'InspirASIAN’

What do you do in a nutshell?

I initially started as a Management Fellow at the City upon completion of my MPA/MAIR program. I started in the Community Development & Transportation Department, which has now evolved into two different departments - Community Development and Engineering & Transportation. As someone who has opted to follow the generalist path, my work encompasses a variety of projects, including contract management, performance measures implementation, budget tracking & monitoring, and coordination of cross-departmental programs. Two of my favorite special projects I have worked on are the City’s Artificial Intelligence Team and Conflict of Interest Analysis to improve current practices. Overall, I see my role as an opportunity to connect and empower staff with different resources and research on strategies to improve internal systems and processes.

What experiences and past roles have led you to where you are today?

Prior to this role, I taught 7th grade science at a low-income school in North Las Vegas and

English as a second language in rural Colombia. Working with communities from different

linguistic, cultural, and academic backgrounds really helped me appreciate the value of diverse

perspectives in creating content and supporting my students to feel confident in how they gain

knowledge and ask critical questions. On the flip side, teaching also showed me the importance

of managing expectations across different stakeholder groups, including co-teachers,

counselors, parents, and administrators, to advocate for student interests while ensuring

students meet their performance metrics. Working across language barriers helped me identify

new methods to facilitate dialogue, which strengthened my connections with the respective

parties.

What career advice do you live by?

I really value intentional connection, so I view networking as an opportunity to grow my lifelong

community. As an introvert, I’ve always struggled with networking as a performative way of

getting to know people, but through my diverse living and learning experiences, I uphold myself

to networking with intention so that I am not just constantly looking for what people can do for

me or vice versa, but rather, how can I grow my own understanding of the work I do through meaningful conversation with the other person that informs me how they approach what they

do.

Why did you join I-NAPA?

As someone who has moved around a lot and experienced living in diverse environments, it has

always been a priority for me to learn the context of the work I am doing and build a coalition of

people around me who can serve as mentors. I-NAPA came to me at a time when I was

navigating a new landscape as a transplant from the East to West Coast and understanding the

importance of my identity as a South Asian woman in a space that I haven’t seen many people

who look like me. I have always followed a “nontraditional” path in my career, so joining I-NAPA

has reaffirmed my mindset in a career in the public sector.

What’s a fun fact about you that most people don’t know?

I speak four languages! I have always been fascinated by the power of language to bring people

together from across different backgrounds. Language also helps me connect to different forms

of expression, such as music and literature, which allows me to feel confident in my ability to

navigate conversations across different settings and with a variety of stakeholders.

What’s one type of food you can eat every day for the rest of your life?

I am a big fan of South Indian food, particularly dosas! There is a restaurant in the Bay Area

called Mylapore that offers a variety of dosa options, and my go to is one that I actually had

never heard of or grew up eating. I also really like anything spicy and flavorful, so Thai food is a

close second, especially a solid Pad See Ew!