SASE National Conference 2016: Dare to Lead
We want to hear your stories about the conference! Send an email to blog@saseconnect.org and let us know what your #NC2016 experience was like and include a photo! We’ll be updating this blog with responses.
SASE National Conference prides itself on the meal experiences that serve as both a culinary delight and a chance to for attendees to be inspired by the chosen speakers. Elizabeth H., a Houston SASE Professional chapter member, shares a recap of the lunch and Gala at SASENC2016.
At the end of Friday morning, the whole conference convened for a decadent lunch thanks to the sponsorship of the US Navy. The starting salad was accompanied by Huang Nguyen’s introduction to the US Navy, a consistent sponsor of the SASE National Conference. A proud list of the Navy’s greatest technological accomplishments was a call for the nation’s brightest to consider Navy Civilian Employment. SASE talent has a very welcomed spot in developing our country’s defense and technology.
Keynote speaker Farook Sait soon followed suit and echoed the sentiment. Sait recalled his personal journey towards his career in the US Department of Agriculture. He ultimately became the Civil Rights Division Director of the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service and is noted throughout his career for being a champion of Civil Rights. Sait’s journey from India to a US education served as a testament for the importance of SASE’s existence. The American Principle of Diversity and Inclusion is of the utmost importance to hold. “We’ve come a long way”, but as we know, it is up to us to keep the momentum moving forward.
The SASE National Conference’s first day concluded with a formal dinner gala, including an awards ceremony, photo booth, and a Texas sized steak dinner (tofu for the vegetarians). Local Dallas/Fort Worth NBC5 reporter, Chris Jose, served as a lively MC for the evening introducing SASE VIP throughout the night. Applause, cheers, and collegiate chants rang out through the entirely filled ballroom as SASE Scholarships, Leadership Awards, Inspire Awards (collegiate chapter recognition), and SASE Star Awards (individual recognition) acknowledge SASE’s greatest accomplishments and role models in the last year.
The night included some other important announcements. SASE’s third pillar of community contribution and services brought to stage Capes 4 Kids DFW. This organization provides young children, suffering from an illness, a super hero cape and that extra inspiration to battle their villains. They were able to collect a sizeable donation and number of capes created by SASE conference-goers. The night concluded with the announcements of the regional conference locations and dates and, most importantly, an enthusiastic invitation to Chicago, Illinois for the 2017 SASE National Conference.
