MEET THE TEAM !
Mary Hu ~ President
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Mary first joined WIL to be a part of an inclusive and diverse community whose mission is to empower other students to become leaders and reach their highest potential. Along with building friendships and networks, she also joined WIL to strengthen her professional and leadership skills.
“My advice to WIL members is to take initiative and utilize the resources and opportunities UCI offers while staying true to yourself and your core values. Also, never be afraid to ask questions, take risks, and step out of your comfort zone!” 4th Year Business Administration, Informatics, and Sociology major |
Suzanna Kussman ~ Executive Vice President
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Suzanna joined WIL for the chance to make long-lasting connections with fellow women who strive to empower themselves and each other. Having the opportunity to listen to and learn from the experiences of women currently in the business industry has brought her to consider options for her future that she never would have recognized without WIL.
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Anusha Nayani ~ Vice President of Internal Affairs
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Anusha joined WIL because she wants to empower other women and develop her leadership skills. She plans to become a digital marketer for a sustainable fashion or beauty company after graduating from UCI. Anusha also enjoys cooking, photography, hiking, and watching Netflix in her spare time!
“Take advantage of the opportunities this club can provide and make lasting friendships.” 3rd Year Business Administration and Psychological Science major |
Vanessa Vonnegut ~ Vice President of Mentorship
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Vanessa joined WIL to be able to build relationship with other women who aim to inspire others and work hard to achieve their goals. Upon graduation, she plans find a job and work for two years and hopes to go back to school to receive her masters. Vanessa also works as a teller for Wells Fargo.
Her hobbies outside of school include playing basketball and watching youtube videos. She also loves learning new languages! 4th Year Business Administration major |
Jiaqi Fu ~ Co-Vice President of Communications
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Jiaqi joined WIL because she wants to be involved in a community where everyone is open and acceptable and encourage each other to reach for more. She also wants to challenge herself to meet people and make connections with leaders from different backgrounds. Jiaqi is also an Administrative Intern at School of Social Science for the DIRHA program. Her plans after graduation is to work in public accounting and get her CPA. Additionally, she yearns to travel around the world when she has the chance.
"It is never too late to be involved in what you are interested in. Don't be afraid to reach out for help because people are happy to help. You will find yourself improved so much if you try new things." 3rd Year Business Administration major |
Rose Qiu ~ Co-Vice President of Communications
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Rose joined Women In Leadership because she says,”It is a close and supportive community that empowers women. I have connected with genuine and aspiring peers and gained professional knowledge through WIL's workshops.” She is also the Vice President of Diversity at Merage Undergraduate Student association(MUSA). After graduation, she plans to pursue a career in Finance and apply for an MBA after two to five years of work.
Rose loves traditional clothing, like chi-pao and opera costumes, which provides a way of exploring her cultures. She also likes drawing, singing, and playing badminton in her free time! 2nd Year Business Administration major |
Jasmine Jimenez ~ Vice President of Community Development
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Jasmine joined WIL because she realized that this was a club that had a lot of potential for her. She would meet women with similar mindsets and she knew she could surround herself with other leaders who are capable of supporting each other. As VP of Community Development, she knew she'd be able to build bonds and create a strong sisterhood that allows for individual progress, stating, "It was a near no-brainer that this was a club I could see myself being able to learn from.”
Advice to WIL Members: "Don’t stress rejection. You never know where you’ll end up or the opportunities that could come your way. So, as simple and cliche as it is, never be afraid to put yourself out there. Just start doing things and go for what you really want; I believe if something is truly for you, you will acquire it." 3rd Year Social Ecology major |
Darlene Do ~ Co-Vice President of External Affairs
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For Darlene, WIL represents empowerment and support of women on campus. As a female-identifying person herself, the most significant impact the organization has for her is the opportunity to connect with and learn from successful females in various fields. She has established lasting friendships with members in the organizations and she is grateful to have found a strong support system here!
"My advice to WIL members would be to TAKE A CHANCE. Whether it be a speaker event you are unsure will be beneficial to you, or a program that will challenge you to step outside of your comfort zone, you should TAKE THE CHANCE. I have grown the most by challenging myself with new experiences, and I believe in your ability to grow with each new chance you take." 3rd Year Business Administration major |
Isabella Darling ~ Co-Vice President of External Affairs
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Isabella joined WIL because she wanted to be part of an organization that focuses on women in leadership positions throughout the workforce. She also wanted to make connections with women of all different backgrounds at UCI. Outside of WIL, she is currently an Earth Rep through the Sustainability Resource Center and was recently hired to be a Campus Rep starting Fall 2020!
Isabella's hobbies outside of school include collecting postcards from all around the world and making her own to send out globally. 2nd Year Business Administration major |
Alexandra Estrada ~ Co-Vice President of Marketing
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Alexandra joined Women in Leadership because she was excited to meet new people and make new friends, all while helping the campaign to inspire and support other women in their goals and passions. Alexandra plans to go straight into the workforce after graduating; she wants to work in advertising in either retail or the entertainment industry. In her free time, Alexandra likes to skate, draw/paint, and create playlists for every mood on Spotify.
Her advice for WIL members: "Do not rely on the support of a million people but rather the million aspects of yourself." 4th Year Business Administration major with a minor in Digital Arts |
Heidi Salas ~ Co-Vice President of Marketing
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Heidi joined WIL to place herself with women who want to cultivate positive friendships and gain leadership, communication, and organizational skills. She states, "Our club has great alumni connections that can be resourceful when looking for jobs or internships in the summer or after graduation. Knowing the we will have each others backs is an empowering feeling.” After college, Heidi plans to continue advocating for social justice. She wants to apply for law school and become a lawyer.
Advice to WIL members: "A quote from Michelle Obama, “There is no limit to what we as women can accomplish." As a Latinx feminist, I understand the struggles and disadvantages both my communities face. Which is why we have to break our derogative stigmas and prove them wrong, but together.” 3rd Year CRM/LAW & Political Science major |
Sahej Arora ~ Vice President of Finance
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Sahej strongly believes in the idea WIL stands for which is women uplifting women. She states, "WIL provides the resources required for young women to become the best version of themselves in professional terms and creates a community of mutual growth.” Sahej is also involved at UCI as a Research Assistant at The Paul Merage School of Business and a
Research Assistant at The School of Social Sciences! In her spare time, Sahej enjoys reading young adult fiction books and playing table tennis! "My advice to WIL members is to definitely take advantage of the guest speakers and build connections with them. I personally am interested in the investment banking industry and through WIL, I've had the amazing opportunity to create a mentor-mentee relationship with one of the guest speakers who is a successful investment banker herself." 3rd Year Business Administration and Economics major |
