Government; Public Administration

Assistant Planner – Entitlement Division
City of Irvine, Irvine, California, Oct. 2005 – Present
Duties:

Managing discretionary cases including, but not limited to: conditional-use permits, master plans, and tentative parcel/tract maps.
Working with applicants to ensure projects comply with the General Plan, Subdivision Map Act, Design Guidelines, Subdivision and Zoning Ordinances.
Writing staff reports and resolutions for projects.
Creating charts & graphs and using PowerPoint for presentations.
Presenting projects to approval bodies, supervisors, and the public.
Assisting in managing the development of Environmental Impact Reports (EIR), including: reviewing Request for Proposals (RFP) and selecting environmental consultant to produce the document; gathering technical studies and reports for the draft document; coordinating the distribution of the document to departments, agencies, and all relevant parties for review; reviewing the draft document to ensure the analysis conforms with city, state, and federal guidelines and policies; ensuring the responses to comments satisfy all issues that are of concern.
Notable projects where I served or currently serving as Project Manager:
Du Pont Lofts – Tentative Parcel Map Extension, a 115-unit residential condominium project,  proposed by West Millenniums Homes.
Irvine Spectrum Center – Master Plan Modification, addition of a 20,000 square-foot wing to the 2-million square foot retail and entertainment center proposed by The Irvine Company.
Koll Center II – Tentative Parcel Map, a 185,000 square-foot office park on 22 acres, proposed by The Koll Companies.
Park Place – Master Plan Modification – a 110-acre mixed-use project consisting of office, retail, and residential uses, proposed by Maguire Properties
Notable projects where I am currently serving as Assistant Project Manager:
2802 Kelvin, 176-unit apartment project, proposed by The Irvine Company.
2500 Michelson, 200-room hotel/200-unit condominium project, proposed by  Starpointe Communities.
Metropolis, 500-unit apartment & condominium project, proposed by Sares-Regis Group.
Assistant Planner – Planning & Development Services
City of La Quinta, La Quinta, California, Nov. 2004 – Sept. 2005
Duties:
Managing various discretionary cases such as Use Permits applications, and assisting principal planners on projects.
Reviewing projects in the planning and code compliance stages.
Providing customer service to the general public; and conducting various research projects.
Planning Intern – Planning
City of Westminster, Westminster, California,  June 2002 – Aug. 2003
Duties:
Working on applications such as preliminary plan reviews, sign programs, and minor use permits.
Conducting various research projects.
Participating in weekly design review sessions.
Providing planning-related information to the public via the counter or telephone.
Translating planning and non-planning related inquires for the public.
Assisting planners on projects.
Conducting site visits.
Assisting senior staff with GIS applications.
Entrepreneurship and Business Management
Partner – Director of Business Development
Maui Maui San Diego, California, Sept. 2006 – Present
Duties:
Overseeing all aspects of business development, including exploring various advertising and marketing opportunities and performing due diligence.
Presenting ideas and solutions to partners on how to improve business operations and sales.
Building relationships with the community (e.g., sponsoring community events, sport leagues, and youth organizations).
Managing the development and distribution of printed menus and fliers.
Developing and updating website.
Assisting the general manager with business accounting.
Working with government agencies to obtain licenses and permits such as ABC, signs, etc.
Interviewing and hiring staff for the business.
Working with county health officials, property management, and contractors to improve business operations.
Interviewing and hiring staff for the business.
Involved in the negotiation process for the purchase of the restaurant business from previous owner.
Co-Founder & Managing Partner
X.O. Entertainment San Diego, California Aug 2003 – Present
Duties:
Securing venues for events.
Negotiating terms and finalizing contracts with venue management.
Hiring and determining compensation for talents, designers, sponsors, media, promoters, etc.
Overseeing planning, marketing, and operating teams.
Collaborating with various companies and venue management to present innovative shows and a better product
Under my direction, the company has been the lead or a partner in the production of 42 events that generated over $800,000 in revenue and attracted a total of over 25,000 people.
Campaign & Political Activities
Assistant Campaign Manager
John Duong – Mayor, Irvine, California Aug. 2006 – Nov 2006
Duties: Managing the main campaign office, leading a staff that had up to 20 volunteers, setting schedules, attending fundraising functions, interacting with business and community groups, and delegating tasks such as making phone calls, walking precincts, posting signs.
Campaign Coordinator
Van Tran – State Assembly, Westminster, California Sept. 2004 – Nov. 2004
Duties: Using fluency in Vietnamese to translate to the public, creating charts and maps to keep track of the team’s progress, organizing databases, coordinating media press conferences and voter registration drive efforts, and putting together small teams to walk precincts and post signs.
Non-Profit
Executive Committee
VANG,  San Jose, California, Jan. 2007 – Present
Duties: Contacting and meeting representatives from companies to discuss sponsorship opportunities;, coordinating events such as `Women in Leadership` and `Vietnamese Americans in Media”- forums that allow interaction between students and successful professionals,  and working with business, financial, medical, media, and student associations/groups to increase visibility of the organization on a national and international level.
ULI Young Leaders
Urban Land Institute Washington D.C. March 2008 – Present
Organization Information: Active member of the Orange County Chapter of the Washington D.C-based non-profit research and education organization supported by its members that now has more than 40,000 members worldwide representing the entire spectrum of land use and real estate development disciplines, working in private enterprise and public service. As the preeminent, multidisciplinary real estate forum, ULI facilitates the open exchange of ideas, information and experience among local, national and international industry leaders and policy makers dedicated to creating better places.
Education
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, California, Jan. 2002 – June 2004
Bachelor of Science Urban & Regional Planning
Relevant Courses included:
Applied Demography — Land Use & Theory — CEQA  — Planning Law
Community Development — Real Estate Principles — Urban Development Process
North China University of Technology, Beijing, China, June 2004 – July 2004
(Study Abroad)
Courses Included:
China and the United States: Cross-Cultural Analysis — China as a Cultural Entity
Politics, Economics, Law, and Business Practice in International Destination
University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA April 2008
Write it Right Business Writing Courses
Certificate of Completion
Languages
English, fluent, native speaker
Vietnamese, fluent
?City of Irvine
www.cityofirvine.org
?City of La Quinta
www.la-quinta.org
?City of Westminster
www.ci.westminster.ca.us
?North China University of Technology
http://www.ncut.edu.cn/
http://202.204.24.37/waiban/waiban-English/index.htm
?Urban Land Institute
www.uli.org
*See separate cover for a full list of professional references and contacts.