PERSONAL STATEMENT OF
ALICE WONG
FOR NAPABA VICE PRESIDENT FOR COMMUNICATIONS

Hello NAPABA members! Please consider electing me for a second term as VP for Communications. For those who do not know me, I would like to share a little bit about myself. On the professional level, I am corporate counsel for Nordstrom, Inc., where I practice primarily real estate law. I graduated from University of Washington School of Law, and currently serve on the NAPABA board as VP for Communications. On the personal level, I was born and raised in Seattle, and my hobbies include fishing and buying shoes (but not at the same time), although both activities have been greatly curtailed since starting my new role as a mother.

If re-elected, my goals are to: (1) continue maintaining a stream of pertinent, interesting and diverse articles in the NAPABA newsletter; (2) work closely with staff to timely communicate NAPABA news to the membership and public through the Monthly Update email blasts, press releases, and other means as appropriate, and (3) encourage and assist NAPABA members to be active in the organization.

I view the VP for Communications role as the major liaison of information between the board/staff and NAPABA members and recognize the importance of working quickly to ensure information is disseminated timely and efficiently to members. In order to accomplish the specific goals above, I plan to work closely with staff to make more efficient use of the quarterly newsletter (NAPABA Lawyer), with the Regional Governors for input on articles relevant to affiliates, and to maintain flexibility in my schedule to allow rapid response when necessary.

I believe the biggest challenge and opportunity for NAPABA is its rapid growth, which I think will grow even more explosively given the revised affiliate fee structure. NAPABA will need to frequently reflect on its goals and objectives to ensure that the needs and interests of all members are addressed to ensure NAPABA stays relevant for each member.

I have now served on the NAPABA Board for three years, this year as VP for Communications and the previous two years as Northwest Regional Governor. During this time period, I have chaired (either with a co-chair or independently) three different NAPABA committees. In 2008, I spearheaded the board effort to create a stipend policy, a program whereby NAPABA sets aside funds to financially assist NAPABA members to attend the National Conference. Additionally, I have served in various capacities in local bar organizations. In 2007, while serving the first year of my RG term, I also served as President of the Asian Bar Association of Washington. I am co-founder and a past president (2006) of the Vietnamese American Bar Association of Washington.

I cannot identify one singular experience that has stood out during my involvement with NAPABA. In general, my most positive experience has been working with other board members, where I have developed long lasting relationships with other Asian American attorneys throughout the nation, all impressive in their own right and whom I have grown to truly respect and enjoy.