Q: What were the key milestones or turning points in your career or life that led you to where you are today?

A: When I was 14 my father passed away and I was the oldest son and I knew I needed to provide for my family. I was very focused on what would give us a good life and how I could get there quickly.

When I got to the United States and my family was ok back home, I started to focus on how I could make a better life for myself. I realized that in this country motivation and determination takes you very far.

Q: What strategies did you employ to stand out in your field and differentiate yourself from others?

A: Reliability is very important in my profession. I am always on time, I take pride in my work and I ask for opportunities to grow in different areas within my field.

Q: Looking back, is there anything you would do differently in your career journey or advice you’d offer individuals in or considering your field?

Q: What were the key milestones or turning points in your career or life that led you to where you are today?

A: I earned my Bachelor’s degree in 1999. I earned my juris doctorate in 2002. I passed the bar exam in 2002. I received various promotions throughout the last 21+ years, the most recent being my hiring with Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District as the Assistant General Counsel.

Q: What strategies did you employ to stand out in your field and differentiate yourself from others?

A: I do not believe I am the smartest, but I am always the best prepared. I work extremely hard because I truly care about what I do and the positive impact I can make on the employees in my agency.

Q: Looking back, is there anything you would do differently in your career journey or advice you’d offer individuals in or considering your field?

My advice to individuals who are considering the legal field: ensure you have a high reading retention rate. Ensure you are adept at multi tasking. Find the area of law that interests you, understanding that there is so much you can do with your law degree and license to practice.

Q: What were the key milestones or turning points in your career or life that led you to where you are today?

A: Following graduation from college, I did not have a clear path of what I wanted to do. Initially, I took a corporate job that provided a decent salary, got married, bought a house, and started a family. But something was missing. Even though my dad told me when I graduated college to look at education as a career, I didn’t take his advice right away – but he always knew. 

Outside of my professional and family life, I volunteered to coach, tutor, and mentor kids – that was my passion. As I began to surround myself with other educators, they began to influence and encourage me to pursue education as a career. I thought and prayed mightily in considering this move. At the time, I had a mortgage and a family depending on me. Any career decision had to be sound. I received some key advice and support during this time. One was from Mrs. Irene B. West – who was a legendary educator in our community who shared her pure joy in serving students and families daily. Another was from my Pastor who helped me see this was what I was being “called” to do – which was much bigger than just a job. And the final was from my wife. She believed in me and gave me the confidence that we would be able to make this move together. 

I resigned from my corporate job and started substitute teaching. Within a couple of months, I was offered a full time teaching position. Since then I have progressed into education programming, Dean of Students, Assistant Principal, and now a principal role. The decision I made over 20 years ago has been validated ten-fold. It was absolutely the best decision I’ve ever made.

Q: What were the key milestones or turning points in your career or life that led you to where you are today?

A: Some key milestones in my career came with each company I have worked with, whether it was with increased responsibilities or new opportunities. However, it is not solely about the size or recognition of these companies, but rather about the valuable lessons I have learned in each role. In my opinion, the turning points in my career are the opportunities I have had to learn something new, whether it involved venturing into unfamiliar territory or facing challenges head-on. During these moments, I have been able to leverage my technical skills to learn new software, employ my analytical abilities to devise solutions that drive results and tap into my creativity to explore innovative approaches. These experiences have always prepared me for the next step.

Sometimes we tend to think of milestones as events that occur over months or years, but with every project, every new thing we learn contributes to our development. My theory is that if I know more today than I did yesterday, it represents a turning point. This may not be immediately noticeable, but it is an additional pixel that contributes to the bigger picture. That one pixel could symbolize completing one section of the beautiful artwork that represents the journey of self-creation and individual growth.