Nancy Yao, seen from the shoulders up, facing forward and smiling.

President, Museum of Chinese in America

Andrew Recinos, seen from the torso up, seated in front of a bookcase.

President, Tessitura Network

Innovators in Conversation: Nancy Yao Maasbach

7/21/2020

45 MIN

“We’ve always been a museum of conscience. We are seeking justice and equity in the American narrative.”

2020 is the Year of the Metal Rat on the Chinese zodiac calendar. Already this year, the Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA) has faced a five-alarm fire, “Kung-flu” slurs, and intensified racism directed at Asian Americans, all against the backdrop of the Black Lives Matter movement. These triggers have catalyzed a renewed resolve for MOCA as it reflects on 40 years of conscience within its contribution to the American narrative.

Why are Asian-Americans perpetually viewed as perpetual foreigners? Where do people of Asian descent fall in America’s mosaic? What does true allyship look like? How do you tell the stories of a complex history when the American proclivity is to generalize, stereotype, and homogenize?

“This is not just about the past. This is about being a platform, and being a pillar, and being a force for helping ourselves and helping each other have a greater sense of justice and equity.”

In this talk, Nancy Yao Maasbach shares her thoughts on the sustainability of small but vital cultural institutions, and volatility on the road to conscience.

 

More about the Innovators in Conversation Series >

Nancy Yao, seen from the shoulders up, facing forward and smiling.

Nancy Yao Maasbach

President
Museum of Chinese in America

As the President of Museum of Chinese in America since February of 2015, Nancy Yao Maasbach has the unique privilege of combining her experiences in managing organizations, professional interests in promoting arts and culture as a bridge between people, and research focus on examining the role of Chinese Americans in U.

S.-China relations. On her journey, Nancy has lived in several Chinese communities, including Flushing, Chinatown NYC, Hong Kong, and Los Angeles. Prior to MOCA, Nancy served in leadership roles at the Yale-China Association, Council on Foreign Relations, and the Center for Financial Research and Analysis. She also values her time at Goldman Sachs & Co. in Hong Kong and New York. Nancy received her MBA from Yale School of Management and her AB from Occidental College. She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Watch Nancy’s Innovator Series talk from TLCC2017.

Andrew Recinos, seen from the torso up, seated in front of a bookcase.

Andrew Recinos

President
Tessitura Network

Andrew Recinos is President of the Tessitura Network.

He is responsible for oversight of Tessitura's North American operations, including Consulting, Application Support, Managed Services, Community, Conference, and Learning Resources divisions. Working closely with CEO Jack Rubin, Andrew is a key strategic leader for the company. Taking an active role in connecting with Tessitura's member organizations, Andrew visits with scores of cultural professionals around the globe each year, sharing news about the company and learning the many unique stories of our community. Andrew's presentations draw insights from the multifaceted organizations in the world of Tessitura. 

Prior to joining Tessitura, Andrew was a Managing Director at Jacobson Consulting Applications (JCA) where he oversaw their Products division.  Andrew served as a product lead for the development of T-Stats, Tessitura Dashboards and the Revenue Management Application (RMA), as well as serving as Tessitura implementation lead for more than 30 Tessitura implementations. In 2009, Andrew became the Product Manager for the Tessitura Next Generation Project and served on the Board Steering Committee for the project to re-envision Tessitura. Prior to JCA, Andrew worked in fundraising, membership and technology at a variety of non-profits, most notably Carnegie Hall in New York City, where he worked for eight years. Among his roles was Director, Friends of Carnegie Hall, where he oversaw all aspects of this 15,000 member program.

He holds a master’s degree in Arts Administration from the O’Neill School of Public & Environmental Affairs at Indiana University and currently serves on the O’Neill School Distinguished Alumni Council. Andrew also serves on the Advisory Board of the Center for Cultural Affairs and is a Board Member of ArtsFund. Andrew lives in Portland, Oregon with his wife and child.

Topics

Arts & Culture

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Innovator Series