The First 90 Days

I would like to congratulate the NAAAP Seattle Board of Directors for completing the first 90 days of 2010 with a whole lot of enthusiasm and with a superior attitude for driving for results. As a volunteer Board with full time careers and families, I know of the challenges of balancing work, life and Board duties. I am proud of the leadership shown by this chapter for upholding the mission and vision for NAAAP.  On behalf of our membership, sponsors, and executive board, "Thank you."

As a summary, here are the results from the first 90 days of 2010:

• David Eam and Herbert Pang, Community Service and Membership Chairs, organized a community event to serve 80 families at the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Washington among other community service events. (Note: Kevin Chang, will be the new Membership Chair replacing Herbert)

• Jenny Xu, Social Chair, coordinated the first Eastside social event with 80 people in attendance and a women networking event launching the Women in Naaap program locally.

• Andy Yip & Ki Kim, NAAAP Past presidents threw a volunteer appreciation event for last year’s volunteers.

• Lynn Huynh, Treasurer, reconciled our actual from budget and maintained chapter financial health.

• Casey Huang, Scholarship Chair, is launched on our first College scholarship to be awarded in the first half of 2010.

• Julie Pham, Marketing Chair and Marian Liu, VP of External affairs, are working to expand the reach of the NAAAP message while creating a positive brand to increase value for members and sponsors.

• Hang Chen, Professional Development Chair, worked with Kaplan to deliver an MBA Strategy Seminar.

• Rebecca Deng, Natl. Rep, & I, represented the Chapter at the NAAAP National Retreat in Connecticut.

• Amy Duong, Student Relations Chair, is working on creating relationships with student groups across the Puget Sound.

• Vivian Hauer, Newsletter Chair, has implemented an events calendar to be shared at our all of our events.

• Erik Kalinka, Technology Director, is working on updating our technology to the National Back Office.

• Liz Tran, Fundraising Chair, emceed our Haiti fundraising event and created a fundraising strategy.

• Roxanne Tam, Board at Large, led a committee in updating our chapter by-laws.

• Nancy Ko, Board at Large, planned and executed our chapter's Board Retreat resulting in a strategic plan for membership, professional development, social and community areas.

• Jen Phang, VP of Operations, recruited top professionals for election to the Board of Directors.

As you can see we're up to creating a vibrant and engaged community of professionals that improve our communities and create competitive professional advantages.

If you would like to know more about NAAAP Seattle and NAAAP and are thinking about joining our membership, please visit our website at http://seattle.naaap.org/Welcome.do or http://www.naaap.org/

Figure. NAAAP Board of Directors at the Haiti Relief event held in February. (l to r) Future Board Member, Kaiden Yip; Andy Yip, Ki Kim, David Eam, Tanatha P., Liz Tran, me, Amy Duong, Jen Phang, and Hang Chen.

Regards,
Gil Gido
NAAAP Seattle
President

What makes a chop salad evil?

While NAAAP-Seattle volunteers were winding down from cleaning the streets of ID, another NAAAP event was winding up across the lake with the Seattle chapter's launch of Women in NAAAP (WIN). WIN debuted as a Women's luncheon at Joey's in Bellevue.

Laughter and conversation emanated from the group of ten NAAAP-Seattle women with diverse professional backgrounds, ranging from software programming to the non-profit work.

At Joey's, the WIN-ners were particularly intrigued by the large salads with a funny name: evil chop. After lunch, the women enjoyed more evil by going to watch 'Alice in Wonderland' in 3D.

One participant shared, "I had a good time and can't wait to do this again."

You can ask NAAAP-Seattle Social Chair Jenny Xu and the other original WIN-ners in Seattle for yourself what makes that chop salad evil and just how evil was the Red Queen by meeting them at NAAAP-Seattle's upcoming monthly mixer in Bellevue at 2AM (yes, that's the name of the bar) in Bellevue on April 2. For more information, visit: http://seattle.naaap.org/Events.do?id=8091

Three city blocks, 17 volunteers, and 15 bags of garbage

Despite the grey skies that promised rain on a Sunday morning (3/28), NAAAP-Seattle saw the largest volunteer turnout of 2010 yet--17 people.

Volunteers were distributed into several teams to clean the strip of So. Jackson St. between 8th & Rainier Ave that had been adopted by NAAAP-Seattle in Seattle's Adopt a Street program.

The result? 15 large bags of trash.

Community service Chair David Eam noted, "a random bystander in the ID even applauded our efforts for this work."

The volunteers were impressed by the great turnout and by how much they were able to accomplish in just a few hours. And they were grateful for the rainless skies.

Next time you walk down So. Jackson St., look for the "This street has been adopted by NAAAP-Seattle" sign.