Our lead translators include experienced community advocates and leaders, who dedicated their lives serving the Iu Mien communities for decades.

Mrs. Lisa Thungc

Lisa Thungc, CEO and Co-Founder of Thungc Enterprises LLC, stands as a paragon of cultural bridge-building and dedicated community service. With a Bachelor of Arts in Education, her journey is marked by decades of commitment to serving the Iu Mien community, particularly those hailing from Southeast Asia.

At the helm of Thungc Enterprises LLC, a consultancy specializing in Iu Mien cultural and language services, the agency's expertise encompasses interpretation, translation, and video voiceover audio recording. Her firm's impact is widespread, having served over two dozen businesses and community organizations across the United States, translating complex cultural nuances into accessible services and support.

Her roots in community service trace back to her pivotal role at the Lao Family non-profit organization in Merced, CA, where she served as the Secretary during a critical period of refugee influx from Laos. There, she was instrumental in supporting the Iu Mien community, offering essential interpretation and translation services to those newly arrived in the United States.

Mrs. Thungc’s professional path then led her to the realm of education, where she broke new ground as the first teacher for Migrant Education at the Butte County Office of Education in Oroville, CA. In this role, she guided Southeast Asian refugee parents, predominantly from the Iu Mien community, in educating their children, often in their native languages, thereby overcoming significant language and cultural barriers.

Her journey continued in Seattle, WA, at the Asian Counseling and Referral Services, where her compassionate approach shone through in providing case management and support services to the elderly and disabled adults, again with a strong focus on the Iu Mien and broader Asian communities.

Beyond her professional endeavors, Mrs. Thungc’s dedication to her community extends over three decades of volunteer work, notably with the Iu-Mienh Baptist Church in Merced, CA, and the Mien Evangelical Church in Tukwila, WA. Her volunteerism, marked by profound empathy and commitment, involves extensive support to families and the elderly, deeply embedded in interpretation and translation services.

Lisa Thungc's story is one of relentless service, cultural advocacy, and educational empowerment, making her a respected and inspirational leader in bridging communities through language and cultural understanding.

Mr. Jeff Thungc

Jeff Thungc is the President/Co-Founder of Thungc Enterprises LLC., a consulting firm that specializes in providing Iu Mien cultural and language consultation, interpretation, translation, and video voiceover audio recording services. Thungc Enterprises LLC. supports local businesses, community organizations, and the Iu Mien communities by offering these services. Under Mr. Thungc's leadership, the company has successfully provided Iu Mien language services to over two dozen organizations in the United States .

Mr. Thungc's credentials include a Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Management, Supplemental Education in Liberal Studies and IT Management, and Certified Project Management Professional (PMP). Jeff brings over 10 years of experience in social services and 14 years in public education, Jeff Thungc has a wealth of experience in the public sector. He previously held the position of Career Placement Specialist with the Seattle Housing Authority, where he assisted residents with business development, career attainment and advancement. In this role, he managed grant-funded projects and ensured compliance with grant requirements. During his time with the Kent School District, Jeff held various leadership roles, including Student Programs Manager, Application and Web Development Manager, Creative Media Manager, and Assistant Director of Digital Learning.

In addition to his professional experience, Mr. Thungc has also dedicated over 20 years to volunteer work in Iu Mien language translation and interpretation in schools and social services settings.

Jeff Thungc is the founder and president of the Mien International Enrichment Network (MIEN), an organization dedicated to assisting Iu Mien people advancing in society. MIEN collaborates with the Iu Mien American Association, Southeast Asian Pacific Islander Health Education Summit, and the Mien Evangelical Church to provide health education, Covid-19 information, emergency food distribution, and digital equity efforts to support the Iu Mien communities during the pandemic.

Furthermore, Jeff Thungc is the founder of JLT Web Solutions, a digital marketing agency that helps businesses improve their online presence across the United States and Canada.

Dr. Youd Sinh Chao

Dr. Youd Sinh Chao is a highly experienced individual with a rich history of working with refugee and immigrant communities, universities, and community colleges for over 27 years. His primary focus has been on fostering cultural literacy and English competency. Dr. Chao's impressive qualifications include being a certified Training of Trainers from Washington Literacy and a Parent-Teen Mediator from Seattle Peace Council.

Alongside his extensive language skills in English, Dr. Chao is fluent in Mien, Hmong, Thai, and Lao languages. As the President/Founder of Pacific Mien Language Services, he has spearheaded the provision of oral and written translation services to Iu Mien communities across the United States.

Dr. Chao's expertise spans various domains. He is a communication and language development instructor, the president and founder of Mien Family for Christ, a marriage and family counselor, and an author in both Mien and English languages. His dedication to the Mien community is evident through his roles as a Mien language and cultural consultant, interpreter, translator, and editor.

Education-wise, Dr. Chao holds a master's degree in education, a Doctorate of Practical Ministry in Biblical Counseling, and a PhD in Psychology. He is registered as a Marriage and Family Counselor and is licensed with Washington State.

As a professor at several Seattle Colleges, Dr. Chao imparts a broad range of instruction to students from diverse cultural and educational backgrounds. He specializes in language development, communication, literacy development, linguistic studies, psychology, and mathematics. Furthermore, he has been offering marriage and family counseling services to Mien individuals, groups, and families since 2006.

Dr. Chao's proficiency as a Mien language and culture broker allows him to provide mediation, translation, and interpretation services from Mien to English and vice versa. He has been actively involved in legal, medical, social, and educational settings for over 27 years.

In addition to his impressive professional endeavors, Dr. Chao serves as an ordained minister for a medium-sized Mien congregational church with over 300 members. Within this role, he provides biblical teaching, pre and post-marriage counseling, Sunday School curriculum development and instruction, and officiates weddings and funeral services for both Mien and other Asian community members.