Meet Our Board: Willie Dechavez
Willie Dechavez is the current Executive Vice President of APIAVote-Michigan. He grew up in Sorsogon, Philippines. He used to be the Personnel Officer, Office of the Governor of Sorsogon and the General Manager of Farm Systems Development Corporation prior to that. He immigrated to US in 1982.
He has served as the Executive Director of NaFFAA Midwest Convention 2003, Vice-Chair of the Filipino-American Community Council (FILAMCCO) board member of Philippine-American Community Center of Michigan (PACCM), and Executive Director of the Filipino-American Political Association of Michigan (FAPAM).He was a founding member, Vice President and the cultural chairperson of the Council of Asia Pacific Americans ( CAPA) in Michigan.
Willie has held the following government-appointed positions: past Macomb County Historical Commissioner; past Board of Director Cornerstone Development Authority, City of Southfield; the past chairperson of the Ethnic Community Issues Committee, City of Sterling Heights. He was appointed three years ago by Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm as a member of the Advisory Council for Asian American Pacific Affairs. He is currently one of the Commissioners of MAPAAC- Michigan Asian Pacific American Affairs Commission. He is the current State Chairperson of NaFFAA Michigan.
Willie received the 2002 Banaag Presidential Award for Filipinos Overseas, 2002 Governor Service Award, 2001 Macomb County Volunteer of the Year Award, 1997 Fulbright Teacher Japan Travel, 2001 Michigan Teacher of the Year -Finalist, and the Marygrove College Professional Teacher Award. He also received the 2005 MetLife Foundation Ambassador in Education Award and was the 2005 Diversity Champion Awardee. He is the 2010 Gintong Pamana Awardee on Community Leadership and the 2010 Asian American Journalist Association Awardee .Corp Magazine recognized him with a Diversity Excellence Award in 2010.
Willie is an educator with the Detroit Public Schools. A graduate of UST with a major in Political Science. He earned a Masters Degree in Special Education and an Educational Specialist Degree in School Administration from Wayne State University. He is married to Winifred and blessed with an only child, Jacqueline.
He has served as the Executive Director of NaFFAA Midwest Convention 2003, Vice-Chair of the Filipino-American Community Council (FILAMCCO) board member of Philippine-American Community Center of Michigan (PACCM), and Executive Director of the Filipino-American Political Association of Michigan (FAPAM).He was a founding member, Vice President and the cultural chairperson of the Council of Asia Pacific Americans ( CAPA) in Michigan.
Willie has held the following government-appointed positions: past Macomb County Historical Commissioner; past Board of Director Cornerstone Development Authority, City of Southfield; the past chairperson of the Ethnic Community Issues Committee, City of Sterling Heights. He was appointed three years ago by Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm as a member of the Advisory Council for Asian American Pacific Affairs. He is currently one of the Commissioners of MAPAAC- Michigan Asian Pacific American Affairs Commission. He is the current State Chairperson of NaFFAA Michigan.
Willie received the 2002 Banaag Presidential Award for Filipinos Overseas, 2002 Governor Service Award, 2001 Macomb County Volunteer of the Year Award, 1997 Fulbright Teacher Japan Travel, 2001 Michigan Teacher of the Year -Finalist, and the Marygrove College Professional Teacher Award. He also received the 2005 MetLife Foundation Ambassador in Education Award and was the 2005 Diversity Champion Awardee. He is the 2010 Gintong Pamana Awardee on Community Leadership and the 2010 Asian American Journalist Association Awardee .Corp Magazine recognized him with a Diversity Excellence Award in 2010.
Willie is an educator with the Detroit Public Schools. A graduate of UST with a major in Political Science. He earned a Masters Degree in Special Education and an Educational Specialist Degree in School Administration from Wayne State University. He is married to Winifred and blessed with an only child, Jacqueline.