Executive Committee

Nou Yang, Chair

Nou is the Chair of Hnub Tshiab: Hmong Women Achieving Together.  Currently, Nou is the Program Manager of the Youth Leadership Initiative (YLI). As Program Manager she provides technical support to youth mentors and manages the YLI program, serving 60 multicultural youth from the Saint Paul, East Metropolitan area. Nou has ten years of experience working with diverse youth and families in various capacities. She has delivered and managed leadership programs for girls, engaged in community cultivation, mentored and co-facilitated social support groups to Southeast Asian girls, provided technical support to youth serving organizations, and delivered crisis intervention services to families and vulnerable adults. Nou has a Bachelor's of Science and Master's of Science in Human Development and Family Studies, with an emphasis on the adolescent development of racial ethnic youth, from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in Madison, Wisconsin.

MayKao Y. Hang, Chair of Investment Committee

MayKao is the Chair of the Investment Committee and oversees the Hmong Women's Fund, a donor advised fund at the Women's Foundation of Minnesota.  MayKao has been with the team since it's inception in 1998.  MayKao has recently been appointed as the new CEO and President of Amherst H. Wilder Foundation.  Previously, she was the Director of Children and Family Services for the Wilder Foundation where she has responsibility in a senior leadership position where she provides overall vision, direction, and guidance for the Division and the Foundation.  MayKao was also the Director of Adult Services for Ramsey County Human Services Department. At Ramsey County, she had responsibility and oversight of 300 staff who deliver mental health, chemical dependency, long-term care, adult protection, and developmental disabilities services to the community. MayKao has a M.A. from the Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota in Public Policy, and a Bachelor Degree from Brown University in Psychology.

Ilean Her, J.D., Treasurer

Ilean is the Treasurer of Hnub Tshiab: Hmong Women Achieving Together.  Ilean is the Executive Director of the Council on Asian Pacific Minnesotans. Ilean joined Hnub Tshiab in 2005, during the Dialogues Project which started the formal strategic planning process and incorporation process for Hnub Tshiab. Illean is committed to working on and influencing the things that will make this world a better place.

Jenny Yang, Secretary

Jenny is the Secretary of Hnub Tshiab: Hmong Women Achieving Together.  Jenny is currently a Financial Aid Counselor at Augsburg College, where she counsels students and families about financing their education in higher education.  Previously, she worked at the Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC) in Washington, DC as the Advocacy Initiative Director, where advocated the interests and concerns of the Southeast Asian American communities. In 2004, she received the Asian Pacific American Institute for the Congressional Studies (APAICS) Anheuser-Busch/ Frank Horton Fellowship, a prestigious fellowship for individuals committed to public service. Through the fellowship, she worked for U.S. Representative Michael Honda, Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC).  Jenny received her M.A. in Leadership in Student Affairs from the University of St. Thomas, and Bachelors of Arts degree in Political Science from Gustavus Adolphus College.

Board Members

Linda Vang

Linda is a graduate of Hnub Tshiab's 2008 Hmong Women's Leadership Institute and recently joined the board in March 2010. She currently works at the Wallin Education Partners, a non-profit scholarship organization, as a scholar advisor where she supports scholarship recipients. Prior to that, she worked for three years in the University of Minnesota's Equity and Diversity office. While there, she also co-facilitated the Hmong Women's Group, a support program for Hmong undergraduate women.  Linda graduated in 2001 with a Bachelors Degree in American Studies from Carleton College. Linda also serves on the Board of Directors for YouthCARE, Youth for Cultural Appreciation and Racial Equality, a premier non-profit youth development agency in Minneapolis.

Mai Vang

Mai Vang is a commercial property manager with local firm Wellington Management, Inc. Mai currently manages office and retail space in St. Paul and Roseville. Mai holds a Minnesota real estate license and is currently working on obtaining her certified property management (CPM) designation through the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM). Mai joined the board of Hnub Tshiab: Hmong Women Achieving Together in 2010. Mai graduated from Bethel University in the spring of 2008 with a bachelor of arts degree in communication studies. In her spare time Mai likes to garden, read and spend time with her family.

Staff

Pheng Thao, Program Coordinator Family Dialogues

Pheng is and has been an advocate ranging from social justice, sexual violence, child abuse/neglect, and currently domestic violence issues. Currently, he is the Program Coordinator for Hnub Tshiab: Hmong Women Achieving Together. Pheng has had experience working with youth sex offenders and had training with men who attended batterer intervention programs. He has done numerous presentations and facilitations regarding domestic violence and teen dating violence to students and community members. In addition, Pheng has provided trainings to police and social service providers on working and understanding Asian Pacific Islander American victims/survivors of domestic violence. He chairs the board of directors for Shades of Yellow (SOY) the first Hmong LGBTQ organization and is a board member for Hmong American Partnership (HAP) the largest Hmong nonprofit in the nation. Lastly, Pheng received his Masters in Liberal Studies from the University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee and graduated cum laude with BA in Law Enforcement from Minnesota State University of Mankato.

Bernadette P. Vang, Accountant

Bernadette is a Grad student at Metropolitan State University.  She has her Bachelor of Arts degree from Metropolitan State University. Her degree focus is in Organizational Leadership and Communications. Currently, Bernadette is working for the Wilder Foundation in the Children and Family Services Administrative area handling Credentialing and Compliance.  Prior to joining Wilder, Bernadette worked for Thomson Reuters in their Finance, Commissions Department as a financial and quality assurance analyst.  

Kabo Yang, Co-facilitator Hmong Women's Leadership Institute

Kabo Yang is an independent consultant specializing in cross cultural leadership development, nonprofit management and strategic planning. She has an extensive background in fund development and project management. She currently serves as Board Chair of Professional Hmong Women Association, working to transform the socioeconomic landscape of Hmong women's lives, and sits on the board of CAPI USA, guiding refugees and immigrants on their journey toward self-determination.  She has a B.S. in Business Administration from Metropolitan State University and an M.A. in Organizational Leadership from St. Catherine Univeristy. She is married with two kids and lives in North Saint Paul.

Lily Moua, Co-facilitator Hmong Women's Leadership Institute

Lily is a co-facilitator for the Hmong Women's Leadership Institute. She is a Classification Specialist for Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services in the United States Department of Agriculture, where she provides advice, consultation, and guidance on position classification, position management, workforce planning, and organization design to management officials. Prior to USDA, she worked for Target Talent Acquisition. Lily also has 3 years of experience teaching Hmong culture and language. She is excited about change, diversity, public/community service, mentoring, and continuously learning opportunities. Lily received a full-ride for both her M.A. in Public Policy from the Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota and Bachelor's of Art in Sociology and Anthropology from St. Olaf College. Fun fact: Lily and Hmong women leaders ran the Twin Cities Marathon to fundraise for Hnub Tshiab in October 2009.