Seasoned Community Activist and Business Executive Lan T. Le Appointed
Executive Director of NAVASA
The Board of NAVASA (National Alliance of Vietnamese American
Service Agencies) announced the unanimous selection of Ms. Lan T. Le to
serve as Executive Director. The announcement culminated an extensive
nationwide search to succeed Mr. Huy Bui who will be leaving NAVASA for
a career in the private sector. Lan Le is currently a Senior Project Manager
with Freddie Mac, and also the Executive Director of Vietnamese American
Television (VATV).
“We are thrilled that Lan Le has accepted our offer
to lead NAVASA in the Executive Director position,” stated Duc Duong,
NAVASA Chair. He further elaborated “Lan Le has the right combination
of proven leadership skills, effective managerial experience, successful
entrepreneurial track record, and driven motivation to lead NAVASA in
achieving the vision for a highly empowered Vietnamese community in America”.
“The fact that she is leaving a higher paid managerial position
with Freddie Mac, a well known, Fortune 500 organization in Corporate
America, to pursue a career in public services speaks volume of her passion
for community activism and her strong identification with NAVASA’s
vision” concluded Duc Duong.
In announcing the appointment of Lan Le, the Board also
recognized the remarkable contributions that Huy Bui has made to the organization
and the Vietnamese American community over the past seven years. Huy first
joined NAVASA as a Program Manager and was later promoted to the ED position.
Under his leadership, NAVASA has formed an experienced and committed team
of bilingual and bicultural staff and consultants, re-focused NAVASA’s
organizational strategy, set goals for the upcoming years, and developed
three major national initiatives to prepare a new generation of non-profit
leaders and to transform struggling Vietnamese mutual associations into
high-impact, community-based organizations in the Vietnamese American
communities throughout the country. NAVASA also has launched a major Gulf
Coast initiative to help thousands of Vietnamese families impacted by
Katrina to recover and rebuild their lives and communities.
In accepting to serve as NAVASA Executive Director, Lan
Le is leaving her 16-year professional and managerial career with Freddie
Mac. She began her career with Freddie Mac as a Senior Mortgage Purchase
Specialist and was successively promoted to Senior Contracting Coordinator,
to Project Manager and to Senior Project Manager of the Data Policy Compliance
Office.
While successfully pursuing a full time career with Corporate
America, Lan has devoted tireless efforts to support the development of
the Vietnamese American community in the Greater Washington DC area with
fund raising, media relations, youth tutoring and volunteerism. She initiated
the establishment of several non-profit organizations. She co-founded
Vietnamese American Television (VATV) in 2001 and currently serves as
its Executive Director, a volunteer position. VATV broadcasts community
news and activities in the DC Metro area weekly on MHz Networks and twice
a week on MCTV and SBTN. She is the Chair and founder of the Asian Pacific
American Cultural Arts Foundation (APACAF) since 2000 with the mission
of introducing Asian arts and cultures to the general public. She recently
co-founded the Academy of Asian American Performing Arts providing opportunities
for young Asian performing artists to pursue their dreams. She also is
the founder and active member of the Board of Directors of Asian American
Homeownership Association, board member of Boat People SOS, and member
of the Working Team on Smithsonian’s APA project “Exit Saigon,
Enter Little Saigon”. In addition, she is the Vice Chair of the
International Central Committee of Vietnamese Scouting (ICCVS), and a
free lance reporter for several Vietnamese media.
Lan Le will assume the NAVASA leadership position on August
1, 2008. During the month of July, she will be working on a part time
basis with Huy Bui to ensure a smooth transition between the two leaders.
JOB Opening: OCB Project Director
I. Background NAVASA, National Alliance of Vietnamese American Service Agencies, is a national nonprofit organization, working to increase social and economic justice in the Vietnamese American communities nationwide. In 2005, NAVASA launched Operation Community Building (OCB) to help Vietnamese Katrina families in Biloxi, New Orleans and Houston recover and rebuild their lives and communities through a comprehensive community development strategy. This Initiative includes community organizing, affordable housing creation, capacity building, and leadership development programs. NAVASA is seeking a highly motivated and result-oriented Project Director with intensive background and experience in community development to lead and manage NAVASA's OCB. Reporting to NAVASA's Executive Director, the Project Director will lead the regional team consisting of organizational partners, consultants, community organizers, and Dan Than members, as well as represent NAVASA with local government, donors and other organizations. Specific responsibilities include: II. Duties and Responsibilities · Work with the Executive Director to oversee the implementation of the OCB program to rebuild and expand economic opportunity of residents of Vietnamese-American communities in Biloxi, Houston and New Orleans.
· Manage the work of organization partners, consultants, and Dan Than Corps members to ensure that project work plan be implemented timely and effectively.
· Manage strategic relationships with community partners, lending institutions and other technical assistance providers to optimize services and resources.
· Manage Operation Community Building in line with organizational strategic priorities, policies and procedures.
· Represent NAVASA in the Gulf Coast region, maintain coordination and networking relationships with the local governments, donors and other organizations in the region.
· Ensure that support systems (IT, Finance, and HR/Administration) are in place and functioning in accordance with best practice and organizational policy and procedures in order to ensure transparency and accountability to government, donors and other relevant stakeholders.
· Oversee the finance function within the regional strategy with overall responsibility for budgeting, reporting and monitoring of all income and expenditure.
· Oversee the HR function within the regional strategy and ensuring that policies and procedures reflect national policies. Manage staff and staff development, including in areas such as hiring, evaluation professional development and other key areas.
· Maintain an awareness of the current economic, political and social situation within the region.
· Prepare and submit all project reports in a timely fashion.
· Develop and manage the funding strategy for the regional strategy.
· Assess community needs, identify opportunities, evaluate challenges, and formulate future strategy for NAVASA's regional base.
· Perform any other related duties as assigned by the Executive Director.
III. Qualifications: · A minimum of 5 years experience working with a non-profit organization, preferably a community development corporation or alike, with strong program development, team management and financial experience.
· Proven management ability, including ability to motivate and develop skills of others. Must be able to make sound management decisions in difficult situations and also be able to work in a participatory manner with colleagues.
· Extensive experience in fund-raising, proposal preparation and program execution and familiarity with the donor community.
· Extensive knowledge and experience in community development programs, as well as general knowledge in other community development strategies such as community organizing, affordable housing development, and grassroots leadership development.
· Ability to work under pressure often to strict deadlines. Excellent organizational and planning skills. Strong communication, problem solving and analytical skills. Able to prioritize and handle a diverse and heavy workload. Cross cultural awareness and sensitivity. Empathy with organizational goals. Patience & a sense of humor.
· BS or BA required, MS preferred.
· Is a resident of the Gulf-Coast area, or willing to relocate.
Bi-lingual ability in Vietnamese-English is desirable , but not essential Salary Range: $55,000 to $70,000 plus benefits
Interested candidates should send a cover letter and resume to 301-587-2783 or job@navasa.org .
The Invisible Tide: Vietnamese Americans in Biloxi, MS
An
Update One Year Report After Hurricane Katrina
Written By: Uyen Le - Community Development Fellow - Biloxi
National Alliance of Vietnamese American Service Agencies - NAVASA • August
26, 2006
NAVASA now accepts donation for our Operation Community
Building Project. The Operation will empower the Vietnamese displaced
families to recover and rebuild their lives and their communities.
Similar to the Peace Corps, the Operation calls on the young Vietnamese
American generation to join NAVASA's National Dan Than ( translates
as "Be the Change' ) Corps to assist with the recovery and
rebuilding effort. Dan Than fellows will be trained and deployed
to the impacted areas where they will work with the displaced families
to access transitional housing and services, as well as to mobilize resources
to rebuild their businesses, homes and community support systems. READ
MORE about the Operation Community Building project: More
information is also available by contacting us via e-mail at navasa@navasa.org
or by phone at 301-587-2781.
100% of all donations will go toward the Operation Community
Bulding project. 0% will go to administrative costs.
You can conveniently donate to NAVASA via Credit Card or
Check. Please be sure to note that your donation is for the Operation
Community Building project.
By
Credit Card
By
Check
Please click on the link below to donate to NAVASA by credit cards.
If you would like to donate by check, please make the check payable
to: NAVASA and send it to the address below.
NAVASA
1010 Wayne Avenue, Suite 310
Silver Spring, MD 20910
National Alliance of Vietnamese American Service Agencies 1010 Wayne Avenue, Suite 310 | Silver
Spring, MD 20910 Phone: 301- 587-2781 | Fax: 301-587-2783
| Email: navasa@navasa.org
Donation:
Operation Community 
rebuilding effort. Dan Than fellows will be trained and deployed
to the impacted areas where they will work with the displaced families
to access transitional housing and services, as well as to mobilize resources
to rebuild their businesses, homes and community support systems.