We met with New Breath Foundation’s Sr. Director of Operations & Communications, Stephanie Gee, to reflect on her past 5 years with the organization. Stephanie shared what led her to this work, her pivot from Tech to Philanthropy, and some lessons she’s learned from her time at NBF. Stephanie is based in San Francisco, CA.
What is your role at NBF?
I lead Operations and Communications at New Breath Foundation. We’re a small but mighty team, and I wear many hats. In addition to my core responsibilities, I oversee Finance and HR at the foundation. I also do strategic planning with other executives at New Breath.
What led you to this work at NBF?
Before I joined NBF, I worked in online advertising sales and operations at Google for 10 years. When I was still at Google, my mother passed away from breast cancer in 2009, and I felt drawn to finding a career where I could help others. I felt a connection to supporting immigrants and refugees, but I wasn’t sure yet about what that would look like for me as a career. So after I left Google, I got involved in sanctuary work in San Francisco. This involved advocating for immigrants facing deportation and helping them seek sanctuary in SF. I also traveled to Central America and Southeast Asia during this time and learned more about how the U.S. government’s involvement in these countries drove the people living there to seek safety and/or a better opportunity in the U.S.
I also learned about Southeast Asians being deported to Cambodia. It felt wrong on a number of levels. The refugees who resettled in the U.S. because of a proxy war in their region ended up in environments that didn’t address their trauma or set them up for success. There was a clear lack of necessary tools and resources.
I met Eddy, the president and founder of NBF, while advocating for Southeast Asians facing deportation. He expressed interest in joining me on one of my future trips to meet deportees. During that time, I learned about the foundation and its mission, which included supporting those being deported. I walked away from that conversation, thinking, “How can I convince Eddy to get me a job?” A few months later, he shared that he was looking for additional help with the foundation, so I put my name in the hat.
Was there a key moment when you became interested in sanctuary work?
I began visiting my dad’s village during summers, which helped me connect more deeply with my roots. Reflecting on my parents’ migration stories – my dad arrived in the U.S. as a Paper Son and his father was detained on Angel Island – and the lives they built here made me realize how lucky we were. They provided a stable environment for my siblings and me, allowing us to build towards the American dream. But I also recognized that not all immigrants share this experience. I was just born into it. That’s when I started feeling a strong desire to help our communities.
What did the transition from Tech to Philanthropy look like for you?
The two worlds are quite different. For instance, there’s a lot of language in the philanthropy and movement-building space that was new to me when I started at NBF. I’ve had to learn to “translate” the work we and other nonprofits do for a general audience, including those in tech, finance, and other industries. The way of operating is also different; I moved into a community where everyone is genuinely supportive, emphasizing self-care and balance while still working hard.
While different, I’ve still been able to integrate elements from my previous life to NBF as we establish our policies and build our culture. My background in online advertising and digital marketing applies in various aspects of fundraising. Essentially, we are marketing our brand and organization, focusing on connecting with our audiences, and strategizing how to convey our message effectively.
There are challenges in educating the general public on the needs of AANHPI communities, especially of those who have been or are at risk of being incarcerated or deported. People in the criminal justice system often face labels and are rarely given a second chance. However, there is so much contextual nuance and history that’s important to understand, such as the history of AAPI violence (murder of Vincent Chin in 1982, the 1871 LA Chinatown Massacre), the model minority myth, and the concept of Asian Americans as perpetual foreigners. These events and ideologies continue to shape our lived experiences today. Our community is not a monolith, and we are all impacted by the systems in place.
My goal is to raise awareness and move the needle on these issues.
What is the most exciting thing about working at NBF?
It’s been an adventure at New Breath, and I can’t name just one. Working with a visionary leader is both exciting and challenging. Exciting because he’s demonstrated that we can’t limit ourselves to small goals. It’s challenging because he has so many big ideas that I sometimes need to help him rein in some! I love my team – everyone is incredible. Working with a group of people who genuinely care about each other is special. At the end of the day, we share the same values and believe in the mission.
We learn and improve together. For example, we have a monthly collective learning session focusing on a topic to research and discuss. We’ve explored restorative justice, abolition, and disability justice. You can find a list of these resources on our website, including podcasts and articles.
Congratulations on five years at NBF! What are some highlights and lessons from your past 5 years working at NBF?
One major accomplishment is that we’ve been able to distribute over $6.1 million in grants to various organizations in a relatively short period of time. Our grants have grown significantly from $10,000 in our first year to now six-figure amounts, which is a remarkable achievement.
Beyond grants, I’m proud to say we offer capacity-building support such as executive leadership coaching and annual grantee convenings where organizations can learn from each other and build together.
Our work with some of our grantee partners who are deported community members in Southeast Asia has also been significant. We’ve established the Kites to Southeast Asia coalition which includes providing a space for folks to process trauma and build community. A few individuals have also been able to return to the US, which is huge news we love to celebrate.
Through my work at NBF, I’ve learned the importance of supporting the people behind the scenes who do the essential work of managing grants and getting funding to our grantees. It wouldn’t be possible without them!
And finally, what I’ve learned from Eddy is to dream big, put your intentions out there, and things will happen. It’s been incredible to work for someone who was formerly incarcerated and then started his own foundation. Applying his lived experience to our work and ensuring we include input, feedback, and advice from other community members impacted by these systems has also been inspiring and impactful.
What are you looking forward to at NBF in the upcoming months?
I’m looking forward to seeing the entire team again at our upcoming retreat in Philadelphia this fall, I’m looking forward to announcing our next round of grantee partners in October, and I’m very excited to visit our community partners again in Cambodia in Q1 next year.
Is there anything else you want to share with us?
One crucial lesson I’ve learned is the importance of considering lived experience in decision-making processes. It’s vital to include folks who have been directly impacted at the table, regardless of the issue at hand. At New Breath, we prioritize incorporating these voices and ensuring they are heard. Our Community Advisory Committee, comprised of folks with lived experience, meets monthly with our Programs team to provide advisory input on our grantmaking processes and nominate grantees. We also have board members with lived experiences, and we are actively seeking to expand this representation across our organization.
I also encourage us to delve deeper into our histories to understand why systems are structured the way they are. It’s easy and quick to form opinions based on media headlines, but it’s important to understand the broader context of people’s stories. Keeping this in mind allows me to understand and empathize more deeply, informing both my sanctuary work and my roles at NBF.
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A daughter of Chinese immigrants, Stephanie Gee is a San Francisco native who appreciates the challenges her parents and grandparents overcame to establish a life in the United States. She spent 10 years at Google working in online advertising sales and operations. In 2016, she left the company and pivoted her career towards social impact work. She has led an effort at Calvary Presbyterian Church to declare itself a sanctuary congregation, planned community events focused on educating the community about the plight of refugees and immigrants, and organized teams to support immigrants through accompaniment. She also currently leads the International Support & Sanctuary team at Calvary.