Jackie Thu-Huong Wong, Trustee, Area 4 (12/2020-12/2024)
Jackie Thu-Huong Wong, Trustee, Area 4 (12/2020-12/2024)
Jackie Thu-Huong Wong, M.S.W is the Vice President of Policy and Advocacy for GRACE, an anti-poverty organization that manages the End Child Poverty in CA Campaign (ECPCA) aimed at ending deep child poverty and reducing child poverty in CA. Under her leadership, in coalition with several anti-poverty advocates, ECPCA was able to secure over $4 Billion in new funding to address child poverty, with a significant investment in education programs.
She was formerly the Statewide Director for the Foster Youth Services Coordinating Program at the California Department of Education (CDE), where she works across departments, State agencies, school districts, county offices of education and with education equity stakeholders to ensure that the promise of the Local Control Funding Formula is fulfilled for students in foster care.
Due to her work with foster care education advocacy, California Chief Justice Tani G.Cantil-Sakauye has appointed Ms. Wong to her Keeping Kids in School (KKIS) Steering Committee focused on involving the courts in education efforts across the state. KKIS is focused on keeping kids in school and out of the justice system.
Prior to her return to CDE, she was a Children’s Advocate for the National Center for Youth Law (NCYL). NCYL is a national organization that has been advocating on behalf of children and youth living in poverty for over four decades. Ms. Wong has led their work in improving educational outcomes for students in foster care, addressing the needs of victims of commercial sexual exploitation, ensuring that system involved children and youth are not criminalized and other various projects of the organization.
Prior to this post, Ms. Wong was a Senior Policy Advisor to Senate President Pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg. Ms. Wong’s policy areas included Human Services, Veterans’ Affairs, Long Term Aging and related issues, including work with stakeholders on the Local Control Funding Formula provisions related to students in foster care.
Prior to her move to West Sacramento in 2006, she was an Administrator for the Oakland Unified School District’s Student, Family and Community Services Department helping to develop the district’s Foster Youth Program, Refugee Student Assistance Program, Homeless Student Program. Migrant Education Program, various Coordination of Services Programs and Crisis Response protocols. Having developed many of her skills from being part of McClymonds High School’s student support staff, Ms. Wong prides herself in being a school-based social worker who has a focus on strong comprehensive collaborations with a youth development focus.
Ms. Wong, in the past has coordinated various components of the Summer Youth Employment and Training Program, provided mental health outreach, co-directed after-school tutoring services, supported and participated in various educational enrichment programs in the Bay Area, provided wraparound services to at-risk families in Sacramento County and provided intensive support to Healthy Start collaboratives in the Sacramento City Unified School District.
Literally, born en route to freedom during the fall of Saigon, Ms. Wong comes to us having been raised in Stockton, California where her functional fluency in both Spanish and Vietnamese has allowed her to work across a diverse range of immigrant communities, with gang involved youth, and other highly at-risk populations. Through her work and background, Jackie understands the positive impact of a strong comprehensive education system on the futures of students and families.
Jackie is a mother of two children attending a Washington Unified School District elementary school where she is a member of her PTO. She trains with her daughter in the art of Taekwondo at ATA Martial Arts school, was an assistant coach for West Sacramento's recreational U10 girls soccer league and is training to be a Spartan athlete, in her spare time.
Prior to her return to CDE, she was a Children’s Advocate for the National Center for Youth Law (NCYL). NCYL is a national organization that has been advocating on behalf of children and youth living in poverty for over four decades. Ms. Wong has led their work in improving educational outcomes for students in foster care, addressing the needs of victims of commercial sexual exploitation, ensuring that system involved children and youth are not criminalized and other various projects of the organization.
Prior to this post, Ms. Wong was a Senior Policy Advisor to Senate President Pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg. Ms. Wong’s policy areas included Human Services, Veterans’ Affairs, Long Term Aging and related issues, including work with stakeholders on the Local Control Funding Formula provisions related to students in foster care.
Prior to her move to West Sacramento in 2006, she was an Administrator for the Oakland Unified School District’s Student, Family and Community Services Department helping to develop the district’s Foster Youth Program, Refugee Student Assistance Program, Homeless Student Program. Migrant Education Program, various Coordination of Services Programs and Crisis Response protocols. Having developed many of her skills from being part of McClymonds High School’s student support staff, Ms. Wong prides herself in being a school-based social worker who has a focus on strong comprehensive collaborations with a youth development focus.
Ms. Wong, in the past has coordinated various components of the Summer Youth Employment and Training Program, provided mental health outreach, co-directed after-school tutoring services, supported and participated in various educational enrichment programs in the Bay Area, provided wraparound services to at-risk families in Sacramento County and provided intensive support to Healthy Start collaboratives in the Sacramento City Unified School District.
Literally, born en route to freedom during the fall of Saigon, Ms. Wong comes to us having been raised in Stockton, California where her functional fluency in both Spanish and Vietnamese has allowed her to work across a diverse range of immigrant communities, with gang involved youth, and other highly at-risk populations. Through her work and background, Jackie understands the positive impact of a strong comprehensive education system on the futures of students and families.
Jackie is a mother of two children attending a Washington Unified School District elementary school where she is a member of her PTO. She trains with her daughter in the art of Taekwondo at ATA Martial Arts school, was an assistant coach for West Sacramento's recreational U10 girls soccer league and is training to be a Spartan athlete, in her spare time.
Send Jackie an email at JWong@wusd.k12.ca.us