Kimmy Duong, born on January 12, 1945, in Nha Trang, Vietnam, rose from a childhood of poverty to become one of the most remarkable immigrant philanthropists in modern history. Her life is a story of resilience, courage, and purpose — a journey that transformed not only her own path but also the lives of countless others through her philanthropy.
In 2015, she established the Kimmy Duong Foundation (KDF) to provide scholarships to students, promote health, and create opportunities for those in need to build better future. Throughout her life, Mrs. Duong has generously supported charitable causes such as:
• The Vietnamese Association for the Handicapped
• Scholarships for high school students in Nha Trang
• Housing for the poor in Hue, My Tho, Nha Trang, and Phan Thiet
• Cataract surgery and medical care for the poor in Can Tho, Hue, and Nha Trang
In the United States, she has supported organizations such as the Code of Support Foundation, as well as scholarship funds for veterans and students at the University of Maryland, Montgomery College, Northern Virginia Community College, and George Mason University.
Professionally, Mrs. Duong built an impressive career in business and technology. After a 25-year tenure at IBM, she joined Pragmatics, Inc. in 1987, where she served as Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer (CFO). As CFO, she oversaw all corporate support functions, including accounting, finance, budgeting, treasury, human resources, risk management, contracts, purchasing, compliance, and corporate taxes.
Her outstanding leadership and philanthropy have earned her numerous honors, including the Mason Medal from George Mason University and the Glen Martin Medal from the University of Maryland. In 2009, she and her husband, Dr. Long Nguyen, donated $5 million to support George Mason University’s engineering building. Between 2018 and 2025, the Kimmy Duong Foundation donated an additional $25 million to the University of Maryland, Montgomery College, Northern Virginia Community College, and George Mason University. In recognition of their generosity, GMU named its School of Computing after the couple.
