'InspirASIAN’

How does your lived experience positively influence your work?

Two facets of who I am come to mind. First, I came to the United States from Korea with my parents when I was nine months old. The first in our family to immigrate, we navigated and adapted to life in southern California with the support of the people and services in the community. Local government is that direct connection for people and we are often the first contact with government that a resident has as they look for assistance in solving a problem. I never forget that and work to instill that customer service focus throughout the organization. Second, as a woman in leadership who was mentored by a female leader, I look to support others in their career path and feel tremendous joy as I see more colleagues with diverse backgrounds and experiences. When I first started at Newport Beach, the first female and person of color City Manager for the city, women expressed surprise seeing me in the women's restroom, "We're not used to running into the City Manager in the bathroom!" Luckily, after seven years it's pretty normal and I hope never a surprise again.

Who or what inspires you?

My husband Jim is my inspiration and foundation. I don't think being married to a city manager is easy. As someone recently said to me, being a city manager is not a job, it's a lifestyle. Your immediate family has to be all in. Over twenty years, Jim has supported me throughout and been a true partner. I feel lucky, as we don't follow the traditional roles and responsibilities, but it's worked well for us. Plus, when I found out he sewed and owned a glue gun, I knew who would be volunteering for the PTA! I've told many aspiring city managers to make sure you have a solid support system, you do not want to be burning the candle on both ends.

What has been your biggest professional achievement?

I am retiring at the end of December after 30 years in city government, the last seven as City Manager for Newport Beach. These last seven years have been the toughest but also the most rewarding of my career. I am incredibly grateful to have been given the opportunity to lead an organization and I believe I have had a positive impact on the organization and the community. Equally important, the job has had a positive impact on me - I leave as a more confident, empathetic, and principled person ready for her next chapter!

What career advice do you live by?

When I first started in local government with the City of Long Beach, a manager told me to never piss off the administrative assistants. And it's true, they were my access to department directors and key city management staff! But taking it a step further, it's really about treating everyone around you, no matter their position, with respect, kindness and caring. Taking a moment to ask about an employee's kids is appreciated and remembered. I've been around long enough to see, what goes around, comes around!

What is your favorite hobby? How did you get into this hobby?

Dragonboating! I got into the sport in my twenties, looking for something to do on the water, stay healthy and meet people. With twenty people on a boat it was a fun social activity. It's how I met my husband and I had some great travel adventures as we competed in races as far away as Japan and Montreal. Once we had kids dragonboating was put on the back burner. But now that I'm retiring, I'm looking forward to more time on the water, kayaking or outrigger canoeing.

Why did you join I-NAPA?

I believe Ed Shikada encouraged me to join and I'm so glad he connected me to the group!

What’s your favorite part of being a member of I-NAPA?

Supporting, and getting support from, other Asian American professionals in local government is invaluable. As I was looking at the next steps early in my career, it was so powerful to see other Asian American women in leadership roles.

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

I served as a mentor through the mentorship program, which I think I got more out of than my mentee!

Which of our events have you attended? What have you enjoyed about them?

I've attended Boba breaks and social events at the City Manager's conference. Hearing others' experiences makes me realize how much we have in common, and providing support to each other in these forums has helped recharge me.