Who we are
co-founders
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J.D. – Co-founder & Director of Field Operations ("Boots on the ground for the PHILIPPINES", as of 1/11/2026, he is on a humanitarian mission for the Urgent Relief for Cebu – Help Families Rebuild After Earthquake & Typhoon)
As Director of Field Operations, J.D. is known as the team’s “boots on the ground.” As of January 11, 2026, he is locally on-site for the Urgent Relief for Cebu – Help Families Rebuild After Earthquake & Typhoon mission, working directly with affected families to ensure aid reaches those who need it most—quickly, ethically, and without waste.
You can donate through gofundme, and can use JD as your vessel to give to those who are in dire need of your help.
Or you can send etransfer to support@beaconforhumanity.org
J.D. co-founded Northern Beacon Humanitarian Foundation alongside Tony and Tri with a simple but powerful belief: gratitude should be put into action. When communities have the will to rebuild but lack the means—after disaster, poverty, or conflict, J.D. helps make the impossible possible.
J.D.’s path is shaped by both creativity and service. A VFX artist by trade, a U.S. Marine by service, and a certified Krav Maga instructor, he brings discipline, adaptability, and imagination into every mission. Over the years, he has taught self-defense and art to impressionable youth across the United States, Canada, the Philippines, and Thailand, using empowerment as a tool for long-term change.
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With the rest of the Northern Beacon team, J.D. is deeply involved in oversight and execution—ensuring that every donation translates into real-world impact, not bureaucracy. His approach is hands-on, transparent, and grounded in respect for the communities served.
Despite working in high-pressure environments, J.D. remains down-to-earth and quick with a laugh, even in the toughest moments. He balances intensity with play—whether freediving into silent depths, rolling dice in D&D campaigns, or working alongside horses—bringing the same presence, focus, and heart to life as he does to humanitarian work.
For J.D., service isn’t a role, it’s a way of showing up where it matters most.
TRI – Co-founder & Director of Field Operations ("Boots on the ground for VIETNAM", scheduled for Feb 2026, he is on a mission for the Urgent Relief for the Flood
Tri’s story is one of resilience, compassion, and purpose — a journey that began with hardship and grew into a lifelong mission to uplift others.
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Born in Vietnam, Tri and his family fled their homeland during the fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975, when he was just nine years old. Their escape was a dramatic passage of planes, helicopters, ships, and buses, marking the beginning of a new life as refugees in the United States. Sponsored by a Lutheran church, they resettled in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where Tri’s parents worked multiple jobs to support their family of nine.
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The early years were difficult — adapting to a new culture while struggling to make ends meet — but those challenges would become the foundation of Tri’s empathy and determination. When communication with relatives in Vietnam was finally restored in the late 1970s, the family learned of the immense hardships their loved ones continued to endure. Though resources were scarce, Tri’s parents began sending money home whenever possible, planting the seeds of generosity that would later define Tri’s own path.
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After graduating from college in 1989, Tri joined the workforce and began contributing to his parents’ efforts, sending regular financial aid to relatives in Vietnam. His first return to Vietnam came in 2006 — 31 years after leaving his homeland. The reunion was emotional and eye-opening: Tri saw firsthand the poverty and struggle that still plagued many families. That visit reignited his commitment to help others, not only through family support but also by reaching out to strangers in need.
Tri returned to Vietnam again in 2009, 2011, and later in 2023, each time extending his reach further — helping relatives, street children, and struggling families. During one visit, he contributed to a local charity and even supported a family of three orphaned siblings in 2025, reflecting his growing desire to make a broader, lasting impact.
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Driven by compassion and faith in collective action, Tri joined with like-minded individuals to establish the Northern Beacon Humanitarian Foundation. As a founding member, he channels his personal journey into the Foundation’s core mission: to bring relief, compassion, and mentorship to those who need it most through initiatives like Hands on Hearts, Soup & Blankets, and Mentoring the Young Minds of Tomorrow.
For Tri, giving back is not an obligation — it’s a calling born from lived experience. His journey from refugee to humanitarian reminds us that even in the darkest moments, a single act of kindness can become a beacon of hope that lights the way for others.
tony – Co-founder & Director of Field Operations ("Boots on the ground for the DOMINICAN REPUBLIC", scheduled for Mar 2026, he is on a mission for the Urgent Relief for the Flood
Tony’s life story is one of survival, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to giving back.
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Born during the aftermath of the Vietnam War, Tony was among the Vietnamese “boat people”—refugees forced to flee their homeland in search of freedom and safety. After the war, his father was imprisoned in a concentration camp. He later escaped with young Tony, embarking on a perilous journey across pirate-infested waters. For three harrowing nights they drifted at sea. On the fourth day, by what Tony still calls the Grace of God, they encountered an oil rig off the coast of Malaysia. The workers offered them boxes of fruit. Tony vividly remembers tasting a pear for the first time—a moment of hope that tasted like heaven.
Canada opened its doors to them, offering refuge and a chance to rebuild. Four years later, Tony’s mother and sisters were sponsored and reunited with the family. Grateful for this second chance at life, Tony dedicated his childhood to his studies, achieving scholarship excellence and emerging as a leading candidate for the Governor General’s Award. But tragedy struck again when his mother was diagnosed with leukemia and passed away just three months later. Tony longed to repay his parents for their sacrifices—now with only his father by his side.
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Determined to move forward, Tony immersed himself in IT certifications. During the dot-com era, an opportunity through NAFTA took him to the United States, where he worked at Cisco Systems headquarters in San Jose, California. There, he learned from some of the brightest minds across Fortune 500 companies and went on to serve as an IT consultant for major organizations, including Pfizer Inc.
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Life tested him once more when his father suffered a fatal stroke. Tony was able to fly back to Canada in time to say goodbye before his father slipped into a coma—an act of closure for which he remains deeply grateful.
Healing from repeated loss took time. Inspiration came unexpectedly through his love of film, in a line that stayed with him:
“Why do we fall, Bruce? So that we can learn to pick ourselves up.”
And pick himself up he did.
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Tony founded his own IT company, growing it from humble beginnings into a success. With that success came the chance to give back—sponsoring employees, supporting early customers, and extending opportunities to others who believed in him. In 2013, Tony and his group joined Tabitha Foundation Australia to build homes in Cambodia, where he had the honor of participating in a House Hand-Over Ceremony, witnessing firsthand the life-changing power of safe shelter.
Those who know Tony say he truly wears his heart on his sleeve. Known for uplifting everyone around him with warmth, humour, and what many affectionately call a “full laugh,” Tony’s compassion is as real as his resilience.