about Phu Nguyen

Phu Nguyen’s family, like so many Vietnamese families, came from humble beginnings.  His family left Vietnam on a small boat in the early 1980s, and after nearly a month at sea, they were rescued and taken to a United Nations Refugee Camp. They were then sponsored to come to the United States and began building their American dream.

In 1996, Phu graduated from Mater Dei High School.  He then earned his BA in Political Science at California State University Fullerton and his Masters in International Peace and Justice from the University of San Diego’s Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies.

In the community, Phu has served on the Measure M Citizen’s Bond Oversight Committee for the Coast Community College District, overseeing our local colleges' $700 million improvement.  Phu has also previously served as the president of the Vietnamese Community of Southern California and the Union of Vietnamese Student Associations of Southern California.

Phu Nguyen is also an entrepreneur and Fountain Valley business owner.  Phu’s family business has serviced the Vietnamese community in remittances and package shipping for 30 years.  He also owns a poke restaurant in Fountain Valley.  

Phu and his wife, Yen-Khanh, have 3 kids; Christopher, Michael, and Vianna.

ENDORSEMENTS

• Coast Federation of Educators
• Coast Federation of Classified Professionals
• Jerry Patterson, Governing Board Member, Coast Community College District, Area 2, Former U.S. Congressman, Former Mayor City of Santa Ana
• Jim Moreno, Governing Board Member, Coast Community College District, Area 1
• Lou Correa, CA 46th Congressional District
• Fiona Ma, California State Treasurer
• Katrina Foley, Orange County Board of Supervisors
• Carlos Manzo, Westminster City Council
• Glenn Grandis, Mayor, City of Fountain Valley
• Steve Schultz, President of the Board, Fountain Valley School District
• Kim Nguyen-Penaloza, Garden Grove City Council
• Thai Viet Phan, Santa Ana City Council
• Linda Moulton Patterson, Former Mayor, City of Huntington Beach
• Diedre Thu-Ha, Former Councilmember, City of Garden Grove
• Dan Jacobson, Member, California Board of Accountancy

RESUME

Public Service

• Trustee, Fountain Valley School District - 2022-present

Professional Experience:

• Saigon Central Post, Inc. 

             -  Chief Compliance Officer - 2014 - present

             -  Vice President (14 years) 2000 - 2014

• My Vietnam, Inc. – owner, 2002 - present
• Project Poke - owner, 2017-present
• Saigon Central Plaza Development - owner, 2018-present

Education:

• University of San Diego

              - Masters, Peace and Justice Studies, Class of 2005

• California State University, Fullerton, Class of 2000

              -  Bachelor’s of Arts, Political Science

              -  Minor, Asian Studies

• Mater Dei High School, Class of 1996

Community Service:

• Board Member - Parent Teacher Organization (Urbain Plavan Elementary) 2015-2022
• Boy's and Girl's Club Basketball Coach, 2015-2020
• Vice-Chair - Democratic Foundation of Orange County 2011-2016
• Member, Board of Director – Orange County Asian Pacific Islander Community Alliance, 2006 - 2009
• Vice-chair - Vietnamese-American Public Affairs Committee (SoCal Chapter), 2006 - 2008
• President - Vietnamese American Community of Southern California 2005-2006
• President - Union of Vietnamese Student Association of Southern California 2000-2003
• Chairman - Vietnamese New Year’s Tet Festival, 2001-2003

Youth Leadership:

• Socal-UVSA (Southern California Union of Vietnamese Student Association) President 2000-2003

              -  CSUF-VSA President 1997-2000

• Vietnamese American Youth Commission 1996-1998
• Scout Leader – Vietnamese Eucharistic Youth Society