Who we are

Quynh Pham (she/her) is the Executive Director of the Friends of Little Sài Gòn. In this role, she is responsible for the organization’s overall strategic direction. Quynh is passionate about supporting small immigrant/refugee owned businesses and community-driven solutions to health, safety, and wealth-building for thriving communities. Through a race and social equity lens, this means centering our culture and identities, as well as acknowledging systemic racism to find solutions that meet people where they are. Prior to FLS, she has done fundraising and organizing in the API and Vietnamese community related to youth and education, community development, as well as health and public safety. Quynh has her bachelor’s in American Ethnic Studies from the University of Washington and a master’s in Public Administration from Seattle University.

Kenney Tran (he/him) is the Community Engagement Manager for FLS and works with small businesses, residents, and volunteers in the Little Saigon community. Growing up close to the Little Saigon near Boston, he strives to create an equitable, sustainable, and inclusive Little Saigon in Seattle in order for all to experience everything that Little Saigon has to offer. Before FLS, Kenney has worked in anti racist curriculum development, higher education, and international development, which has led to his emphasis on gathering community stakeholder input. Kenney holds a Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Washington, and two BA’s from Merrimack College, one in Political Science and the other in Social Justice.

Sarah Nguyễn (she/they) is the Community Housing Researcher at FLS. They’ve researched ideas and phenomena influenced by both digital and physical spaces. Initially, Sarah dreamed of becoming a librarian and archivist who had the keys to all of the information in the world. Currently, they are finding more questions than answers as they engage in historical and cultural community-driven research about socio-technical information infrastructures. In other words, Sarah talks to people and reads historical, social, and technical literature to better understand how and why people find, share, and trust information during crises. Sarah seeks to practice and produce research that deeply serves communities of immigrant backgrounds and forced displacement experiences. Previously, Sarah worked around technology, urban, and economic development in Lower Manhattan and looks forward to bringing creative, vibrant, and intentionally inclusive community engagements. She holds a master’s in Libraries and Information Science and is currently a PhD student at the University of Washington.

Valerie Tran (she/her) is the Operations Director for FLS and is responsible for overseeing its daily operations and programs. Valerie works at the intersection of urban planning and public health to foster healthy, safe, and dignified neighborhoods. Before FLS, she was a consultant to neighborhood and downtown organizations throughout the country, helping them plan for greater cultural and economic vitality. She previously served on the board of FLS and the International Special Review District board, and she is currently council to Historic Seattle Preservation & Development Authority. Valerie has master’s degrees in Urban Planning and Public Health from University of Michigan.

Anh Nguyen (she/her) is the Arts & Culture Program Coordinator for FLS and is responsible for its arts and culture program offerings at the Little Saigon Creative and in the neighborhood. Anh believes in the transformative and educational power of the arts, and is committed to making it accessible for members of the community. She hopes to uplift and support up-and-coming artists of Vietnamese descent and the AANHPI diaspora. Outside of FLS, Anh is a practicing artist and has worked for and collaborated with local artists and institutions in the Pacific Northwest. She received her BA in Art, Honors with a concentration in Painting + Drawing from the University of Washington.

Dakota Billops-Breaux (she/her) is the Marketing & Communications Coordinator at FLS. Dakota’s work revolves around telling the story of FLS’s work to the community. A self taught illustrator, she’s been drawing all her life, and often utilizes her artistic background to create visual FLS and Little Saigon Creative materials. Before working with FLS, Dakota spent over two years developing her portfolio in communications at nonprofits and social justice driven organizations across the country. Dakota studied Race & Resistance Studies and Social Sciences, and is currently pursuing a degree in Community Development & Planning at the University of Washington.