Home: Pleasantville, NY. Age: 40. Birthplace: Taipei, Taiwan. Profession: Social impact; college and career access. Pronouns: She/Her/Hers. Alma mater: New York University College of Arts and Science (B.A.); New York University Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service (M.P.A.). Languages spoken: Mandarin and English.
Recent recognition: Interviewed by Mission North. Recent professional development: Accepted and completed the Maven Course Accelerator to build an engaging and profitable cohort-based course. Latest accomplishment: Published in HBR. Last book read: Smart Brevity, by Jim VandeHei, Mike Allen and Roy Schwartz.
Personality profile: INFJ (Introvert, Intuitive, Feeling, Judging). How do you define a perfect friendship? Laughter and ease; timeless, generative. How do you define an ideal business relationship? Open communication; directness, consistency, agility. What is your guilty pleasure? Romantic comedy novels and movies. How do you relieve stress? Singing loudly in the shower. What ingredient is essential to your perfect vacation? Local cuisine.
What was your first paying job? Executive assistant. What’s prominently featured on your home or office wall? Two complementary prints in bright colors. One reads, “What service do I bring to the world” and the other reads, “Have I practiced self love today?”. What’s the best advice you received in your career? Ask for help. What modern technology innovation do you most appreciate? Canva, monday.com, @cheatsheets Instagram account and the Remarkable digital notebook. What company or organization do you most admire? Articulate. What personal circumstance has had the greatest influence on your life? Moving to the United States from Taiwan with my family when I was ten.
What is your big idea?
The right learning experiences can spur the conditions for individuals, teams, and institutions to flourish autonomously and in community.
What message do you want to send out into the world? Celebrate, generate, and protect humanity every day. What mega-trend most excites you? Wellness at work.
What title would you choose for the movie about your life? Find Your People and Do Great Things Together. What actor would you choose to play you in the movie about your life? Michelle Yeoh. As a kid, what did you first want to be when you grew up? A Broadway stage singer and actress. What advice would you give your younger self? Trust your gut.
Personal mission: Every day, I work to forge strong and authentic relationships with leaders, community-based organizations, philanthropic institutions, funders, thought partners, and coalitions to influence and change systems that have historically excluded young people of color from access and opportunity. Favorite quote: “dandelions don't know whether they are a weed or a brilliance. but each seed can create a field of dandelions. we are invited to be that prolific” (adrienne maree brown – all lower case intentional).
