Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I’ve always been fortunate in terms of jobs – they’ve been universally challenging and allowed me to work with some wonderful people. Currently, I am the Chief of Staff and Deputy to the President of New York University, the largest private university in the nation, with a portfolio that mirrors that of the President - interacting with Trustees, deans, the faculty, students, and the University Senate, and fostering communication and collaboration within the administration. I teach a freshman honors seminar on leadership in the College of Arts and Science, which is extremely enjoyable and something I have always wanted to do.

Previously, I was the top Asian American executive at Monsanto Company, a $6 billion company based in St. Louis , where I served as Associate General Counsel and Managing Counsel. Before that experience, I had been the General Counsel for the State Bar of California, a White House Fellow appointed by the President, a California Superior Court Commissioner, and a private practitioner. One of my most unforgettable experiences as an attorney was the chance to argue one case in the U.S. Supreme Court (a victory) and over 30 cases in the California Supreme Court. I got my J.D. from the University of California ( Berkeley ) after graduating from Oberlin and spending 2 years in Taiwan (one year on the Oberlin in Taiwan program during my senior year, and an additional year, during which I taught English as a Second Language at Tunghai University ). My major was East Asian Studies (an individually-designed interdisciplinary major) and activities at Oberlin included serving on the Education Commission and Social Board.

For over 25 years, I have been active in the organized bar. I am the immediate past Chair of the American Bar Association (ABA) Commission on Women in the Profession (an entity whose first chairperson was Hillary Clinton!) and was the first woman of color to serve as its leader. I was also the chair of the ABA Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar, which accredits American law schools, and was the first Asian American to chair any section or division of the ABA in its history. (Hard to believe, but true.) I am on the boards of the American Bar Foundation, the Oberlin College Board of Trustees, and the White House Fellows Association. Previously, I served on the boards of the Association of Corporate Counsel and Equal Justice Works. I have received the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association Trailblazer Award, the inaugural Missouri Woman Justice Award, diversity awards from the Judicial Council of California and Minority Bar Association, and was elected to the American Law Institute. In 2004, I was enormously honored to receive a Doctor of Laws (honoris causa) from the City University of New York.

Other facts: My husband, also a lawyer, is Michael Delaney. He’s my constant source of love, support, feedback, and energy. Hobbies include movies (I have a collection of over 1500 movie tapes and DVDs), music, theater (we see a play almost every week in New York), cooking, and travel (I highly recommend the Taj Mahal, Macchu Picchu and the Inca Trail, any place in Hawaii, Big Sur, the Oregon coast, anywhere in Italy, and Salzburg).

How did your experiences at Oberlin prepare you for life after college, especially your career?
As I indicated in my Oberlin Trustee ballot statement, Oberlin transformed me – it gave me a sense of purpose and direction, offered me opportunities to grow intellectually and socially, and enabled me to interact with and be mentored by dazzling faculty, administrators, and fellow students. I have never forgotten what I learned at Oberlin about myself and my strengths and weaknesses. It’s still a revelation, as I have reconnected with some of my former professors and fellow students, to note that we never really get Oberlin out of our system: that we still have an understanding about how things should be done and what is important in the world that frames how we approach our lives. It’s easy to think that everyone shares those values, but it’s certainly not the case.

What were the major challenges for you, other Asian American students, and students of color at Oberlin College in the early 1970s?
Oberlin’s long history of being a pioneer when it comes to racial tolerance and acceptance didn’t always translate to its being a totally comfortable place for minority students in my day. As minorities, some of us struggled at both trying to fit in and trying not to lose some of our heritage – while others were not conscious of any self-conflict and ignored the call to “other-ness” altogether.

In 1972, I helped found the Asian American Alliance at Oberlin, which aimed to develop a positive, inclusive collective identity among Asian and Asian Pacific Americans and capitalize on our slowly growing numbers to gain recognition and support programs that we felt were significant or necessary for our own growth. One of our objectives was to get Oberlin to hire an Asian American student coordinator, which ultimately did occur. It’s quite heartening to realize that the AAA is still very active on campus. In my junior year – which was actually my last year on campus, since I went to Taiwan for my senior year – I lived at Asia House, which was a great experience. I had a roommate from Hong Kong , who kept me in stitches with her feistiness and unconventional beliefs, and we both took part in many of the cultural and social programs for which Asia House was famous.

I should also mention that the fairly controversial President Robert Fuller invited our then only American Indian student, Bob Yazzie, and me to put together an American Indian program for Oberlin in conjunction with the Special Educational Opportunities Program. We traveled to Arizona , New Mexico , Washington State , Alaska , and Minnesota to gather up information on how best to accomplish that. Oberlin did set up a small program in 1973, with mixed results, I believe.

How has Oberlin changed since you graduated in 1973?
Oberlin has changed a great deal in some ways, and hardly at all in others. The physical plant is much larger, more inviting, and impressive – especially Mudd Center , the Science building, and the energy sustainability building. Some of the professors I knew well are still around, but most are new faces to me – though their credentials are just as outstanding and commitment to undergraduate education is every bit as passionate as that of their predecessors. In addition, the curriculum is far more innovative and expansive than what I recall.

On the other hand, the town of Oberlin seems to have changed the least over the years. The weather is still grim in the winter, delightful in the spring and fall. And Gibson’s still has great donuts.

We know you are really involved with the College as an alumni-elected member of the Board of Trustees, perhaps you could talk a bit about it?
I am one of the newest members of the Board, so I cannot speak from a great deal of experience. Everyone has been very welcoming and I am enjoying making the acquaintance of the board members and senior staff with whom we interact. I feel quite at home there in terms of issues and challenges as well, perhaps due to my nearly 6 years in higher education at NYU and the fact that I have served on over 80 committees, boards, and commissions since my Oberlin days.

The Board’s top priority this year is to find the next President. It’s a daunting task, but I am confident that we will succeed. Beyond that, we are working to build stronger relationships with the faculty, students, and alumni. My board committee assignments are on the Academic Affairs Committee and the Capital Planning Committee, which will put me squarely into the heart of the academic program and physical plant planning processes of the College.

What advice would you give students today?
The values and skills that are always in demand and worth attending to – no matter where one’s career path goes - include:

• Interpersonal skills – to aid you in getting along with and understanding a variety of people.
• Technical knowledge and critical thinking – to demonstrate your value.
• Strong work ethic – to show your commitment and ability to get things done.
• Communication skills – to speak, write, and persuade with effectiveness.
• Teamwork – to put aside one’s ego for the good of the group to tackle problems and find solutions.
• Leadership – to engender confidence in your ability to develop a vision and strategies to accomplish goals with and for others.
• Continuous learning – to keep abreast of constant changes and the competition.
• Sense of humor – to keep things in perspective and enjoy life.
• Time management – to reduce stress and increase productivity.
• Health, energy, and balance – to allow you to perform at your best.
• Integrity and honesty – to earn trust and credibility.

I hope that Asian American and other students of color can find the kind of both supportive and challenging environment at Oberlin that will ultimately prepare them effectively for the real world. I am glad that I have been able to maintain my ideals and still manage to do well in the worlds of law, business, government, and now academia. Perhaps that is still another great gift of an Oberlin education – it gives one the tools to develop one’s own knowledge and skills, the flexibility and creativity to put whatever talents one may have to some good use, and the faith that one will deliver on the potential that has been identified and nurtured. In the end, if you can say that you lived a useful life, then you have found fulfillment.