Experts & Staff

Vivian Fong is WRI’s Human Resources Director. She assumed this position in November 1999 when the human resources department was first created. Human Resources entails working with the Institute’s biggest asset – our staff. Vivian leads the effort to ensure that WRI’s staff have career advancement opportunities and feel engaged and challenged in the Institute’s work. Along with staff development and training, she oversees the effort to ensure competitive salary and benefits packages and to provide a work environment with good morale among employees. She also develops policies to help WRI with its rapid international growth.

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Prior to WRI, Vivian worked in non-profit, corporate, and university settings. She worked for six and a half years at the national office of Very Special Arts (an affiliate of the Kennedy Center) as the Director of Human Resources. She also worked as a Human Resources Officer over a seven year period at commercial banks in Maryland and Vermont. Before entering the human resources field, she held educational administration positions at Beloit College in Wisconsin as a Director of Student Activities, and Saint Michael’s College in Vermont as a Career Development Counselor.

Vivian holds a Master of Education degree in Student Personnel Services in Higher Education from The University of Vermont and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology from The University of California Santa Barbara.

Vivian lives in Takoma Park, Maryland with her partner Wendy Bell. She enjoys traveling, theatre, cooking, and outdoor activities.