Kim Vu
Kim Vu, SVP Local Market Executive for Bank of America has been named to the EMpower 50 Ethnic Minority Future Leaders list. The list is a global recognition of inspirational people of colour making a significant contribution to ethnic minority people at work, while still rising in seniority within their own careers. When Kim joined Bank of America in 2014, she led the company’s local team in expanding employee resource groups (ERG) from five to nine networks that help create more inclusivity in the workplace.
These teams continue to receive recognition within the organisation, including global awards for volunteerism and diversity and inclusion (D&I), and for their commitment to supporting colleagues to be their whole selves at work. She works closely with local ERG leaders to host conversations with employees, business leaders and the local community on the challenging issues of closing the gender pay gap, the disparity of women on corporate boards, racial equity, intersectionality, LGBT+ allyship, and transgender inclusion. Kim serves on the Bank’s Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) Council for the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) division and recently joined the CAO Power of 10 Operating Committee, focusing on connecting women leaders across different functions.
Outside of the workplace, Kim is the national board chair and co-founding team member of The Respect Institute. The Respect Institute’s impact has been acknowledged by the Clinton Global Initiative, Ashoka Changemakers, and the Packard Foundation for reaching over 80,000 youth and youth influencers in schools and the juvenile justice system for their Respect 360 program. The program focuses on ending the school-to-prison pipeline, which disproportionately impacts BAME youth in the United States. Kim also serves on the national Juma Ventures board as well as the local Seattle advisory board.
She recently joined a group dedicated to creating a Women of Colour Storytelling Series to address the need for safe and powerful spaces for women of colour to share their collective stories and experiences, and began co-leading a workshop on salary negotiation for Asian American professional women.