“Hope is often misunderstood. People tend to think that it is simply passive wishful thinking: I hope something will happen, but I am not going to do anything about it. This is indeed the opposite of real hope, which requires action and engagement.”

-Jane Goodall

Dr. Wa Yang is a practicing board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP). He obtained his Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) at the University of Minnesota and his Master of Science in Nursing degree at Metropolitan State University. He has been a practicing nurse since 2014.

Throughout his nursing career, he has worked in various areas of nursing, from home care nursing to inpatient cardiovascular and community mental health. He pursued his nurse practitioner degree after working with an Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) team serving and aiding those with severe and persistent mental illness (SPMI). The lack of psychiatric providers and providers of color with diverse backgrounds further his passion for pursuing this specialty. Though there are many challenges within the mental health arena, there are also positives that bring great joy to him.

Aside from working as a nurse/nurse practitioner, his hobbies and interest include filmmaking, theater, and the performance arts. Previous to becoming a nurse, he was active in the local Twin Cities film and theater community, in which he both acted and produced through various creative outlets.