Noticing the Open Door: Meet Xiaotang Huang, PAU’s Director of Development
When Xiaotang Huang interviewed for her role at Palo Alto University, the team did something simple. They worked around her schedule.
She remembers it. And once she arrived, the kindness continued. Colleagues took time to explain how things worked and what the university had been through. One of them noticed that she likes to keep her office door open and installed a doorstop for her even though she didn’t request it. “Sometimes Human Understanding really does begin with noticing an open door,” said Xiaotang.
It’s a small story, but it says a lot about how Xiaotang approaches her work. As PAU’s Director of Development, she is responsible for fundraising and partnerships, and she starts with paying attention to people.
A Career Built on Partnerships
Xiaotang has spent about 15 years bringing people and organizations together across higher education, nonprofits, and business. Before PAU, she managed industry partnerships at the Stanford Center for Digital Health, connecting companies with faculty research. Earlier, she worked in employer relations at Stanford and Princeton, linking students, alumni, and employers. Her career began in New York’s nonprofit sector, where she worked on fundraising, corporate sponsorships, and community programs.
The settings changed, but the lesson held. “Good partnerships start with listening,” she says. “You need to understand what people care about before deciding what you can build together,” said Xiaotang.
Stage Builders
Xiaotang is clear that fundraising matters and that results count. But she doesn’t see development as a series of transactions. She sees it as connecting people who want to make a difference with the people and ideas that can make it happen.
“I think of development professionals as stage builders,” said Xiaotang.
“We may not be in the spotlight,” she says, “but we help bring students, faculty, alumni, donors, and partners together.” In that light, a gift becomes something more: an invitation to take part in PAU’s growth.
Where the Opportunities Are
She sees two places to start. Inside the university, she wants to make it clearer and easier for faculty, staff, alumni, and others to support PAU. That could mean giving time or sharing personal connections as a volunteer, or making a financial gift.
Outside the university, she wants to tell the PAU story better. Well-trained graduates, the community-focused people they serve, and the university’s applied research all show what PAU does. Sharing those outcomes and impact, she says, can build public awareness and bring more people in.
An Invitation
After three months, Xiaotang says she can already see how much people care about PAU. She takes seriously the job of learning its history, earning trust, and understanding what the university has meant to the people who love it.
“I want to hear your stories and learn what inspires you.”
There are plenty of ways to take part, she says: telling PAU’s story, opening a door, building a partnership, or making a gift. She promises to bring curiosity, care, diligence, and transparency to every relationship. “My job is to listen and help people find the connection that feels right for them.”
Away from work, Xiaotang’s time goes mostly to her five-year-old son, which she calls “both joyful and exhausting.” She and her husband like to hike, read, build with LEGO, and explore the Bay Area. About a year and a half ago, she started meditating. It takes only a few minutes a day, but it helps her stay present at work and in her relationships.
If you see her on campus, stop by and say hello. The door is probably open.
Contact
Xiaotang Huang, Director of Development, at xhuang2@paloaltou.edu or 669-232-3878
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