Professionals Share Their Career Journeys and Life Lessons
High school students had the opportunity to hear from five distinguished professionals whose careers span music, philanthropy, journalism, media, law, foreign service, business, and education. As part of this year’s High School Career Inspiration Series, these speakers shared their life stories and career journeys, offering valuable insights into their backgrounds, education, and the personal experiences that shaped their paths.
The series kicked off on September 30 with a special session and music performance featuring Sean Ro — pioneer of Korean hip hop, triathlete, philanthropist, and YISS parent. Rising to fame in 1997 as a member of Jinusean, Sean has since embraced roles as a dedicated father and triathlete. He shared how his faith, family, and passion for helping others inspire him to live life to the fullest. Sean is also widely recognized for his philanthropic work, notably raising and donating substantial funds to the Purme Foundation, which provides rehabilitation services to people with disabilities, and for leading the Seungil Hope Foundation, named after basketball player Park Seung-il, which supports patients with Lou Gehrig’s disease.
On December 4, the series continued with a session featuring Timothy Martin, Korea Bureau Chief for The Wall Street Journal. An avid reader in high school, Timothy knew early on that he wanted to pursue a career in journalism, and with the help of a faculty member, he secured a part-time position at a local newspaper. He began his career at The Wall Street Journal in 2008 and has since held various positions in the Journal’s New York, Atlanta, and Chicago offices. Timothy joined the Seoul bureau in 2017 and was appointed Korea bureau chief in September 2019. With extensive knowledge of business and geopolitics in Asia, he is regarded as an expert on South Korean industries, US-North Korea relations, trade wars, and Asian economies. During the session, he gave a candid look into his journalism career and offered valuable advice for aspiring journalists in the audience.
FBI Supervisory Special Agent Justin Chang spoke to high school students on February 24 about his career in law enforcement and foreign service. He shared how essential collaboration and cooperation are in his role as the head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Seoul Legal Attaché office in the Republic of Korea at the US Embassy. His love for his country and his desire to be a servant leader have driven him to learn, lead, and excel in his exciting career. What an honor to have him share his experiences with us.
On March 31, James Rhee, spoke about how receiving a red helicopter toy after sharing his lunch in kindergarten inspired him to develop a framework for business and personal success. This framework, along with the values instilled by his Korean immigrant parents, helped Rhee transform Ashley Stewart, a women’s clothing company predominantly employing and serving Black women, from near-liquidation to transcendent success. He achieved this by leveraging the intangible goodwill at the company’s core, changing its culture, and building a people-centered business plan.
Using carefully selected music and photos, Rhee shared his unique journey and explained how his diverse experiences—as a teacher, lawyer, venture capitalist, and entrepreneur—combined with the loss of his parents, empowered him to write The Red Helicopter. In the book, he provides a clear, actionable path using fundamental business metrics to create a more sustainable balance between life, money, and joy for both ourselves and others.
The following week, on April 7, students had the privilege of hearing from guest speaker, Booyeon Lee, who shared her inspiring journey to a career in diplomacy. Booyeon opened up about her experiences growing up as a young immigrant in Arizona and her first career in journalism. She emphasized how a teacher’s encouragement led her to pursue journalism, a field that provided invaluable skills and experiences, ultimately shaping her current role as a U.S. Foreign Service Officer serving in the United States Embassy.
Booyeon urged students to work hard, strive for excellence, and seize opportunities to serve their communities. She shared how finding her voice took time, but encouraged everyone—especially women—to look for and use their voice, whether in writing or speaking. By doing so, they can make meaningful contributions to the important discussions shaping the world and use their education and careers as tools for positive influence.
Since 2008, YISS has hosted an annual career event, inviting professionals from diverse fields to share their experiences and advice with high school students. These sessions offer invaluable insights and inspiration as students begin to contemplate their future careers. The opportunity to interact with accomplished professionals provides students with a clearer understanding of various career paths and the steps needed to achieve their goals. The YISS community extends its heartfelt thanks to all the speakers for taking the time to share their experiences and inspire our students in their career journeys.
Special thanks to the High School Career Inspiration Committee Co-Chairs, Patrick Yoon and Christina Ahn, for their time and efforts in arranging many of these distinguished speakers.
