Thanh Tan (she/her)

Thanh Tan is an Emmy Award-winning filmmaker and multimedia storyteller based in Seattle. Her documentary work explores themes of refugee experiences, cultural preservation and social impact. In 2023, she directed REFUGE AFTER WAR, a 5-part series for KCTS/Crosscut that screened at major festivals including the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, Viet Film Fest, and SIFF. Her next project focuses on the untold stories of America’s forgotten allies in the Vietnam War. Earlier works include AN EXTRAORDINARY OFFER (2015), a short film for The Seattle Times chronicling Washington state’s welcome of the first Vietnamese refugees in 1975, and FERTILE GROUND (2011), a 5-part documentary series for The Texas Tribune examining healthcare policy impacts. She also created and hosted SECOND WAVE, a groundbreaking PRX/KUOW podcast exploring Vietnamese refugee experiences after the war. As a visual storyteller for Microsoft Public Affairs (2016-2020), Tan produced over 50 original video stories across six continents, documenting technology’s global societal impact. She currently balances roles as a senior multimedia producer at Starbucks and independent filmmaker. Through SEA Vinyl Society, she preserves and shares South Vietnamese cultural artifacts, including wartime vinyl records and vintage photographs, bringing history to life through community exhibitions.