We provide interesting, educational, compelling and dynamic programs on Asian art and culture to our members and the public.
Board of Directors
President
Julia Molander
Julia Molander has deep roots in San Francisco, having lived and worked in the city since 1978. She is a lawyer with a background in insurance law, and currently she works as a court expert in that area. Julia has served on the board of World Arts West (producer of the Ethnic Dance Festival), as well as the boards of other professional and charitable organizations. She is an avid museum-goer and a collector of a wide variety of Asian art. She joined the board of the Society for Asian Art in 2023.
Vice President
Jim Brown
Jim Brown is a graduate of Columbia University, where he was Chapter President of the Business School’s American Marketing Association. Upon graduation he joined Lever Bros. Co., embarking on a marketing career which eventually led to the cruise industry where he held various positions at both French Line and Royal Viking. He has visited more than 60 countries around the world. Jim is currently a docent at the Asian Art Museum. He has been an SAA Board Member for the past two years.
Vice President
Sheila Dowell
Sheila Dowell became involved with the Society for Asian Art and with the Asian Art Museum, as a Docent, because she wanted to build on the knowledge she had previously gained while living in Japan, India, and Saudi Arabia. Prior to this, she became an AOA (Africa, Oceania, and the Americas) Docent at the de Young Museum to connect with her experience living in Tanzania. Sheila was a member of the SFMOMA Modern Art Council. She earned a B.A. in Anthropology and Sociology from Mills College. She currently serves on the Upper Category Member Events Committee and the Travel Committee. She also serves on the Board of SACHI and on the University Relations Committee and the Science Committee of ARCS (Achievement Rewards for College Scientists).
Secretary
Stephen Roy Smith
As a Board Member of the Society for Asian Art, I am dedicated to advancing the appreciation and preservation of Asian art and culture. In partnership with the San Francisco Asian Art Museum, the Society promotes scholarship, dialogue, and cultural exchange through lectures, study groups, and travel programs. I work to strengthen this collaboration by expanding community outreach, deepening member engagement, and making Asian art accessible to diverse audiences. Serving on the Board is both a privilege and a passion — an opportunity to help the Society inspire curiosity and celebrate the beauty and wisdom of Asia for generations to come.
Treasurer
Dan Raybin
Daniel Raybin started collecting Chinese pottery with his mother. Later, he studied Asian civilizations at Columbia with William Theodore DeBary, solidifying a lifelong interest. He graduated from Stanford Medical School, where he is an Adjunct Clinical Professor of Medicine, Emeritus, teaching at Palo Alto VAHCS.
He was a charter member of the Asian Art Museum and recently joined the Society for Asian Art for the Arts of Asia lectures. He has been a board member for the past