Our Team

Volunteer Board Members

 

  • San Ramon, CA

    In 2008, La went on a two week trip to Laos to memorialize her late parents, where she saw the poverty and hardships children and parents go through on a daily basis. She also felt their kindness and generosity despite having very little means to give. Just three months after, she returned home, La went back to Laos to help however she can. La was deeply inspired by her Mae’s words, “We may not have a lot to give but someone else has less than us so we need to help them.”

    The desire to serve and help others has been in La’s heart as far back as a child when she’d be drawn to lend a helping hand to the elders or give a dollar or more to a homeless man. This passion remained with her through college, leading her to get a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Brigham Young University. After college she started a family and chose to stay home to raise her three children with her very supportive husband.

    The teachings and hard work ethics instilled by her beloved Mae and Pa has been the driving force that kept La motivated and driven the past ten years. Despite spending a lot of time volunteering for Jai Lao, La always makes time for her other passions in her life which are spending moments with her family, traveling, gardening, and cooking. Don’t be surprised if La shows up at your doorstep with a koke and sak (mortar and pestle) and ask you to do something quirky with her like go make tum makhoung (papaya salad) at some random place in your city!

  • Lafayette, Lousisiana

    Having visited Laos yearly since she was nine years old, Rosaline has seen and experienced the needs of the Lao people. After following along with Jai Lao Foundation as a supporter for many years, she felt a call to serve in a greater capacity. Due to her passionate efforts while serving as our Social Media and Marketing Director, Rosaline was appointed as the new President of Jai Lao Foundation in 2023. We look to her expertise in planning fundraising events, facilitating mission trips, and coordinating projects in Laos. Despite leading a busy personal life and working full-time, Rosaline never fails to make time for the foundation. We are so eager for her to lead the team into many new projects of 2023.

  • Orem, Utah

    Lela has been surrounded by Jai Lao since it was first founded in 2009. Beginning at a very young age, Lela had the opportunity to go on humanitarian missions, volunteer at Jai Lao events, and accomplish her own fundraising projects. She has been an integral part in maintaining our day-to-day operations and assisting in planning through her time as as our intern and Media & Marketing Director. She is eager to continue her involvement and enact change for the Lao community through her role as VP of Jai Lao Foundation.

    Lela is a graduate from the University of Utah with a BA in English and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Higher Education Leadership at Utah Valley University where she is researching Southeast Asian American college attainment. She also works in the Office of Admissions, assisting students through the process of enrolling in college.

    Lela has a passion for education and echoes the mission of Jai Lao in its pursuit to aid the people of Laos and expand their educational opportunities.

  • San Francisco, CA

    Sass’s passion for helping others, and her belief that education is the key to opportunities, is what drew her to Jai Lao. So after sending her girls to college, she decided that she would like to use what she learned in college and throughout her life experiences to aid and empower the Lao Community, domestically and abroad. Volunteering and giving back to the community has helped her reconnect with her cultural heritage as she learns and grows with other Jai Lao volunteers. Sass is currently a Registered Associate at Emerson Equity LLC and brings a high level of professionalism with over 18 years in financial services. Sass lives in San Francisco, CA and contributes her time and talent by volunteering as Jai Lao’s Treasurer, serving in every capacity that is needed of her at fundraiser events and activities locally and in other states. She is excited to embark on a Humanitarian Service Trip with Jai Lao to see the sweet fruits of her labor of love in the villages of Laos.

  • Fresno, CA

    Keysone is second generation daughter of a Laos-born Father. Her father traveled to the states as a refugee along with his parents and seven younger siblings. During his earlier years, Keysone’s father made a living renting out Asian Flicks on VHS in Fresno, CA. Keysone, originally from Massachusetts, would visit every summer and help her father at the video store. Keysone didn’t realize it, but she was born into a family of natural born chefs. Over her teenage years, her father transitioned into the restaurant industry, opening a restaurant called Asian Café. There, Keysone learned how to cook many Lao dishes and became inspired herself. In 2018, Keysone decided to uproot from Massachusetts to Fresno, CA and join in her father's footsteps as a restaurant entrepreneur. By October 2019, she opened her very own restaurant called Ramen vs Pho.

    Keysone attended a humanitarian trip to Laos in 2018 with Jai Lao Foundation right before she moved to California. She was overcome with so many emotions and even cancelled her trip to Thailand to finish her stay in Laos. In 2023, she joined JLF as our new Secretary. She is eager to offer her ideas, time and heart to help those less fortunate and really give back to her father's homeland.

  • Julianna is a central California native and the daughter of Lao refugees. She has been an active volunteer for several different local and state organizations since middle school, and believes in compassion, equity, and community building. After graduating from UC Merced with a degree in psychology, Julianna worked briefly as a private school elementary teacher before starting her career as a designer for a marketing agency. Her background in education, community, and design has led her to join the Jai Lao team in hopes of giving more kids access to basic needs and a more enriched education.

    Julianna's experience as an ambassador coordinator and marketing specialist for the Laotian American Community of Fresno has given her a deep understanding of the needs of the Laotian community. Her background as an organizer and facilitator for Lao Youth Forums has made her a strong advocate for youth empowerment and leadership development.

    Julianna is passionate about building communities through the increased access of resources and networks. She strives to bring Laotian folks together and strengthen the overall representation of Laos and the incredible people behind the beautiful culture. 

  • Chicago, IL

Advisory Board

Micheal Reagan

Labiep Vongphakdy

Xay McKenzie

Staff

  • Laos

    Mouk is Jai Lao’s Project Coordinator based in Pakse. Mouk understands the needs of the villages. Through volunteering on humanitarian service trips and overseeing much of Jai Lao’s efforts during the the devastating collapse of a hydroelectric dam in Attapeu, her passion for serving others amplified. She is hard working and dedicated to executing Jai Lao’s mission. Mouk comes from a large family and has a deep understanding and sense of community.  She is grateful to have this wonderful opportunity to be on Jai Lao's team.