| For Immediate Release February 18, 2009 |
For More Information Contact: Ed Shelleby (202) 662-3602 |
WASHINGTON, DC – The Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) announced today the appointment of Pakou Hang, an experienced community organizer, to the position of deputy vice president of field operations. In her new role, Ms. Hang will manage CDF’s day-to-day field operations across the country.
“We are please to have Pakou join our field team at CDF to work on strengthening and broadening our child advocacy networks,” said Janice Mantell, CDF vice president of field. “Pakou’s strong background in political organizing will help CDF build an effective movement to improve the lives of all America’s children.”
Ms. Hang comes to CDF with extensive experience in political and community organizing around issues of racial justice, immigrant rights and civic engagement. She has served as the field director for America Votes in Minnesota, a coalition of more than 30 labor, choice, environmental and human rights organizations representing more than 1.5 million members. Prior to that, she worked as the deputy political director for Senator Paul Wellstone’s 2002 re-election campaign, was a political organizer with TakeAction Minnesota and served as the campaign manager for State Senator Mee Moua, the first Hmong legislator elected in the history of the United States. Ms. Hang’s organizing background also includes experience with youth issues, working as a community organizer for Saint Paul Youth Services, where she implemented five-city wide community gatherings that mobilized more than 600 people to discuss racial disparities in the juvenile justice system.
As deputy vice president of field operations, she will be responsible for developing and implementing strategies and tactics to build a national grassroots movement for children. She also will supervise the field staff in Washington, D.C., and develop and coordinate field efforts with CDF’s state and regional offices.
Ms. Hang is a co-author of the book, Voices of Hope: The Story of the Jane Addams School for Democracy. A Paul and Daisy Soros Fellow, she received her M.A. in political science from the University of Minnesota and a B.A. in political science from Yale University.
To book Ms. Hang or any other CDF spokesperson, please visit CDF’s speaker’s bureau.
###