Lance Lew discusses growing up in Petaluma as an Asian American, his work as an NBC TV producer of "Asian Pacific America", philanthropy, and the challenges of anti-Asian hate.
Director, Community Marketing
Producer, Asian Pacific America
Lance Lew joined NBC Bay Area as the Director, Community Marketing in 2002, bringing more than thirty years of experience in the entertainment and advertising industry. Lance is responsible for all community outreach efforts, including development of promotional campaigns and event marketing. He is also the producer of NBC Bay Area’s television show, Asian Pacific America with Robert Handa. The show, the only one of its kind, provides a voice for Bay Area Asian and Pacific Islander community. Weekly topics features: API newsmakers, community topics, events, cultural music & dance.
Lance currently serves on the advisory council for the Asian Pacific Fund, board member of the Farrington Historical Foundation and past member of the CSU Chico foundation board of governors. Lance has received many awards, including the CSU Chico Distinguished Alumni Award representing the College of Education & Communications and Cine Awards for two Asian American documentaries he spearheaded while working for CBS5 in San Francisco. He also received recognition while at NBC Bay Area for his leadership with a multi-year, 165-location food drive for Bay Area Food Banks and the Outstanding Corporate Grant Maker award from the Association of Fundraising Professionals/Silicon Valley.
He co-founded & currently serves as the co-chair of Growing Up Asian in America essay, art & video contest commemorating Asian Pacific American Heritage month. This program, the largest educational program celebrating Asian heritage in the country during APA month, has received more than 30,000 entries and distributed over $500,000 in awards in the past twenty-six years. The program amplifies the silent voice for first generation students and serves as a platform for multi-ethnic Asian American students to express their struggles as the model minority. Art is still a skill revered in the Asian communities, but not recognized as a career choice in America.
He also has served as judge for the James Beard Awards for the broadcast category from 2015-2019. In addition, Lance is an accomplished floral designer, home chef & events coordinator often sharing these skills to raise money for charity.
Lance established the Outstanding College of Communications Student Award at CSUC, Chico honoring his late father.