December 11, 2023
After reading Cat Nguyen’s bio in preparation for this article, I was in awe of all that she has accomplished. At the same time, I was puzzled how to tie all her accomplishments together in a cohesive way. Not wanting to walk away from a good challenge, I looked for some direction – from Cat. Luckily for me the advice Cat shared is not only fitting to describe her story, but great advice to many law students and others looking for a north star in how to lead a fulfilling life.
Cat describes her journey as being driven by curiosity with an openness for change. Cat also has a clear ability to identify and create opportunity. Given her success, it is refreshing to contrast her optimistic view with the daunting life-planning thought that troubles most students: “What am I going to do after graduation?”
Coming out of Penn State with a Health Policy and Administration degree, Cat was not certain where life would take her but definitely did not anticipate heading to law school, co-founding a non-profit, or becoming a five-star children’s book author. Cat began her career with an internship and then a full-time role working with executive leadership in healthcare administration at Temple University Children’s Medical Center. Her path to Temple Law began when one of her mentors in risk and compliance at the hospital encouraged her to attend as a part-time evening student while working full-time during the day.
When the hospital closed at the end of Cat’s 1L year, she switched to the full-time day program, graduating in 2010. With the change, her original plan needed to evolve. Through her legal internships, she connected with Eastburn and Gray and began her post-law school employment there, followed by a similar role at Cohen Seglias. Collectively at the firms, Cat spent 10 years focused on education law, labor and employment law, investigations, and civil litigation.
Following her interest in civil rights in the education context, Cat took a role as an attorney at the US Department of Education, where she currently works. Being able to ensure equitable access to public education is the most fulfilling and motivating aspect of her day-job role. Each step in her career built upon her foundation and was enabled by her willingness to take on a new challenge.
The Temple Law community is full of individuals who are not fulfilled with solely a day job. Cat is a prime example. Throughout her career, Cat has dedicated her time and energy outside of her primary roles to find opportunities to make a difference in the community. As the daughter of Vietnamese refugees, Cat connected with other community leaders who shared similar passions to co-found VietLead, a non-profit which focuses on serving communities of color in Philadelphia and South Jersey. Cat has also been dedicated to serving the legal community in various roles through the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Pennsylvania.
Perhaps most illustrative of Cat’s ability to create opportunity is her story of authoring A Very Asian Guide to Vietnamese Food. Several years ago, when Cat’s sister had young children, she recognized an unfilled need in the children’s book market. She wanted an English book to share Vietnamese culture with her nieces and nephews. She couldn’t find one. More recently, now with her own children Cat tried again – even searching in Vietnam, but still no luck. A little disappointed that the need remained unmet, she stumbled upon A Very Asian Guide to Korean Food – the first book in a newly created children’s series on Asian food. Cat connected with the publisher to suggest a Vietnamese edition in the future. An hour-long discussion ensued, and Cat was signed up to produce it! The book hit shelves in May 2023 and children have been salivating over it since.
We agreed this article would not take the form of a book review, but I wouldn’t be living Cat’s advice if I missed an opportunity to close this Alumni Spotlight with my five-year-old daughter’s two thumbs up rating of A Very Asian Guide to Vietnamese Food!
Disclaimer: This article was prepared to spotlight Catherine Nguyen, and the background information she provided was in her personal capacity. The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and solely reflect the personal views of the author. This article does not necessarily reflect the view of the Department of Education or the United States government.
Author: Douglas Sasso is a 2LE in Temple Law’s Evening Program.
