Refugee Founded · Refugee Led

meet our RIu team

Nga Vương-Sandoval is the Founder and President for Refugees + Immigrants United. As a refugee from Việt Nam, her journey ​and advocacy propelled her into the forefront of local, national, and international human rights on issues and policies impacting ​forcibly displaced persons and underrepresented groups. She's a TEDx presenter, a refugee representative at United Nations High ​Commissioner for Refugees in Geneva, Switzerland, a Noble Ambassador for Christina Noble Children's Foundation, Vice-Chair of ​the Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains Board of Directors, and a founding member and public speaker for Colorado ​Refugee Speakers Bureau. She earned a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice and Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science.

In recognition of her work, Nga received the Colorado Attorney General’s Outstanding Community Service Award, ADL Civil Rights ​Award, University of Colorado Denver Mack Easton Award, the highest distinguished award given by the CU Denver Alumni Board, ​and Refugee Congress Excellence Award. She has also advocated to First Lady Dr. Jill Biden to increase refugee admissions. as ​Chair and Founder for Lunar New Year Allies Advisory Group (LUNA), she successfully led the effort to recognize Lunar New Year ​as an observed Colorado state holiday. She was named among Denver Westword's "Ten People to Watch," was the subject of a ​public mural by internationally renowned artist and muralist Thomas “Detour” Evans, Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum honors ​Nga every April for APPI Changemakers Month by displaying banners with her photo along the cultural corridor in Colorado ​Springs, and she was honored by the Denver Nuggets with the "First Shot" of the game.

Her journey and her advocacy have been featured in United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, USA for UNHCR, Business ​Insider, Colorado Public Radio, History Colorado Center, Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum, Denver Arts and Venues, University ​of Colorado Denver School of Public Affairs, The Denver Post, The Colorado Sun, Denverite, Denver Westword, University of ​Colorado Denver, CBS 4 Colorado, Denver 7 News, 9News Colorado, and KGNU Community Radio. Nga is a transformative ​advocate who inspires change and champions the rights of forcibly displaced, marginalized and underrepresented communities.

Elvina Htoo is an Advisor for Refugees + Immigrants United. She spent her entire childhood in Nu Poe and Mae La refugee camps ​and resettled in Colorado in the late summer of 2008. She has been serving Denver Public Schools students, families, and ​teachers since then. She is currently a middle school assistant principal and an active board member of the Denver Public ​Schools Asian Education Advisory Council (AEAC).

She volunteers her time with her Karen Community as a church pianist and an instructor for Karen Baptist Churches of the United ​States in Literacy & Culture Department. Additionally, she volunteers with Colorado Asian Pacific United (CAPU) in the education ​department, where she helps with curriculum development. Elvina holds a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership with ​Principal Licensure, Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education and a Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education. Elvina enjoys ​hiking, birding, camping, taking nature photographs, traveling to National Parks, and spending time with her family and friends.

Ndeye Ndao is the Treasurer and Advisor for Refugees + Immigrants United. She is originally from Dakar, Senegal and has been in ​Colorado since 2018. She currently works at the Colorado Department of Human Services as a Community Engagement ​Specialist. She previously worked at the International Rescue Committee and was supporting refugees and immigrants. Ndeye is ​the owner of Motherland Beauties, a business focused on social justice and promoting African art and culture. She also started ​an Adult Foster Care (AFC) home in Michigan which she runs with her older brother.

Ndeye has a Bachelor’s in International Relations from Grand Valley State University and graduated in 2018 with her Master’s in ​Public Administration with a focus in Nonprofit Management and Leadership. She received her Professional Doula certification ​from Rocky Mountain Doula in Colorado and has been supporting birthing people. She loves reading about Afrocentricity, ​traveling, food, nature, learning about other cultures and serving people.

Lingshuang “Jack” Mao is the Event and Volunteer Coordinator for Refugees + Immigrants United. He moved to the United ​States from China when he was 18 to study at the University of Denver. After completing his bachelor’s degrees in mathematics ​and philosophy, he continued his education at CU Boulder, where her earned master’s degrees in Japanese and linguistics. His ​work experiences include serving as an administrative assistant at the Denver IELTS English testing center, a digital marketing and ​operations manager at an international language education company, a Mandarin, Japanese, and ESL instructor, and a client ​and volunteer services assistant at a local non-profit. He is also a national board-certified medical interpreter for Mandarin and ​English, a Colorado notary public, and is currently working to gain a paralegal certificate approved by the American Bar ​Association and a third master's degree in mental health counseling. He is passionate about his refugee and immigrant ​community, and he aspires to be an immigration paralegal and a counselor for the underrepresented to better their lives. His ​hobbies are eclectic, to say the least: watercolor painting, card making, crocheting, hanging out with friends, and playing the ​saxophone with the Mile High Freedom Bands. He also loves plants and exotic pets. He has more than a hundred species of ​plants, two crabs, two tree frogs, two turtles, and a 20-gallon tank filled with tropical fish!