Pauline Chu

Pauline Chu, President of the Chinese-American Parents’ Association (CAPA), founded the organization in 1986 and has assisted thousands of immigrant families in assimilating and establishing homes in the Flushing area. CAPA’s mission is to act as a liaison between families and local schools. In this role, Ms. Chu aids families – whose English skills and familiarity with the Board of Education system is limited – with their children’s school placement, course selection and daily activities. Ms. Chu has also used CAPA to help parents promote their English skills and encourage families to participate in local activities and voter registration drives.

Born in Nanjing, China, Ms. Chu was raised in Taiwan and graduated from the National Taiwan Normal University. In 1967, she received a scholarship from the University of Minnesota and came to the United States as a graduate student majoring in Guidance and Counseling. She moved to New York in 1980 and raised two sons in Queens, both of whom attended local public schools, graduated from SUNY Albany and work as financial analysts.

Ms. Chu was elected to the Queens Community School Board 25 in 1986, and named President by the board in 1996. Under Ms. Chu’s leadership, in October 1996, District 25 received a prestigious arts award from the NYS Council on the Arts. As President of the School Board, Ms. Chu also worked with legislators to ease district overcrowding by adding more classrooms and leasing space for kindergarten children.

In February 2001, Ms. Chu joined Long Island Business Institute as founding member of the Flushing Branch of the college. She was nominated and served as a New York State Democratic Committeewoman in 2001, and was re-elected in 2003 – the first Asian-American elected to this position.

In July 2004, Ms. Chu was appointed to Community Education Council District 25 by the New York City Queens Borough President. She oversees the administration and budget review of the district and plays an important role in bridging the gap between the district office, schools and parents.

Ms. Chu has worked tirelessly in public service, including on the board of the American Red Cross, the Queens Botanical Garden and the New York Gouvenor’s Lions Club. She has served as a Director of Child Care, Inc., and the Day Care Council and the Chancellor’s Task Force for the School Construction Authority.