Imagine Talks Podcast

Let’s say you’re the quiet type. The kind of person who likes to keep to yourself. The introvert. What do you do when you’ve got to go to meetings? To parties? To work events? That can seem scary! Can quiet be a superpower? Our guest, Jill Chang, has written just that in her new book! In this episode, Jill talks about the definition of introversion, combatting negative stereotypes of introversion...

Diamond created the podcast Asian Tales to create a conversation to share  the Asian American experience and insights that have made that community unique along the way. The podcast represents a beacon for individuals to look towards for inspiration and connection to identify and share knowledge and culture. Its mission is to break through barriers that others and, more importantly, the individual...

John Jung is an author, psychology professor, and historian. His works include: Southern Fried Rice: Life in A Chinese Laundry in the Deep South, which describes living in the South during the Jim Crow era; Chinese Laundries: Tickets to Survival on Gold Mountain, a social history of the important role that these businesses that once dotted the landscape held for the economic survival of Chinese im...

Lan Ho was recently crowned Miss Asian Global’s 1st Princess. Lan's mission is to advocate for more minority representation in mass media, executive positions, and leadership. She is currently working on her newest startup, Fat Miilk; Lan hopes to use her startup companies as a way to inspire women in entrepreneurship and encourage others to disrupt the status quo. In this conversation, we discuss...

Dr. Stephanie Wong is a licensed Counseling Psychologist at Peninsula Behavioral Health and the VA in Palo Alto, in addition to a researcher and adjunct professor at both the University of San Francisco and New York University. Her work centers on trauma-informed care, identity development, and social justice in therapy, research, teaching, and advocacy with diverse communities. Amongst Stephanie'...

Darae Jun received her Ph. D. in Microbiology from UC Berkeley and B.S. in Environmental Science from UC San Diego. Her hope is to utilize microbiology as a tool to promote sustainability by discovering and optimizing bioenergy solutions. Her mission is to be a role model and inspire students with real-world science careers and issues, engage students in hands-on, inquiry-based learning experience...

Melanie is a career advisor for students at Built By Girls and a Technical Recruiter in the Silicon Valley. But while she thought she had figured out all the keys to success, her life took a turn when she experienced depression after unexpected heartbreak and career burnout. Melanie was able to overcome this dark period of her life through a challenging mental shift in her priorities, sources of v...

Tammy Cho is CEO and founder of BetterBrave, a nonprofit that empowers employees with knowledge and tools for navigating harassment, discrimination, and retaliation. Previously, Tammy co-founded Encore Alert, an AI platform that helps brands identify and act on emerging trends, crises, and influencers in their industry. She started the company as a college freshman at Georgetown University and sol...

Eric Basu is the CEO of Sentek Global. He’s a former U.S. Navy SEAL Commander who graduated from San Jose State University with a Bachelor of Science in Molecular Biology and holds an MBA from Anderson Graduate School of Management (UCLA). He launched Sentek Global out of his home in 2001 with the goal of founding a firm committed to making a significant and long-standing positive difference for i...

Born in San Francisco, California, Josie grew up in an environment that straddled both cultures and more so in the underground world of Chinatown. Being a child of an immigrant family, she had to learn how to make sense of the "Chinese playground" and create opportunities on her own. It wasn't until the death of her father that Josie turned over a new leaf and began to focus more on her profession...

Patrick Lee is a serial entrepreneur best known for being a co-founder and former CEO of Rotten Tomatoes (rottentomatoes.com), a leading entertainment website focused on movie reviews and news. He is an advisor to a number of startups including Casetify, Instaread, Kiwi Campus, Oishii, WePloy, and Zeuss Technologies; and a mentor at a number of organizations including SOSV, Berkeley SkyDeck, Blue...

Wendy Shew is the Founder of Building Education that serves to build schools and provide education in developing countries in efforts to eliminate poverty. Her Mission is to Build 1,000 schools and touch 1,000,000 lives. After working for an Aerospace Company as a Jet Engine Specialist she found her true calling in philanthropy by making a difference in the world. She is an accredited life coach t...

Believing there is good in everyone is what Jaclyn has known to do at a young age. From being exposed to people with different disabilities because of having a brother with autism, to helping military families through their grief, after her own father was killed in action in Iraq - finding hope is her drive. Through her own suffering, she was determined to pursue her educational career by double m...

As a dancer, Miko has received worldwide recognition with her debut in the movie, First Position, as well as winning the Gold Medal at the Moscow International Ballet Competition. Miko received a contract with the Birmingham Royal Ballet in England at the age of 17 years old as she danced and taught in over 20 countries. She is now a graduating student majoring in Integrative Biology at UC Berkele...

Jen Louie graduated from UC Berkeley in 1995 with degrees in Mass Communications and Development Studies. Jen helped launch the first LGBTQ news magazine TV show in the country, had a successful career in Hip Hop radio, and founded Sixth Sense Consulting Group. Jen has produced hundreds of campaigns and events, including the X-Games, NBA All-Star/ Superbowl parties, NY Fashion Week, the Bay Area O...

Joseph Ilustrisimo is a fitness entrepreneur, personal and group trainer, photographer, videographer, and storyteller. Joseph has an independent personal training business called Redefined MVMT where he teaches individual clients and groups how to gain strength, get out of pain, and live more healthy lives. He is passionate about creativity, health, wellness, and equality.

Dion Lim is a TV news anchor and reporter at ABC7/KGO-TV in San Francisco, CA and the author of Make Your Moment: The Savvy Woman's Communication Playbook To Getting The Success You Want. A sought-after speaker and emcee, she has hosted events with everyone from news legend Dan Rather to Hollywood celebrities like Patrick Dempsey, to community groups and leadership conferences. She was named one o...

Samantha Mui is a native of the California Bay Area. A former culinary student and current food blogger, she has worked in and out of the food industry for more than a decade. Her cooking style is inspired by her travels abroad where she has experienced culture through cuisine. She has been featured nationally on Food Network and PBS's Check, Please! Her latest book is Melting Pot: Stories and Rec...

Tammy Tran is currently a Bay Area resident but a SoCal native at heart. With a decade of experience in Higher Education, particularly with educational administration and counseling, she shares how she helps college students overcome obstacles in an academic setting. Tune in to hear what tips and advice she has for college students to achieve academic and personal success.

Steffie Harner is a former California Bay Area resident and our dear friend and mentee. A Tokyo-based freelance model and junior software developer, Steffie tells us her journey from the health tech scene in San Francisco to founding Startup Lady Japan to becoming a full-time technical mentor and software engineer for Code Chrysalis, a full-stack Javascript bootcamp in Tokyo. She also shares how s...