Conference on Asian Pacific American Leadership

The Conference on Asian Pacific American Leadership (CAPAL) is a 501(c)(3) charitable and educational organization dedicated to building leadership and public policy knowledge within the Asian Pacific American community. Its mission is to promote APA interests and success in public service careers, to provide information and education on policy issues affecting the APA community, and to serve the APA community at large.

CAPAL works towards achieving its mission through its signature programs: the Washington Leadership Program (WLP), Scholarships Program, Federal Internship Program, and the Professional Development Program.

CAPAL’s first Washington Leadership Program (WLP) served a class of 10 interns and 10 young professionals in 1989. By 2009, an average of 125 students and interns attended each WLP Session, and nearly 2,000 interns and young professionals had graduated from WLP.

Today, CAPAL continues to attract young APA leaders to Washington, D.C. through nationwide campus and community outreach. CAPAL has awarded over $50,000 in scholarships to promising students who work in unpaid public sector internships. CAPAL also helps students to explore opportunities in the Federal workforce through partnerships with government agencies. With a network of over 600 public policy professionals, CAPAL provides undergraduate and graduate students with the knowledge, insights, and mentorship they need to successfully launch their own public service careers.