In May of 1980, I embarked on a journey that would forever shape my life. At the age of 10, my family and I fled Vietnam in the middle of the night, crammed into a small fishing boat with 69 others, seeking freedom and a better future. The South China Sea became both a symbol of hope and a scene of unimaginable terror. We faced relentless threats—from gunfire as we escaped, to pirates who robbed us and violated our loved ones.
After days adrift without food or water, we miraculously reached Malaysia, with only our lives intact. When we arrived in the U.S. 2 years later, my family had just $1 to our name—but we were determined to build a new life from that single dollar. Growing up as a refugee was not easy. The language barrier, cultural differences, and financial struggles could have broken anyone. But my parents taught me the power of resilience. My father worked two jobs—by day, helped my mother by cleaning other peoples' homes, and by night, working in a hotel. They saved every penny, and 5 years after our arrival, by 1987, they had bought a small grocery store. Watching my parents overcome obstacles taught me a valuable lesson: it doesn’t matter where you start—it’s about how hard you’re willing to fight for your future.
I struggled in school, especially with English, but I found my strength in math. Through sheer determination, I excelled, eventually graduating college and earning a place in graduate school. But life, once again, presented challenges. When I lost my mother just before my 25th birthday, I felt untethered. I left graduate school and worked a series of jobs before landing a position at Dell as a helpdesk agent. This was my chance to rebuild, and I refused to let it slip away. Over the next few years, I worked my way up from helpdesk to Software Engineer, but I wasn’t satisfied.
My heart was set on becoming a project manager. However, despite my persistence, the company wasn’t ready to give me the opportunity. I decided to create my own. In a pivotal moment, I used a small chance encounter with a director to negotiate my move into project management with an iPhone charger—something I had long dreamed of but never had the chance to formally pursue. It worked. With that single moment of boldness, I set myself on a new path. Determined to prove myself, I studied on my own, borrowed books from colleagues, and prepared for the Project Management Professional (PMP) exam—passing it on the first try, an achievement I earned through hard work and grit. That certification opened doors and took my career to the next level.
In 2016, I joined a prestigious tech company, and within two months, I was asked to run key projects for a newly hired Vice President. I saw this as another opportunity to prove myself. I successfully ran town halls, quarterly reviews, and other high-visibility events. My role continued to grow until, in 2019, I took another bold step and proposed to my VP that I officially become his Chief of Staff. He agreed, and in January 2020, I took on the role, supporting him and his organization of over 600 people. Each step of my journey—from arriving in the U.S. with $1, to rising to Chief of Staff—has been marked by persistence, resilience, and an unwavering belief that I could create a better future. I’ve faced immense hardship, but I’ve never let circumstances define me. Instead, I’ve used every challenge as an opportunity to grow stronger.
