Wisconsin’s 48 Most Influential Asian American Leaders

Yearly since our founding 5 years in the past, we have now acknowledged Wisconsin’s most influential Black and Latino leaders. It’s turn into probably the most anticipated factor we do. Yearly, I’ve meant these lists to focus on the great thing about the range throughout our state. I need children right here in Wisconsin to see position fashions of people who find themselves succeeding, to know that it’s doable for African People and Latinos to attain nice issues right here.

Every year, after we publish each checklist, we hear from the neighborhood. We hear real pleasure and gratitude for the popularity. We hear new names to incorporate in future lists.

And, invariably, we hear, “When will you honor leaders from different communities of shade?”

The reality is that we have now needed to. For a number of years, we have now needed and meant to honor our Native American and Asian American brothers and sisters. However the truth is we are able to solely accomplish that with the assistance, belief and engagement of these communities. Now we have spent the previous few years constructing that belief, constructing these relationships, studying about these communities.

And now, lastly, I’m assured — we’re prepared.

In March, we revealed our first-ever checklist of probably the most influential Native People in Wisconsin, and at this time, we’re proud to current our first-ever checklist of probably the most influential Asian American leaders in our state.

This checklist represents one thing that’s by no means been finished. This week we shine a statewide highlight on the devoted leaders of Wisconsin’s Hmong, Chinese language-American, Japanese-American, Pacific Islander, South Asian, and different communities. These are richly numerous communities with roots that symbolize an enormous geographic space. The individuals we spotlight this week are elected leaders, enterprise leaders and neighborhood leaders, doing tough, necessary work, typically within the face of discrimination and actually generations of oppression.

We’re additionally conscious that this checklist, like each different, just isn’t complete. There are, for sure, greater than 48 influential Asian American leaders doing good work in Wisconsin. We hope you’ll tell us about individuals in your neighborhood who we are able to embody on future lists. For now, although, we simply wish to introduce you to some of the individuals doing the work, typically behind the scenes and with out the accolades, throughout Wisconsin.

You may know a couple of of those names, however there’s an excellent likelihood that almost all of them can be new to you. I commend you to get to know them. Attain out to these residing and dealing in your communities. Be taught from them, community, create partnerships. And unfold the phrase — let others in your community know that we have now individuals of all ethnicities residing and dealing throughout Wisconsin to make this state an excellent and affluent place for all.

Henry Sanders, Jr
CEO, 365 Media Basis
Writer, Madison365 and FoxValley365

Mai J Lo Lee is director of the Multi-Ethnic Scholar Affairs (MESA) at UW–Inexperienced Bay. She’s a proud product of the UW system — she earned her bachelor’s diploma in English and mass communications from UW-Eau Claire and grasp’s diploma in schooling at UW-La Crosse.  Her analysis pursuits embody management, cultural competency, ladies’s research and scholar growth. Mai was awarded the 2018 College Award for Excellence in Collaborative Achievement for her work within the Brown County MLK Jr. Day Celebration, the 2016 Establishment Workers Member of the 12 months, the 2009 UW System Lady of Shade in Schooling award and was lately nominated for the 2017 Future 15 Younger Skilled of the 12 months award. She has additionally been a panelist and moderator on matters in increased schooling on the Wisconsin Management Summit.

Shary Tran serves because the Director of Variety and Inclusion for the Froedtert & the Medical Faculty of Wisconsin Well being Methods. In her position, she prioritizes initiatives that guarantee high quality healthcare for Froedtert purchasers. Outdoors of that, Tran can also be an energetic member of her Milwaukee neighborhood. She co-founded ELEVAsian, a corporation launched in 2017 to focus on and elevate Asian People within the Milwaukee space. She was the President of the Younger Professionals of Milwaukee, now generally known as FUEL Milwaukee. In 2015, Tran was acknowledged as a “40 below 40” chief by the Milwaukee Enterprise Journal. She additionally holds different management positions, together with being a board member of Hispanic Professionals of Larger Milwaukee. Tran graduated from the College of Whitewater and went on to earn her MBA from Cardinal Stritch College.

Kabzuag Vaj, the founder and co-executive director of Freedom Inc., has devoted nearly all of her life to ending gender-based violence, ranging from the younger age of 16. Vaj was born in Laos and got here to the U.S. as a refugee youngster together with her mom and siblings and has spent her profession constructing collective energy within the Southeast Asian and Black communities. Together with co-founding Freedom Inc, Vaj additionally co-founded Constructing Our Future, a worldwide marketing campaign that targets conventional practices and beliefs that contribute to gender-based violence in Hmong communities. She was acknowledged as a Champion of Change on the White Home throughout Home Violence Consciousness month in 2011 and was lately named one of many 20 Ladies of Shade in Politics to Watch in 2020 by She the Individuals.

Charles Huang is the Pastor of Blackhawk Chinese language Ministry at Blackhawk Church, the biggest church in Madison.  Born and raised in Taipei, Taiwan, he attended school in Tokyo, grad college within the San Francisco Bay Space, and Regent Faculty in Vancouver, Canada for his Grasp of Divinity. Earlier than his theological schooling, Charles labored in IT for 5 years and a fast-food chain for 9 years. Charles joined the Blackhawk employees in 2017. Charles and his spouse Anita have a daughter and a son. They get pleasure from enjoying board video games and touring to Taiwan to go to household and mates. 

Mike Moh is proprietor of Moh’s Martial Arts in Madison. He grew up in St. Paul, Minnesota and was impressed by certainly one of his heroes, Jackie Chan, whereas working as a stuntman in Hong Kong on the movie “Robin-B-Hood,” to pursue a profession in performing. Mike relocated to Los Angeles and landed roles in quite a few commercials, TV exhibits, and movies like “Road Fighter: Murderer’s Fist,” extensively thought of the perfect movie adaptation of a online game. After almost a decade in Los Angeles, Moh relocated his household again to the Midwest in 2013 to open Moh’s Martial Arts. Whereas juggling a rising household and one of the profitable martial arts colleges within the midwest, he has been in a position to guide roles on primetime exhibits like FOX’s “Empire,” ABC’s “Marvel’s Inhumans,” and Quentin Tarantino’s “As soon as Upon a Time in Hollywood,” by which he performed Bruce Lee. Mike continues his martial arts coaching each day and holds the rank of Fifth-degree black belt in Taekwondo.

Dr. Ashok Rai has served as Prevea Well being’s President and CEO since 2009 and at present sits on UW-Inexperienced Bay’s Council of Trustees. Whereas Prevea has been a accomplice with Inexperienced Bay Athletics since 1985, Dr. Rai led the cost beginning in 2012 what was then a novel mannequin with an unique healthcare supplier with a Division I program however is now shortly changing into the advisable NCAA greatest follow public-private relationship. Dr. Rai and his group of physicians, athletic trainers and different specialists present full medical protection for UW-Inexperienced Bay student-athletes each on the Kress Heart and on the highway. The general public-private partnership permits for a separation of medical selections from the College and locations the student-athlete first in all selections and care.

Bekki Yang is the Vice President of Gross sales at iHeartMedia-Milwaukee and co-president of the Hmong Wisconsin Chamber of Commerce. She at present manages a employees of over 20 advertising and marketing professionals, who develop built-in promoting options for each native and nationwide manufacturers. With over 20 years of expertise, Yang makes a speciality of participating audiences utilizing conventional and new-media with related advertising and marketing methods to develop enterprise. Her campaigns have landed nominations and awards such because the Radio Mercury Awards, and her PR expertise has garnered protection in a number of information and media retailers all through her profession.  As well as, Bekki is captivated with giving again to her neighborhood. Bekki has held seats on many planning committees in Detroit (Council of Asian Pacific People) and Milwaukee (Milwaukee Public Colleges, American Most cancers Society and Hmong American Friendship). Bekki holds a bachelor’s diploma in advertising and marketing from the College of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Bryan Chan based SupraNet in 1994 to supply the Madison enterprise neighborhood with Web entry. Chan has since co-founded and arranged numerous different occasions, together with the annual Ahead Competition. Chan serves on a number of boards such because the United Manner of Dane County, Overture Heart for the Arts and Madison Museum of Modern Arts. Moreover, Chan was the “Small Enterprise Government of the 12 months” award winner by InBusiness Journal in 2015 and the “Brian D Howell Excellence in Innovation” and “Isthmus Unbiased Enterprise” awards in 2014. Chan earned his bachelor of arts diploma in English language and literature from the UW-Madison.

Ka Lo at present serves on the Marathon County Board as District 5 Supervisor. She is the oldest of six youngsters born to refugee mother and father who escaped war-torn Southeast Asia a long time in the past. She obtained an Affiliate of Arts and Sciences in Liberal Arts and Sciences, Normal Research and Humanities from the College of Wisconsin-Marathon County (lately renamed College of Wisconsin–Stevens Level at Wausau) in 2011. Then, she earned a  Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)in American Historical past from the College of Wisconsin-Stevens Level in 2014. She intends to make issues honest for everybody with every coverage put ahead. Ka additionally serves on the County’s Extension, Schooling, and Financial Improvement Committee.

Kashoua (Kristy) Yang is a Milwaukee County Circuit Court docket Choose.  She was elected to a six-year time period in 2017, changing into the primary Asian American in Wisconsin elected to the judiciary with out an appointment, and the primary girl of Hmong ethnicity elected to the judiciary in the USA. Previous to ascending to the bench, she was in personal follow within the areas of household legislation, employee’s compensation, and social safety incapacity.  A few of Choose Yang’s neighborhood service and involvement have included: Marquette Volunteer Authorized Clinic, authorized clinic for Hmong audio system, mentoring highschool college students, and Authorized Choices for Trafficked and Underserved Survivors.

Dr. Pafoua (Pam) Her is at present president and proprietor of 4Chi Enterprise Options and an Adjunct Professor with Rasmussen Faculty within the College of Enterprise.  She has taught advertising and marketing, skilled communication, ideas of administration, entrepreneurship, gross sales, finance, and ethics. Dr. Her at present serves as an adviser to the NEW Hmong Professionals Group and Central Wisconsin Hmong Professionals group, vice chairman of Vue Nationwide Affiliation, and a member of the board of administrators for CAP Companies, Inc.  Beforehand, she served as an adviser to the Hmong Wisconsin 18 Clan Council and has been on quite a few boards akin to United Manner Fox Cities, American Pink Cross-Outagamie County, Fox Valley Literacy Council, and the Fox Cities Neighborhood Basis.  She has suggested the Wisconsin State Supreme Court docket on interpreters in judicial proceedings in addition to NEW North on recruiting and retaining numerous expertise. Dr. Her has obtained quite a few recognition akin to recipient of the Fox Valley Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Award, WISCAP Distinctive Advocate of the 12 months Award, and the Rasmussen Faculty Distinctive Educator Recognition.

Renee Moe is President and CEO of United Manner of Dane County, a pacesetter within the worldwide United Manner community and throughout the nonprofit sector. Charity Navigator lately acknowledged United Manner of Dane County within the prime three p.c of U.S. nonprofits. A army child who grew up on the three continents, Renee has a JBA in Journalism and Mandarin Chinese language, and an MBA from UW-Madison. She has been acknowledged with the YWCA Lady of Distinction Award, Wisconsin Ladies of Shade Community Energy of Unity Award, Brava Lady 2 Watch, UW Enterprise College eight Beneath 40, and served as President of Downtown Rotary.

Fanfu Li, the present president of the Wisconsin Chinese language Chamber of Commerce, has for a few years had a hand in selling enterprise growth for the Chinese language neighborhood in Wisconsin. As president, Li works to service its members, particularly on performance and the benefits of non-profit organizations. Outdoors of the Wisconsin Chinese language Chamber of Commerce, Li is the Worldwide Enterprise Improvement Director on the Wisconsin Financial Improvement Company. There, he works to advertise financial development in Wisconsin. Li earned his MBA in worldwide enterprise from the College of South Carolina, a Grasp’s in packaging from Michigan State College and his Bachelor’s diploma in engineering from Hefei College of Know-how in China.

Gabe Javier, initially from St. Louis, Missouri, and the son of immigrants from the Philippines, was appointed because the Affiliate Vice Chancellor for Scholar Affairs on the College of Wisconsin-Madison in December 2019. Gabe oversees the Multicultural Scholar Heart, Gender and Sexuality Campus Heart, Worldwide Scholar Companies, McBurney Incapacity Useful resource Heart, and College Veteran Companies, all of which had been beforehand below the Division of Scholar Life. Previous to this place, Gabe served because the Assistant Dean and Director for the College of Wisconsin Multicultural Scholar Heart. Earlier than becoming a member of UW-Madison’s college as an Assistant Dean of College students and Director of the LGBT Campus Heart, Gabe served as Interim Assistant to the Dean of College students within the Workplace of the Dean of College students on the College of Michigan which is the place he obtained his Masters in Greater Schooling Administration in 2006. 

Might Yer Thao is assistant deputy director of the Wisconsin Housing and Financial Improvement Authority (WHEDA), the place she makes use of her enterprise growth expertise and strategic relationships to increase WHEDA’s mission in underserved communities. She additionally represents WHEDA on the Governor’s Council on Psychological Well being. Earlier than being appointed to this position by Gov. Tony Evers in 2019, she was the chief director of the Wisconsin Hmong Chamber of Commerce, the place she deployed the very best variety of enterprise microloans statewide within the group’s historical past, leveraging over $10 million in whole mortgage funds and increasing the group’s statewide footprint. She has served in management of Ascension Lutheran Church and on the boards of the Milwaukee County Parks Basis, MKE United, Havenwoods Financial Improvement Company, and extra.

Erik Kennedy is senior neighborhood relations coordinator at Advocate Aurora Well being and co-founder of ELEVAsian, a corporation launched in 2017 to focus on and elevate Asian People within the Milwaukee space. Beforehand, he labored as a volunteer and Management Improvement Coordinator for the YMCA of Metropolitan Milwaukee. In that position, he labored straight with college students and native organizations to create volunteer and job alternatives. Kennedy can also be an advisory committee member for FUEL Milwaukee, an expert networking group. Kennedy graduated from Bowling Inexperienced State College.

Pat Wongkit brings enthusiasm and perspective to all that she does as program director of the Northport and Packer Studying Facilities on Madison’s north facet the place she has labored passionately for the final 25 years to ship high quality programming targeted on schooling and employment. The facilities serve over 400 youth and households who qualify for rental help by means of the U.S. Division of Housing and City Renewal’s Part eight Housing Program. Wongkit has constructed and sustained relationships with necessary neighborhood companions such because the Madison Metropolitan College District, Dane County Human Companies, Metropolis of Madison, The River Meals Pantry, Prolonged Fingers Pantry, Northside Companions and different neighborhood organizations to learn neighborhood residents. As well as, every semester, she supervises service-learning college students from Madison Faculty, UW-Madison Division of Afro-American Research in addition to summer season practicum college students from the UW-Madison College of Schooling. Wongkit was twice awarded the President’s Volunteer Service Award from President Obama.

Arvind Gopalratnam is the Vice President of Company Social Duty for the Milwaukee Bucks. He’s a local of the Milwaukee space, a proud graduate of UW-Madison and George Washington College and a lifetime Wisconsin sports activities fan. As a member of the Bucks neighborhood group, Arvind helps lead the group’s mission to make the place by which we work and play a greater place for all households to reside. Arvind is at present in his third season with the Bucks after spending 11 years in company communications for NBC Common and Normal Electrical’s Healthcare enterprise. With GE, Arvind developed in depth expertise within the Sports activities and Healthcare industries as a company spokesperson, supervisor of disaster communications globally, teaching senior-level executives on communications ways and creating inside and exterior communications methods.

Christine Liu McLaughlin of Milwaukee is a shareholder and chair of Godfrey & Kahn’s Labor & Employment Legislation Observe Group. She offers counsel to enterprise administration on all kinds of employment and labor points starting from interpretation and utility of federal and state employment legal guidelines to specialised worker transition issues in advanced enterprise transactions, together with administration of day-to-day employment issues, drafting and imposing restrictive covenant agreements, advising on and defending state and federal discrimination claims, and advising and conducting inside investigations. Christine additionally has in depth expertise in evaluating and drafting federal and Wisconsin state affirmative motion plans, in addition to advising on compliance evaluations. Christine has performed workshops and seminars on varied employment legislation matters in Wisconsin, in addition to nationally. Christine has been acknowledged in Chambers USA, Greatest Legal professionals and Wisconsin Tremendous Legal professionals. Additional, Christine was named to the Ladies of Affect checklist by The Milwaukee Enterprise Journal and to the Ladies within the Legislation checklist by the Wisconsin Legislation Journal. 

Dr. Maysee Herr is the newly-appointed govt director of the Hmong Wisconsin Chamber of Commerce. As govt director, Dr. Herr leads her group in offering financial and developmental help in enterprise planning to communities in Wisconsin, specializing in Hmong and Southeast Asian communities. Previous to her position at HWCC, Dr. Herr was an assistant professor of schooling at UW-Stevens Level. She has additionally held in depth management positions, serving as a member of board of administrators for a number of nonprofits, together with Neighborhood Basis of North Central Wisconsin and Marathon County Variety Affairs Fee. Dr. Herr earned her Grasp’s and Ph.D. in schooling at Indiana College-Bloomington and obtained her Bachelor’s on the College of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

Peng Her is the Neighborhood Relations Coordinator for UW Madison’s Institute for Analysis on Poverty, and the director of the Hmong Institute. Previous to this place, he was the Affiliate Director for Heart for Resilient Cities and VP of Promise Zone and Partnerships at City League of Larger Madison earlier than that. Peng has labored with officers, residents, and repair suppliers to take away obstacles to success for 15 years. He helped set up Hmong American research at UW–Madison and Edgewood Faculty and was affiliate director of the Heart for Resilient Cities. He’s on the Morgridge Heart Advisory board, Badger Rock Center College board, and a number of other different boards locally.

Yee Leng Xiong is a Marathon County board supervisor, a trustee within the Village of Weston, the clerk for the D.C. Everest Space college board and govt director on the Hmong American Heart, Inc. (HAC) in Wausau. The non-profit HAC was established in 1984 to help in neighborhood integration in addition to financial and social development of Southeast Asian refugees within the Wausau-Marathon County space, based on HAC’s web site. He’s acknowledged as a statewide chief of the Hmong neighborhood, and dedicates himself to bringing Hmong voices into native authorities.

Abha Thakkar of Madison is the Government Director of the Northside Planning Council and Editor of the Northside Information. She can also be a co-founder of the East Attendance Space PTO Coalition, the Dane County TimeBank, the Grassroots Management Faculty and the Northside Farmers market. She is a marketing consultant, coach and lecturer within the areas of relational neighborhood organizing, management growth, capacity-building and worldwide growth. She based and has managed a nationwide nonprofit service-learning program that related US college students with youngsters residing in orphanages and refugee camps and as a part of that work traveled to 40 nations between 2007 and 2011. She can also be a programmer, expertise coach, internet developer and author. Abha obtained the 2006 Visionary Award from the Madison Social Justice Heart. Born in India, she moved to Wisconsin together with her household when she was a toddler. She earned a bachelor’s diploma from UW–Madison in political science, worldwide relations, international cultures and built-in liberal research.

Jessica Boling was lately the director of neighborhood engagement for the Asian American and Pacific Islander Milwaukee 2020 host committee. In her position, Boling has a possibility to carry varied Asian communities in Milwaukee collectively for the Democratic Nationwide Conference, which is going on largely on-line because of the pandemic. Boling has additionally held different neighborhood engagement roles at corporations like P3 Improvement Group and Silicon Pastures, and has stated that her background is central to who she is personally and professionally. Boling graduated from Seattle College with a Bachelor’s in worldwide growth and went on to earn her Grasp’s in social work from Boston Faculty.

Nkauj Nou Vang-Vue has been the principal of Lake View Elementary College since July 2018. She is the Madison Metropolitan College District’s first Hmong American principal and oversees the district’s solely bilingual Hmong-English immersion program. Earlier than serving as principal of Lake View, Nkauj Nou was the Assistant Principal at Glenn Stephens Elementary College for 3 years. She additionally has a background in social work, working as a College Social Employee for Wisconsin Rapids Public Colleges for nearly 5 years. Nkauj Nou obtained a Bachelor’s in Social Work from the College of Wisconsin-Madison in 2007,  a Grasp’s in Social Work within the College Setting from the College of Wisconsin-Madison in 2008, and one other diploma in Instructional Management from Viterbo College in 2014. 

Alex Tran is a Brown County Supervisor, changing into the primary girl of shade voted to the Brown County Board in 2018. When Tran was elected she had no political expertise and was a supervisor at Duke Marine Engineering Consultants, Inc. Since taking workplace she stood towards Christian prayers earlier than board conferences, guided an advisory referendum on legalizing marijuana and stored the promise of not changing into a profession politician. The Inexperienced Bay Press-Gazette experiences that Tran just isn’t looking for reelection. Tran got here to Ashwaubenon in 1983 as a 10-year-old refugee who fled Vietnam after she and her father escaped from a prisoner of battle camp. 

Houa Xiong is affiliate dean of scholars at UW-Oshkosh. On this position, she goals to assist information college students with the questions or issues and join college students with applicable campus assets, based on UW-Oshkosh’s web site. She has been working in tutorial providers at UW-La Crosse and UW-Fond du Lac since 2000.

Pa Lee Moua is Variety, Fairness, and Inclusion Officer for the Appleton Space College District. serving greater than 16,000 college students. She turned the primary particular person to carry that place when it was created in 2018. Pa Lee has greater than 15 years {of professional} expertise in schooling, neighborhood engagement, and variety and inclusion, together with as Affiliate Dean of College students for Variety Affairs at Lawrence College. She was born in a refugee camp in Thailand.  In 1984, on the age of 5, she alongside together with her household arrived in Fresno, CA.  They later relocated to Wisconsin to be nearer to household. 

Chimeng Yang is the recently-appointed market supervisor for Previous Nationwide Financial institution in Milwaukee. He’s additionally the Vice President of the Hmong Wisconsin Chamber of Commerce. All through his profession, Yang has held many positions in finance and banking and used his data to assist HWCC of their purpose of offering monetary assets to technical help to enterprise and neighborhood growth actions. Yang can also be a member on the Board of Administrators for the Particular Olympics Wisconsin. Yang graduated from the College of Minnesota.

Zong Sae Vang received the November 2018 election to function the president of the Hmong 18 Council of Wisconsin till 2022. The three candidates that ran for the president of Hmong 18 Council of Wisconsin had been Zong Tze Vang from Milwaukee, Nao Vai Yang from Milwaukee, and Nao Nhia Thao from Madison. Wisconsin Hmong neighborhood is the primary Hmong neighborhood in the USA to permit Hmong people who reside in Wisconsin to vote for presidential candidates operating for Hmong 18 Council of Wisconsin. 

Francesca Hong is co-owner of Morris Ramen and is poised to turn into the primary Asian-American within the Wisconsin legislature. The daughter of immigrants, she began within the restaurant enterprise as a dishwasher, slowly working her means down the road as a line cook dinner, sous chef, and finally one of many youngest and first feminine govt cooks at 43 North Restaurant. A labor activist and neighborhood chief, she introduced a run for the 76th Meeting District, representing downtown Madison, in Might. Earlier this month, she received a crowded major for the Democratic nomination and is just about assured a victory within the deep blue district to turn into the primary particular person of Asian descent to function an elected consultant within the state capitol. 

Kou Vang is President of the Hmong American Partnership (HAP) within the Fox Valley. He additionally serves as a board member for WUCMAA, an ethnic non-profit coalition that builds capability and advocates for the development of underserved communities. As Board President of The HAP, Kou works to fulfill the wants of the Hmong neighborhood in Appleton and surrounding areas. Initially based because the Fox Valley Lao-Hmong Affiliation in 1980 by settled refugees, the Hmong-American Partnership coordinates providers and academic actions. Because the company was launched it has turn into a vibrant hub of the Hmong neighborhood and newly arriving refugee communities together with, however not restricted to Somali, Iraqi, Burmese, Cuban, and Congolese. In February, Kou spoke out concerning the U.S. proposal to deport some Hmong immigrants and refugees residing in the USA. Extra lately, The HAP introduced they’re taking part in a statewide collaboration led by The Hmong Institute to handle the speedy COVID-related wants of underserved immigrant communities throughout the state.

Alexa Alfaro is the co-owner of Meat on the Road, the primary Filipino meals truck in Milwaukee, and the favored ELEVEN25 meals corridor within the previous Pabst Brewery constructing. Since opening the meals cart in 2014, Alfaro has appeared on The Meals Community’s Man’s Grocery Video games, been revealed in “The New Filipino Kitchen” cookbook and been interviewed by NBC Information for his or her Asian American Pacific Islander month article, based on her LinkedIn profile. She has additionally received the Jackens award: Danger taker,  honoring ladies that make a distinction in Milwaukee and was a speaker on the Trek Bicycle’s Innovation Summit. 

Thay Yang is the supervisor of artistic providers with Milwaukee Public Tv and is the CEO of Nyob Zoo Milwaukee TV. The TV information platform, which was based in 2017, goals to supply impactful information to counterpoint the lives of under-served Hmong People and the Asian neighborhood in southeastern Wisconsin. It is the primary over-the-air Hmong information present in Milwaukee and the one such present in Wisconsin. Thay Yang has labored at MKE Public Tv for greater than 20 years. 

Paula Phillips, who works to empower ladies and promote numerous management on the Medical Faculty of Wisconsin, was first elected to symbolize the seventh District of the Milwaukee Board of College Administrators in April 2017. In her present position, Phillips is targeted on increasing management alternatives for girls in Educational Drugs on the Medical Faculty of Wisconsin. Phillips is a first-generation school graduate and Filipina American who attended Milwaukee Space Technical Faculty and earned a bachelor’s of science in Agricultural and Utilized Economics with a certificates in World Well being from the College of Wisconsin-Madison. She has developed a lifelong ardour for schooling after seeing the super influence it had on her personal life and the stabilizing affect it could have on those that have tough lives at dwelling. 

Kaleka Pardeep Singh is the writer of “The Present of Our Wounds: A Sikh and a Former White Supremacist Discover Forgiveness After Hate.”  In 2012, he based Serve 2 Unite, a corporation that engages communities in native and international peacemaking by using service studying, inventive response, and international engagement to handle violence, battle, and radicalization from a trauma-informed lens after his mother and father had been killed within the Sikh temple taking pictures in Oak Creek. Singh grew up in Milwaukee and earned his bachelor of arts diploma at Marquette College and masters of science at Alverno Faculty. A former police officer and educator within the interior metropolis of Milwaukee, Singh is a therapist who makes a speciality of holistic trauma-informed therapy with survivors of assault, abuse and acts of violence.  

Mai Xiong is a member of the Eau Claire metropolis council and founding father of the Hmong American Management and Financial Improvement (HALED) group in Eau Claire. She can also be the regional director of growth for Particular Olympics. HALED goals to construct management and improve financial prosperity for Hmong People by offering schooling, increasing networks and elevating social fairness, based on its mission assertion. Xiong received the council seat in April 2020 with 65% of the vote.

Masood Akhtar is an Indian-born Muslim entrepreneur and activist who now lives in MIddleton. He’s the founding father of the state-wide non-partisan motion “We Are Many: United Towards Hate,” a motion to finish hatred, racism and intolerance of others and the place people who find themselves city and rural, non secular and secular can unite collectively to construct an inclusive neighborhood.  Akhtar has served on Dane County’s “Immigration and Refugee Job Drive” aimed to construct belief between native legislation enforcement officers and the immigration and refugee communities and thus scale back concern.  In 2019, Akhtar obtained the distinguished nationwide FBI’s 2018 Director’s Neighborhood Management Award (DCLA) on the FBI headquarters in Washington, DC from FBI Director Christopher Wray.   

Lengthy Vue is the Government Director of Wisconsin United Coalition of Mutual Help Affiliation, Inc. (WUCMAA), a statewide coalition of 12 Hmong non-profit organizations right here in Wisconsin established in 1996. As an govt director, he always appears to be like for methods to strengthen the group by means of collaboration with one frequent voice to make sure the coalition can get hold of the assets vital to supply culturally responsive providers to the Hmong neighborhood within the state of Wisconsin. In his earlier roles at Bay-Lakes Council and WISCAP, he leveraged and collaborated with different non-profit organizations and companions on fulfilling the mission and objectives of these organizations.

Kim Thao is the Operations Director for Bader Philanthropies Inc, a job she took on final September. In her position, she manages day-to-day workplace operations, oversees property and amenities administration, and procures contracts with workplace and constructing distributors. Previous to assuming her present position, she served first as workplace supervisor after which as operations supervisor. Kim earned a Bachelor of Enterprise Administration (BBA) in Human Sources Administration/ Personnel Administration from the College of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2005. 

Jeffery W. Yabuki is the chief chairman of Fiserv, Inc, headquartered in Brookfield. The worldwide funds and monetary providers expertise firm is part of the Fortune 500 and has greater than 44,000 workers around the globe. Earlier than serving as govt chairman, Yabuki served as chief govt officer from 2005 by means of June 2020 and is anticipated to proceed because the chairman of the board of administrators by means of December 2020.

Chungyia Thao is CEO and President of Thao Enterprises, Tongxeng Private Dwelling Care, and Lengthy Cheng Market, using a complete of greater than 350 individuals. He’s additionally an energetic member of the Hmong neighborhood in Appleton. Thao organizes academic workshops and enterprise seminars for the Hmong Chamber of Commerce and the bigger Hmong neighborhood. His work with the chamber of commerce additionally contains being the board of administrators in addition to the board of advisers for the group. Moreover, in 2007, Thao was awarded the “Good Citizen Award” by the Wisconsin Division of Commerce and Wisconsin Minority Enterprise. He has additionally been awarded the “2011 Most Charitable Enterprise of the 12 months” by the 18 Councils of Wisconsin. Thao earned his grasp’s diploma in organizational management from Marian College and an MBA from Lakeland College.

Adam Jackson is a senior tradition officer at Humana in Inexperienced Bay. He’s the chair for the Brown County United Manner Board of Administrators and is on the board of administrators for Inexperienced Bay Chamber’s Companions in Schooling. Jackson is a graduate of Madison East Excessive and a 1998 graduate of the College of Wisconsin-Madison the place he studied English and Artistic Writing. Energetic in his Inexperienced Bay neighborhood, Jackson has been a member of the occasion’s planning committee of the Brown County celebration to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

LoNeng Kiatoukaysy is the Government Director at Hmong American Friendship Affiliation, whose mission is to enhance the self-sufficiency of the Southeast Asian neighborhood and to protect and share its tradition all through the Larger Milwaukee Space.

Ritika Singh is the senior vice chairman and director of variety, inclusion and engagement at Related Financial institution and has over 15 years of expertise in human assets administration and main variety and inclusion for Fortune 50, Dow 30 and Prime 10 Variety Inc. international corporations akin to ESPN (The Walt Disney Firm), Prudential Monetary and United Applied sciences. Singh has a novel background as a seasoned human useful resource and variety and inclusion (D&I) thought chief and her skilled experiences embody partnering with senior management groups to develop total variety and inclusion technique to foster inclusion, obtain enterprise outcomes and improve buyer worth. She has been awarded the 2016 Group Innovator of the 12 months Award at Cable and Telecommunications Human Sources Affiliation (CTHRA)’s Excellence in HR Awards and the 2017 Variety in Enterprise Award from The Day by day Reporter. 

Dr. Anu Ebbe was lately chosen as the brand new principal of Cherokee Heights Center College in Madison. Previous to that, since 2011, she was the principal of Shorewood Hills in Madison. Beneath Dr. Ebbe’s management, the Division of Schooling designated Shorewood Elementary as a 2017 Nationwide Blue Ribbon College for his or her total tutorial efficiency or progress in narrowing achievement gaps in focused scholar subgroups. Ebbe earned her doctorate diploma from Edgewood Faculty in academic administration.

Angela Yang is a scholar assist providers advisor and SUCCEED Summer season Bridge Program coordinator at UW-Platteville, the place she oversees a residential summer season program for 50 multicultural college students to assist put together for achievement in school. A primary-generation school graduate who earned levels in enterprise administration and worldwide research from UW-Platteville in 2017, she additionally volunteers to assist coordinate the Hmong Thanksgiving celebration within the Southwestern Wisconsin area, and helps handle Yang Seasonal Backyard, a household enterprise offering recent produce by means of co-ops and farmers markets round southern Wisconsin. As a school senior, she earned the Alliant Power/Erroll B. Davis, Jr. Educational Achievement Award.

Dr. Chia Vang is affiliate vice chancellor within the Division of World Inclusion and Engagement at UW-Milwaukee. She can also be one of many nation’s solely Hmong professors of historical past. She is an internationally recognized skilled on Hmong historical past, tradition and modern life. She based UWM’s Hmong Diaspora Research program in 2009 and serves as its director. Since 1999, she has offered analysis, analysis, and planning consulting providers to greater than 40 community-based organizations, philanthropic establishments, and authorities entities within the human providers, well being, and schooling areas. The big selection of tasks have enabled her to be educated about and delicate to points that have an effect on People from numerous backgrounds. 

Who did we miss? Tell us who ought to be on subsequent yr’s checklist. Electronic mail us at [email protected].