Meet Kia Moua, Training Supervisor for the Minnesota Child Welfare Training Academy.

kia moua staff photo

Kia has over 20 years of training experience in law enforcement, youth development, human service programs, and K-12. She has worked in the human services field from court ordered visitation, truancy, case management, domestic violence, and homelessness. Kia’s experience working with systems on centering equity through leadership, policies, processes, decision-making and cultural practices has been the common thread that weaves and connects her professional career. Kia has been involved in creating Decentering Whiteness, which is rooted in the MNCWTA, and she is on the DHS Antiracism Strategic Leadership Initiative Team. Kia founded and Chairs the People of Color ERG and serves as a council member on the Cultural and Ethnic Community Leadership Council (CECLC) as a representative for DHS.

  1. Tell us about your education and/or work experience prior to joining the MNCWTA. I have my Master of Human Development through St. Mary’s University, and have over 20 years of experience training various professionals fields such as Law Enforcement, K-12 education, youth development, non-profits, and government. Most of my community work has been centered around diversity, inclusion, equity and decentering whiteness.
  2. How long have you been working in your field? I have been a professional trainer for over 20 years.
  3. What do you enjoy most about your work? I am humbled to be working with the MNCWTA to provide support to child welfare workers and impact the field of social work.
  4. What are you most passionate about professionally? I am most passionate about being able to impact practice and closing the disparities and disproportionalities within the state of Minnesota for our Black, Native American/Indigenous and marginalized communities.
  5. What are you most passionate about personally? I want to be an example of what my ancestors could only have dreamt of and lead in a way that will inspire my descendants for goals that go beyond what I could even imagine.
  6. What are you surprisingly good at? I have so many things I wish I was good at such as doing Math in my head. I am constantly impressing myself at how I can cook a decent meal for my family. I try to diversify the types of food while trying to expand my kids’ palettes.
  7. What do you like to do outside of work? I enjoy spending time with family and friends doing something outdoors. I enjoy working in my garden and reading a good book. Being in nature is where I feel centered.
  8. What else should we know about you? I am excited and honored to be working for the Minnesota Child Welfare Training Academy.