'InspirASIAN’

What are the key skills that make you successful in your position?

Listening; Communications; Project Management; Conflict Resolution; EQ; Finance; Ability to synthesize complex information; HR

How does your lived experience positively influence your work?

Living in the City that I lead has been fulilling; I'm more invested. I know that the things I do affect our community, and impacts my family and me as well. I'm able to put myself in the shoes of the people who live here and to hear them at a more empathetic level I don't think I could reach if I lived outside of the city. Rural communities like ours can often feel forgotten and its been my goal to bring attention to rural communities because we matter! We contribute to the local, state and national economies. We raise children who become innovators, leaders, heroes and amazing contributors to the world. We are small and nimble, but we have some of the hardest workers and kindest people in America.

Who or what inspires you?

Jesus inspires me. His leadership is a blueprint of how we can all look to our faith for answers to impossible questions, difficult problems or for strength. Those of us who manage cities often feel alone or isolated. Faith reminds us that we are not alone. I believe anyone who manages a city has prayed in some capacity for their city and their community whether it's to solve a problem that feels impossible, to be selected for funding, to balance their budgets, to convince their councils to go a certain direction or take a position on a hot topic, or to protect their residents and employees. We all pray in some way.

What has been your biggest professional achievement?

Becoming the first City Administrator for the City of Aberdeen which was established in 1882. I believe that I am also the first (not confirmed) woman of Tongan descent to be a City Manager/Administrator. I'm a first generation American. My hope is that Asian-Pacific Islander girls want to get involved in municipal government and that they know there are plenty of rural communities that are looking for new, energetic leaders.

What career advice do you live by?

There is only one way to eat an elephant: one bite at a time. Cities take time to form, grow, prosper and thrive. Rome was not built overnight. I've learned the art of chipping away at a problem, rather than trying to solve it in one go. Cities and their problems are like AI in that a problem will be "solved" only to evolve and adjust into a different version of the same problem. The same concept is applied to a city that is evolving or growing: we add to it piece by piece.

What do you/did you love the most about your job?

I've worked in several levels of government and, by far, municipal government has been the most rewarding, enjoyable and toughest. I enjoying seeing my work unfold in real time. I believe that work in municipal government impacts people and a community directly and almost immediately. I love seeing a city transform before my eyes.

What experiences and past roles have led you to where you are today?

I've worked for over 10 years for the State of Washington with the Department of Corrections and the Department of Revenue. I moved onto a job with a Public Utility (Special Purpose District). In each of those agencies, I worked in Communications. I believe that Communications taught me the importance of understanding how an organization runs because at some point I would have to write about it. I came to love to understand the inner workings of organizations and synthesizing that information in a way that was digestible for audiences. Communications also put me in a room with leaders who were trying to solve complex problems, so having an understanding of the interconnectedness of each department and division, as well as my ability to ask relevant questions, helped leaders problem solve.

What is the biggest career challenge you’ve had to overcome?

My biggest career challenge has been overcoming the feeling of being outnumbered. Being the first City Administrator ever in my city came with many organization culture challenges and bad habits that I had to face. I had to do it sensitively, diplomatically, methodically, peacefully, firmly and consistently. I'm so fortunate to have a team that was ready for leadership; I truly could not have done it without them.

What do you do in a nutshell?

I oversee the operations of the City of Aberdeen.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to enter or to those already involved in public administration?

For those who are interested in city management, there will many times you are outnumbered in a room, and you will have to be strong. Bravery is a very big part of my job. If you've never been a city manager/administrator and you would like to be, I recommend you start off in a small city. Small cities lack resources, funding, staffing, and equipment which pushed leaders to have to wear multiple hats, balance impossible budgets and work closely with their teams. You also may not have an assistant. Don't let this scare you from working in a small, rural community; instead, I challenge you to think of it as a way to strengthen and sharpen your skills.

Describe what a perfect day outside of work would look like for you?

The perfect day for me would be spending a warm, sunny day with my children at Arch Cape Beach in Oregon.

Who is someone who’s made a big impact on your life? Why?

My parents have made the biggest impact on my life. I am blessed to have biological parents who came to America and started a life here, and I also have a pair of adoptive parents who adopted us late in life and gave us an amazing life. It truly takes a village to uplift a child, and I believe my parents did that for me.

Why did you join I-NAPA?

I was introduced to I-NAPA by my mentor, Ray Corpuz, who was assigned to me by ICMA/WCMA as a senior advisor. Ray encouraged me to join and to meet the Washington Chapter of I-NAPA. Our Washington Chapter is a group of young, energetic, motivated people who are doing great things in their cities. I-NAPA helps me feel supported and is another way for me to connect with people professionally.

Have you developed relationships with our other members? If so, what do you get out of those connections?

I work and live in a rural community in Washington State where Pacific Islanders make up 0.2 percent of the state's population.