Queena Hoang has joined the Michelson 20MM Foundation as Student Basic Needs Senior Program Manager. In her role, Queena will lead the foundation’s Student Basic Needs initiative, which seeks to increase persistence and graduation rates through systems change, research, and technological innovations that help students meet their basic needs. 

Queena grew up in Orange County, California, and was the first in her family to move away for college. As a first generation college student at a predominantly White institution, there were so many moments in which she felt as though she did not belong and wanted to move closer to home. It was thanks to the many supervisors and mentors she had while at the University of California, Santa Barbara, (UCSB) that kept her going and really helped her find her passion in working with other students to also help them find their purpose and sense of belonging while in college.

Prior to joining Michelson 20MM, Queena worked in Student Equity and Inclusion Programs at the University of Southern California (USC). Queena first joined USC as the Assistant Center Director for Asian Pacific American Student Services. After three years, Queena transitioned to serve as the Coordinator for Student Basic Needs in its inaugural year. Subsequently, Queena led and opened the university’s First Generation Plus Success Center, which served first-generation college students, transfer students, undocumented immigrants, and former foster youth at USC. Queena, then, transitioned to work at the Hope Center for College, Community and Justice as the Program Manager for Education Training and Operations, where she spearheaded national basic needs education, training and technical assistance services. 

Queena is a proud alumna of UCSB, where she received her Bachelor’s of Arts in sociology with a minor in education. Queena received her Master’s of Education in higher education student affairs administration at the University of Vermont and completed her Doctorate of Education in educational leadership at the USC Rossier School of Education, focusing her research on creating an equity framework towards organizational change around housing and food insecurity within higher education.

Please join us in welcoming Queena Hoang!

Michelson 20MM is a private, nonprofit foundation seeking to accelerate progress towards a more just world through grantmaking, operating programs, and impact investing. Co-chaired and funded by Alya and Gary Michelson, Michelson 20MM is part of the Michelson Philanthropies network of foundations.

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