Meet our newest staff member: Ann Ngoc Tuyet Truong, our new Chief Financial Officer!

 

 

Rachelle Galloway
Communications Manager

Rachelle joined EMW in 2006 to manage the print, online, and media needs of the EMW offices. Previously, she worked with EMW for four years as a freelance designer.

Rachelle manages and produces a variety of projects including Reach Vietnam magazine, the e-marketing efforts, all EMW print collateral and the EMW website.

Prior to joining EMW, Rachelle was a freelance graphic designer with a focus on design for mission-driven organizations in the Bay Area, including BayNature magazine, the Independent Press Association,and Tikkun magazine. Four years ago, Rachelle re-designed the EMW logo and worked with EMW staff to launch a new full-color EMW newsletter and, two years later, the new Reach Vietnam magazine.

Rachelle previously served as the the publications coordinator at the Independent Press Association in San Francisco. Prior to that she was a staff designer for the California State University Sacramento Public Relations office. Rachelle also worked as an Account Manager in Atlanta with an events management company where she was on a team that brought the first live webcast of the World AIDS Conference in Switzerland to the internet in 1998.

Rachelle has a B.A. in International Relations and Political Science from Arkansas State University and a B.A. in Graphic Design from California State University, Sacramento. She lives in Oakland with her son Juno.

 

John Nguyen
Development Administrator

John joined the EMW staff in March 2007. He works with the Development and Finance teams to manage and maintain donor and program-related data. John brings four years of experience in outreach, recruitment and database administration with the Court Appointed Special Advocates Program. He completed his undergraduate work in Sociology with an emphasis in International Development focused on Asia at UC Davis.
 
As a second generation Vietnamese-American born in the states, John has fostered an abiding interest in his heritage. His passion for the development of Vietnam is driven by the desire to understand his homeland's past and the hope to have some part in shaping its future. He is thrilled at the opportunity to work with East Meets West and assist disadvantaged children and families in Vietnam.
 
In his spare time, John enjoys reading and outdoor activities such as running, hiking, snowboarding and rock climbing.

 

Minh Chau Nguyen
Chief Strategy Officer

Minh Chau Nguyen became the Chief Strategy Officer for East Meets West in early 2007. She resigned from her previous post as an EMW board member to become part of EMW's staff.

Minh Chau spent 25 years working with the World Bank Group in Washington DC. As an economist at the World Bank, Minh Chau was responsible for policy dialogues, project evaluations, and loan negotiations for projects in Asia, Africa and the Middle East. She also served as the head of the Gender and Development Division at the World Bank. In this position, she led the World Bank delegation to the Women's World Conference in Beijing in 1995. Shortly thereafter, Minh Chau joined the International Finance Corporation, a private sector arm of the World Bank, to help direct IFC's operations in riskier markets.

Prior to the World Bank, Minh Chau was a lecturer in economics at the University of Washington, Seattle, Washington. She is a co-founder of the ISIS Management Group, which promotes women entrepreneurs' access to venture financing. She has also worked with Small Enterprise Assistance Funds to help increase equity financing for small and medium enterprises in emerging markets.

At EMW, Minh Chau will be leveraging her experience and networks to expand EMW's funding sources. She has been instrumental in mobilizing a $3 million grant for EMW's Clean Water Program from the Global Partnership for Ouput-Based Aid, managed by the World Bank.

Minh Chau received her B.S. from Macalester College, an M.S. in economics from the University of Washington, and Advanced Management Training at Harvard Business School.

 

Ernesto P. Salta
Accounting Manager

Ernesto joined EMW in November 2007 as Accounting Manager. He started his career as an accountant working for various manufacturing and international construction firms in Bahrain, Middle East. After years in the Middle East, he set up his own business as manufacturer and exporter of hand crafted soft toys which gave employment to various individuals and families in the poor areas surrounding his place in Angeles City, Philippines. He also established a wholesale merchant store for small handicraft manufacturers and a restaurant/function hall catering to small budget customers for social gatherings.

In 2002, Ernesto moved to the Bay Area and worked as accountant for non-profit organizations such as Dolores Street Community Services, Native American Friendship House and Bay Area Legal Aid, a non-profit law firm.

Ernesto likes reading religious books to gain more understanding about the Catholic faith and is actively involved in his church. To stay physically fit, he enjoys ballroom dancing with his wife and going to karaoke parties.

 

 

Sylvia Townsend
Office Manager/Development Assistant

Sylvia has been with East Meets West since November 2007. Prior to joining the EMW staff, she spent eight years at the International Rescue Committee domestic resettlement office in Oakland, first as a refugee caseworker, and later as immigration specialist and site manager. She helped resettle refugees from all parts of the globe, including the former Yugoslavia, Burma, Nepal, Liberia, Columbia, the Congo, and Vietnam. Previously, she worked as a freelance editor, specializing in textbooks and computer books.

Having worked closely with many newly arrived Vietnamese refugees, helping them adjust to a very different life in the United States, Sylvia is excited to be working to support health and education programs in Vietnam itself.

Originally from New Jersey, Sylvia has lived in the Bay Area for over 20 years. She has a B.A. and M.A. in Slavic languages and literatures from the University of California at Berkeley. She has a daughter in high school and another in college. In her off hours, she sings in a choir and plays soccer, and enjoys reading, movies, and yoga.

Ann Ngoc Tuyet Truong
Chief Financial Officer

Ann is a CPA with over 20 years experience of practicing accounting and five years of teaching accounting. Prior to joining East Meets West in June 2008, Ann served as controller for Olivia Cruise, LLC; ABS Laser Printer Pros, Inc; and JustDeals.com, Inc. She taught accounting at San Francisco State University and City College of San Francisco and also co-founded an office supplies company and an internet retail company.

Ann holds an MBA degree in management from Golden Gate University and a Bachelor 's degree  in accounting from San Francisco State University.

Ann says she is extremely passionate about EMW's mission because she was once among the disadvantaged people EMW serves and she, "truly appreciates the EMW dental service, education, and clean water programs because I grew up in an environment where these essentials were lacking." She was born during war time in Tra On, Vinh Long, Vietnam.  At the age of 13, Ann arrived in the United States as a Vietnamese boat refugee and has had a life-long dream of returning and building playgrounds for children in Vietnam.  Her association with and work at EMW brings Ann closer to fulfilling her dream to give back to her homeland.

 

Veronica Tubera
Accountant

Veronica joined the EMW staff in March 2008.  Prior to EMW, she has had experience working as a staff accountant in such industries as software and manufacturing.  Most recently she was working as a staff accountant in the retail industry in Las Vegas, NV.

Veronica has a BA from the University of CA, Davis where she studied Political Science and minored in Asian American Studies.  After graduating , she worked in a non-profit law firm that provided legal services for seniors.

Originally from the Bay Area, Veronica is glad to be back working in her hometown of Oakland and thrilled to be part of the EMW team. In her off time, Veronica enjoys reading and being a new mom to her son Evan.

 

 

Laura Ward
Development Advisor
EMW Healing Programs

Laura works with EMW's medical and healthcare programs including Breath of Life, Operation Healthy Heart and the Support Network for People with Disabilities (SN-PWD). Laura is helping to build capacity for health care for children and people with disabilities in Vietnam, especially those in impoverished communities, with the ultimate goal to expand the programs to other developing nations in Southeast Asia.

After receiving a B.A. in English and Religion from The College of Wooster, Laura taught English in Poland. After receiving her M.A. from the University of Toronto and an International M.B.A. from the Thunderbird School of Global Management, Laura went to work overseas for Modi Enterprises in India. There, she was part of a business development and market research team that opened the Modi Apollo International Institute in New Delhi. She has also served as the Marketing Advisor for the Egyptian Ministry of Health’s National Training Institute in Cairo, Egypt, a private-public partnership between Pfizer and Project HOPE.

Laura lives in San Francisco where she enjoys running, tennis, and singing in the choir at the world-famous Grace Cathedral.

 

 

To contact any of the EMW staff, click here for EMW contact details.