Bo Thao-Urabe
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bo Thao-Urabe | |
|---|---|
 Thao-Urabe speaking at the Marshall Space Flight Center | |
| Occupation | social entrepreneur |
| Known for | social entrepreneurial |
Bo Thao-Urabe (born 1973) is a social entrepreneur who has founded numerous organizations and efforts to advance social justice. A sought after leader, Thao-Urabe has served the community in local, state and national settings. She was appointed as a Regent to the University of Minnesota by Governor Walz in 2021.[1] President Obama appointed Thao-Urabe as a Commissioner to the President’s White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.[2][3] She has also served as Senior Director at Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy (AAPIP).[4] She has received numerous awards and recognitions, including the prestigious Bush Fellowship from the Bush Foundation in 2019.[5]
Thao-Urabe was born in Laos.[6][7] Her family is Hmong and fled to Thailand after the Secret War in Laos, a covert operation by the CIA during the Vietnam War.[7] They spent three years in a refugee camp and immigrated to the United States in 1979.[8][4] She received a B.S. from the University of Minnesota and lives in Minnesota.[3]
Career and community activism
In 2012, she founded the Building More Philanthropy with Purpose (BMPP) Giving Circle with Kaohly Her and Terri Thao,[9] which brings Asian American families together to pool their resources together to fund social justice causes in the Upper Midwest. As of 2024, the BMPP Giving Circle has raised $300,000 for projects.[10] The following year, Thao-Urabe co-founded the Coalition of Asian American Leaders (CAAL).[11] The CAAL sought to create a leadership network representative of the Asian Populations in Minnesota and together they provide policy recommendations. She acted as the Executive and Network Director until 2022, when she transitioned into a Senior Advisor role.[12] In 2014, Thao-Urabe founded and served as the Chief Operating Officer of RedGreen Rivers, a social enterprise which develops and connects women artisans in Southeast Asia to global markets.[2]
Apart from her entrepreneurship pursuits, Bo Thao-Urabe has been elected and appointed to a multitude of philanthropy driven boards. In 2022, she joined Drake Bank's Board of Directors.[13] Drake Bank is an independent bank in St. Paul, MN. In 2023 alone, she was elected to both the Minnesota Public Radio Board of Trustees and the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation Board of Directors.[14][15]
