OUR JUDGES

Allen Lee

As a pageant coach, Dr. Allen Lee has mentored and trained many candidates, several of whom have won queen titleholders. He has judged an array of pageants and was most recently invited to be a judge for the Miss California Pageant. Dr. Lee has also custom designed many traditional qipao dresses worn by pageant title holders. Outside of pageantry, he is a certified international judge in lion dancing and is the founder and Sifu of, Lee's Golden Dragon, which is the official Lion Dance group for the Houston Rockets. He is also an ardent athlete and represented his university on the fencing team of the National Collegiate Athletic Association. He has also played in the United States Volleyball Association circuit. In addition, Dr. Lee maintains a private practice in Cosmetic Dentistry.

Apo Bazidi

is an award-winning director and producer, and the founder of Burn A Light Productions. Born in Eastern Turkey to Kurdish parents, Apo grew up amid the social injustices and inequality that beset his community. These experiences drove his desire to become a storyteller so he could shed light on important issues. After high school, he immigrated to the United States and went on to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Film & Television Production from the University of Southern California in 2011. Apo's films are primarily concerned with social issues and the importance of global cultural interactions. His feature film Resistance is Life won eight festival awards including six for Best Documentary Feature.

Freska Griarte

is a radio personality at 96.5 KOIT and 98.5 KFOX and a Bay Area native. When she's not on air, Freska loves doing martial arts, and is a second degree black belt. She's a single mother, dog mom, and cancer survivor. Her story and infectious zest for life resonates and allows her to connect with her audience. Freska loves serving her community and giving back, and has collaborated with the Breast Cancer Emergency Fund, The Alzheimer’s Association, SF SPCA, Daly City’s Fire Department’s Operation Santa Claus, and the 2nd Harvest Food Bank.

Lan Kay

is a Hollywood producer and the founder of Lankis Entertainment. Her goal is to provide support for female producers, and guide Asian American talent in the film industry. Her recent feature film, Dark Asset, was recently previewed at the Cannes Film Festival. In addition to her work in the film industry, Lan is an entrepreneur and California-licensed corporate public accountant. Lan is also a philanthropist and provides ongoing support to charitable events in the Bay Area community. She is well-recognized and has received many awards for her generous contributions to non-profit organizations.

Michael Duong

immigrated to San Francisco from Vietnam with his family in the 1980's. As a struggling immigrant family, Michael often helped his family collect trash to sell for money and eventually created a waste collection empire with California Waste Solutions. Currently, California Waste Solutions serves several cities and provides a multitude of opportunities to new immigrants. In addition to his family waste collection company, Michael is an avid entrepreneur, creating a coffee brand, and making the AsianNet tv channel.

Nicholas Bonardi

Director, Designer, Audiophile; Nick has been working in the gaming industry of the San Francisco Bay Area for the past 15 years. Nick has been passionate about the intersection of video games and music from a young age. Connecting with GameTank in 2007, Nick was one of the original two people who created Guitar Rising, which was later developed into Rocksmith, the first ever video game to use a real guitar. Following the success of Rocksmith, Nick directed the audio team on South Park: The Fractured but Whole. He is currently an Audio Director on XDefiant.

Shekhar Rahate

is an Indian-American fashion designer and stylist whose work has been featured on the Oscars red carpet and at fashion weeks across the globe. He has more than twenty years of experience in the industry and received his training at the Dubai Beams International Fashion School and at the Parsons's School of Fashion Design in New York. His experience extends far past the runway as Rahate has directed and choreographed more than 100 beauty pageants globally, and is an award-winning costume designer, producer, and actor. Rahate's creations have garnered numerous accolades in the fashion arena and is the only designer in history to present his work at the prestigious United Nations General Assembly Hall in New York.

Susie Lee

is the first Queen to win the Miss Asian Global title. She is the founder of the Susie Lee Group. Named the top 1% realtor in San Francisco by Bay News Lab, Susie Lee is recognized as a 30 Under 30 Honoree by National Association of REALTORS®, and notable recipient of 2022 Rising Star Award by California Association of REALTORS®. Susie is a proud member of the non-profit Home for a Home, and for every one of her home sales transactions, she donates a part of her commission towards a fund for building homes in Guatemala. Susie is an ardent supporter of women empowerment, cultural diversity, and community philanthropy. A native San Franciscan, Susie received her Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm D) and BA in Pharmacy from Northeastern University. She is also an active member of the Korean American Community Center.