As a first-generation American, my childhood was riffled with challenges typical of those that Vietnamese immigrants faced in the U.S., post-Vietnam War. My father was an austere Vietnam veteran who was a POW for several years, while my mother was a stay-at-home mom who did an overwhelming job of raising my siblings and I. Through constant hardships and hurdles, I observed my parent’s penchant for overcoming adversity. They were the apotheosis of grit, tenacity, and selflessness. Those characteristics were subsequently instilled in me, and the strict codes of discipline that defined my childhood were lessons that eventually formed the foundation for my success. Perseverance combined with a do-it-yourself mentality made dreams a reality. Never the brightest or most athletic compared to my peers, I often had to work twice as hard to achieve success; but that mentality and my indefatigable pursuit for greatness helped me become an accomplished athlete and scholar. I studied conservation biology at the University of Georgia–one of the premiere universities for natural resources sciences–on a full scholarship and earned a B.Sc (2011) and an M.Sc. (2013). I went on to marry my college sweetheart, and we now reside in the beautiful Pacific Northwest.