Nancy Li
Nancy J. Li is an educational consultant, community activist, and co-founder of Royal Public Schools and the Royal Education Foundation, with over 30 years of leadership and service.
Growing up in China during a period of severe educational restrictions—when universities were closed for a decade and acceptance rates were below 2%—Nancy persevered to earn a university education. She later became a university lecturer before immigrating to the United States. These early hardships shaped her lifelong commitment to education, equality, and creating opportunities for future generations.
Since 2013, Nancy has served as a Board Trustee for Holocaust Museum Houston, where she has chaired multiple key committees and organized major initiatives fostering cross-cultural understanding. She played a pivotal role in fundraising efforts and was instrumental in honoring Asian diplomats who rescued Jewish lives during WWII.
Her leadership also helped bring the Emperor’s Treasures exhibition from the Taipei National Palace Museum to Houston in 2016 and chair the Asia Society’s 2024 Huffington Award Gala.
Nancy holds numerous leadership roles, including serving as Vice Chair of Houston Mayor John Whitmire’s AAPI Advisory Board, Outreach Committee Member of Harris County District Attorney’s Office, Senior Fellow and Trustee of the American Leadership Forum, Chair of the OCA Houston Advisory Board, and Advisory Board Member at the University of St. Thomas Houston.
In recognition of her contributions to Houston’s cultural and civic life, Nancy has been honored as one of Houston’s Top 30 Influential Women and a Top 50 Influential Woman by Houston Woman Magazine.
Kenneth Li
Kenneth Li is the founder/ president of Southwest Realty Group, a full-service real estate firm in Houston, Texas since 1988. Throughout the thirty-five years of his professional career, he has been committed to excellence in real estate development for his community. Kenneth Li is a real estate specialist, developer, and consultant. Kenneth Li was considered a pioneer of Chinatown by the “Houston Chronicle” and said that he was the real estate broker who aided the community’s growth and used his success there as an entry into the mainstream in both residential and commercial real estate. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, Congressman Al Green, KHOU 11, Texas Monthly, and Real Estate Directory News named Kenneth Li as Houston Chinatown’s “Mayor”. Long active in public affairs in the local community, Kenneth Li served as the 2011 National Chairman of the Asian Real Estate Association of America (www.areaa.org).
Chairman of the Asian Chamber of Commerce, President of the Houston Taiwanese Chamber, and Chairman of the Chinese Community Center (CCC). Houston Mayors appointed him to serve as the first Asian American board member of the City Planning Commission, Asian Advisory Board to the Houston Police, SW Houston Redevelopment Authority (TIRZ#20) board member, Southwest Management District Chairman, and Houston Mayor AAPI Advisory Board and Safety & Business Committee Chair. Mayor John Whitmire appointed Kenneth Li as commissioner of Houston Housing Authority in 2024.
Tony Ly
Tony Ly is the Founder and Principal of “STOA Capital Partners”, a commercial & residential real estate private equity investment company. I am a real estate Developer and Operator of luxury adult condominium living facilities and a?ordable multi-family developments in
Houston and surrounding counties in Texas.
Undergraduate at Sam Houston State and Graduate at Boston University MET in
International Finance.
He is also the Founder and Principal of “Dakao Restaurant & Bar”, an authentic
Vietnamese restaurant located in the heart of Asian Town Southwest of Houston.
He is currently serving on the Board of Advisors for the Houston Asian American Pacific Islander “AAPI” and serving as Co-Chair & Board Member of “Texas Safety & Business Alliance”.
His passions in life are God, Family, helping others achieve a better quality of life, and fostering underserved communities and countries around the world.
James Fan
James X. Fan graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 2013 and has since dedicated his career to advancing K-12 public education. Beginning his journey as an AP Biology teacher, James quickly demonstrated his capability and commitment, moving into an operational leadership role. He spent two impactful years in Montgomery, Alabama, as Director of Operations, where he played a pivotal role in establishing the city’s first public K-12 charter school.
Since 2019, James has served as a founding executive member and currently serves as Operation Director of the Royal School System, overseeing the successful development and ongoing operations of its inaugural campus in San Antonio, Texas.
From initial application to day-to-day management, his leadership has been instrumental in the school’s growth and success.
Beyond his professional responsibilities, James actively engages with local communities, driven by deep empathy and a strong commitment to improving educational opportunities for underserved children. He firmly believes in the transformative power of school choice and continues to invest his energy and expertise to help shape brighter futures for students and communities in need.