Board Member
Hometown
Southern China and American Sāmoa
What was your favorite hobby or extracurricular activity as a child?
Hanging around the beach. I wish I could go to the beach every day as an adult.
What was your favorite meal or dish that your family would make?
Hard to identify just one. Pig's feet cooked in ginger and vinegar.
What was the most challenging experience you faced as a child, and how did you overcome it?
Having the confidence to speak up. Embraced being uncomfortable.
What was the most valuable lesson you learned as a child, and how has it influenced your life today?
Challenge is an opportunity to build character.
Biography
Ms. Xiao founded the Center for Economic Opportunity and Belonging (Center) and served as its executive director. The Center envisions a Utah in which all residents experience a sense of belonging and equal opportunity so they can contribute their best selves to the growth and enhancement of the economic, social, and political life of the state. The Center achieves this vision by identifying and promoting actionable solutions to racial disparities through engagement with communities of color and by catalyzing private, philanthropic, and public partnerships. Before founding the Center, Ms. Xiao had a 13-year career with Salt Lake County. As the director of the Mayor’s Office for New Americans, she guided immigrant and refugee integration strategies on the local, state, and national levels. Under her leadership, Salt Lake County became a national leader in the Welcoming and Belongings movement. It was awarded the distinction as the first county in the nation to achieve Welcoming Certification. Ms. Xiao is a graduate of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation’s Community Leadership Fellowship (2022). She is a member of the 2023 German Marshall Fund Memorial Fellowship.
