I believe that service is apart of learning and growing as well as giving back to the community. At the University of Washington (UW), Seattle, I have co-organized numerous urban planning focused events that engage people in the academic, public, private, and non-profit sectors to discuss emerging or urgent urban problems. I actively serve in BIPOC spaces and global organizations. Here is a sample of my service work.
Husky 100 Award for excellence in applying knowledge to practice, innovative and novel solutions thinking, effective leadership, and engagement of diverse communities.
Pandemic Urbanism, a one-day virtual event aimed at making sense of the emerging pandemic and the impact on cities. There were 830 participants on six continents in 39 countries and regions across academic, pubic, private, and non-profit sectors. The event was sponsored by the UW College of Built Environments.
Claiming Space, a two-day event elevating the work of women and people of color in urban design and planning while promoting the profession to emerging scholars and practitioners. The events were sponsored by the UW Vice President for Minority Affairs & Diversity and University Diversity Officer and Departments in the College of Built Environments.
Urban growth challenges and social justice: Learning from the past and looking to the future, a two-day event with keynote speaker Leonie Sandercock, a renowned urban planner and scholar in community planning and multiculturalism. The events was sponsored by the Interdisciplinary PhD Program in Urban Planning and Canadian Studies Center.
The Community Health Board Coalition (CHBC) is a Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC)-led organization, comprised of 15 5ethnic health boards in Washington State, advocating for systems and policy change. I serve on the Leadership Council since January 2020 and member since September 2019.
The Vietnamese Health Board – Ban Y Tế Công Đồng serves as a trusted resource to the community and advocates for tools that enhance the community’s ability to live healthier lives in King County, WA. VHB is a member organization of the CHBC. I serve on the board since September 2019.
Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellow
As a UW FLAS fellow, I studied Vietnamese and lived in Hà Nội, Việt Nam during the summer of 2017. I translated FEMA’s 20-hour CERT basic curriculum into Vietnamese with my course instructor. It has been shared with FEMA instructors and is available upon request to people interested in disaster preparedness training in the Vietnamese community.
I served in the Peace Corps Response in the Philippines as a Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Program Officer from February 2016-August 2016 after Typhoon Haiyan devastated the country. Learn more about my work under Public Service.
Costa Mesa Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT)
At the City of Costa Mesa Fire Department, I completed the 20-hour CERT basic and train-the trainer training program to become a CERT member and instructor. As an emergency management consultant, I helped coordinate the CERT mutual aid training program which won a FEMA Award for Outstanding CERT Initiative.
I served in the Peace Corps in Mali, West Africa as an Agricultural Specialist from 2002-2004. I worked on community-identified projects. Learn more about my work under Public Service.
Lan Thị Nguyễn 