The second conference of the Taking Charge of Your Career Success Conference Series was held on Saturday February 12. The informative and engaging day was attended by 77 career-minded professionals with Asian heritage or who have interests in it. Produced by NAAAP Boston and Dreambridge Partners, the conference was sponsored by Tufts Health Plan and held at its offices in Watertown, MA.
Taking Charge of Your Career Success is a comprehensive conference series uniquely designed to help Asian professionals develop critical strategies for career advancement and leadership.
The day's opening remarks included a NAAAP Boston welcome by Samson Lee, NAAAP Boston President; a Tufts Health Plan welcome by Lydia Greene, Vice President of Human Resources & Diversity; and the Conference Introduction by Jim Fong, NAAAP Boston Board Member and Professional Development Committee Co-Director.
The keynote lecture, "Creating a Rewarding and Meaningful Career", was presented by Judy Shen-Filerman, Principal and Founder of Dreambridge Partners LLC, and NAAAP Boston's Professional and Career Development Advisor. Judy's remarks, which resonated with the predominately Asian audience, addressed key topics and advice including:
- How would you differentiate a series-of-jobs from a career?
- How would you define a rewarding & meaningful career?
- An Asian perspective on career success and the passion-obligation dilemma
- Career success is an inside-outside job
- I am unique, with something unique to add to this world
- A rewarding & meaningful career is a process
- Your board of advisors
- Nurturing your passion and career meaning throughout life
- Exercise: Your core identity and assets
Interviews with Guest Speakers were next on the agenda. Judy interviewed accomplished Asian leaders who gave personal insights and advice on the career subjects being discussed. Three Guest Speakers generously shared their time, wisdom and enthusiasm:
- Joseph W. Chow, Executive Vice President, State Street Corporation
- Renee Inomata, Partner, Burns & Levinson LLP
- Penn Loh, Professor of the Practice, Tufts University Department of Urban and Environmental Policy
In the third segment of the conference participants attended smaller breakout sessions in which they worked with a Facilitator and fellow participants on crafting their own personal strategies. The breakout sessions were ably guided by talented Facilitators:
- Wally Higgins, Organizational Development Consultant
- Michele Rapp, Associate Director of Career Services, Suffolk University Graduate School of Business
- Valerie Ching, Division Manager, Primerica Financial Services
- Latsamy Visetsin, Manager of Organizational Development and Learning, Brigham & Women's Hospital
- Pauline Huie, Organizational Development and Learning Consultant, Brigham & Women's Hospital
The full group reconvened to share ideas from the breakout sessions and a general Q&A. Judy Shen-Filerman wrapped up with a call to action for all the participants to actively practice what they learned, and to take advantage of the networking connections they gained at the Conference. Sien Chen, NAAAP Boston's Professional Development Co-Director offered the conference's closing remarks.
After the conference, some participants attended an optional, fun networking activity at Asiana Fusion nearby in Watertown to get more acquainted with other participants.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
- The 77 Conference participants, from NAAAP’s membership and those new to NAAAP. Thank you for your enthusiasm and active participation. Some participants attended with the support of their employers, whom we thank for their support.
- Conference Sponsor Tufts Health Plan.
- Special thanks to co-organizers Cynthia Potenza and Michael Cawley and their colleagues. Tufts Health Plan, a NAAAP Boston Corporate Sponsor, made their attractive, sky-lit facility available on the weekend and provided extraordinary support on venue planning, promotion, food and beverages, copy and print services, and more.
- Lead Speaker, Conference Facilitator and Designer of the Career Success Conference Series, Judy Shen-Filerman of Dreambridge Partners, a cross-cultural talent management, leadership development and coaching firm focused on Asian-American and International professionals and executives.
- Key members of the Conference Series design team of Judy Shen-Filerman, Jim Fong, Ming Hui, Robin Ng, and Sien Chen, and contributors Timmy Wong, Jenny S.W. Lee, Chien-Mei Chang and Donna Thach.
- The Conference implementation team:
NAAAP Boston’s team, including President Samson Lee, and the Professional Development, Corporate Relations, Technology, and Marketing committees. - Special thanks to the day-of-the-event volunteers, including Celia Ho, Fred Jao, Calvin Lee, Nancy Lee, Robert SooHoo, Donna Thach, Duy Le Thanh
- Ming Hui who managed the entire day’s operations
- Sien Chen who kept everything running on time
- Professional photography generously provided by Todd Pelletier www.toddpelletier.com.
- Conference strategy, marketing and video production services generously provided by Creative With Direction.
