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BOARD OF DIRECTORS
DEENA LE
Co-Executive Director
University of California, Irvine
Graduating Class of 2019
Career Goal: Physician's Assistant
Why is MEMO important to you?
MEMO is important to me because I've always thought of MEMO as my second family. When I started at UCI, I did not have many friends since most of my close friends ended up going to different colleges. When I attended my first MEMO meeting, the one thing about MEMO that really stood out to me was how welcoming everyone was. Throughout my three years in MEMO, I met a lot of wonderful people in MEMO and it's amazing how we all share the same goal of helping the undeserved community. With the countless MEMOries (hehe definitely pun intended) I've made I can say without a doubt that MEMO will always be my home away from home.
ANGELA NGUYEN
Co-Executive Director
University of California, Irvine
Graduating Class of 2020
Career Goal: Physician
How has MEMO helped you grow? (general person, friends, opinions, career, etc.)
I remember joining my first year and was really scared/shy! College was just so different and I just wanted to find a place where I could build a home in college while serving my community! AND I FOUND IT! MEMO is such a wonderful club with such a beautiful mission statement. You meet the greatest, most dedicated, passionate, kind, and friendliest souls ever in this club. Through this organization, I have been able to give back to my community through all the various events that MEMO is a part of. In addition, I got to find my passion for healthcare by volunteering in the various hands on clinical experiences MEMO offers. One of my favorite MEMO events is definitely Project SHUE. You meet the cutest and smartest kids ever. As part of MEMO, you get to help teach them important lessons about their health, science, and just life! I learned how to be confident within myself in public speaking and leading events. To end off, if you are new or are continuing to be part of MEMO for these next few years, word of advice is to TRY EVERYTHING!! You never know who you are going to meet and you never know who you can help <3 Don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and to try new things. If you have been wanting to try out for the internship, GO FOR IT, or if you want to learn how to talk to businesses for sponsorships, GO TO THE EVENT. MEMO has helped me grow in so many ways and that was only possible because I decided to go for it and stop being scared.
NATALIE CHAU
Projects Development Director
University of California, San Diego
Graduating Class of 2020
Career Goal: Family Physician
What is your favorite memory on the mission trip?
One of the experiences that I have cherished the most during my time in MEMO was helping the underserved communities in Vietnam on the 12G mission trip. In particular, my favorite memory on the trip was getting to play with the children at the orphanages. Although I could only communicate in broken Vietnamese, my interactions with the kids were nothing short from amiable. From showing them “magic tricks” to playing tag, it warmed my heart to connect with the children in spite of the language barrier. This experience has fueled my drive to advocate for health and educational equity and to close the disparities that continue to exist in underserved communities at home and abroad.
RYAN CHEUNG
Administrative Director
University of California, Irvine
Graduating Class of 2020
Career Goal: General Dentist
What is your favorite memory on the mission trip?
Although I had so many great memories in MEMO in America, one of my biggest college highlights was attending the 12G Vietnam Medical mission trip in 2018. Hands down my favorite memory was playing soccer after our dental clinic at one of the orphanages. I was really bad at soccer, so all the kids really wanted to play with me when I was on the volunteer’s team as the goalie. I am proud to say I may have stopped maybe one goal the entire day? Although I was destroyed by the children, it was great seeing them enjoy themselves and yell “I’m Messi!!!” every time they scored on me. Getting experience shadowing doctors and volunteering was great, but playing games with the patients will always be the biggest highlight for me. This experience has helped me prioritize connecting with patients in order to eliminate patient anxiety and push for health equality.
VIVIAN PHAM
Sponsorship Coordinator
University of California, Irvine
Graduating Class of 2020
Career Goal: Physician
What drew you to MEMO and what made you stay?
I remember coming across MEMO at the involvement fair summer of my first year. It was the only club that went to Vietnam and as a Vietnamese-American, I was extremely interested in the opportunity to go travel, give back to the community and connect with my roots! I wrote my name down, went to the first meeting and everything was history! LOL how cheesy. In truth, I did join because the mission resonated with me. BUT the biggest reason that I stayed was the friends and memories that I made. While I went to high school with a lot of them, we HARDLY spoke in high school. MEMO changed that and those friends became a large part of my college experience. Not just them, but every person that I met from my BIGS and LITTLES to my interns and board members have made college 10x better! Being a part of MEMO gave me the chance to give back while making TONS of amazing memories like going on the 12G Mission, selling spam musubi, dancing for gala and many others. MEMO also helped me grow as an individual by building my public speaking and leadership and making me step out of my comfort zone! There are sooooo many things I love about MEMO and everything adds up to why I am still here as an alumni! There are so many great opportunities as well as amazing people who are a part of MEMO at all our chapters so DON’T hesitate to check us out!
DOMINIC CAO
External Relations Coordinator
University of California, Irvine
Graduating Class of 2020
Career Goal: Physician
Why is MEMO important to you?
MEMO showed me that each of us has the power to make some change or impact, whether it be within our local community or within our MEMO chapter. Having been in various non-profit organizations growing up, I thought that as members, the most we will do is raise money to help out the impoverished, rural areas of Vietnam. OHHH boy I was wrong. Whether you are a board member or a general member, everyone plays a big role in achieving MEMO’s mission statement of serving the underserved locally in OC and abroad in Vietnam. Throughout the year, all of us are a part of the process from fundraising by selling spam musubi on the cold streets of Ring Road to wrapping them boxes at Barnes and Nobles to asking businesses for donations. The list goes on and on. At the end of the year, we get to finally see all of our hard work come together at our Annual Open Our Hearts Gala. I remember standing at the entrance and just staring at the whole venue in awe. Each part of the gala was done by a group of eccentric students: the decor, the night performances (dancing and singing; p.s. you should sign up to be a part of the dance team I:D), chauffeurs guiding guests to their tables, and lots of more. The cherry on top of everything was hearing how we made about $150,000 that night through donations towards our programs: Scholarship, Heart, and Hope. Within our chapter, everyone is so open and kind to each other that it creates an atmosphere of familiarity. Even if it's your first time going to a MEMO meeting, it is guaranteed that you will meet and talk to 5+ people there. Everyone talks as if they have been friends for years when in actuality it may be like the first time they ever saw the other person. MEMO makes you feel safe and lets you be who you are. Some of these people may become your support system and long lasting friends :D.
HELLEN NGUYEN
Financial Director
University of California, Irvine
Graduating Class of 2018
What drew you to MEMO and what made you stay?
When I attended the first general meeting as a sophomore in college, I didn't think that M.E.M.O. would have such an impact on my undergraduate career and even after graduation. I first joined M.E.M.O because its mission statements resonated with me. However, it was the people that I met and had the pleasure to work with that made me stayed with this organization until now. It has given me numerous opportunities to get involved and help the underserved community both locally and abroad. I saw what giving back to the community really means and what healthcare is truly about through different volunteer events from health fair to fundraisers to the annual mission trip. The small things that we do can have great impacts on other people's lives. While helping me widen my perspectives on life and allowing me to gain hands-on experiences, M.E.M.O. also gives me a second family - the M.E.M.O. family. I am so glad to have joined this organization, and I am very thankful for the positive impacts it has made on my life as a whole.
2020-2021
CHAPTER BOARDS
UCI BOARD
Co-Presidents: TAM TA & CAROLINE NGUYEN
Co-Workshop & Outreach Chairs - SAMANTHA DINH & ELAINE TRAN
Co-Sponsorship Chairs: TOM JAEHYUK SONG & STEVE PHAN
Co-Fundraising Chairs: JENNY NGUYEN & KENNY NGUYEN
Co-Public Relations & Social Chairs: ANITA LI & NGOZI OKOROMA
UCSD BOARD
Co-Presidents: PATRICIA VU & BRIAN NGUYEN
Co-Outreach Chairs: AMY PENG & TIFFANY LY
Co-Fundraising Chairs: RYAN LEE & JENNY CHIEM
Sponsorship Chair: VANESSA NGUYEN
Service Chair: ARIANNA CUBILAN
Social Chair: VIVIAN DINH
Publicity Chair: SARAH KANG
Secretary: TUYEN NGUYEN
USC BOARD
President: CATHERINE DO
Vice President: ANGELINA SHAO
Fundraising Chair: CONNOR MUKAI
Sponsorship Chair: TRANG TRINH
Admin Director: YUNSUN EOH
FOUNDERS
LONG-CO NGUYEN, D.O.
DUY DO NGUYEN, M.D.
KIM HUE NGUYEN, PH.D.
AU-CO NGUYEN, M.D.
LONG NGUYEN
ADVISORS
TIMOTHY BUI, D.D.S.
LANH PHUNG, M.D.
DAVID MAI, M.D.
JOHN BELVILLE, M.D.
ROSALIE WEBER, PHARM.D.