Southeast Asian Coalition names new leader, moves out of Denholm Building

The newly relocated Worcester nonprofit Southeast Asian Coalition of Central Massachusetts has named Tuyet Tran as its new executive director.

Tran succeeds Anh Vu Sawyer, who was executive director at SEACMA for 10 years. Sawyer stepped down in September from leading the organization, which is dedicated to bettering the lives of Southeast Asian immigrants, refugees, and long-time residents living in Central Massachusetts.

Tran has lived in Worcester since 2000 and has been involved with SEACMA since its founding, according to the coalition’s website. Tran was board president and acting director at the coalition from 2002 to 2006, according to her LinkedIn profile. In 2004, she was named a WBJ 40 under Forty winner.

She officially assumed the role as executive director on Feb. 6, according to an email from Tracy Nguyen, SEACMA internal deputy executive director.

Previously, Tran was a project director at Behavioral Health Partners of Metrowest in Framingham, where she coordinated the integrated care program as part of an Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services project, according to SEACMA’s website. Prior to her work at Behavioral Health Partners, Tran worked for more than 20 years in various roles at Community Healthlink, Inc. in Worcester. Tran holds a master’s degree in social work from Boston College and an undergraduate degree in psychology from Emmanuel College. 

Tran’s ascension into SEACMA’s leadership role coincides with the nonprofit’s move out of the Denholm Building on Main Street in Worcester into new offices on Portland Street.

The coalition’s mission is to provide supports for Southeast Asians in Greater Worcester from varied backgrounds to integrate in the community across language and cultural barriers. The mission includes providing help in starting and running businesses.