Hoang Ha
Operations And Technology Director
hoang@nhutah.org
801-363-4589 ext. 109
Pronouns: he/him/his
Hoang was born in Vietnam, grew up in California, and went to school in Salt Lake City, UT (University of Utah). He has circumnavigated more than 30 countries worldwide, bringing him a unique and empathetic perspective on life. He volunteers regularly and is passionate about social good and technology.
Hoang founded and created the charity Neighbors Helping Neighbors SLC at the pandemic's beginning. Neighbors Helping Neighbors SLC is a large group of volunteers from local communities working to bring groceries and supplies to those that are high-risk or want to self-isolate. He has single-handedly amassed over 1500 volunteers throughout Utah and raised over $25,000 to help with groceries and supplies for people during the pandemic.
In September 2020, Hoang followed his passion and created the Rainbow Crosswalk Project. He organized over 300 volunteers and raised $2000 to paint Utah's first sanctioned rainbow crosswalk. It was in honor of the LGBTGQ+ community and its allies. The rainbow crosswalk is in the Avenues neighborhood in Salt Lake City, UT. Because of the success of the Rainbow Crosswalk Project, the Salt Lake City Council has asked him to organize other street art projects throughout the city.
Currently, Hoang is the co-chair of the Utah Communities Connect (UCC) nonprofit group. The UCC aims to create a digital inclusion network of and for individuals and organizations, become a voice for digital equity, and bring awareness to community members that could become digital inclusion advocates and change makers. The UCC has over 200 nonprofit, for-profit, and government agency alliance members to combat digital inequities.
In 2022, Hoang was awarded the Digital Equity Fellowship through the NTEN program and became Utah’s Digital Equity Fellow. Through this fellowship, he helped organize and lead the Tech Liberation Project (TLP). The TLP collects used tech devices from government agencies, corporations, and individuals. The tech devices are refurbished and donated back to the communities. To date, the TLP has distributed over 800 tech devices to the local communities.
Lastly, Hoang served on the Greater Avenues Community Council (GACC) as a board member from 2016 to 2022. The GACC's main objective is to improve the community to protect the unique character of the Greater Avenues neighborhood. They also provide and expand communication links with governmental, civic, and community organizations.
“I love my job at Neighborhood House! Being the Director of Operations and IT allows me to help the not-served and under-served populations. I get to hang out with other passionate workers and clients and learn from them. I also get to use my tech skills and help people. This is my dream job!”
