’40 Under 40′ – May Gnia Her – United Way of Fresno County

May Gnia Her was born in the Ban Vinai refugee camp in Thailand and immigrated with her family to Fresno, California in the early 1980s. The sixth of nine children, Her lived with her family and grew up in West Fresno.

Calling Fresno her home, Her is a graduate of Edison High School and received a bachelor of science in business management from the University of Phoenix, Fresno, California. Her is a community advocate for education, family, cultural preservation, social services, and small businesses. She has over 11 years in real estate, business management and development and nonprofit leadership and organization. In the past 11 years, her work includes co-owning a real estate and lending company. Her is a co-founder of the Asian Business Institute and Resource Center, which serves Asian businesses in business economic development, contracts and sustainability.

Today, Her is the vice president of community impact for United Way of Fresno County, in which she oversees the collective impact mobilization relationship of local community partners, grant-making and grant allocation for the United Way of Fresno County. She has secured national, state, and local funding to support partners in Fresno County. The work she does every day has a direct impact on many lives in Fresno County. The best part of her job is mobilizing the caring power of communities to impact change for all residents of Fresno County.

Most would say that she is always on the go, but in her spare time Her enjoys reading and spending time with her family. Her is married to her husband, Lee Herr,  and they have three beautiful children.

Favorite Movie:  “The Pursuit of Happyness”

Favorite Music Artist/Band:  Queen

Last Book Read:  “Switch:  How to Change Things When Change is Hard” by Chip Heath and Dan Heath

Business Street Online’s “40 Under 40” Ultimate Networking Event honors and is attended by some of the top business professionals in the private and public sectors in central California who are under the age of 40.  The “40 Under 40” Ultimate Networking Event will be held on November 7, 2013 at the Holiday Inn Fresno Downtown.  For more information, please visit www.40u40.com.