2011 Honorary Event Chairs

Eh Taw Dwe – Karen Organization of Minnesota (KOM)

Eh Taw came to the United States in 2004 as a political refugee. In 1996, Eh Taw was hired by Earth Rights International (ERI) to document the human rights abuses by the Burmese military junta. For two years, Eh Taw served as the leader of his village in Burma until being arrested and tortured by the military junta for his ethnicity and human rights work.

In 2002, he and his family fled to Thailand where Eh Taw served as an interpreter in the Tham Him refugee camp. Shortly after arriving in Minnesota, Eh Taw was hired by the St. Paul Ramsey County Department of Health, where he is currently employed.

Eh Taw has been a tireless advocate for the Karen people in Minnesota. Soon after arriving in Minnesota, Eh Taw joined the Karen Community of Minnesota (KCM) and served as the Volunteer Youth Committee Chair, later serving as KCM’s Health Committee Chair. Eh Taw has been asked to speak before numerous government, civic, and business organizations regarding the Karen people.

In 2008, Eh Taw co-founded the Asian Interpretation and Translation services (ATIS), which specializes in Karen and Burmese languages in the Twin Cities and is currently its marketing director.

Pham Thi Hoa – CAPI

Hoa has 20 years of experience of managing programs for refugees and immigrants, including overseas relief and development experience in Asia, Africa, and the Balkans. Prior to joining CAPI, Hoa was the Regional Director at the American Refugee Committee where she managed its microfinance and gender-based violence programs in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. She also was supported the ARC’s work with Burmese refugees in Thailand and the Tsunami relief efforts in Sri Lanka. Previously, Hoa was managing relief and development country programs for refugees and displaced persons in Croatia, Bosnia, and Serbia for the International Rescue Committee, Thailand and Indonesia for Save the Children/US, and Vietnam for the Norwegian Refugee Council.

Hoa holds a Master in Public Policy from Columbia University and a BA from the University of Minnesota with a concentration in journalism and international relations. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Minnesota Council for Nonprofits, MAP for Nonprofits, Center for Victims of Torture, and the MACC Alliance of Connected Communities.

Chong Bee Vang - Karen Organization of Minnesota (KOM)

Chong B. Vang is the Executive Director at Karen Organization of Minnesota. Prior to his role at KOM he served as Director of the Immigration and Employment Services Program at World Relief. Vang has been involved with the Karen Community for over 6 years. Vang has managed a diverse group of staff from many different backgrounds and cultures throughout his career, including Karen, Hmong, Russians, Africans, Vietnamese, Bhutanese, Latin Americans, and Americans. Chong is fluent in Hmong and English.

Hussein Samattar – African Development Center

Hussein Samatar is the Founder and Executive Director of the African Development Center, an entrepreneurial nonprofit organization that works within the African communities in Minnesota to start and sustain businesses, build wealth, and promote community reinvestment. In addition, Mr. Samatar serves on the boards of several development and civic organizations, including the Minneapolis Foundation, CommonBond Communities, and the Dean’s Advisory Board of the Humphrey Institute at the University of Minnesota. He was also recently elected to the Minneapolis School Board.

Mr. Samatar holds an M.B.A. from St. Thomas University and is fluent in five languages. He was selected as a Humphrey Institute Policy Fellow in 2003-2004 and a German Marshall Memorial Fellow in 2007. In 2009, he was recognized for his leadership with ADC and was selected by the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal as one of the top minority corporate executives of the year.

A Somali native, Hussein came to Minnesota in 1994. His wife, Ubah, is an educational assistant in the Saint Paul city schools. They are the parents of four children and live in the Phillips neighborhood of south Minneapolis.

 

Parmananda Khatiwoda

Parmananda Khatiwoda was born in Dagana, Bhutan, and came to Nepal as a refugee in March 1992. While in the refugee camp, he joined a group to start schools for children in the camps and became the first official headmaster of the first school, Pancha Oti English School.  He received a scholarship to attend Xavier’s College in Ahmedabad, India, where he completed his B.A. in English literature and Psychology.  He also has a Masters’ Degree in English Literature from Tribhuwan University in Kathmandu, Nepal.  In 2006, he was awarded the Ambassador of Peace Award by Universal Peace Federation in recognition of his contribution to peace education and social activities bringing positive change in society.

Parmananda and his family came to Minnesota as refugees in October 2008, and he started working at World Relief Minnesota, the same agency that resettled his family, in December 2008.  He is currently studying to obtain a MSW at the Univerity of Minnesota and hopes to continue to a PhD program in Social Work.  He is still actively involved as an organizer and a spokesperson for the Bhutanese community.