Speaker: Li Hwang, RS

Presentation: Establishing Asian Retail Food Relationships with a Chinese Liaison

Li Hwang is the Chinese liaison for the Maricopa County Environmental Health Division. She has held this position for over four years. Her primary duties are to provide technical expertise to Chinese restaurant owners and organizations regarding a wide range of environmental and public health issues:

1. To improve attitudes, communication and problem-solving skills of Asian restaurant operators with emphasis on Chinese cultural values.
2. To serve as a central point of communication and relationship building between governmental and non-governmental agencies.
3. To help department employees better understand Chinese cultural differences.
4. To meet health code requirements.

Before becoming the Chinese liaison, Ms. Hwang served as executive director for the Chinese Restaurant Association for Arizona for six years, and for two years was an instructor for Serv Safe, a restaurant manager certification program. Ms. Hwang is also very active in Taiwanese and Chinese community organizations and has held many positions. Her experience and ability to communicate in Chinese and Taiwanese, together with her involvement with Asian communities and organizations, has provided a crucial link between regulators and the Asian food industry that results in sound environmental health practices.