As a Vietnamese refugee in the U.S., Dr. Duong Duong, an administrator and teacher at the Hmong American Peace Academy, says she has “always felt a strong pull towards education, as a way of giving back to my new homeland and educating the next generation to be productive global citizens.”
For the past 25+ years, Duong has taught students from kindergarten to college-level in urban and suburban school districts. She has held leadership roles in numerous local, state, and national education-related organizations, including the local, state and National Education Association, BadgerLink, Pewaukee Scholarship Fund and Girl Scouts.
Duong now serves at the Hmong American Peace Academy (HAPA) in Milwaukee, the largest Hmong-population school in the U.S., holding roles including high school dean, support staff director and academic career guidance counselor, in addition to teaching English and Spanish.
She has implemented and increased involvement in several high-impact programs, including the Youth Apprenticeship/Internship Program, a partnership between businesses and HAPA providing paid, career-related employment opportunities to juniors and seniors who want to get a jumpstart on careers. She also coordinates financial-literacy programming through SecureFutures.
