Myo Nyunt (PhD) (President/Executive Director of CID)
Mi Mi Oo (Vice Board Chair)
Dr. Oo, a Physician trained in Burma with extensive experience in Tropical Medicine, worked as a United Nations Physician/ WHO Consultant in Uganda for 4years before her arrival to MN.. She also worked as a Research Clinician on a project on women’s health initiatives at Hennepin Faculty Associates (Berman Center for Clinical Research) in Minneapolis. , Dr. Oo has worked as an interpreter at the Center for Victims of Torture in Minneapolis and several other interpreter agencies. Since her arrival in Minnesota, she completed the required United States Medical Licensure Exams (USMLE) in spite of having a son with special needs (Autism). As she was unable to get into a medical residency program, she has joined AAFACD as a program coordinator, passionately advocating for fellow FTHPs to get back into their professions and fill the much needed physician shortage.
Maung Htun Naing (Board Member)
Maung H Naing has more than fifteen years of Food & Beverage and Hospitality industry experience and he also served Refugees from Burma as an employment counselor with bigger vision for their job security. As a passionate person, he assisted 400 refugee families to settle and build new future in United States. He helped provide practical support and establish community linkages as a Community Liaison during the initial months of resettlement in Worthington and assist their needs such as interpreting, housing and employment etc. As a Ministery Director/ Pastor of Burmese and Karen at First Baptist Church in Worthington, he guided and interceded for those who have a specific need in the body of Christ. He oversaw children’s programs with specific goal of integrating children and youth into Ministries, leading the Sunday service, visitation, counseling Karen/Burmese congregation. Maung Naing has Diploma in Gemology Institute of Myanmar, completed Food & Beverages training School in Singapore, and Accepted into the Masters of Divinity Program at Sioux Falls Seminary school year 2011-2012.
Saw Sanny (Board Bember)
Saw Sanny a Karen ethnic worked with Mining Department of Karen National Union Southern Division along Thai-Burma border from 1976 to 1997 responsible for survey, production and marketing. He welcomed, helped and settled all refugees exodus from Burma into Thai border from 1988 uprising. He worked as volunteer with National Health and Education Committee from 2000-2004. He was a deacon with First Burma Christ Church from 2005 until 2010 and a social conscientious worker with Karen Burmese community within Minnesota.
Hrang Hlei (Board Member)
He is from a chin ethnic group. Before he came to US, Hrang Hlei was a tutor at Myanmar Institute of Theology, Insein, Myanmar. He holds master degree in Pastoral counseling from Princeton Theological Seminary, Princeton, New Jersey. Hrang Hlei is currently a doctoral student at Luther Seminary, St. Paul, MN. His congregational leadership doctoral dissertations focus on Burmese Immigrants in the US.
Kyaw Oo Nyo ( Board Member)
Kyaw Oo Nyo graduated in B.Sc. (Zoology) from University of Rangoon, Burma in 1986. He was editor of Mojo Newspaper which was being published circulated for and among refugees and Burmese migrant workers along Thai-Burma border sponsored by NLD (LA), Mae Sot, Thailand, from 2004 to 2006. He stayed in Nupoe Refugee Camp for 2 years; 2006-2008.Prior to that he was a member of Board of Directors for Minmahar School located at Mae Sot, Thailand. And then he moved to Minnesota, USA in 2008. He is currently working as Math Tutor at St. Paul College, Minnesota.
Nay Zar Tun (Board Member)
Nay Zar Tun is a Shan-Lisu ethnic. He graduated from Government Technical Institute specialized in Electrical Power in 1997 and B.S c (Math’s) from Taungyi University in 2002, completed Industrial Building Engineering Maintenance from Hennepin Technical College in 2011. He has professional experience as electrical engineer with Crystal Furniture Industry in Burma from 2000-2004, as water sanitation and health education with Cooperate Services Myanmar from 2004-2005. He worked with NGO in Thailand from 2005-2006.
Mayura Rutherford (Board Member)
Mayura Rutherford (Maya Rutherford) is the WorkForce Supervisor for, Minneapolis Employment & Training and Refugee Employment Services at Emerge. She serves as the first point of contact and is responsible for supervising and managing day to day administration for 6 staff members and AmeriCorps members at Emerge. Maya has over 7 years of professional experience in HR and management. Maya has been involved in the Twin Cities World Refugee day planning and event coordination for 2010 and 2011, she has been instrumental in initiating and coordinating the partnership with International Institute of Minnesota serving refugees coming from Bhutan, East Africa and other parts of the world.
Maya graduated from Hamline University with a Master of Arts in Management with a focus in Conflict Management, a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Human Resources from Metropolitan State University from St. Paul Minnesota and a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Industrial Psychology from Bangalore, India, Maya also holds a current Global Career Development Facilitator (GCDF) certification from Normandale Community College in Bloomington, Minnesota. Maya has taken Transformational Leadership classes though MACC Commonwealth in Minneapolis and through the University of Minnesota.
Naw Aye Aye (Board Member)
She is a Karen ethnic, graduated from Rangoon University of Arts and Science with Botany Major in 1975. She was awarded with Diploma of Bee Keeping from UN Food and Agriculture Organization and later worked as Trainer in Livestock and Fishery for three years. Prior to that she worked in cooperative sector for five years. In Minnesota she worked as Personnel Care Attendant for Autism patient for 5 years (2001-2006). Helped new refugee and immigrant from Burma as a volunteer interpreter for Karen and Burmese Community. She has an extensive geographical experience in accompanying her husband’s duty station to Australia, Thailand, Singapore, Uganda, Papua New Guinea, Kazakhstan, Russia UK, Switzerland, France, Kenya, Botswana, Ethiopia, Namibia, UAE, and Switzerland and in most of the countries she was active members of International Women’s Association.
Kaung Zan (Board Member)
He resides to Minnesota in 2005 from Bangkok, Thailand. He was actively involve as a coordinator/ accountant for eight years with umbrella organization (NCUB) which serves all the refugees, migrant worker and displace people along the Thai Border. His responsibilities included connecting with various NGOs along Thai border. His passion lies in assisting the immigrant/ refugee population.
Yee Mon Thu(Board Member)
Yee Mon Thu is currently a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, MN, working on DNA replication and repair. She received her Ph.D. in Cancer Biology from Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN. Her Ph.D. thesis identified a kinase involved in inflammation and cancer as a potential therapeutic target to treat melanoma. She also has experience mentoring and teaching undergraduates, leading group discussion in a graduate class and tutoring high school students. In addition to her experience as a scientist, she has participated in other leadership and volunteer roles in social development. A few highlights include interning with Save the Children (US)/Myanmar field office in Yangon and volunteering for a non-profit organization which helps children with AIDS in Florida.
Tar Malar Paw ( Board Member)
Myit Myit Swe graduated from Rangoon University majoring in Psychology in 2000 and has several training in medical research methods and mental health in Malaysia, participatory Rural Appraisal Training from United Nation Development Program (UNDP), training in Psycho-social support for children affected by AIDS from (World Vision and United Nation Children’s Fund (UNICEF). Other training that completed are HIV and AIDS, Child protection, local capacity peace, stress management, monitoring and evaluation, needs assessment and data analysis, counseling, project management, trafficking and migration, behavior change communication training, social mobilization training. She has been working in health sector since 1995 and with international NGOs such as Aide medical International France and World Vision.
Mwi Hpu San Yee (Board Member)
She is a Kachin ethnic, graduated in commerce from Rangoon Institute of Economics and later attained post grad in MBA (Finance) from Assumption University, Bangkok, Thailand, diploma and advanced diploma in Business Administration From UK. She had two months internship with Grameen Bank in Bangladesh. She also studied the activities of Grameen Trust, Grameen Shikkha (Education), Grameen Fund and Grameen Capital Management She has microcredit experience in Myanmar and program coordination with Karuna Myitkyina Social Services, a local NGO. She also briefly worked with MSF-Holland/ AZG as finance administrator and tutor at Myanmar Institute of Theology, Insein, Myanmar. AZG/MSF-Holland is international non-governmental humanitarian medical organization working in Myanmar for more than fifteen years in 3 States and 1 Divisions, Shan, Kachin, Rakhine and Yangon.