Wendy_CNN_photoThere is so much to say about Wendy Ho that I don’t quite know where to start! She is one of my dearest friends and the one who introduced me to TEDxPeachtree.

Wendy Ho, TEDxPeachtree’s Associate MarComm Director, encompasses everything about a 21st century woman. She exudes the beauty, grace and poise of Grace Kelly, has incredible style like Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis while commanding respect in her field as an expert marketing professional, and possesses a heart of gold with her activism with several Atlanta nonprofits.

TEDxPeachtree’s co-oganizer, Jacqui Chew noticed this sparkling quality about Wendy too, and invited her to join the team. As a past attendee and friend of TEDxPeachtree, Wendy is excited to “learn alongside the pros like Jacqui and the TEDxPeachtree board.” She became a fan of Ideas Worth Spreading when she happened to stumble upon TED a few years ago, and her favorite Talk is by Hans Rosling: The best stats you’ve ever seen.

Recently she’s embarked on a new adventure with CNN as their Sales Marketing Manager, and is part of a new team responsible for marketing the worldwide cable news network to local and international news organizations.

When she is not promoting CNN, her passion in volunteerism has her leading several nonprofit organizations in Atlanta. Wendy is a council chair at Woodruff Arts Center Young Audiences, board chair at Culture Connect, past board member of United Way Young Professional Leaders, alumni steering committee with LEAD Atlanta, board member at The Commerce Society of The Commerce Club, and a current classmen of Outstanding Atlanta. Last year, Wendy was recognized as an Outstanding Atlantan!

When asked about her accomplishments, Wendy ever so humbly stated, “I enjoy all the experiences that have come my way. From living on a farm in New Zealand to building a life in the U.S. I volunteer for causes that I’m proud to serve, like immigrant and refugee rights, arts education and anti-poverty and anti-hunger causes; made friends in all walks of life; built a strong reputation for delivering results at work; managed teams and mentored people – all of it brings different lessons and things to cherish about them.”

Like myself, Wendy is originally from Malaysia. She came to the U.S. to pursue higher education and graduated magna cum laude from Florida State University in Communication. She was a Malaysian Fulbright Scholar finalist and attended high school in New Zealand at Waimate High as an AFS exchange student in the senior year class. Besides being a Seminoles football fan, Wendy also enjoys traveling and exploring world cultures. She saw Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam via an exciting bike tour in her recent travels and also had the opportunity to take her parents on a European whirlwind tour of Switzerland, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, France and the United Kingdom. The travel bug has bit her, and she has her sights set on either Tibet, Nepal or an African safari next.

I am fortunate to have met this amazing individual seven years ago at a Chinese New Year potluck gathering hosted by the Malaysian Association of Georgia. She was one of the founding members of the organization, and I am just as proud today as I was back then to be working alongside her. Over the years I’ve gotten to know her personally, and Wendy never ceases to amaze me with her passion and dedication to volunteerism.

The world is a better place because Wendy Ho is in it.

peksuanyewwylandPek Suan Yew-Wyland is a TED/TEDxPeachtree newbie and excited to be a part of the team!

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