Thank you so very much for this incredible honor, and to everyone who is here today. It really means a lot to me. I want to thank The George Washington University Law School, Dean Dayna Bowen Matthew, Associate Dean Rosa Celario and Professor Dalia Mitchell, the Law Association of Women and Gavi Kalaga and Shelby Amato, and of course the Belva Ann Lockwood Society for the very kind introductions, for this award and recognition, and for providing a forum to lift up women in law. I am grateful to you all for your commitment to telling our story and celebrating women’s achievements. It is truly humbling to be this year’s honoree for reflecting the character, determination, and attributes of Belva Ann Lockwood—GW Law’s first alumna, a suffragette and leader for women’s rights, the first woman to argue a case before the Supreme Court of the United States, and a U.S. Presidential candidate in 1884 and 1888. Undoubtedly, she accomplished all these “firsts” with both grace and grit while staying true to her values and beliefs.
It is a tremendous honor to be in the storied company of Belva Ann Lockwood and the women trailblazers who are past recipients of this award. I am particularly awed by some of my fellow regulators who have been recognized. I would first like to note that I am not the first U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) recipient of this prestigious award. Mary Schapiro, who was the Chairman of the CFTC from 1994 to 1996, is the first woman to chair the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the first person to chair the SEC and CFTC, and only person to lead both of those agencies as well as the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). She is an incredible leader who left her mark on not only these venerable institutions, but also the markets through rapid changes and many challenges. Wilma Liebman chaired the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), the second woman to hold that post. Margaret Richardson was also the second woman to helm the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Marybeth Peters served the public trust for a remarkable 45 years, including 16 years as the U.S. Register of Copyrights. And I am proud to be the first Vietnamese-American woman nominated by the President to a Senate-confirmed position in the executive branch of government. Today, as a recipient of the 2024 Belva Ann Lockwood Award, I am so honored to be counted among this truly inspiring group of women.
I would not be here today if it were not for the support of those near and dear to me, many of whom are in the audience. I want to thank my team who enables me to do my job every day—Meghan Tente, Harry Jung, Taylor Foy, Nick Elliot, former team member Keaghan Ames, and one of our current GW Law interns, Eryn Lin. Thank you to my mentors, friends, classmates, and former colleagues that are also here, including my former GW Law mentees. I am especially grateful that my parents were able to make the trip from California to be here. I have my family to thank for instilling the values of hard work, excellence, and integrity throughout my life. I am sure that these values contributed to Belva Ann Lockwood’s success as she blazed a trail for all women, and particularly those of us passionate about the law and public service.
I hope that my story shows the power of hope and perseverance in overcoming challenges and achieving your goals. Almost 50 years ago, my parents were airlifted by helicopter from the U.S. Embassy in Saigon on the last day of the Vietnam War, April 30, 1975. They left behind everything they had to start over in a new country and create a better future for their children. In the face of these challenges, my family resolved to write their own story, which of course required perseverance, resilience, and a healthy dose of optimism. I have been so impressed by their success and their civic leadership in our local community. My parents instilled in me a deep sense of service and giving back, and that is why I am able to stand here in front of you today.
As a young child growing up in Modesto, California in the ‘80s, I was often the only Asian-American in my classes and definitely the only child of refugees from an unpopular war. This brought its own challenges, but it also taught me important lessons about strength and independence. I decided early on that the best way to overcome challenges as a young woman of color was to outwork and outperform, and to do so with the highest level of integrity. I am blessed to have been raised by such great role models, who taught me how to navigate adversity with grace and grit. And I am grateful for the support of my brothers who always pushed me and supported me along the way.
These lessons served me well in school at UCLA and right here at GW Law. It was a challenge starting law school by taking night classes while I worked full-time during the day. I want to give a shout-out to the other members of Section 21 who have risen to incredible professional accomplishments, in the White House, as partners at law firms, and in all their endeavors.
Law school is a wonderful time, but it too can be full of challenges. Many of you in this room are in the process of preparing for the rest of your lives. The decisions you make today can determine career paths for a lifetime. Maybe you are juggling classes and a job or a child or other responsibilities. In these challenging moments, it can start to feel overwhelming. That is where strong support systems come in. Student organizations like the Law Association of Women are essential to providing such a network. Rarely does anyone make it to the top by themselves—it takes a team. Lean on your family, friends, teachers, mentors, classmates, and colleagues, because we are all on this journey together.
Take advantage of the opportunities of going to law school here in Washington, like having internships in the federal government and having a front-row seat to policymaking. It was incredible for me to go to law school during the 2008 financial crisis and do research right here at GW Law on the Dodd-Frank Act—the greatest piece of financial regulatory reform our country has seen since the Great Depression.
I want to recognize and thank two of my GW Law professors that shaped my career and to whom I am forever grateful. Professor Art Wilmarth taught banking law and encouraged me to seek a career in financial regulation. He was a true leader in the faculty and as the executive director for the Center for Law, Economics, and Finance (C-LEAF), which I became involved in as a law student and later as a visiting fellow. Professor John Buchman was an adjunct professor and a former advisory board chair who was a big supporter of C-LEAF and his students. The annual GW Law Dodd-Frank Symposium featured prominently in thought leadership on financial regulatory reform, and one of the highlights for me was when I met former Fed Chair Paul Volcker and he also encouraged me to pursue public service.
I complemented my law school education with internships at the CFTC and SEC in the Division of Enforcement and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) Enforcement & Compliance Division to see laws and regulations put into action, in addition to my time at the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. Then, I interned during my last year of law school for former CFTC Commissioner Scott O’Malia, later returning as special counsel. I worked on some of the CFTC’s most consequential rulemakings to implement the Dodd-Frank Act, including the Volcker Rule and the first comprehensive regulatory framework for swaps. These sweeping regulations impact not just U.S. markets, but they also impact and shape global markets. My experiences at the CFTC were the inflection point for my entire career, and I want to thank Commissioner O’Malia for the opportunity to learn about the lasting impact of policy decisions and putting the public interest first.
Fast forward to my career in the legal and financial services fields—professions that have their own history and challenges when it comes to women leaders and people of color. I have found that the lessons from my childhood continue to serve me well today.
Hard work. Excellence. Integrity.
These values can help you to achieve your personal ambitions. Whether it is in school or your career, I encourage you to look at every challenge as an opportunity to achieve new heights, even if they seem unobtainable. But it is not always about you or me. Sharing these values can have a compounding effect on the world around us. Belva Ann Lockwood was dedicated to using her talents as a teacher and as a legal scholar to recognize injustice around her and to do something about it. To speak up for what is right. To lead by example, and to inspire others.
That is why I have made it a focus in all of my leadership roles to share my experiences and mentor a younger generation—at GW Law, the American Bar Association, Citigroup, and now at the CFTC. It is so important that we as leaders set a high bar when it comes to our organization’s culture: one that is open-minded, encourages participation, and celebrates diversity.
I encourage you to know your core values and always commit to doing the right thing, no matter how challenging it may be. Do it with grace and grit, and this foundation will take you far. In the face of adversity, your first principles will serve as a north star. And combined with hope and perseverance, I believe you can open doors that were once locked for generations.
No doubt the world is a much different place since Belva Ann Lockwood broke glass ceiling after glass ceiling. Just look at the CFTC. Women on the Commission outnumber the men 4-to-1! I am grateful to work with such dedicated public servants and want to recognize Commissioner Mersinger, Commissioner Goldsmith Romero, Commissioner Johnson, and Chairman Behnam.
We are all better off thanks to the women who came before us, but that does not mean we cannot aim higher. We should always strive for greater fairness and greater opportunity for women. We can always do better to celebrate our differences.
You all have the gift of going to law school in our Nation’s capital and witnessing history in the making. The education and experiences you gain today will enable your success in the future. I cannot wait to see what you accomplish—with grace and grit.
