Helene Hoi-Ying Fung | 
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Job Title: Senior Business Analyst Organization: Momentum Partners Industry: Management/ Business Consulting Location: Perth, Western Australia Work Description: Advise companies, government agencies and other organizations on strategy, performance improvement and problem solving Interests: Singing, salsa and ballroom dancing, traditional Chinese musical instruments, traveling Favorite quote: “ There are three types of people: those who make things happen, those who watch as things happen, and those who wonder what happened.” Which type do you want to be? Current IEEE Volunteer Position: 2008 Region 10 GOLD Coordinator |  |
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How did IEEE find you? I guess I stood out from all the students who were interested in starting the University of Western Australia Student Branch because I was the one most experienced in running student clubs, and the founding Chair was kind of handed to me on a platter because I was in the best position to lead the committee. Everything went on from there. Describe shortly something that you did as a volunteer that you are proud of. Setting the precedence for all the Region 10 student representatives after me! The position was vacant before I was appointed in 2001-02, and there was no concrete terms of reference. I basically took the opportunity as blank canvas to make as much out of it as I wanted. R10 student representatives were not invited to R10 executive committee meetings until I broke the ice, and asked if I could attend one that was being held at a different state in Australia; RSRs now get an automatic invitation! How has IEEE nurtured you as a person? I think it’s fair to say I would be a slightly different person if I hadn’t been involved with IEEE. It’s been a real eye opener being on different committees over the years and I’ve grown more confident from the experience.
The directors in my company expect really high standards for public speaking and presentation skills – my involvement in IEEE gave me plenty of opportunities to polish these skills.
Making friends around the world: meeting like-minded young people that I often click with and get along with straight away; and also meeting more mature and experienced people that I can learn a lot from. It’s been fun!
Travel to see so many different places around the world without having to pay for air fare in the past… let me see, 7 years and counting!
IEEE is very pro-active in seeking and including young, new blood. My experience has been that many are willing to almost bend over backwards to help young people with good ideas. Many of my friends who are accountants, lawyers, architects etc. have all commented that they simply have no chance at all of being involved in a professional society at as high a level as I have in IEEE – not before many “old guard” who have been around forever start to drop off the radar anyway! Why did you continue volunteering? To keep clocking up those frequent flier miles! ;-) Seriously though, I got a lot of satisfaction out of the work and can see that I am making a difference, which is why year after year, despite constantly thinking “I have too many things on my plate and have to start culling some of them”, I still stay involved in IEEE. IEEE friend/s who left an inspiring impression on you. Sampathkumar Veeraraghavan – Madras section GOLD chair and local organisantion committee chair for the 2008 Region 10 GOLD Congress. An absolutely amazing “energizer bunny” with infectious enthusiasm who somehow made all the problems disappear, kept motivating everyone, and reminded us that we all can do more to help society - despite barely getting any rest during the congress! Lew Terman - IEEE President, Ted Hissey – Director Emeritus, Janina Mazierska – Region 10 Director (also the first female to hold this position), and many, many other IEEE leaders. They have the vision to recognise that young people are IEEE’s future, and have lent their support to efforts that identify and groom the next generation of leaders. |
