Staff
Our Refugee Advocates Are Our Most Valuable Assets
Since its foundation in 2001, Nile Sisters Development Initiative has made it a priority to involve local community members. Our staff is a genuine reflection of this goal.
Yu Yu Khaing, Community Outreach Specialist
A passionate activist in every community she joins, Yu Yu first arrived in Indiana, where she added two years of pharmacy technician training to the study of zoology she had already completed in Burma, her homeland. After providing translation assistance to Burmese immigrants served by a health-based nonprofit organization, Yu Yu relocated to San Diego, where she continues to practice her humanitarianism and bilingual skill to empower the Burmese refugee community. As the Nile Sisters Development Initiative community outreach specialist, Yu Yu
- translates and advocates for Burmese refugees resettling in San Diego County
- facilitates special donation projects
Rebecca Paida, Senior Program Manager
A former refugee, Rebecca is intimately aware of the social and economic challenges one faces when relocating to a new community. This experience fuels her passion for service to underrepresented populations.
Rebecca is an alumna of San Diego State University, where she earned her bachelor of arts degree in public administration with a minor in Africana studies. She holds a master of public health degree with emphasis in health education from Loma Linda University. Rebecca is also a certified health education specialist and a Covered California certified enrollment counselor (CEC). She holds a certificate of nonprofit management and belongs to several professional organizations including American Public Health Association (APHA) and Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE), formerly Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN). Rebecca also sits on the board of the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network (YNPN San Diego).
Having worked for both government and private sectors, Rebecca brings a unique perspective to her role as the Nile Sisters Development Initiative senior program manager. Her responsibilities include the following:
- procuring cross-sector grants and other investments to execute Nile Sisters programming
- planning and administering Nile Sisters programs
