We bid farewell to Program VP Pakou Hang.
Pakou Hang has decided to move on from her role as Program VP at the Foundation, effective September 4. We are very thankful for her contributions to us.
At this moment in Minnesota, she feels called to return to her roots as a community organizer. She loves being in community, building collective power, and helping create the change she knows is possible.
Energy, intelligence, and heart.
Pakou joined the Foundation in April 2025 and brought her organizer energy, intelligence, and heart to work with her every day at the Foundation. She led our program team for much of our doubled grantmaking commitment, helping direct more than $65 million in grants to our communities when they needed it most.
She rose to the moment to spearhead our response locally to Operation Metro Surge and get funding quickly to organizations on the front lines of change. She also helped us fund plenty of systems change work that responds to immediate and long-term challenges faced by communities we serve throughout our eight-state, 76-Native-nation region.
What’s next?
We remain laser focused on our mission to stand alongside communities overcoming injustice to thrive on their own terms. Our grantmaking and our work will continue without interruption.
We’re still determining how Pakou’s responsibilities will be handled going forward. However, for right now, we’re asking that interested parties direct their questions to Program Operations Manager Deanna Arce at darce@nwaf.org.
