Forefront Living is pleased to introduce our newest leadership teammate, Katia Xiong, Associate Executive Director at Presbyterian Village North (PVN). She began her new role in May and looks forward to serving and getting to know PVN residents and teammates. Katia’s professional goals include modeling an attitude of service and leadership while sharing her talents to strengthen a great community. We sat down with Katia to get to know her better through a fun question and answer session. We hope you enjoy learning more about our newest dynamic teammate.
What are you passionate about regarding your professional role?
I am passionate about making an impactful difference in the lives of our residents. For me, it’s all about creating a wonderful environment for others!
What makes you feel proud?
I am proud of my upbringing. Not many know about my people: the Hmongs. We are a small ethnic group, originating from China and settling in Vietnam, Laos and Thailand. Hmong culture places a high value on respecting elders and learning from the wisdom they possess. Children are taught to appreciate the older generation. This cultural regard has led me to serve within the senior living industry. I truly enjoy listening to the many rich stories our residents often share with me. I am also proud of my hard-working, immigrant parents and of my French background. I am the first generation of my family to be born in France.
On the weekend, you can find me:
On the weekend, I enjoy spending quality time with my family doing absolutely nothing and everything in the DFW area. We love exploring new places! I also strive to expose my children to museums and a variety of cultural experiences.
What are some of your favorite foods and restaurants?
My husband and I celebrate anniversaries and birthdays at Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen. Some of my favorite foods include a traditional American burger with fries, a good steak or a plate of carbonara. I also love Thai cuisine!
Tell us about your hobbies:
I enjoy photography, kickboxing and exploring new cities. Now that my children are a little older, we plan to travel more! Next summer, our family’s first international trip will be to France where we look forward to visiting extended family and exploring the beautiful south of France region. And my plan is to eat all of the pain de chocolat (chocolate croissants) that I can!
Tell us a little more about your family:
My husband, Thor, and I have been married for 16 years but have been together for 21 years. We have opposite personalities, but genuinely love each other. We have two children, who are the apples of our eyes. Our son, Fynnick, is seven years old, and our daughter, Claire, just turned one. They keep us very busy. A fun fact about us is that we love to celebrate Halloween!
How would your friends describe you?
My friends would describe me as motherly, overly protective and they would share that I cry about everything – I lead with my heart! My love language is food, so there’s always a warm meal ready to be shared at our table. At any function, I’m usually the first to arrive and the last one to leave. My friends will also tell you that I never forget birthdays.
