Steph Yu - Executive Director and President of The Public Assets Institute

www.publicassets.org
Steph came to Vermont and Public Assets Institute in 2015 and became the Executive Director in 2023. She is glad to be back to her New England roots after stints in the Midwest, the Ohio Valley, and on the West Coast. At Public Assets, she works on making Vermont’s unique education funding system, the state budget and family economic policies more equitable and responsive to the needs of Vermonters. Her fiscal experience in the public and private sectors in multiple states informs that work, including staff time in AmeriCorps programs, state budget offices and state legislatures.
She currently resides in Burlington with her spouse and two kids.
This month’s member spotlight is a feature on Steph Yu (she/her)! Steph has been a resident of Vermont for 9 years and works in the nonprofit sector. She is the Executive Director of Public Assets Institute, where she focuses on advancing economic security for all Vermonters. We are also excited to welcome Steph as one of the newest board members of the Vermont Professionals of Color Network!
Tell us a bit about your background before arriving in VT and what brought you to the state!
I grew up in Massachusetts but have lived all over. Before Vermont, we’d been in West Virginia and Michigan before that. I didn’t know that much about Vermont before moving here, but I missed New England seasons. When both my husband and I got job offers here, we decided to make the move.
How did you get into your career?
When I graduated from college, I knew I wanted to get into policy work that helped kids, but I wasn’t sure how to go about it. I spent some time working for a law firm with the expectation of going to law school, but realized that wasn’t the focus I wanted to have. It took me some years working in state policy before I found a good fit with a job that allows me to be an advocate for historically marginalized communities with a focus on good data analysis and clear communication.
Why are you a member of the Vermont Professionals of Color Network?
Vermont’s demographics are no secret, and it can be hard to find connection with people of color in the state. I love what the group is trying to do to create community, and I think Weiwei and Tino and the rest of the team are amazing!
What aspects of life in VT do you find most fulfilling? What about your professional life here stands out to you?
I love the seasons and the outdoor spaces - hiking, the mountains, and the lakes. And I like that it’s still very livable - no crazy traffic or crowds. I think what’s most noticeable professionally is how small it is. In the nonprofit and policy worlds you’re constantly interacting with the same people - which can be good and bad. And whoever you meet knows other people you know. But that can also be isolating for people new to the state.
Looking back, what advice would you have appreciated receiving about being a professional of color in VT before you arrived?
I wish VT PoC had existed then! I think the main thing is just to know that there is a growing community across the state.
What are some challenges that you’ve faced on a professional level since living in VT?
It can be very isolating, and it can often feel like state leaders or people in positions of power are disconnected from the reality of the experiences of BIPOC Vermonters.
Can you share any strategies or resources that have helped you overcome these challenges?
I think building community is the only answer - connecting with and reaching out to others having similar experiences. And getting different perspectives matters too - is what I’m experiencing unusual, systemic, generational? I think that can help provide context for some of those challenges.
Tell us about the work you’re currently doing and what drives you in your profession!
I’m the Executive Director of Public Assets Institute, and we work to ensure that all Vermonters have what they need to thrive. Our focus is on economic security for everyone in the state at every stage of life and under every circumstance. I believe that good, inclusive public policy can transform the state and it is the best tool we have to create the state we want. But without public engagement and accountability, it will continue to reinforce existing power structures.
In your opinion, how can VT better support its BIPOC residents, both professionally and personally?
I think there’s a lot the state can do, but one of the challenges is that leadership in all of our state institutions - state and local government, schools, higher education - is pretty homogenous. I think that limits the understanding of and commitment to BIPOC residents. So making it easier to run for the Legislature by providing healthcare and a reasonable salary would go a long way toward expanding the voices involved in policymaking in the state.