Fil-Am lands on list of top 40 AAPI public affairs professionals under 40
Jason Tengco has worked for the White House, federal agencies, presidential campaigns and nonprofit organizations. CONTRIBUTED
WASHINGTON – Former White House Senior Advisor Jason Tengco has been featured on the National Association of Asian Pacifics in Politics and Public Affairs’ (NAAPPPA) 2025 list of the top 40 AAPI public affairs professionals under 40 years of age.
The Filipino American community leader was one of the honorees representing trailblazing AAPI campaign strategists, lobbyists, legislative staff and corporate public affairs professionals recognized for working behind the scenes to elect and advance AAPI candidates and the AAPI community.
NAAPPPA established the list in 2016 to highlight the growing number of AAPIs who are rising stars in the professional unelected side of politics.
Tengco brings 15 years of experience in politics and public affairs working for the White House, federal agencies, presidential campaigns and nonprofit organizations.
Under the Biden-Harris Administration, he served as the White House liaison and senior advisor for Strategic Initiatives for the US Office of Personnel Management, as well as a senior advisor in the White House Office of Administration.
Prior to that, he served as the Asian American and Pacific Islander Outreach lead for the Biden-Harris transition team, coalitions chief of staff for the Biden-Harris 2020 campaign, executive director of the National Federation of Filipino American Associations, National AAPI Outreach director for the Clinton-Kaine 2016 campaign and deputy director of the White House Initiative on AAPIs under the Obama-Biden Administration.
Throughout his career, Tengco has participated in fellowships with the Asian Pacific American Leadership Institute, LGBTQ Victory Institute, Filipino Young Leaders Program, New Leaders Council, Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies, Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, Center for Progressive Leadership and Public Policy and International Affairs Program.
Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, Tengco graduated with honors from UCLA and has a master’s in Public Affairs from UC Berkeley’s Goldman School of Public Policy.
