Meet Our Board of Directors
Don Lorr
Board Chair
donlorr@hope-school.org
Don Lorr is a Community Board member. Since 2000, he has lived in the Railroad Island neighborhood with his wife and daughter. Since 2014, he has led the Railroad Island Neighborhood Group (RING) – partnering with HOPE many times. Don works at Thomson Reuters as a Taxonomy Manager classifying news stories for better search & retrieval. Don has worked there since 1999 in a variety of roles including phone technical support, training, and database management. Don received a Master’s in Library and Information Science (MLIS) from Dominican University in 2007 and Master of Arts in American Literature from the University of North Dakota in 1995. Don enjoys running and usually can be found rambling around the paths and trails of the East Side–including Swede Hollow, Bruce Vento, and Battle Creek.
Reona Vang
Treasurer – Community Member
reonavang@hope-school.org
Reona L. Vang is a Community Board member. She is a financial executive with over a decade of experience in nonprofit financial management, accounting, and auditing. She currently serves as the Chief Financial Officer at Hmong American Partnership (HAP) in St. Paul, Minnesota, where she oversees the organization’s financial operations, strategy, and compliance. Reona plays a key role in aligning financial planning with HAP’s mission to empower communities through culturally responsive programs in empowerment services, and economic and workforce development.
Her leadership spans accounting, budgeting, grants management, and audits, and she collaborates closely with executive leadership and the Board of Directors to ensure long-term financial sustainability. Reona has successfully managed budgets exceeding $17 million and brings expertise in nonprofit and fund accounting, as well as experience with complex funding streams.
Prior to joining HAP, Reona was the Director of Finance at the Marcus Performing Arts Center in Milwaukee, WI. She holds a Bachelors in Accounting from the University of Pittsburgh and a Masters in Accounting and Financial Management from DeVry University.
Patchia Xiong Vang
Secretary – Parent Member
patchiaxvang@hope-school.org
Patchia Xiong Vang is currently serving her second term as a parent representative on the Board of Directors. As resident of St. Paul, she is the mother of three children who attend HOPE and brings both personal and professional passion to her role. Patchia works as a Human Resources Manager with Centennial School District ISD 12 and has been actively involved in the charter school community for many years. She is a dedicated advocate for high-quality, equitable education for all students and is honored to contribute to advancing the mission and vision of HOPE Community Academy.
MaiNhia Lor
Community Member
mainhialor@hope-school.org
Mai Nhia Lor is serving her first term as a community member on the HOPE School Board . As a proud Saint Paul resident, she brings experience from Hmong charter schools and works full-time as a real estate agent and administrative events and outreach specialist for ESABA. Her experience in managing her business and working with small businesses has refined her skills in financial management, process optimization, relationship building, and professional development. As the daughter of immigrants, she values education and sees her board role as a way to give back to her community. Mai Nhia is passionate about cultural awareness, advocacy, and community partnerships. She also enjoys cooking and exploring global cuisines.
Yang Lor
Parent Member
yanglor@hope-school.org
Hello, my name is Yang Lor, and I am a Parent Board member. I am a father of two students who are attending HOPE Community Academy. I know how important it is for the school and staff to have an impact on and influence our students and their needs. I believe that it only takes one spark of inspiration to influence a student to make life changing decisions for their unlimited future possibilities.
I graduated from Humboldt Sr. High School and St. Olaf College. After college, I was a mentor for a high school student through the Upward Bound program. I had participated in this position as a parent on the school board at my children’s previous school, Hazel Park Preparatory Academy, for 2 years. I worked with Ramsey County Financial Services for 14 years, and currently with the Minnesota Dept. of Human Services for about 6 years.
Brian Shaw
Teacher Member
brianshaw@hope-school.org
I am currently in my third and final year of my Board term. I’ve had the honor to help shape the policies, training procedures for Board members, and the in-meeting culture. This year I am going to continue contributing to the Board’s efficiency by increasing internal infrastructure and organization. The desired outcomes of my actions this year include:
Establish consistent use of a task management system to increase follow-through and transparency
Reduce the acclimation time of new Board members
Enhance accuracy and consistency in role transfers
Reduce time that members spend doing routine tasks
These things will help us spend a greater share of our energy on improving student outcomes.
I’m entering my 5th year teaching biology-related topics at HOPE. I really value the student culture, and the school’s proximity to a relatively natural park. The peaceful nature of the school allows me to spend more time connecting with students rather than managing behaviors. The park allows me to help students connect to the content I teach, each other, and their roots.
I feel like I am able to make a meaningful impact on the students and I’m glad to be of service here at HOPE.
Lee Xiong
Teacher Member
leexiong@hope-school.org
My name is Lee Xiong and I am the secondary Hmong Culture and Language instructor at HOPE Community Academy. I have had over 10 years of experience working with students from diverse backgrounds. I previously taught Hmong Culture and Language to both elementary and middle school students at Hmong American Peace Academy in Milwaukee, Wisconsin from 2008 to 2018. At HAPA, I served in various roles such as, middle school students’ advisor, Saturday School Mentorship, Afterschool Tutoring, high school girls soccer coach, English-Hmong documents translator and Hmong interpreter – a liaison between school and parents. Last fiscal school year, I took part in the Minnesota Zej Zog mentor and mentees program for Hmong Language Teachers in the Twin Cities area. Currently, I’m enrolled in the Master Degree, World Language Instruction Program at Concordia College.