“Education is the great engine of personal development. It is through education that the daughter of a peasant can become a doctor, that the son of a mine worker can become the head of the mine, that a child of farmworkers can become the president of a great nation. It is what we make out of what we have, not what we are given, that separates one person from another.”

– Nelson Mandela

Mang Vang is a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) at UC Davis Health in Sacramento, CA. UC Davis Health is the Level 1 trauma facility in the Sacramento region. Mang has been a registered nurse for 20 years and 14 of those years as a CRNA. Prior to joining the UC Davis team, she worked at another Level 1 trauma facility in Florida. She works with anesthesiologists in an anesthesia care team to provide anesthesia services during surgical and nonsurgical procedures.

Besides working at a very busy hospital, she dedicates her time to Hmong Nurses Association. She is currently the Vice President of the Sacramento Hmong Nurses Association chapter. As the VP of Sacramento HNA, she participated in many activities in the community. She volunteered to administer the covid vaccine. Along with HNA, Mang participated in the HYPU night market during the 2022 summer, educating the community about heat stroke. HNA provided free water, coconut water, and sport drinks during the events for hydration. She was involved in the planning of the Breaking Down Barriers to nursing conference at the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing hosted by the Capitol City Black Nurses Association, guiding a culturally diverse group of students.

Socioeconomic and emotional obstacles impact all cultures. Success requires commitment, dedication, and support. Mang is the the second child out of ten children. Her journey has been met with many personal obstacles and failures. However, throughout her experience from the central valley to San Francisco to the east coast of Washington, DC and Tampa, she found her strength in the love and support of her family and friends. Embrace the failures as motivations and lean on the foundation that cement the inner strength to succeed.