Paul Trebian, President & CEO, International Institute of Wisconsin: The Refugee Path: A Journey Toward Belonging

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Photo by Tom Jenz

Paul Trebian - International Institute of WIsconsin

International Institute of Wisconsin CEO and President Paul Trebian

Every year, people from more than 50 countries around the world leave behind war, persecution, or danger in hopes of starting a better life in the United States. These are refugees. Many refugees find a new beginning right here in Wisconsin, bringing with them stories of survival, strength and new beginnings.

The United Nations defines a refugee as someone who flees their homeland to escape persecution because of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or belonging to a targeted group. But that definition barely touches on the issue of the human spirit that lives inside each journey.

Helping guide these individuals from fear to foundation is the International Institute of Wisconsin. Through education, cultural exchange, legal assistance and spiritual support, the IIW walks beside refugees as they take root in a new land and begin to cross the bridge from hardship to hope.

For further understanding, I met with Paul Trebian, the Institute’s president and CEO, in his office on Martin Luther King Drive. A son of Alaska, a member of the Tlingit tribe, Eagle House, Shark Clan, he welcomed me in his native tongue. Throughout our conversation, Trebian’s gentle spirit and deep cultural respect reminded me of the quiet strength so often found in Native traditions.

I am interested in your background. Where did you grow up, your parents, neighborhoods, and schools you attended?

I was born in northern Wisconsin. My mother is native Alaskan. My father passed away when I was very young. I was brought up in the small town of Bruce by my tribe, my mom, aunties and uncles, but I spent summers in Alaska. When I was young, I was always out in the woods, hunting and hiking. I graduated from Bruce High School, class of 40. My mother was a teacher. She later moved back to Alaska and is still living there.

What was life like in your tribe and your family?

I learned a lot about tribal values. You take care of the tribe, the land and the resources. Respect is important and also humor. Indian tribes in the U.S. were the original resettlement agencies. In most of the tribes, we taught the white settlers how to live in their new environment, and we taught them our ways and provided care. If the world would only take that path—respect and inclusion.

You are in the right job here in terms of your philosophy.

You have an interesting background including architecture, medicine, information services, social services, business ownership, and higher education. Take me through your career and how you eventually ended up working at the International Institute of Wisconsin (IIW)

For a semester, I went to Northland College in Ashland, Wisconsin. It no longer exists. I wanted to be an architect and attended UW-Platteville. After two years, I went to UW-Milwaukee in the architecture program and finished with a masters. I met my wife at UWM. She was a medical doctor, a major in the Air Force. We moved all around the country. My wife was in the Air Force for 12 years to complete her residency. In 1998, we moved back to Milwaukee, and she started Lakeside OBGYN practice. I was a silent partner and helped run the business side. She is still practicing. 

What were you doing for work throughout this time?

I did a lot of jobs—architecture, aerospace, family services. computer programming, information services, social services, and higher education. I was deputy communication information officer at UW-Milwaukee. My job approach has always been toward serving and teaching. The holistic approach to strategic management. I also went back to school and got an MBA and a doctoral degree in education. 

I read that at one time, you were president of the College of Menominee Nation in Keshina, Wisconsin.

Yes, that job opened up doors for me to operate at the national level as far as American Indian education. I traveled to Washington D.C. a few times to do advocacy work. When I was teaching at Cardinal Stritch College, I met Al Durtka, who was the president of the International Institute of Wisconsin. Al asked me to join his board of directors. I was on the IIW board for 12 years. When he stepped down in 2023, I eventually became the president and CEO. 

What is the work of the International Institute of Wisconsin? What services does the Institute provide?

The IIW is more than 100 years old. It started as the Immigration and Naturalization Services. Interpretation and translation was the core of IIW. About 10 years ago, we got into refugee resettlement where people come here as a result of oppression or natural disasters in their home countries. 

What would be an example of that?

If somebody is being persecuted for their race or skin color in another country, they will be sent to refugee camps and stay there for years sometimes. Eventually, they get vetted, then come to the U.S. through refugee resettlement. They will be assigned to various communities throughout our country. 

Let’s say as a refugee, I have just arrived in the Milwaukee area. What steps do I take to integrate into American society?

You’d go through the vetting process, for instance, where might other refugees from your country have communities? For example, Milwaukee has the largest Rohingya community in this country. We subcontract with national resettlement agencies, and we would place you in your community.

Continuing with my example, what are the specifics of the process?

We meet the refugees at the airport, get them resources, find housing. We have a good relationship with Milwaukee area landlords. We follow up for the first 90 days and get them on the path to self-sufficiency including employment, healthcare, taxes and schools for their children. If they don’t speak English, we offer classes. After 90 days, the state of Wisconsin’s Refugee Support Services takes over. Over the next five years, we still help them toward self-sufficiency and citizenship. Some of the staff who currently work here were resettled by our process.

This was a country of immigrants long before we became the country of America. Reading from your website: “We share a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural perspective through education, arts, exchange, communication, social activities, and immigration and naturalization services.”

Education is a huge part of what we provide. We have good relationships with Milwaukee School of Engineering, Marquette, UWM and Carroll University. Those schools have human Ssrvices programs but also Business programs. They provide interns to help the refugees. They also have graduate students to help our own organizational process. We try to make sure the clients understand how things work in America.

How many employees do you have here at IIW?

When I started here in 2023, we had 15 full time employees. I have expanded it to 40. We are the strongest resettlement agency in Wisconsin. I have a very good staff with a mutual understanding of how we all work. We are supported by federal and state funding, but the state gets its own funds from the federal government. 

What would you say is the biggest challenge a refugee faces when integrating into America?

The refugees are coming into the unknown, realizing there is opportunity, but thinking “How do I start?” But these refugees have an incredible work ethic, which helps them a lot. They don’t look down on any job. They want to build a future for their families. Probably one word describes it best—navigation. Many of them don’t know what a traditional grocery store is and how the supply chain works to get food to market. In many countries, the best way to preserve their food is to keep it alive. Then there is navigating healthcare and preventative medicine through our American technology. 

The IIW serves a diverse group of refugees from over 50 countries, helping individuals of all ages, backgrounds, and cultures. How do you handle so many different refugees?

We are kind of like the Native Americans and their philosophy, one community taking care of another community. We have communities of health, housing, education, and safety. The IIW is like a hub. We have 50 plus subcontractors that help us work with different cultures and languages.  

How do you help refugees find safe housing the Southeastern Wisconsin area?

We find out how many refugees are coming and from where, and then our housing coordinator who deals with various landlords, gets the housing set up, whether it is a family or an individual. They take into consideration the school system, too. 

To quote you: “What I have to share is from the collective guidance I have received from my beloved elders—singular action. The stronger the opposite forces become, clarity can be found in the middle. This means to look at the balancing point and promote direction that speaks of balance. Language emerges that can help the person with balance to draw the opposites together.” In your experience, what is the holistic approach to this strategic management?

I’m glad you brought up that quotation because my uncles and aunties taught me that. When I was a kid, my Uncle Bill said, “Son, you have to work with the team even if some team members disagree with you. I’d like you to talk to your aunty about ‘balance.’”

Later, my aunty told me about “Bblance.” She said, “People have opposing views. There is a beginning and an end, an A and a B, but what is in the middle? You need to bring people to the middle.” I apply this philosophy to elected officials when I visit Washington D.C. With the Republicans, I talk about return on funding. Investing in refugees provides more taxes for the government because refugees work. With the Democrats, I explain what I can do with the money to help refugees become self-sufficient and valuable citizens. I try to strike a balance. As a leader of colleges, I found the same principle applies. Academics departments want more money. Administration needs to control the money. Somewhere in between is balance. When we get funding, that investment stays in Wisconsin and pays off with human productivity. That is the Balance.

How can volunteers get involved with the International Institute of Wisconsin?

We have a Community Engagement Coordinator who coordinates volunteers and internships. Volunteers are very important to our process.

The IIW serves as producer of the annual Holiday Folk Fair International at State Fair Park, recognized as America’s premiere multi-cultural festival.