We embark on an inspiring journey of educational initiatives, cultural celebrations, and economic partnerships.
Our Vision
OVEECA provides leadership and support to foster and sustain cultural, linguistic, economic relationship between the Vietnamese people and Oregonians.
As a non-profit organization 501(c)3, OVEECA facilitates economic, educational and cultural exchange by leveraging donations, community support and collective action.
Our Mission
To chart a forward-looking path toward the opportunities and challenges in a rapidly-evolving world.
Economic: Cultivate and engage a business community focused on two-way international trade and investment.
Education: Forging new educational opportunities for our next generation of leaders.
Culture: Elevate Vietnamese culture to a broader audience.
EIN 88-3813308
Our Founders
Julia Brim-Edwards
Julia Brim-Edwards has a career that spans the worlds of business, public policy, and education. Currently, Julia serves as an elected Multnomah County Commissioner, the state’s largest County, and is in her 10th year as an elected member of the Portland Public Schools Board of Education, the largest urban school district in the Pacific Northwest.
Dr. Van H Truong
Vân H. Truong, EdD is a student-centered educator specializing in distributive leadership. Dr. Truong has over twenty years of experience increasing student achievement and closing opportunity gaps through students, educators and families/partners. She was most recently Portland Public Schools’ Deputy Superintendent. Currently, she is the Beaverton School District Elected Board Director.
Thuy Vu
Thuy, originally from Hanoi and now residing in Portland, Oregon, brings over twenty years of expertise in enhancing cultural and bilateral trade relations among the United States, European Union, Vietnam, and other Asian countries. She has significantly advanced public policy and championed women’s leadership. Currently, Thuy manages Sustainability within the North America supply chain at Nike.
Our Board Members
Tri To
Tri To is the current Board Director and former Co-President of Hoi Phu Huynh, the non-profit organization that supports the Vietnamese Dual Language Immersion program in Portland Public Schools. Tri had 10 years of experience working in IT industry in Vietnam, partnering with US companies. He is currently working in the insurance & finance sector in the US. He also has educational experience in Vietnam, Australia, and the US.
Doug Smith
Doug was most recently responsible for international business development at the Port of Portland, the region’s driver of economic opportunity in transportation and logistics. Prior to joining the Port, Doug spent 20 years in the engineering and construction industry leading site selection and construction management projects and serving in Executive Management as co-founder of an entrepreneurial firm focused on providing full-service support to Foreign Direct Investors (FDI) in the advanced materials, chemicals, food processing and renewable energy sectors.In addition to serving on the CJS advisory board.
Kenneth Nguyen
Kenneth Nguyen is a Los Angeles based podcaster and film producer with over two decades in the Vietnamese media space. Kenneth hosts and produces The Vietnamese podcast with over 300 episodes. Kenneth Nguyen was a founding partner of Wave Releasing, the first U.S. based Vietnamese language film distribution company
Željka Carol Kekez
Željka Carol Kekez is an award-winning business strategist, urban designer, professor, author, and curator. As a founding partner of the internationally recognized design studio PLACE, she has been instrumental in shaping the firm’s mission to create a better world through the integration of nature, art, philanthropy, and placemaking. Carol’s work spans continents – including ongoing initiatives in Vietnam – while remaining deeply rooted in her commitment to local community and professional service in Portland. She actively contributes to organizations such as the Architecture Foundation of Oregon (AFO), the Halprin Landscape Conservancy, the Oregon State Landscape Architect Board (OSLAB), and The Immigrant Story. In addition to serving on academic and professional juries, she mentors emerging designers through her teaching at Portland State University’s School of Architecture, inspiring the next generation to design with purpose and vision.
Andy Cao
Vietnamese-born landscape designer and artist Andy Cao works at the confluence of art, nature, and cultural imagination, including notable collaborations with Oregon-based landscape architecture studio, PLACE. Drawing on a rich tapestry of global traditions, Andy curates immersive art and landscape experiences inviting wonder, reflection, and a sense of dreaming. His portfolio spans ephemeral installations and enduring public spaces – from intimate gardens to monumental civic destinations. Known for transforming overlooked materials into poetic expressions of light, texture, and movement, Andy’s work resists fixed interpretation, offering contemplative spaces imbued with color, sensuality, and discovery. A recipient of the prestigious Rome Prize Fellowship and the Loeb Fellowship at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, Andy is also recognized as a plant cognoscenti. His visionary landscapes have drawn millions to celebrated destinations such as Swarovski Kristallwelten, Dumbarton Oaks, and the Jewel at Singapore’s Changi Airport.