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This Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month — the latest installment in the UVA Health Office of Diversity and Community Engagement's Storytellers Series, hosted by Melody M. Pannell, MSW, M.Div., Director of Diversity and Community Engagement, featured Khaing Phoo. The Administrative Fellow, UVA University Medical Center Office of the CEO, shared her experiences from Myanmar to Charlottesville as she cultivates healthy communities and belonging for all:

‘Opening Doors to Those in Need’

Khaing Phoo was born and raised in Kyaukme, Myanmar. Her parents had grown up in poverty and worked hard to improve their circumstances — becoming physicians, and establishing a foundation in the town. They opened their own home to start what became a robust medical clinic, and earned strong community support — for supporting the community.

“They gave back by opening their doors to those in need,” describes Phoo. But it wasn’t easy. “I woke up in the middle of the night on several occasions, as patients sought medical care for reasons ranging from a stomachache to horrible lacerations.”

New Beginning

When she was 14, Phoo’s parents made another life-changing decision — to leave everything they’d worked so hard for, and move nearly 8,000 miles away to the United States for their children’s education — sacrificing careers, knowing that when they arrived in this country, they would not be able practice medicine right away. “They restarted their lives with no support, in a new language, and in an unfamiliar culture,” Phoo recalls in awe of her role models. “Through it all — they never showed a speck of fear or hesitation!” 

The family lived with a friend in California, but Phoo says some services in their city were not easily accessible to immigrants. For example, she says, some banks there did not know what a green card was.

Fitting In

After two months, Phoo’s parents took another turn — first moving the family across the country to New York City’s Brooklyn borough, where they lived for eight years, then south to Texas. Her father did not work his first two years in the United States so he could study for the U.S. Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) to practice in this country. Her mother provided for the family — while Phoo attended school and encountered obstacles.

“For me, navigating the education system here was definitely a challenge. I felt I was behind, even before I started,” Phoo remembers. “Language barrier and culture shock were a common theme that we navigated. and continue to navigate to this day. What is considered polite in my culture, can be considered rude in American culture. So we had to learn quickly the new culture’s norms and expectations — and meet them to fit in.”

For example, Phoo’s parents taught her not to fold her arms when speaking to teachers when she first started high school here. “In my culture, you are supposed to fold your arms when speaking to teachers to show respect. However, it is considered rude in the U.S.”

Hope and Healing

Phoo soon followed in her parents’ field of healthcare, and in their demeanor. “I aim to be as fearless and resilient as my parents in my pursuits while maintaining a big heart like theirs,” she declares. “I also hope to give back to my community by making meaningful impact through healthcare.”

“I witnessed patients go from experiencing their worst days to finding hope and healing through compassionate treatment. This began my deep passion for serving patients,” she says, initially studying pre-med to become a physician, then learning about healthcare administration. Phoo earned a B.S. in health science with a healthcare management concentration from Stony Brook University on Long Island, New York, then joined the workforce for two years to gain clinical exposure.

‘Serving Kindness’

And it was on the first day of her first role in healthcare administration — as a medical scribe documenting patient information at CityMD, an urgent care clinic — that she saw some of herself reflected on that stage. Founder and then-CEO Richard Park, MD, delivered the orientation welcome speech. “This was my first personal encounter with an Asian American leader in the United States,” remembers Phoo.

Dr. Park shared how he and his team opened the clinic in a diverse neighborhood in New York City’s Queens borough to “provide a less expensive alternative to the emergency room," even though he knew he’d lose millions. Then he opened even more clinics to serve the underrepresented.

“I was in awe. I got goosebumps. I realized representation matters. This was Dr. Park's way of giving back to the community and staying true to his ‘true north’ of ‘serving kindness,’” explains Phoo. “I saw it’s completely possible for someone like me to become a leader in healthcare who serves the community by making meaningful impact while ‘serving kindness.’ Now, I serve our providers, team members, and patients.”

Phoo went on to earn a master's in health administration from Texas A&M University in 2022. 

Driving Positive Change

This year’s AANHPI Heritage Month theme is Advancing Leaders Through Innovation — a theme embodied by Phoo in her work at UVA Health, leading a lactation support policy impacting 4,000+ team members that bolsters a key initiative of Best Place to Work in our strategic plan. 

Most recently, Phoo served as interim manager of Parking, Transportation, and Valet Services, overseeing the planning and logistics of University Medical Center’s six garages and thousands of surface parking spaces.

Phoo plans to pay it forward. “To me, Advancing Leaders Through Innovation signifies the importance of fostering leadership development opportunities within AANHPI communities through education, mentorship, entrepreneurship, or advocacy,” she says determinedly. “This leads to supporting and uplifting future leaders who can drive positive change, break barriers, and push boundaries through their unique and innovative perspectives.”

More About Khaing Phoo

How do you relax and have fun? “I enjoy arts and crafts, crocheting, and bullet journaling. I have been busy crocheting a lot of baby clothes and blankets lately for my loved ones!” 

Any favorite spots in Charlottesville? “I highly recommend Farmers Market at IX Park on Saturday mornings. I love that there are variety of vendors. So many flowers, handmade crafts, and most importantly — food! I also recommend Monsoon Siam (pictured, left). Another place is definitely Möge Tee. I love bubble tea and they have one of the best drinks in town!”