I have a special place in my heart for the BDPA Los Angeles chapter. I was born and raised in Los Angeles and my mom, Liz Hicks, is a past president of the chapter. As such, I am pleased that the chapter is now being led by John Malonson. He represents the new generation of BDPA leadership. I look for great things from John and his leadership team on the west coast.He was kind enough to participate in our Take Five interview series.
- How did you get involved in working with BDPA? - In 2003, I began looking for an African American organization with a focus on Information Technology. Needless to say, my journey started with Google. After being pointed in the right direction, I've been a member of BDPA ever since. It was never my intention to sit back and be a passive member. I knew the value that I brought to the table and welcomed the opportunity to give back to my community. Before as
suming the role of President, I actively got involved with my local chapter by serving as the HSCC Coordinator/Instructor from 2003-2008.
- What is the most rewarding aspect of working with BDPA? - The most rewarding aspect of working with BDPA is being able to bear witness to lives made better via access to information and technology.
- Tell us about a defining moment in your life? - A definitive moment in my life was my freshman year in college at UCLA. The year was 1995 and this thing called the "Internet" was moving fast and freely (via T1 connections) on college campuses while the rest of world moved sluggishly at 28.8k speed. Most people assume that I majored in Computer Science or Engineering; however, I actually majored in Psychology. After having access to all the world's information in an instant at my fingertips, I immediately knew which direction my career would take and I haven't looked back since.
- Who is your hero and why? - I honestly don't have a lone hero or one person that I look up to. I'd have to say that my heroes are those that came before me; both sung and unsung. It is because of them that I can hold my head high, befriend almost anyone of my choosing, and have access to all the opportunities that life has to offer.
- Any advice for people considering donation to BETF? - I'd like those considering donation to BETF to view it as an "investment" in our young leaders. If you need to check the ROI of your investment, the testimonies are there for public viewing. Although I've volunteered thousands of hours during my tenure with BDPA Los Angeles, I donate.
BDPA Los Angeles chapter is aggressively marketing itself via a variety of social networks that include Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn Network.
What did you learn from John's interview? Please share some BDPA-Love with John as a response to this post!
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