Matthew Finucane is the NEA's first Senior Liaison to the Asian American and Pacific Islander community, where he promotes education issues of mutual concern to educators and the community. Prior to joining NEA, Matt was Deputy Director of the AFL-CIO's Civil, Human and Women's Rights Department, where he advanced a broad range of civil rights issues and promoted the AFL-CIO constituency groups. Matt also served as the first Executive Director of the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, helping to build its organizing, political and advocacy programs. While at APALA, Finucane also helped to form the National Coalition of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA), a coalition of national advocacy groups.