Over the Years
1987
Photo Credit: René DeAnda
I was born in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam, in May of 1987. I have gone back to Vietnam and always wondered what my life would have been if I still lived there. The people there are pleasant and warm. I squeal with delight every time I get to eat Banh Xeo or eat Pho in the morning. I often reminisce while looking at old photos of my younger self. Vietnam will forever be a part of my identity. It is who I am and will always be.
1990
Photo Credit: Jenny Marvin
At the age of 3, I immigrated to the United States as my parents followed the American Dream. I reflect on how courageous my parents were to leave behind their family and embark on a new adventure to create a life meaningful for their children. They traveled to the States without knowing how to speak English and were willing to take this risk. Without their sacrifice, I would not be able to have accomplished my goals today.
1990 – 2005
Photo Credit: Mi Pham
I had a reasonable structured childhood growing up in Worcester (pronounced Woostah), Massachusetts. my parents were focused on making sure I had a strong education. I recall my daily homework of reciting the multiplication table to meet my dad’s expectations. In school, I was always a well-behaved student, with occasionally making mistakes here and there. I was captain of the High School Cross Country Team, participated in Track & Field, and played basketball. I’m grateful for all the teachers who lifted me up and were inspirations through my childhood.
2006 – 2010
Photo Credit: Sincerely Media
After high school, I decided to pursue a career in visual media arts at Emerson College. During these four years, I’ learned so much about filmmaking and what it was like to be on production sets. I met incredible lifelong friends and found my identity as a member of the LGBT community. These years studying at Emerson led me to the formative beliefs that there is value in working hard and doing your best to accomplish your goals
2010 – 2017
Photo Credit: Ahmet Yalçınkaya
After graduating from Emerson College in 2009, I packed my bags and moved to the west coast to try my luck in the entertainment industry. The first month and a half were hard while trying to get my foot in the door, but I found an opportunity working on a new pilot for Simon Fuller, creator of American Idol. This one show led me to a career span o 8 years working with talents such as Jamie Foxx, Queen Latifah, Tyra Banks, LL Cool J, Chrissy Teigen, and one of my career idols, Jeff Probst. I worked mainly in operations and helping the shows accomplish their production needs. It was a vibrant and exciting time, and I am fortunate to have had an opportunity to work on a diverse set of shows.
2017 – 2021
Photo Credit: Ian Schneider
In 2017, I transitioned to a different industry. Education has been a staple of my life, and I found that working at a college would be an intriguing change of pace. I landed a job at Pepperdine University, working in their study abroad department. In this role, I advise students on the opportunities they have to travel the world. This position is a dream position because it combined my love for travel, education, and servant leadership. I still work at Pepperdine University as of 2020, and it has been one of the best career choices of my life.
2017 – 2019
Photo Credit: Adeolu Eletu
While working at Pepperdine, I earned an MBA degree. I wanted to add value and additional credentials to my name and to develop the business acumen to one day start my own entrepreneurial ventures. The two years spent working towards my MBA have fostered a sense of entrepreneurial spirit within me and made me long to lead a company one day. The next few years will be time spent working towards this goal, and I am genuine excited about what’s to come.
2021 – Current
Photo Credit: Marvin Meyer
With the hope of launching my own business one day, I decided it would be an incredible experience to work at a startup and understand what it takes to run a company, starting from ground zero. I had the fortune of joining a fast growing startup that blossomed into a unicorn, as they call it in the startup world, and well on its way to IPO. The company, called ClickUp, combined my love for productivity and software into one. I am still in awe that I have been able to join such a great company and learning much about the needs and demands of so many industries.