Jane Luong: Making Kindness Contagious

Jane Luong has built her career around service. She has moved from teaching special education and managing wineries, to corporate HR and now philanthropic consulting. In every role, she has focused on teaching, mentoring, and creating opportunities for others—always bringing kindness into the work.

After leaving a toxic corporate environment, Jane began volunteering full time at food banks and shelters. She encountered survivors of human trafficking and realized how wide the spectrum of trafficking truly is. That realization shaped her work. She now supports survivors with recovery skills, including financial literacy, resume building, and mentorship. Her roles extend further, including advising for Project B.U.I.L.D. SWFL, a foster youth workforce development program in Florida, Humansave, a program supporting survivors of human trafficking with therapy and supporting ConnectImpact Hub in their work with the unhoused.

“It’s been my journey to make kindness contagious since I left corporate,” she explained. She sees and shares kindness in the small, daily choices—whether helping a 92-year-old veteran process an online order, rallying friends to donate clothing, or simply greeting a stranger. These gestures, multiplied, become contagious. Her belief is that one person modeling kindness can influence many others, creating a ripple that extends far beyond the original act.

Even the smallest interactions can matter. Jane recalls walking into a Subway after a long trip, exhausted and hungry. A stranger looked up and simply asked how she was doing. That short moment of kindness lifted her day and reminded her how deeply a simple act can resonate.

Her work also shows up in hiring and mentoring. More than a decade ago, Jane noticed a server at her son’s favorite pizzeria working hard, providing great service, and taking on management-level responsibilities. She offered her a chance, hiring her at a winery and mentoring her into leadership. Eventually, she promoted her into the role Jane herself held. That former employee still shares the story today, a testament to how one decision can alter a career and a life.

Jane also reflects on lessons learned from misalignment, including one business partner who turned out to be the wrong match, something her dog sensed immediately. In a moment Jane still laughs about, her dog left his verdict on the partner’s suitcase. Sometimes, our four-legged companions see the truth more clearly than we do. She also carries with her a lesson someone once shared: “Do not measure your impact by the lack of gratitude you receive.” It kept her going through difficult experiences and ensured they did not steal her passion.

She extends her definition of investing in kindness to consumer choices. She supports local businesses, prioritizes ethical sourcing, and explains that these small decisions strengthen communities. “It really is not advanced thinking,” she said. “It is not that hard. But it matters.”

“Kindness costs zero, and it has such a huge impact.”

Jane Luong is a philanthropic consultant, mentor, and advocate who has made it her mission to make kindness contagious. Keep an eye out for more interviews.