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BOARD OF DIRECTORS
DEENA LE
Co-Executive Director
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, IRVINE ALUMNI
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
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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.
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KATHLEEN TRINH
Co-Executive Director
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO ALUMNI
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN BIOCHEMISTRY & CELL BIOLOGY
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What is your favorite memory on the mission trip?
I had the opportunity to be a part of 11G in 2017, and it was truly a once-in-a-lifetime and eye-opening experience. From exploring Vietnam through visiting orphanages and hospitals on the weekdays to the long bus rides that led us to the seemingly never-ending clinic days during the weekends, each day was memorable on its own. One that especially stood out was during a clinic day where I was working with the ultrasound team. The day was coming to a near end, and just as we were about to pack, an elderly patient walks up to our station, complaining of back pain. We check her consultation sheet, but she had no referral to our ultrasound station. Even with an issue that seemed to not be related to ultrasound, we take her in and do a full scan of her lower abdominal area. As expected, there were no issues! It was her genuine happiness and relief that stuck with me to this day. She thanked of all us, personally shaking each of our hands, one by one! It's as if her pain had just suddently disappeared. Things like this made me realize how small actions, or in this case, just taking some extra time out of your day to perform a more or less unnecesasy action, can really make a big difference. A majority of the patients we see has never seen a doctor in their life, and through just this one extra interaction with a doctor, she is able to go home with a greater peace of mind.
ANGELINE WONG
Projects Development Director
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO ALUMNI
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN HUMAN BIOLOGY AND PSYCHOLOGY
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What drew you to MEMO and what made you stay?
I was initially drawn to how warm and welcoming the org seemed over their email updates. When I finally caved in and checked them out, I was so surprised to find that everyone was just as warm and friendly as they seemed in the emails. Everyone made such a great effort to get to know your name and to get to know you. I felt so genuinely welcomed, I knew had to come back and meet more people! I loved how tight knit everyone was and even if you didn't know the others, it would not be long before they came and introduced themselves to you. In addition to how friendly everyone was, MEMO also was unique because they had so many activities every week. They provided ample opportunities to get involved with both the org and the local community. MEMO facilitated such a great environment to not only get involved, but to create a little community, a home away from home of sorts, on campus!
JOHNNY NGUYEN
Administrative Director
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, IRVINE ALUMNI
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN HUMAN BIOLOGY
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Why is MEMO important to you?
MEMO is important for all of the connections I've made in my time with the organization. I've made so many friends through MEMO, many of whom I believe will be my lifelong friends. Many of the MEMObers don't realize the impact they have had on me and how happy I am to be with and work with them. MEMO's mission of providing general outreach and care that is long lasting is important to me as well. While a mission trip geared towards providing medical care to underprivileged communities is great, educating patients about how to take care of themselves will have a greater impact than just treating them alone. Part of MEMO's mission is to provide general outreach, not just medical relief. There are many more ways to help those around us than just prescribing them medication, fixing their teeth, or providing them with glasses, and MEMO acknowledges that. MEMObers volunteer for non-medical institutions including food banks, soup kitchens, and education centers. Because of the kindness of MEMObers and MEMO's nondiscriminatory mission, MEMO truly is an organization that anyone can join and cause an effect with.
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DOMINIQUE DUONG
Sponsorship Coordinator
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, IRVINE ALUMNI
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
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What is your favorite memory on the mission trip?
I went on 13G and it's so hard to pick one specific memory because every day is unique and special in its own way! If I had to pick one day, it'd have to be the one where we visited Ky Quang Orphanage, which is located within a Buddhist temple about an hour outside of Saigon. Walking into the temple, the place seemed quiet and mostly vacant. However, the memory of seeing the sheer amount of children within the orphanage is one I will always remember. There were children of all ages and conditions, but what touched me most was the orphanage's dedication to those who weren't able-bodied. It was amazing to witness how the caretakers were able to provide such specialized care for each child with their own physical and/or mental disabilities, in addition to those without. This experience showed me how fortunate we are as MEMO students to be able to support these communities and in this day, more than any other in my life, I had never felt more blessed.
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CHRISTIAN LE
External Relations Coordinator
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, IRVINE ALUMNI
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
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What is your favorite memory on the mission trip?
I had the pleasure to be part of the 13G trip where it was the first trip of its kind to partner with another organization to help those in great need. I believe it was also the first time where MEMO was able to help those in Quang Tri, central Vietnam. I remember the rural area, with its dirt paths and seemingly endless rice fields. The area was absolutely beautiful, especially during our bus rides back to our hotel after a long day of hard work when the sun sets right over the horizon. The clinic locations, however small, felt almost cozy to me. Definitely not what everyone thinks while volunteering 4 days in a row in the sweltering sun, but there was this calm that I sometimes felt during the chaos. These calm moments came when I was roaming around the clinic site with my camera in hand, capturing the special moments where a smile would peak through from the wrinkled face of an elderly woman, to the bright-eyed face of a young boy. It was really the change in emotion that I saw within the people that really made the trip memorable for me. The people of Quang Tri were very friendly and were appreciative of the help that they received. From patients being seen from a doctor, to patients being seen from a dentist, these people were receiving the treatment that they needed. It was an amazing being part of something so big, yet so small at the same time.
HELLEN NGUYEN
Financial Director
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, IRVINE ALUMNI
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
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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.
