 31 as Dion Lim Day in San Mateo County. Whether moderating a fireside chat with Martha Stewart, reporting from the Oscars red carpet, spotlighting a family-run donut shop in Oakland, or making AI approachable for broad audiences, Dion brings authenticity, empathy, and impact to every story. She lives in San Francisco with her husband and their spirited toddler, Tedy.

Marjan Philhour is managing director of Mercury’s San Francisco office, bringing more than three decades of experience in government, politics, strategic communications and community advocacy to the firm. She provides clients with expertise in crisis management, stakeholder engagement, and public affairs strategy, advising corporations, nonprofits and government entities on high-profile initiatives across California and nationally. Philhour began her public service career in Washington, D.C., working for Rep. Tom Lantos (D-CA), the only Holocaust survivor to serve in the U.S. Congress. She later served on the staffs of Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY), Rep. Lynn Rivers (D-MI), and the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, focusing on women’s issues, workforce development, public health and safety, and the environment. She went on to serve as senior advisor to the chief of staff in the administration of California Governor Gray Davis. 

In San Francisco, Philhour has held senior roles in government, nonprofits and private consulting. For over 15 years, Philhour led her own firm, which focused on strategic planning, public relations and fundraising initiatives for political campaigns, Fortune 500 companies, and philanthropic organizations. Most recently, she advised corporate and nonprofit clients on brand positioning, partnerships and communications strategy, including partnership development for the 2024 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit. In 2018, she served as senior advisor to Mayor London Breed, directing stakeholder engagement on major citywide initiatives. Before that, Philhour was executive director of the Community Alliance for Jobs and Housing, where she advanced policy engagement and advocacy on economic development and housing. Philhour has extensive campaign experience, including finance roles on the presidential campaigns of Senators John Kerry and Barack Obama, as well as multiple U.S. Senate and House races. She has also run for office herself, giving her a unique practitioner’s perspective on political strategy, crisis management, and stakeholder engagement. She currently serves as the elected second vice chair of the San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee and has held leadership roles in various community organizations. 

Nancy Tung was elected as chair of the San Francisco Democratic Party in April 2024. She previously served as an elected member of the party's local leadership for four years. She deeply understands the impact the Democratic Party has on our local elections and is guiding a new caucus of moderate Democrats in the party. Tung's core issues are public safety, improving public schools, increasing the housing stock and supporting small businesses. Outside of politics, Tung is a career prosecutor, having served at the state and local level for 24 years.

Monica Gandhi M.D., M.P.H., is a professor of medicine and associate chief in the Division of HIV, Infectious Diseases, and Global Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). She is also the director of the UCSF Center for AIDS Research (CFAR) and the medical director of the HIV Clinic ("Ward 86") at San Francisco General Hospital. She serves as the associate program director of the ID fellowship at UCSF. Her research focuses on HIV treatment and prevention optimization, HIV and women, adherence measurement in HIV and TB, adherence interventions, and on optimizing the use of long-acting antiretroviral therapy (ART).

Kiki Lopez is a proud immigrant transwoman living with HIV. She is a program manager for the Stop the Hate Program and the California Reducing Disparities Project at San Francisco Community Health Center. She passionately advocates for people living with HIV, immigrant communities, and transgender folks, especially queer and trans Asian and Pacific Islanders. Outside of work, she is a drag star performing in the Castro, SoMa and the East Bay. She serves as a board member and PAC chair for the GLBTQIA+ Asian and Pacific Alliance (GAPA). She is also one of the matriarchs of the Mabuhay Bitches, an all-Filipino drag troupe. She was crowned Miss GLBTQIA+ Asian and Pacific Alliance (GAPA) 2023 and was recognized and honored by the City and County of San Francisco, through the Center of Immigrant Protection, for her contributions to the transgender immigrant community in 2024. This year she was awarded by the Transgender March Organization as San Francisco's Transgender Artist of the year. She is also the current reigning Imperial Crowned Princess of the Imperial Council of San Francisco. She received the Emerging Leader Award at the 2025 Filipino American History Month Celebration, presented by the office of Mayor Daniel Lurie, Filipino American History Host Committee and Filipino American Arts Eat City Hall. She was also recognized by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors for her effort and initiative, leading the first-ever SoMa Pilipinas Pride. And finally, she was one of the proud nominees for this year's SF Pride Community Grand Marshal.