Caren Yap’s understanding of care began long before she entered the world of public policy. It began with bayanihan — a Filipino word centered on the value of collective responsibility.
Today, Yap serves as a policy and campaigns lead for the AFL-CIO Advocacy Hub, the national labor federation representing more than 12 million workers. She leads initiatives on labor rights, housing affordability, budgets and revenue, and child labor protections across the country.
Her path began with a compelling story of immigration. Born in Saudi Arabia to overseas Filipino workers, Yap immigrated to the U.S. in 2001, eventually settling in Las Vegas at age 6. Her upbringing was a masterclass in community support.
“We wouldn’t be here without the selflessness of Pinoy immigrants,” Yap says. “They were the neighbors who picked us up from the airport, the third cousins who helped us find a home, and the strangers who became our family.”
In Las Vegas, she saw that same ethic reflected in the immigrant, night-shift, and multi-job households that keep the valley running. “This city taught me that dignity and prosperity take hard work,” she says. “And Rebels are no strangers to working hard.”
From the Clinic to the Boardroom
When Yap enrolled at UNLV in 2019 as a pre-nursing major, she planned to heal people one-on-one. Having earned her Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) credential in high school, she worked part-time as a nursing assistant and found fulfillment in direct patient care.
But she quickly hit a wall.
“I could treat the symptom in the clinic, but I couldn't treat the system that put the patient there,” Yap recalls. “I realized I didn't just want to provide care — I wanted to legislate it.”
That realization was also shaped by personal hardship. While navigating her undergraduate years, Yap experienced periods of homelessness and found herself overwhelmed with frustration at what she saw as gaps in the welfare and healthcare systems meant to support people in crisis. Rather than pulling her away from her studies, the experience sharpened her focus and helped to redefine her mission.
She pivoted to Lee Business School, determined to understand how institutions allocate resources and shape incentives. If the systems were failing people like her, she wanted to help rebuild them through policy.
Thinking in Systems
At Lee, Yap built the analytical foundation that would take her to the national stage. While at UNLV, she was elected the university’s first Filipino and first Asian American woman student body president, an experience that helped launch her into public service. She graduated summa cum laude from UNLV with dual Bachelors of Science in Business degrees in marketing and international business, along with a Brookings Public Policy minor.
She credits Brookings faculty members Caitlin Saladino and Bill Brown with helping her bridge the gap between business decisions and community impact. Their mentorship opened the door to policy work.
During the 2025 Nevada Legislative Session, Yap helped develop legislation aimed at strengthening protections for Nevada healthcare workers by improving workplace protections for frontline medical staff — bringing her journey from nursing assistant to policymaker full circle.
Yap outside the Nevada State Legislature in Carson City during the 2025 legislative session.
It wasn't all high-stakes legislation, though. Through the Global Entrepreneurship Experience, Yap traveled to Northern Italy to study how small businesses balance profit with fairness. It was there she faced one of her greatest challenges: a formal olive oil tasting.
“I was just hungry,” she laughs, recalling how she started eating the bread before the oil even arrived.
“I learned quickly that whether it’s international etiquette or economic policy, you have to understand the process before you can enjoy the results.”
A Rebel at Harvard and Beyond
After graduating from UNLV, Yap continued her academic journey at the Harvard Kennedy School, where she earned a Master of Public Policy. She graduated with highest honors and received the school’s Robert F. Kennedy Award, its highest honor.
“The Global Entrepreneurship Experience gave me intimate knowledge of business and culture in the Las Vegas Valley,” she says. “That Rebel foundation is what allowed me to fully immerse myself at Harvard.”
Closer to home, she continues to serve her community on the Clark County Business Development Advisory Council and was a key architect in the launch of Filipino Town Las Vegas, honoring the more than 200,000 Filipinos who call Southern Nevada home.
Grounded in Identity
Despite the titles and the national influence, Yap remains anchored by her roots. She embraces her multifaceted identity: first-generation immigrant, Nevadan, former nursing assistant, and formerly unhoused student.
“No matter where I go, a part of me will always be the 6-year-old who immigrated to Las Vegas or the 20-year-old running for student government,” she says. “Those versions of me keep me grounded.”
As for her advice to current UNLV students navigating their own uncertain paths?
“Try new things. Boldly introduce yourself. Practice giving grace. There’s nobody more suited for a challenge than someone from Nevada."
