SASE Pro Newsletter - Columns

Praise for Paraag / Apr 2025

SASE would like to take the opportunity to appreciate Paraag Maddiwar and recognize the contributions of Dennis Hirotsu and Uday Sheth, the Executive Advisors of SASE Pro, and Megan Weaver, Professional Programs Manager.  Their dedication and passion have grown SASE Pro to where it is today. 

We would like to sincerely thank Dennis and Uday for the time and effort they contributed to starting SASE Pro and particularly their work with the Executive Forum.  Their vision and support sparked this incredible program, and we truly appreciate the energy and expertise they brought to the table. We are grateful for their contributions and the role they played in helping us achieve all that SASE Pro has become.

For the past five years, Paraag built SASE Pro into a robust program reaching thousands of people each year.  He developed pathways for individual professionals to learn and grow in their own development as well as connecting ERGs through a network to drive change within their organizations.  This dedication led to the largest ever SASE Pro attendance at the National Convention.

SASE Pro’s growth and reach was propelled when Megan Weaver joined the team a couple of years ago.   She worked with Paraag to develop and launch the Women’s Leadership Conference and Women in Tech.  They both took great pride in delivering top quality professional development empowering API+ individuals to break through barriers.    

SASE thanks all of these leaders for all of their hard work to build a foundation for API+ leadership.                                                                                                        

Kudos to Khanh / Apr 2025

For the past 13 years, SASE has grown from a start up to a multi-million dollar nonprofit under the visionary leadership of Khánh Vũ.  Thanks to his passion and dedication, Khanh not only built a strong mission-driven organization, but also fostered the "SASEFam" spirit that has touched thousands across the country.  We want to take a moment in Khanh's Kolumn to recognize the incredible impact of his leadership

Khanh has been the driving force behind SASE's growth - envisioning a world-class nonprofit, engaging national partners, energizing over 15,000 collegiate and professional members, enabling companies to connect with top Asian heritage talent, and executing a clear and strategic plan. He has led with a warm heart, cool head, and a deep commitment to fostering belonging.

From the early days of midnight food runs and cross-country NC deliveries to helping our community navigate change and growth, Khanh’s leadership has shaped what SASE is today. His dedication to developing leaders and strengthening our community will continue to inspire SASEFam for years to come.

Thank you, Khanh, for your commitment and lasting legacy.

Asian Spotlight / Apr 2025

Soaring Beyond: Women in Full Flight...

By Nozomi Morgan, CEO Michiki Morgan Worldwide 

As one of the keynote speakers for the SASE Women’s Leadership Conference, I am honored to contribute to this year’s theme: Soaring Beyond, Women in Full Flight. As I reflect on my own journey, I am reminded of standing under a canopy of cherry blossoms in Tokyo, their delicate petals drifting in the breeze—a reminder of life’s impermanence and the beauty of renewal. This theme feels like that moment: a call to rise above limitations, embrace our full potential, and lead with purpose and grace. It resonates deeply with me as a Japanese-American woman whose heritage and values have shaped my journey. But it also speaks to the challenges we face today, where burnout and stress threaten our ability to thrive.

Cherry Blossoms and Hanami: A Tradition of Connection

Spring in Japan is a season of renewal, hope, and fleeting beauty, embodied by cherry blossoms (sakura). These blossoms symbolize impermanence and the importance of living fully in each moment. The tradition of hanami (flower viewing) invites families and communities to gather under blooming trees—not just to admire their beauty but to pause, connect, and reflect.

In the rush of daily demands, hanami reminds us to pause—to connect with others and reflect on what truly matters. As leaders, this practice is vital in creating moments of clarity amidst the chaos. Just as people come together under cherry blossoms to share joy and mindfulness, leaders must create spaces for collaboration and trust. In today’s fast-paced world, slowing down to appreciate the present moment allows us to lead with clarity and intention—a skill that is increasingly vital as many leaders grapple with exhaustion and overwhelm.

Cultural Significance and Renewal

Cherry blossoms also herald the arrival of spring—a season of new beginnings. Their brief blooming period reminds us of life’s impermanence and the importance of embracing change. As women leaders, we often face transitions that challenge us to adapt while staying true to our values. Cherry blossoms inspire us to see these moments not as obstacles but as opportunities for growth.

Just as cherry blossoms bloom briefly yet leave a lasting impression, women leaders can embrace change as an opportunity to make meaningful impacts—even when faced with fleeting challenges. This metaphor is especially poignant today as many women leaders are stretched thin by competing demands at work and home. Research shows that 43% of women leaders report experiencing burnout compared to 31% of men. Stress levels are rising—53% of women say they feel more stressed than last year—and poor work-life balance continues to be a major issue for nearly half of them. Behind these numbers are real women—leaders who are striving to make a difference while struggling to find balance.

Why Leadership Capacity Matters Now

Leadership capacity isn’t about doing more—it’s about doing it differently. It begins with cultivating resilience, self-awareness, and emotional intelligence so we can navigate challenges effectively without depleting ourselves. For women juggling multiple roles at work and home, this can feel like an impossible balancing act. But building capacity helps us shift from reactive states—marked by stress—to creative states where we can lead with clarity and purpose.

Our proprietary “Boundaryless Leadership” framework focuses on three pillars: developing resilience (Capacity), harnessing diverse perspectives for innovation (Collective Wisdom), and bringing strengths together to create positive impact (Co-Creation). Together, these pillars empower women leaders not just to survive but to thrive—and inspire others along the way.

An Invitation to Soar Together

As I reflect on my Japanese heritage—the lessons of cherry blossoms and the tradition of hanami—I am reminded that leadership is both an art and a practice. It requires us to embrace impermanence while building lasting connections. It calls us to invest in ourselves so we can inspire others.

But how do we grow when we’re already overwhelmed? That’s why, in addition to speaking at the SASE Pro Women's Leadership Conference, through my business, I created the Leadership Capacity Accelerator, a safe learning environment where you can practice leadership skills without feeling stretched thin. This 10-week program equips you with tools for resilience so you can lead effectively while maintaining energy and well-being.

I invite you to join me on this journey starting April 9. Together, we’ll explore how to turn stress into strength—embracing renewal like cherry blossoms—and build sustainable leadership capacity that allows us all to soar beyond boundaries.  We have a few seats available. To learn more, visit the program website here. 

Let’s take flight together—like cherry blossoms in full bloom—toward a future where women lead boldly, with grace, resilience, and purpose!

Pro With Paraag / Jan 2025

Within the first few months of my joining the organization in January 2020, the world that SASE operated in changed dramatically. The global pandemic changed every aspect of nearly every person’s life, at home and at work. Following the murder of George Floyd, DEI initiatives were thrust into the limelight and organizational funding and support rapidly materialized. The scourge of Asian Hate galvanized our community and brought on a rapid development of new Asian ERGs and initiatives in organizations across the country.

Prior to this time, funding for diversity initiatives was a major challenge for many organizations. Asian ERGs struggled to organize and rally around a central cause – for some orgs, there was more support for Asian ERGs from HR than from the Asian professional community. Going “virtual” not only changed what it meant to be an effective leader, it also created an additional set of unknown obstacles for Asians to become effective leaders. Lastly, our existing model of in-person content delivery had to be scrapped and rebuilt as well. 

How quickly things change in a handful of years. 

By early 2023, many large tech companies began to scale back on their DEI investments. This withdrawal has seemingly accelerated in the past few months with news coming from a number of very large Fortune 100 companies of the complete elimination of their long-standing DEI offices. Further, all indications are that the incoming administration will only hasten the disinvestment in DEI programs, not only within the government but potentially also with the governmental contractors that have been a major cornerstone for SASE’s corporate partnerships. 

It should not be shocking that I frequently get asked a very simple question – “are you worried about the future of Asian ERGs and SASE Pro?” While these are certainly some strong headwinds, in the grand scheme of things, I’m more optimistic than not. 

In mid-late 2020 as this new world was unfolding, we at SASE Pro had some difficult decisions to make – a sound business strategy not only requires decisions on where to play, it also requires decisions on where not to play. We made a conscious choice to remain laser-focused on a sustainable business model for leadership development investment into our Asian professional communities. Doing so meant that we decided not to heavily invest in cultural event programming or in the long overdue social justice movements of the day. In addition to our strong inclination to stay focused on our lane, we realistically didn’t have the resources or expertise to expand into these other areas of need, despite the potential for increased investment from numerous ERG partners looking for active support in those areas. 

This clarified strategy has allowed us to iterate our programs to continually deliver a stronger value proposition for organizations to partner with us. I wholeheartedly believe that organizations’ investment into Asian ERGs and their Asian professionals shouldn’t primarily be done as a moral imperative, but because doing so is truly a business imperative. As voluntary employee attrition rates continue to rise, I also believe that organizations will reap outsized rewards for investing in their Asian professionals. Not only does the data prove that we as a community have significant untapped potential for leadership to deliver even stronger business results, we are also culturally predisposed to a higher level of loyalty to organizations and management who invest in us. I see this as an unparalleled win-win opportunity with staying power that transcends current DEI initiatives.

Looking forward to 2025, we are launching a few initiatives to continue this journey with our ERG Network in mind. This spring, we will kick off an extensive 18-month effort to evolve and update our existing Leadership Competency Framework with the support of industry training professionals. This updated framework will form the basis of our programming to ensure that we directly address the needs and challenges facing the Asian professional community. We also plan to utilize the framework as we invest in a new Community of Practice for our growing network of Asian-heritage training partners. 

Furthermore, we’re investing more formally in the training & development of Asian ERGs. In prior years, we’ve held a few complimentary ERG Summits featuring training partners each year and this past fall we kicked off a bi-monthly series of peer-to-peer ERG Idea Exchanges. This spring, we’re kicking off the SASE ERG Leadership Academy, a substantially discounted 13-session training program for Asian ERG leaders that is designed to help you align your ERG with the overall business vision to drive greater engagement & alignment from all stakeholders.

There’s no doubt that the DEI industry as a whole is facing significant headwinds right now. In times like these, it’s even more critical to remain hyper-focused on value creation and support. We at SASE Pro are more committed than ever to helping the broader Asian ERG community with sustainable solutions that deliver impact. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us to get the ball rolling.

Khanh's Kolumn / Jan 2025

As we turn the page into 2025, the Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers (SASE) continues its extraordinary trajectory of growth and impact. The past year has been nothing short of remarkable, and as we build upon our successes, the road ahead is filled with opportunities to develop your leadership and hard business skills. I invite you, your company, and API Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) to partner with us to make these impacts real in 2025.

2024 marked a transformative year for SASE, showcasing the organization's resilience and ability to advance its mission while welcoming new team members. Liz Fujita, who started laying the foundation for the next phase of the Collegiate Program, passed the baton to Danielle Batin. Danielle brings over a decade of experience in education, having supported the launch of 15 new charter schools in Nevada, raised over $23 million, co-founded mentor-supported housing for first-generation college students, and coached over 200 educational stakeholders. She will ensure our collegiate members continue to thrive within a supportive and dynamic community.

Similarly, Rich Grainger's tenure as Director of Organizational Relationships concluded in 2024. Rich leaves behind a legacy of meaningful relationships and impactful partnerships. Succeeding him, Ahmed Pothiawala brings extensive experience in consulting, strategic partnerships, business development, and mission-centric initiatives. Ahmed has driven multi-million-dollar growth and impactful collaborations with Fortune 500 companies. His vision will further deepen our ties with organizational partners and foster new opportunities. Please join us in welcoming Danielle and Ahmed to the SASEfamily.

One of the highlights of 2024 was hosting the largest SASE National Convention in our history, with over 2,700 attendees for the Collegiate Conference and over 1,100 for the Professional Conference. This event reinforced SASE's status as the largest API professional conference in the U.S., bringing together professionals, students, and organizational partners to connect, learn, and celebrate excellence.

Building on this momentum, SASE introduced a refreshed strategy, mission, vision, and values to continue our growth. In 2025, we will unveil this next phase, which focuses on enhancing operational excellence and broadening our impact. While our core mission remains unchanged -Unlocking Potential & Empowering API Leaders—we are refining our approach to ensure greater focus and alignment with our values of collaboration, trust, professionalism, and the SASEfamily spirit.

Our collegiate program remains central to SASE’s mission. From advisor initiatives to leadership training, we are equipping the next generation of API leaders with the tools to excel. With Danielle Batin and Matt Diaz leading the charge, 2025 promises even greater strides in serving the growing collegiate members across the U.S.

SASE’s professional programs also reached new heights in 2024, welcoming new corporate partners and their API ERGs into the network while strengthening existing relationships. The growing investment from these partners underscores SASE’s recognition as a premier organization for API professionals. Special thanks to Paraag, Megan, and Jessica for their leadership in driving these programs.

Looking ahead, 2025 is poised to be another banner year for SASE. We aim to elevate the National Convention to new levels of engagement and impact, expanding to a city-wide event for the first time. Additionally, we will focus on enhancing our digital presence and making a difference in our community.

As we close out 2024, I am deeply grateful for your engagement and passion in supporting yourselves and the larger SASEfamily. Together, we will unlock new opportunities, break barriers, and achieve milestones that inspire the next generation of API leaders. The journey is just beginning—and with the collective strength of our community, the best is yet to come.

Asian Spotlight / Jan 2025

Expect the Unexpected...

by Alok Goel

My experience with the SASE Pro National Conference in October 2024 was nothing short of transformative. I first encountered SASE by chance. In July 2023, at another Pan-Asian Conference (ASCEND), I met Paraag in an elevator. At the time, I was teaching my youngest daughter, who was also attending, the art of the Elevator Pitch. Coincidentally, Paraag entered the elevator, and I delivered my pitch. That brief interaction sparked a conversation, and Paraag introduced himself and his work with SASE.

Throughout that ASCEND conference, I kept running into Paraag—or perhaps it was simply that I recognized him now. Our acquaintance evolved into regular check-ins from August 2023 to mid-2024. During one of those conversations, Paraag asked if I’d be interested in facilitating a webinar and potentially participating in the SASE Pro Conference in the fall. I enthusiastically agreed to both.

The SASE Pro Conference exceeded every expectation. It wasn’t just about the two-day in-person event—it was about meticulous planning, the exceptional support team, and the thorough post-conference follow-up, including a detailed survey. Every element was carefully thought out and flawlessly executed.

I had the privilege of facilitating a session on Giving and Receiving Effective Feedback. The energy in the room was palpable; attendees were highly engaged, interactive, and eager to learn. This level of commitment stood out, as it isn’t something you see at every Pan-Asian-related conference. The entire experience not only deepened my connection with the community but also underscored the unique professionalism and passion that SASE brings to the table. It’s an organization that truly inspires and delivers.

Heading home after the SASE Pro National Conference, I realized I had just experienced the true essence of the phrase, “Expect the unexpected.”

Pro With Paraag / Oct 2024

I was 24 years old when I first had direct reports. It wasn’t just a few direct reports, I had over 40 manufacturing line technicians that I was responsible for leading. I worked my tail off in this role and I was very clearly the most productive amongst my peer group. My performance feedback told a different story – my technicians didn’t like working for me; they liked me as a person, but not me as a leader.

To be honest, I had zero idea what to do with that. It was as though a bag of bricks hit me in the face.

I remember being absolutely perplexed as to what to do and how this could even be possible. I was the hardest-working manager in the department. I supported my technicians and actively worked with them on their pay packages and promotions like no other. My team was the go-to-team when the dayshift support teams needed to get something done, and we always accepted the requests even when it hampered our short-term team results. It’s simply what we did.

I’m chuckling to myself as I’m writing this down. The paragraphs above exude typical Asian leadership behaviors. Outwork everyone else – check. Lead by example – check. Value collective results (department) over individual results (my team) – check. Even though I’m a second-generation immigrant who grew up in a small town in the Midwest with almost zero other Asians, I’m still clearly pretty darn Asian. Of course, all of those are great things. But that’s not everything that my team needed from me.

My former company, Procter & Gamble, invests heavily in training for their workforce. I lost count of the number of leadership workshops that I had attended. They didn’t really ring true for me though – I was struggling to connect with the material in a way that made it actionable. It felt very fake, as though this was just some made up gobbledygook that made everyone else feel like they were doing real work that mattered. And I felt like I was playing some strange game, and I was losing because I couldn’t understand the instruction manual.

Sometime around then, our Asian ERG at P&G brought all the Asian professionals from all of the sites to our HQ in Cincinnati for a multi-day event, filled with career workshops and networking events. What was different about this event was that one of the training classes had a trainer, JD Hokoyama from LEAP, who was an Asian like me. I remember asking a question and immediately feeling seen by the rest of the class who could resonate, and immediately I felt heard by the trainer who was able to finally answer and provide perspective on that question. This was pivotal for me. It was as though we were finally handed a translation key to this leadership jargon that previously made no sense to any of us.

In the coming years, I attended, actively participated in, and eventually even led some of the training events for our Asian ERG. I was hooked on the value that a strong Asian ERG could deliver to positively impact my career. And by the time I left P&G, the performance feedback from my direct reports on my leadership abilities was overwhelmingly stellar.

As I reflect on this, there are a few things that stand out to me as being key ingredients for leadership growth: the psychological safety from being amongst a peer group with shared life experiences, a trainer/coach who could translate the material effectively to reach me, the relevance & timeliness of the content to my life and career then, and the clear knowledge that the organization was vested in my personal success.

Here at SASE Pro, we work very hard with intention to create the same environments for you. For example at our National Convention next week, the professional conference will include 1000+ Asian professionals (predominantly in STEM), over 20 Asian-heritage training professionals who can relate directly with us, and up to 10 tracks of concurrent programming to ensure that you can choose sessions that are relevant to you right now in your life and career.

That said, I firmly believe that the last element is critical and often under-recognized. Nearly every one of the attendees is funded by their organization to participate – it’s quite rare that we have self-paid attendees. Your organization should be vested in your success as an employee and as an individual. By backing your participation, they are signaling this support, not only with the finances but also with your hours. To honor this investment from both the organization and the attendee, we work hard to maintain a low overhead while also keeping outside sponsorships to a minimum.

We are excited to welcome you to Boston next week to Ignite the Spark. And for any of you who are unable to make it this year, we hope you can join us next year in Pittsburgh from October 1-4, 2025.

SASEsalutes Distinguished Career Service Award / Oct 2024

Major General Tony Taguba, U.S. Army (Retired)
by Kimberly Page

SASEsalutes is honored to recognize Major General Tony Taguba, U.S. Army (Retired), with the Distinguished Career Service Award. General Taguba exemplifies leadership, military achievement, and influence that transcends the workplace through his life of service to country, deep commitment to mentorship, and devotion to the Asian American military community across past, present, and future generations. General Taguba can vividly remember immigrating from the Philippines to Hawaii with his mother and four siblings in June 1961 — an entitlement his father earned through service with the U.S. Army 57th Infantry Regiment, Philippine Scouts. Reflecting back, General Taguba remembers taking the Oath of Allegiance to become a naturalized citizen, and how citizenship class imbued a strong sense of character, integrity, and duty to serve his country. After completing Junior Army Reserve Officer’s Training Corps (JROTC) in high school, he pursued an ROTC scholarship at Idaho State University and embarked on a quest to see all 50 U.S. states and territories — a feat he accomplished through his 34 years of active-duty service in the U.S. Army.

Early in General Taguba’s Army career as an Captain, he realized he was not progressing, as officers younger than him promoted to senior ranks. With the courage to be vulnerable, he reached out to a senior officer, acknowledged his discomfort with stagnating, and asked for their counsel on how to improve. Making the conscious decision to take such a risk opened doors to the first of many mentors. Seeking mentorship from peers and leaders every step of his military career became a core tenet for continuous development, eventually becoming the 2nd Filipino American to promote to Army general.

Upon retiring from active duty in 2007, General Taguba established Pan Pacific American Leaders & Mentors (PPALM) to expand the positive impact mentorship has for military and Department of Defense (DoD) civilian professionals. Seventeen years later, the nonprofit organization continues to provide leadership development, mentorship, and networking services to military and DoD civilian professionals. General Taguba often relays to mentees experiencing stagnation in their careers, “Don’t get mad. Don’t get even. Get ahead.” Whether through training, having a voice, or looking for alternatives, General Taguba helps aspiring Asian American professionals navigate military and DoD civilian career paths and continues his service to country as a mentor.

Beyond shaping present and future generations of Asian American leaders, General Taguba has embarked on a mission to raise public awareness of Filipino and American soldiers of World War II who, like his father, fought in the Philippines from 1941-1946. His efforts were paramount in passing the Filipino Veterans of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2015 and developing an interactive educational program to capture the historic legacy of these heroes and share their American story for generations to come.

Asian Spotlight / Oct 2024

A Safe & Empowering Space for Asians

by Jennifer Lin

How can we Asians come together and share, listen, discuss, learn, and support one another through our life challenges -- from our unique Asian lens?

It’s conferences like the SASE National Convention on October 9-12 and people like SASE’s passionate team who strive to create a safe and empowering space for us Asians to get together and connect in a magical way.

I say *magical* because that is what I experienced at the SASE Asian Women in Tech (AWiT) Conference in June. SASE AWiT was my first large in-person gathering since I left Google engineering last year and became my own boss as a career & well-being coach and leadership workshop facilitator. It was a bit nostalgic to be back in Tech. As one of the facilitators and attendees, I shared my workshop on “How to have Difficult Conversations… Timely”, and then I immersed myself in connecting, conversing, and learning with this inaugural community.

I remember walking up to Paraag at the end of the conference, and telling him how amazing it was to have so many Asians in one room, genuinely supporting one another, with our ability to empathize on aspects of our Asian culture like “saving face”, “work hard, keep your head down”, and “eat bitterness”.

I had grown up with a backdrop of unhealthy competition amongst some of my Asian relatives and childhood classmates. And while this instinctive memory was triggered, I felt none of that at SASE AWiT. SASE showed us the magical impact of bringing Asians together in a safe and empowering way.

What is also magical is being able to have the time and space to reflect and discuss how our Asian roots have shaped us. It is necessary for us to make this effort in order to strengthen our self-awareness of how our Asian culture continues to influence us in our lifestyle, career, and relationships. Awareness is half the battle. With this awareness, we can then make informed decisions.

How our Asian roots shape us is not something we Asians tend to talk about at work with our colleagues. And to have these discussions facilitated at SASE conferences by Asian facilitators for Asian professionals is special, because there is an undeniable resonance we have in being Asian.

Prior to joining SASE conferences, I had facilitated hundreds of workshops for thousands of people at Google on topics like career growth, stakeholder relationship management, team execution, and mindfulness and emotional intelligence. Never had I facilitated for an Asian-only audience. SASE conferences give me a unique and foundational opportunity to connect with my Asian roots and understand their influences, and to tailor my workshops to Asians.

This has been an eye-opening experience for me as an Asian facilitator to highlight how our Asian culture creates our patterns of behaviors, and how we can leverage certain aspects of our Asian culture while breaking through other aspects to transcend the Asian generations who came before us and whose shoulders we stand upon.

Imagine… having a safe and empowering space with fellow Asians to regularly internalize and externalize how our roots impact us in our day to day, and how we can move forward with this awareness.

Imagine… the stress of not belonging and the fear of failing fading away as we look around this space and see that we’re not alone in our learning journey of failures and successes.

Imagine… the light bulbs in our heads turning on as we connect the dots between our culture and our behavior, e.g. how “respecting authority figures” can make it difficult for us to raise an issue with management.

Imagine… the smiles on our faces, the smiles in every cell of our bodies, radiating with courage and curiosity as we give and receive support to one another -- from our unique Asian lens.

See you at the SASE National Convention for another magical experience!

Pro With Paraag / July 2024

I just turned 50.
(literally… as in the day this article is being published)

What a strange and scary number. Every passing decade of age elicits its own set of “oh my goodness” thoughts, emotions, and fears, but maybe 50 feels especially different because it’s such a milestone number. Half a century. As in, from this point forward, I am more a product of the prior century than the current century (rolling).

It feels like at 50, you’re supposed to have it all figured out. Our Asian heritage doubles down on the mindset that “the elders” should be teachers more than we are students. And that it’s us and our peer group that are for the most part, “running things”. When I pause and look around me, perhaps that is kind of true. I am continually stumbling across the LinkedIn profile of a former colleague or classmate who has just transitioned into a C-Suite position or co-founded a start-up or has been added to the Board of a non-profit. True to my ingrained Asian definition of success, my initial reaction is usually more one of “wow, that’s incredible… I wonder where I went wrong”? 

However, I need to remind myself that the opposite has been true as well – I increasingly have moments where I’m pinching myself “wait, did I really do that?” or “was that really me up there?”. For example, when I co-emceed our inaugural Asian Women in Tech event in San Jose, CA a few weeks back, at least 3 different attendees came up to me afterwards to tell me that I was a natural on stage and asked for tips and tricks. (On the contrary, I have mild anxiety struggles and sometimes even escape to the bathroom to recompose.) 

Over the past year, I’ve given close to a dozen presentations to Asian ERGs or college campuses, and I am often told that mine was one of the best DEI-related presentations they have ever attended. A young professional reached out to me a few months ago and told me that our conversation three years ago was still inspiring him. And a senior executive making a career pivot shared with my colleague that her conversation with me on my own career pivot was some of the most practical advice she had received. 

Wait, did I really do that? When did this happen? And how? I see myself more as a court jester than a counselor. 

Rather than being “the all-knowing elder”, I think the amount of new information I’m learning now far outpaces any other period in my professional career. I’m a bit of a naturally curious person as it is; the engineer in me is always trying to figure out how and why everything works the way it does. I have the great fortune with SASE to apply that engineering mindset in a somewhat atypical way with leadership development. Through curiosity and a bit of osmosis, I am constantly absorbing a ton from our training partners as well as the population of Asian professionals and ERG leaders that we serve.

One of the primary recurring themes that stands out to me is that we should openly embrace the notion that life is a continual learning journey. I don’t think anyone would disagree with that statement, but I’ve found that it’s helpful to say it out loud and bring it to the forefront of my mind. Importantly, sometimes we need to take advantage of the opportunities that present themselves and chase them down a rabbit hole a bit. 

The Immigration Act of 1965 is directly tied to the Civil Rights Act of 1964? Rabbit hole.

Is there a correlation between personality type (MBTI, 5 Voices, Enneagram, etc) and love languages? Rabbit hole.

Adam Grant says many of the best leaders are “humble narcissists”? Rabbit hole. Our largest event of the year is fast approaching – the SASE National Convention is barely three months away in Boston MA from October 9-12.

Our event theme this year is Ignite the Spark, a phrase that is very fitting to our programming approach. Ignite the Spark through inspiring ideas. Ignite the Spark from our community. Ignite the Spark of your own curiosity.

We’re anticipating over 1000 professionals, 150 executives, and 20 speakers to be part of this year’s professional programming. There will be countless opportunities to bring the theme to life for every person present. 

What sparks will be ignited for you? Which rabbit holes will you choose to explore and act on?

AWiT Overview / July 2024

by Jessica Moy

On Thursday, June 13, 2024, the Society of Asian Scientist and Engineers (SASE) held its inaugural Asian Women in Tech (AWiT) conference at Cisco Headquarters in San Jose.  With close to 200 registrants at this pilot event, and strong support from Cisco, as well as, representation from Google, Apple, and ServiceNow, it is evident that this is a much needed event in the community.  Presenters from Asian Women Coaching Collective (AWCC), as well other speakers, were brought in to facilitate a total of six workshops and help lead lunch focus circles.  Minjae Ormes (VP of Marketing, Global Brand & Consumer at LinkedIn) and Jennifer Yokoyama (SVP and Deputy General Counsel, Legal innovation and Strategy at Cisco) were the keynotes, and Nancy Cam-Winget (only female Fellow at Cisco) and Caroline Kim (Program Management Director at Google) sat on the Executive Panel.  Here are some of the testimonials of SASE Pro AWiT:

This event was life changing!  I have never been in a room full of Asian women like this and I feel extremely inspired and special that there are people who look like me and have struggles like me. – Cisco employee

I went into this event with an open mind, and I was amazed just how many practical tools and techniques I was able to take award from this event.  The event was so well organized, speaker sessions insightful and keynotes inspiring.  Looking forward to returning next year. – ServiceNow employee

This event was uniquely tailored to the needs and challenges faced by Asian women.  The talks, speakers and workshops are very good and actionable! I highly recommend this event to Asian women.  Please keep organizing this event! – Google employee

The idea of this event started back in 2015 when the current CEO of SASE, Khanh Vu, recognized the lack of support for Asian women in the tech industry.  Grace Hopper exists for women in tech, but there are far more Asians in the industry, and their barrier is compounded by their heritage.  With an increase of SASE staff in 2019, this initiative would have started sooner, but COVID threw a wrench in plans, and it took a bit more time to get the event off the ground.  Now that we have a small following of Asian women in the tech industry, we hope to grow that number and make more of an impact in the community.  Plans are already in process for the 2nd annual SASE Pro AWiT next year, and again, we could not have done it without our sponsor, Cisco.  For more information, visit https://awit.saseconnect.org/home.

SASE was founded in November 2007 to help Asian heritage scientific and engineering professionals achieve their full potential.  SASE Pro’s mission is to unlock the leadership potential of Asian Americans in STEM.  With the start-up of SASE Pro AWiT, the organization hopes to lessen the gap that women feel in the tech industry compared to their male counterparts.

Asian Spotlight / July 2024

From Off-track to On-track: A framework to re-evaluate what you want to do next

by Li-Ming Pu

Earlier this year, a trip to my doctor catalyzed a career shift. After a month of lingering illness while juggling a demanding workload as an HR executive at Google, I found myself recovering, but not nearly as quickly as my doctor had anticipated. His probing questions during our appointment sparked a realization.

"Do you feel fulfilled?" he asked. "Are you moving forward in the way that you want?" “Are you congruent?” These questions, delivered with a doctor's calm authority, clarified that the work I was doing, while impactful and interesting, wasn't sparking the same level of passion and energy it once had.

Reflecting on my career journey, a pattern emerged. While consistently praised in performance reviews, I'd also received feedback over the years about learning not to overdo it or knowing "when enough was enough." At the time, these comments felt like minor suggestions, but in hindsight, they were signs of a lesson that I would eventually need to learn to move forward in my life. 

This experience resonated deeply. In my coaching practice, I see a similar pattern with many clients, particularly Asians and women. Driven by an emphasis on achievement, we often excel in our roles, but the relentless pursuit of exceeding expectations or the comfort of a prescriptive career path can leave us feeling misaligned with our sense of purpose.  It can leave us not creating a congruent and purposeful chapter where the pieces across life and work fit. 

The challenge isn't about avoiding hard work, but about ensuring that your efforts are fueling your passion, not draining it and that you are engaged in what matters to you in this chapter. If you find yourself in a career development inflection point, here's my 4-part approach to chart a path toward a more fulfilling professional journey:

1. Assess: Make sense of your current situation

The first step is making an assessment. Are you excited about the work you do more often than not? Or are you going through the motions, lacking the spark that once ignited your work? If you answered yes to the last question, these are signs that your current path might not be the most fulfilling.

Ask yourself:

• Does my current work energize me or leave me feeling drained?

• Do I feel a sense of purpose and accomplishment in my role?

• Can I feel genuinely excited about this work for the next few years?

• What do I want more of or less of in my work? In my life?

2. Explore: Embrace the messy middle and enjoy the journey of discovery

This is where the magic happens. Dive deep into exploring possibilities without judgment. Reconnect with what ignites your passion, forgotten skills, and long-term goals.

• What experiences from my work life have brought me the most success and joy thus far?

• What kind of environment would make you feel inspired and valued?

• What skills or areas of expertise would you like to develop?

• Is there something about the company culture or colleagues that is important to consider?

Embrace the messiness: Exploration isn't about finding the "right" answer out the gate. It's about self-discovery, and sometimes that means venturing down unexpected paths. Talk to colleagues in different industries and walks of life, research emerging fields, and revisit old dreams. Flit with possibilities, and rent (not buy!) different ideas. You can try small experiments to learn more about what you might like and don’t. 

3. Plan: Craft your roadmap to change

Once you have a clearer vision of what you’d like to try, it's time to translate that into a plan. This is where the rubber meets the road.

• What specific steps are needed to achieve your career goals?

• Do you need to develop new skills or certifications?

• What is your timeline for making these changes?

Consider the financial implications: Develop a budget that considers potential income gaps during the transition. 

4. Act: Take the leap of faith

This is where the magic truly unfolds. The "Act" phase involves taking action on your carefully crafted plan.

Change takes time and courage: Remember that even if you are acting, it can take time to work through a transition. Start small and build momentum. Particularly for Asian women, having a supportive community, like the one formed at the Asian Women In Tech conference, can be a great network to help sustain you. 

My Story: From HR Leader to Executive Coach and HR Consultant

My journey towards a more aligned career path was gradual. The doctor's questions served as a wake-up call, but the actual transition involved months of exploration and planning. While I had maintained a 'side' coaching and consulting practice for several years, it took a series of experiments to determine if this could evolve into a path offering greater fulfillment and flexibility. I embraced learning and sat in the 'messy middle' of career transition. Drawing insights from my own coach, network of friends and colleagues, incredibly supportive family, and inspiring Asian women leaders to guide me through this transformative process.

Today, as an executive coach and HR consultant, I help leaders and their teams navigate changes, often at inflection points. My own journey illustrates how shifting focus from achievement alone to fulfillment can catalyze powerful, positive change. If you would like to explore how I might be able to help you on this journey, feel free to reach out at limingcoaching@gmail.com