Kean Dao
Class of 2028
Hometown: Winterville, NC
Major: Economics, Business Analytics and Finance
Kean Dao is pursuing a triple major in economics, business analytics and finance with a focus on financial management and planning. He is deeply engaged in civic and community-driven initiatives, with a particular emphasis on environmental advocacy and financial literacy.
As co-founder, co-CEO and Chair of Environmental Droners, an international organization, Kean has led efforts to remove over 8,000 pounds of waste while expanding the organization’s reach across multiple international chapters. His work reflects a commitment to combining innovation, sustainability and grassroots engagement to address global environmental challenges.
Kean’s perspective is shaped by his upbringing in a family of immigrants, where he worked in his family’s small business from a young age, developing an early appreciation for discipline, service and community.
The scholar completed a nonprofit internship with Charlotte Center City Partners, where he developed a deeper understanding of the Charlotte community and built relationships with key leaders shaping the city’s growth. Internationally, Kean studied abroad in Milan, Italy, and later interned in Brno, Czechia, with Frank Bold, an ESG-focused law firm, where he contributed to sustainability-oriented financial and policy initiatives.
At UNC Charlotte, Kean was elected and now serves as the External Vice President of the Business Honors Program, where he leads external relations and fosters strategic partnerships to expand student opportunities. In addition to being a Levine Scholar, he has been recognized as a Prudential Emerging Visionary and an Ashoka Young Changemaker.
Moving forward, Kean aims to continue scaling Environmental Droners while pursuing opportunities in financial management and planning at the intersection of banking, technology and sustainable finance.