A WIN!ning Weekend

Seattle, Wa - NAAAP Seattle had one of the best weekends of its 32 year history. On Friday, we held our signature monthly mixer at Citrus Seattle. The sun was out and with the patio doors open a cool breeze wafted through the lounge area where 60 of our esteemed guests and members socialized talking about current events. Then on Saturday, the Women in NAAAP (WIN!) Regional Conference took place at the Microsoft Conference Center with our specials guests Brad Baldia, NAAAP National President and Judi Rhee Alloway, WIN! National Program Director. The program was as one would expect for a conference serving 120+ attendees: 4 tracks, 3 keynotes, and 25 sessions focused on leadership and calling one to Invest in Yourself.

Phyllis Campbell, Chair, JPMorgan Chase, delivered a memorable lunch keynote strongly encouraging attendees to:

• Take Care of Yourself: Self-Care is Smart Care;
• Get Ready!;
• Turning challenges into opportunities;
• Perfection is overrated: It’s okay to make mistakes; and
• The more you give, the more you receive.

Following the event, a welcome reception for conference volunteers and special guests was held at the Microsoft Store in Bellevue which included a store tour and a few rounds of Kinect. The event was catered by I Just Love My Apron.

Then on Sunday, NAAAP Seattle held a community service event at Farestart, a nonprofit organization that helps homeless and disadvantaged men and women transform their lives through job training and placement in the food industry.

Overall a WIN!ning weekend for NAAAP Seattle! Thank you to all that made it happen.

Join us in Boston, MA for the 25th Annual NAAAP National Convention and Diversity Career Fair presented by Macy's. It's happening August 11-13th, so register by June 25th to get an early bird discount.

NAAAP Seattle Board

NAAAP Seattle Social Mixer and WIN! Preview at Citrus Seattle

Melanie Caoile, Microsoft Corporation welcomes attendees at the 2011 WIN! Conference

Negotiation: Learning how to talk your way into and out of situations. Kim Tran, Seattle City Light

JD Hokoyama, LEAP and Phyllis Campbell, JPMorgan Chase

Phyllis Campbell, JPMorgan Chase and the WIN! Scholarship winners. Scholarships were generously awarded by JPMorgan Chase.

Business Panel: (l to r) Assunta Ng, NW Asian Weekly; Isabell Sheang, Microsoft Corporation; Olivia Lippens, Clear Channel Outdoors; Mary Pugh, Pugh Capital Management Inc.

NAAAP Seattle President, Gil Gido talks about what to do after the event: Network on the WIN! Social Networking site.

(l to r) Brad Baldia, NAAAP President; Alison Hammet-Cumming, Mary Kay; Gil Gido, NAAAP Seattle President; Sherwin Tsao, Web Chair; Casey Huang, Scholarship Chair; Claire Ding, Secretary; Kevin Chang, Membership Chair; Judi Rhee Alloway, WIN! National Director; Hang Chen, National Rep and WIN! Conference Chair; Amy Duong, Student Relations Chair; Julie Pham, PR/Mkting Chair; David Eam, VP Operations; Vivian Hauer, Treasurer. Not pictured: Marian Liu, VP External Affairs; Michael Okimura, Professional Development Chair; Jenafer Park, Community Service Chair; Heidi Yu, Social Chair.

WIN! event reception at the Microsoft Store in Bellevue, Wa

Touring the Microsoft Store and testing out a 3-D laptop.

I Just Love My Apron event spread.

A Kinect Dance Battle being observed.

Judi Rhee Alloway, WIN! National Program Director in front of FareStart-Seattle.

Volunteers at FareStart-Seattle

More Photos: http://donaldpham.smugmug.com/Organizations/20110604-NAAAP/17394866_wVFC6c#1323834997_xRWDs5W

Mary Kay Beauty consultation: http://www.marykay.com/alisonhc

Web design: http://www.jfudesign.com/print/win.html

Politicians, Presidents, and Butter Miso Fish star at 2010 NAAAP member appreciation and membership drive picnic

As the final game of the World Cup games aired on July 11, 2010, approximately sixty people chose to come out for NAAAP-Seattle’s annual member appreciation and membership drive picnic at Lake Boren Park in Newcastle rather than watch Netherlands and Spain battle it out on the soccer field.

Included among the picnickers were 41st District State Senator Randy Gordon, King County Assessor Lloyd Hara, and 11th District State Representative Bob Hasegawa.

Senator Randy Gordon said he wanted to show his support for NAAAP-Seattle. As a state senator, he said, “I want to be a representative for everyone.”

The guest who has the honor of traveling the farthest to attend the picnic was National NAAAP President Brad Baldia, who had flown in from Philadelphia the night before.

It was Baldia’s first trip to Seattle. He was impressed by NAAAP-Seattle’s enthusiasm and energy.

“The Seattle chapter is very involved with the minority community and the presence of politicians here today indicates that,” said Baldia.

Baldia said he wants to connect with local chapters throughout the United States because he knows that through local chapters, people get connected to NAAAP nationally.

The real star attraction at the picnic this year was the food. NAAAP celebrity chef Tanantha Couilliard of I just love my Apron fame designed a menu featuring tender chicken and tofu terkayi sandwiches, butter miso with red vinegar fish, and vermicelli salad.

“I think people really appreciated the food was homemade,” said Couilliard, who noted it took a team of four volunteers two days to prepare the meal.

Murmurs of delight over the food were expressed throughout the picnic.

King County Assessor Lloyd Hara was overheard saying, “This is good fish!”

NAAAP Seattle member John Hay of Burien Toyota renewed his membership at this year’s picnic.

“I’m having a lot of fun at this picnic,” said Hay. “I get to grill…and I think I’m pretty good at it too!”

Membership Chair Kevin Chang reported approximately 15 people signed up for new memberships and renewals at the picnic.

“Thank you to everyone who made it to Lake Boren Park and to all the volunteers who made the event possible,” said Chang. “We could not have pulled off the picnic without their time and energy!”

Photos: (top) 41st District State Senator Randy Gordon speaking to picnickers.; (middle) John Hay, right, and Don Lee, left, at the grill; (bottom) NAAAP-board members with NAAAP National President. From left to right, Claire Ke Ding, Casey Huang, Brad Baldia, Gil Gido, Julie Pham, Stacia Loo, David Eam, Hang-Ping Chen, Kevin Chang.