Meet our Executive Team: Kaying Hang

A native Hmong speaker, Kaying’s formative experiences as the oldest of seven children in a family of farmers that took refuge in the United States have deeply informed her personal commitment to address social, health and racial disparities. On accepting the position, Kaying reiterated her core motivations:

“Social justice and racial equity are central to my life’s work. It’s a privilege to advance these goals at the intersection of health here at The Center,” she said. “My parents have instilled in me the value of and strength in community. I am humbled to do incredibly powerful work with community every day.”

Kaying joined the organization in 2013 as a Senior Program Officer. Five years later she joined the Executive Management Team as a Senior Vice President of Programs and Partnerships for both The Center and Sierra Health Foundation. She has been instrumental in growing The Center’s portfolio, deepening our impact in communities and expanding our team over many years.

Amongst countless examples of her significant contributions to The Center, Kaying led the urgent response to the COVID-19 pandemic, providing decisive and clear direction in a time of uncertainty and fear. She managed one of the country’s largest opioid use disorder medication for addiction treatment initiatives and helped institute The Center’s $323 million-dollar Proposition 64-funded Elevate Youth California program. Kaying oversaw the design, launch and implementation of the community-driven San Joaquin Valley Health Fund initiative, including the flagship event Equity on the Mall, now known state-wide as one of the largest advocacy events of the year.

Earlier in her career, Kaying served as state coordinator of the Refugee Health Program for the Minnesota Department of Health and as assistant regional coordinator for the Refugee and Immigrant Health Program for the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. The underlying thread of her career is a concern for the wellbeing of communities that have been neglected or ignored, which is why she was drawn to The Center. “Our focus is unapologetically on health equity. It’s the way we work, live, play and pray,” she said.

Chet P. Hewitt, CEO of The Center, celebrated the fact that Kaying’s leadership skills were demonstrated through and developed within the context of our varied and nuanced programs.

“In her outsized contributions to our team, she has fulfilled several aspects of a president’s role and is extremely well-prepared to continue leading The Center into the next decade,” he said.

Kaying’s ascension to president comes at a critical time in the organization’s growth. Over the past few years, our team has more than tripled to 100. These committed individuals bring fresh perspectives, skills and enthusiasm to our organization, enhancing our capabilities and expanding our reach. These attributes can only be integrated seamlessly and effectively by leadership articulating and instilling a clear vision for what will come next.