As Director of Accounts and Client Experience, Thao’s behind-the-scenes magic keeps everything running smoothly. From sales and contracts to resource and team capacity planning, she ensures every aspect of her role is executed with care. Thao closely follows along with each community’s progress, finding ways to connect coaches and communities to support, learn, and grow with one another.
Her journey into career and technical education (CTE) began decades ago as a high school business and marketing student. After dabbling in the business world of tech startups and tech recruiting, Thao found her true calling in education. From teaching CTE to managing relationships as an academy coach, she’s remained committed to opening doors of opportunity for all students.
Thao’s passion for helping students build social capital stems from her understanding of its importance for success. As a child of refugees and a first-gen college graduate, Thao’s path has been shaped by humble beginnings and a deep appreciation for the opportunities education can provide. She believes in the transformative power of community-connected learning and its ability to empower students to thrive in the ever-changing workforce.
Thao’s first foray into the working world was quite the experience – as an elementary student, she worked in the library before school, earning a modest $10 a year.
