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Published on February 2, 2007

PJ profiles Bao Vang
Leadership program coordinator
Minnesota Council of Nonprofits, St. Paul, Minn

The Minnesota Council of Nonprofits works to inform, promote, connect and strengthen individual nonprofits and the nonprofit sector.

How did you get involved in your organization?
I answered an ad for the executive assistant position.

I was hired in 2003 to be the executive assistant and was promoted in 2005 to become the leadership program coordinator.

What is the one thing in your career you are most proud of?
I am most proud of working on a first-of-its-kind report, “Asian Pacific Islander Nonprofit Economy Report,” about Asian Pacific Islanders nonprofits in the state of Minnesota. This report looked at the number of API nonprofit in Minnesota, as well as their scale and scope.

What is the biggest thing you hope to accomplish this year?
The biggest thing I hope to accomplish this year is to launch a successful Nonprofit Leadership Institute with two groups, Senior Managers Institute that will start in March of 2007, and Strategic Connectors in June 2007.

Who are you most inspired by?
I am most inspired by daughter, Isabelle. She’s 10˝ months old and every day she continues to amaze me with the things that she learns. I live to go home to see her big beautiful smile.

What do you do to relax?
I relax by going home and spending time with my daughter and fiancé. We watch some TV together and then after my daughter goes to sleep, I get some quiet time to read a really good book.

If the weather was nice, I’d pick up the family and go straight to the lake or river to get some fishing done. That’s the best way to relax.

What is your favorite book or movie?
My favorite book is “Saving Fish From Drowning” by Amy Tan. I highly recommend it.

I haven’t seen many movies lately. My all-time favorite movie is “Monty Python and the Holy Grail”. I used to watch that movie every weekend and it still makes me laugh every single time.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would be?
I would want to live somewhere tropical near the beach.

Right now, I’m in Minnesota and the temperature is 5 degrees with a wind-chill of minus-14.

I love living in Minnesota, though: You can’t beat the changing seasons and the spring, summer and fall are the best. You can’t beat the fishing here in Minnesota.

What is your personal motto?
Live life to the fullest; you never know when it could all end.

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