Asian Youth Center - May To - Executive Director

100 West Clary Ave
San Gabriel, CA 91776
Phone: 626.309.0622
Fax: 626.309.0717

Executive Director Board of Directors Community Advisory Board

May L.To - Executive Director

May L.To
Executive Director
Asian Youth Center

“My job allows me to help the next generation reach their greatest potential and to assist them with overcoming the hardships they experienced as new immigrant.” -May To

May L. To has enriched many lives through her work as executive director of the Asian Youth Center. The Hong Kong native signed on as program coordinator with the organization when it first opened in 1989. In 1990, To became its first executive director.

Under To’s direction, Asian Youth Center has flourished into a leading provider of social services to both Asian and non-Asian families and youth of the San Gabriel Valley. Its staff has grown from 3 to 40, offering services in English, Cantonese, Mandarin, Vietnamese and Spanish. Some of the services offered are gang prevention, after school and summer programs, after school tutoring, parenting and counseling, leadership skills, college preparation, literacy and the arts. The Asian Youth Center was created by United Way to fill the service gaps for Asian immigrants in the San Gabriel Valley.

Prior to her role with the Asian Youth Center, To served as executive assistant (1988) and assistant director (1982-1984) of the Chinatown Service Center, where she was involved with counseling, family planning and health education, the Job Training & Partnership Act (JTPA), refugee employment and social services. To also served as the branch director (1984-1988) of the International Institute of Los Angeles, San Gabriel Valley Branch where she was involved with refugee resettlement and immigration, refugee employment services, domestic violence and other social services.

To’s involvement with the community extends beyond her role with the Asian Youth Center. She is board member for the L.A. County Neighborhood Legal Services, former Vice President of the San Gabriel Community Coordinating Council and former member of the San Gabriel Valley Medical Center Community Board. She was honored as Woman of the Year by the 49th Assembly District in 2004 and was a Durfee Foundation Sabbatical Program Recipient in 2003. To received her bachelor’s degree in sociology from Chinese University of Hong Kong and received her master’s in education from UCLA. To and her husband have lived in the San Gabriel Valley for almost 30 years. The couple has two adult sons.