Moving Forward
Together, We Make A Stronger Community
Who We Are
Hlub Hmong Center (HHC), reflects our love and passion for the Hmong community.
Since 2010, HHC has emerged as a leading Hmong advocacy organization using culturally-driven methods to tackle social justice disparities. We are respected for our approach that connects the strengths of both public institutions and Hmong culture. Hmong lay-leaders facilitate institutional systems changes and family cultural changes.
HHC was previously called Project Prevention and was launched in May 2010 following the first-ever San Joaquin Valley (SJV) Hmong Health Disparities Conference sponsored by the Hmong Health Collaborative and UC Merced. Disastrous, unethical disparities shared in each presentation mobilized our community-academic partnership to action. While disparities were not new; they have remained unaddressed for decades. Before 2014, our work was service-focused to increase access to healthcare through cultural and linguistic brokering. Early 2014, our leadership team formally reflected on how to maximize impact and two aims emerged: policy and systems change in public-serving institutions and creation of a Merced Hmong Cultural Center. These aims are designed to increase equity and prosperity for the Hmong, and our broader community. United Way of Merced County (UWMC) has been our fiscal sponsor since 2011.
Meet The Team
Nomtsia Xiong
HHC Program Director
Notmsia's educational journey began in middle school, leading to a four-year degree from California State University. He actively engages with Southeast Asian communities and has served on various boards in the Central Valley, focusing on improving schools, promoting health equity, and advancing Hmong social mobility. With over 30 years in non-profit management and community organizing, he currently serves as Project Director for Hlub Hmong Center, overseeing programs and staff development. In his free time, he enjoys fishing, singing in church choirs, and volunteering for community events.
Tou Long Xiong
Many Hands
Community Engagement Coordinator
Tou Long Xiong, from Merced, CA, aims to preserve Hmong oral tradition, particularly the folk poetry lug txaj. Crowned Mr. Hmong California 2014 at age 19, he holds an AA in Anthropology and plans to further his studies in Cultural Anthropology. His efforts focus on invigorating Hmong culture, inspiring younger generations to embrace their heritage. He shares Hmong stories at schools and organizes cultural events, fostering interest in traditional arts. Through his dedication, Tou Long seeks to connect generations and ensure the Hmong cultural legacy endures, highlighting the resilience and creativity of his community.
Sia Vue
Bilingual-Bicultural Administrative Assistant
Sia is responsible for all HHC office management and administration which includes file and document management, team management and scheduling, human resources and bookkeeping. Sia has resided in Merced since 2017. She is active in her family clan (Thao, one of the largest in Merced) with excellent Hmong linguistic and cultural competency critical to HHC's success.
Nalee Xiong
Youth Program Coordinator
Nalee grew up in Merced and is the daughter of eleven to Hmong refugee parents from Laos. As a young person she aspired to close the gap to education, economic, environmental, and racial disparity that impacted underserved communities. Nalee's upbringing motivated her to pursue a degree in Sociology, a minor in Asian American studies, and a certificate in Southeast Asian studies at Fresno State. Prior to joining HHC, Nalee worked with young Asian American organizers and scale capacity for movement building in the Bay Area and nationally. Her passion is driving systemic change in marginalized communities, amplifying the voices and vision of those with lived experiences, and inspiring others to envision a better world. Nalee is a supporter of the LGBTQ+ community, Southeast Asian youth development, and creating transformative change. In her free time, Nalee enjoys reading, being a dog mom, cooking, and watching kdrama.
Kelly Vang
Program Coordinator
N/A For now
Chayeng Lee
Program Assistant
Chayeng, who was born and raised in Merced, has been involved with Cal Skyhawk Productions from a young age. His journey has taken him from performing to sound technology and ultimately to becoming the event organizer for Skyhawk. In this role, he traveled across Central Valley schools to promote anti-drug and anti-bullying initiatives, while also working to bridge cultural gaps. During this time, he volunteered with a National Church Youth Group, where he mentored youth to enhance their leadership skills within their communities. Now, he brings all that experience to HHC, primarily focusing on supporting the Many Hands Youth program while also contributing to various other projects and initiatives. In his spare time, he enjoys exploring new technologies, video editing, cooking, and watching anime.
Jennifer Xiong, MPH, CHES
Co-Founder
Jennifer is a founding member and a trusted Hmong leader in Merced. She grew up in Merced, graduated from UC Davis (baccalaureate) and UCLA (MPH). She has over 12 years of experience in programming developed through Hmong values, customs, and language. She has been active in systems change advocacy and developing Hmong leaders in systems change advocacy. Jennifer is the lead manager for HHC programs and oversees mobilizations Hmong voice, presence, and advocacy in decisions by public institutions related to racial/ethnic and linguistic equity.
Stergios (Steve) Roussos, PhD, MPH
Co-Founder, Co-Director
Steve, a founding member of HHC, has nearly 30 years of experience in public health and community development, focusing on social and environmental justice. As a Greek immigrant and the first in his family to pursue higher education, he earned his MPH in 1995 and his PhD in 2002. Since 2001, he has lived in Merced, working as a community-based public health researcher and holding roles in UC and CSU systems. For over 20 years, Steve has been a dedicated ally and advocate for the Hmong community in Merced.
Linda Xiong, MPH, CHES
Co-Founder, Co-Director
Linda is a founding member of HHC with over 15 years of expertise in community-based projects to address health disparities. She grew up in Merced, graduated with Bachelors in Human Development from UC Davis and completed her MPH at San Diego State University. She has over 15 years of direct work experience in community and systems change with HHC and other Hmong and partners organizations.