WELCOME FROM KHÁNH VŨ SASE CEO & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

and sponsors. Now, as we celebrate our 10th national conference, we are doing things that haven’t been done before and hosting a virtual conference. In order to build a 100-year organization, we have to be forward-thinking, become customerfocused and build a long-lasting culture. I want to share with you my perspective on SASE’s journey over the past 10 years to become one of the largest Asian Pacifi c Islander Desi American (APIDA) organizations in the U.S.

From early on, it was important that SASE learned from the experiences of similar diverse STEM organizations like SWE (Society of Women Engineers), SHPE (Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers) and NSBE (National Society of Black Engineers). Beyond learning from the past, SASE had to think about crafting our future. One of the early decisions was to make SASE a virtual organization and not have a physical headquarter, which allowed us to attract talent and operate in a low-cost environment. This also prepared us to operate in the current COVID pandemic. Although many STEM organizations struggle to gain traction among young professionals, SASE decided to not charge for membership. We believe SASE should off er a compelling reason to join instead of incentivizing members to engage in order to recoup a membership fee. SASE pivoted from an in-person to a virtual conference due to the pandemic, and we see this as another opportunity to engage our members, sponsors and community. Even when we return to in-person conferences, we will continue some degree of virtual engagement to expand access across the SASE community. As we continue to explore new opportunities, SASE will maintain a growth mindset even in light of current challenges.

SASE wanted to create a customer-“obsessed” focus, so in the early stages, we created a national support system for our collegiate chapters which relied on mentorship from previous chapter leaders to help new leaders navigate their term. Giving a direct connection to an experienced leader helps our chapters feel supported and part of the #SASEfam. In our business model, sponsors are key fi nancial contributors, and that’s why we created the Organizational Advisory Council (OAC). This forum connects and shares ideas with major contributors who have said that SASE is one of the most responsive non-profi t organizations that they work with. Among all our constituents, our volunteers are the lifeblood of the organization. The HR committee is made up of volunteers whose focus is to support all the SASE volunteers by giving them a voice on the board, help them onboard, recognize the top performers and connect the various parts of the organization. We grew from eight volunteers 10 years ago to over 150 volunteers this year. If we continue to listen to our constituents, we can expect to grow 20 percent or more every year.

Even though I won’t be around for the 100th anniversary of SASE, I want to make sure that SASE has a solid foundation to make it to that anniversary and beyond. Having a growth mindset will serve us well whether we are a startup nonprofi t or a 100-year organization — it will help SASE survive lows and thrive during the highs. At the end of the day, the better SASE serves our constituents, the better the organization becomes. The mission of SASE is to be the go-to organization for STEM leadership and talent. We are serving just a fraction of people who could benefi t from our programs and connections.

I remember the concerns going into our fi rst conference in 2011: Will students and sponsors attend? Will they connect? Did they gain value attending the conference? Ten years later, the answer is an absolute “YES!” SASE will continue to have a growth mindset, obsess about its constituents and develop a culture that will last us into the next century. Welcome to SASE, enjoy the virtual conference and please don’t hesitate to reach out to me.

#SASEfam4Life,

CEO and Executive Director