Winning the Miss Universe title in 1988 started Bui Simon on her life’s work in philanthropy and children’s educational initiatives. As a Goodwill Ambassador to the United Nations, Ms. Simon spoke in support of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The landmark U.N. initiative passed in 1989, setting groundwork for universal children’s rights in areas ranging from education to immunization.
Bui Simon subsequently pursued a career as a spokesperson for a number of internationally branded products, as well as for the Tourism Authority of Thailand. She brought public attention to socially relevant issues through her work as an Anchor of CBS News’ 60 Minutes II Thailand. Ms. Simon also continued to labor actively on behalf of children’s education and women’s reproductive health issues, advocating for groups such as UNICEF and the United Nations Population Fund.
In the late 1990s, Bui Simon moved back to Southern California and married businessperson Herb Simon and started a family. She took a seat on the Board of Directors of the Los Angeles nonprofit City Hearts in 1999, assisting in programs benefiting inner city youth. Three years later, Ms. Simon founded her own nonprofit organization, the Angels Wings Foundation, which funds educational and school-building projects in Thai rural areas. As Foundation President, she also led relief efforts following the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. These included the construction of an orphanage and 100 homes.