Ahuja was appointed as the executive director of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) on December 14, 2009. In this capacity, she has continued to work towards helping Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) access services from the United States federal government. Her work has included increasing health care for AAPI and also inter-agency cooperation between WAAPI and the Environmental Protection Agency to "address exposure to health toxins by nail salon workers," many of whom are Asian American. Other initiatives have been public to private, such as translating essential information about the Gulf Oil Spill for AAPI individuals still struggling with understanding English. Ahuja has also shared her own experiences, helping to "destigmatize depression and suicide when she opened up about her brother's suicide." "Reappropriate" stated that it was an important step towards ending "the stigma against mental illness among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders"."