story of paving

On Jan 21st, 2017, while in 7th grade, I participated in the historic Women’s March which made a big impression on me. The following year, on Jan 1st, 2018, Issaquah’s newly elected mayor gave me her first mayoral interview in a local café. That rainy weekend morning led me on an unlikely exhilarating journey that resulted in Paving: Conversations With Incredible Women Who Are Shaping Our World, a book that contains interviews of 25 amazing women leaders from around the world. 

A three-year sojourn gave me the opportunity of a lifetime to interact with brilliant minds such as New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Treasury Secretary Dr. Janet Yellen, Chemistry Nobel Laureate Dr. Ada Yonath, Senator Patty Murray, Olympian Lindsey Vonn,  Astrophysicist Dr. Jocelyn Bell Burnell, Pulitzer winner Ashley Parker, Nasdaq CEO Adena Friedman, University of Washington President Dr.  Ana Mari Cauce, and Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal. 

The discussions range from gender equality to global economy, from automation to space exploration, from becoming an award-winning journalist to succeeding as an adventurer, from running billion-dollar companies to inspiring the next generation of leaders, from decision-making under duress to inventing , from leading a nation to being a change agent. Each interview draws out its exemplary subject to share their most profound insights about themselves and how they view the world. 

I talked to these pioneers about their dreams and passions, what drives them. I was curious about deciphering the code of their common traits and drive. The women profiled in my book range in age from 34 to 81, they have done remarkable work around the world in every field imaginable. Their life-journeys, their experiences, the grit, and determination to succeed is awe-inspiring. The many firsts these women have been able to achieve when men outnumbered them every step of the way, they built their own wings to scale peaks and achieve recognition. For them gender was irrelevant, goal was everything. Despite being so successful, they are so humble, role models for generations to come. They are the guiding light who help make this world a better place for us all.

The book is filled with inspirational stories of struggle and triumphs. Each interview tells a unique tale with insights into leadership lessons for everyone.

Paving launches in Jan 2021 on the four-year anniversary of that momentous women’s march.