My dream job as a child was to become a school secretary. I loved the idea of working in an educational setting on a team, juggling inquiries and conversations with staff, students, and families. Growing up as an only child of Southeast Asian refugees, I serve as the de facto cultural navigator for my family--translating between English and Cantonese, interpreting important education, financial, and healthcare documents for my parents, and advocating on their behalf when needed. In all these dreams and roles, a through line emerged: I have a knack for organizing information, navigating complicated organizational structures, and helping people better understand it all. I believe in the transformative power of higher education, and I also understand students cannot navigate this system alone. My identity, educational journey, and professional experiences ground my higher education practices. At the heart of my work, I am dedicated to fostering student success, sense of belonging, and helping students navigate the complex higher education system. My practices are driven by systems thinking, transparency, clear communication, and creating opportunity.I currently love being able to support students as an academic advisor at Michigan State University, where I play a critical role in helping students better navigate and understand university policies, majors/minors of study, and the overall system. I also love providing guidance, working together with my students to create long-term academic progress plans and set post-graduation goals—with the ultimate purpose of empowering students to take responsibility for their education. I am a proud UCLA and Michigan State University alumna and first-generation college student. In my spare time, you can catch me watching sports (specifically collegiate/elite gymnastics and figure skating), listening to podcasts, playing video games, spending time with friends and family, and learning my mother’s recipes.