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Ann Cheng
Staff Secretary to the Mayor at NYC Office of the Mayor
Professional Background
Ann Cheng has cultivated a multifaceted career that spans several vital sectors, including public policy, education, and social justice. With extensive experience in various roles within the New York City Office of the Mayor, Ann began her public service journey as the Staff Secretary to the Mayor. In this role, she efficiently assisted in the mayor's office operations and communications, demonstrating her strong organizational skills and dedication to serving the community. With her unyielding commitment to public service, Ann quickly progressed to the position of Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor for Strategic Planning, where her strategic insight played a significant role in formulating policies that directly impacted the lives of New Yorkers. Her work at the NYC Office of the Mayor exemplifies her dedication to community engagement and her knack for fostering meaningful connections between civic leadership and constituents.
Before her influential government tenure, Ann garnered valuable project management experience at New York University, where she quickly made a name for herself as a capable and committed project manager. Throughout her career, she has consistently aimed to bridge academic and practical knowledge, making significant contributions from her time in academia to her roles in government.
Education and Achievements
Ann Cheng's educational qualifications lay a solid foundation for her diverse career trajectory. She earned her Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in History from the prestigious Harvard University, where she developed a nuanced understanding of historical contexts that continue to influence her approach to social justice and public policy. Building upon her undergraduate studies, Ann then pursued a Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Secondary English Education at Xavier University. This educational path highlights her commitment to empowerment through teaching and education, reflecting her belief in the transformative power of knowledge.
Among her impressive achievements, Ann completed the Reproductive Justice Leadership Institute Fellowship with the National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum, where she honed her advocacy skills in reproductive rights and social justice. Additionally, her prior experiences at the Asian American Resource Workshop as an Activist Training Institute Fellow and her role as a humanities and special education teacher have allowed her to engage deeply with issues surrounding education, equity, and access.
Ann's dedication to professional development extends beyond her academic pursuits. She has served as a professional development trainer at the Community Charter School of Cambridge, demonstrating her passion for fostering growth and development among educators and students alike. Her work has established a legacy of community building and empowerment, making a tangible difference in the educational landscape.
Notable Contributions
Throughout her career, Ann Cheng has made notable contributions to education, community service, and public policy. Her time as a 9th-grade World History teacher at Walnut Hills High School showcases her dedication to instilling a love for history and critical thinking among her students, preparing them to be informed citizens. Through her commitment to teaching, she has inspired numerous students to appreciate the relevance of historical narratives in contemporary society.
At Phillips Brooks House Association Inc., as a Trainer, Ann equipped staff and volunteers with necessary skills and knowledge, driving forward community-oriented programs. Her work encompasses not only training but also practical community engagement, emphasizing the importance of grassroots movements in fostering meaningful change.
In all her roles, Ann Cheng has exemplified a commitment to collaboration, equity, and continuous improvement—values that are indispensable in today’s dynamic work environment. Whether in her role supporting the Mayor's office or in her grassroots activism and educational endeavors, Ann has consistently sought out opportunities to advocate for justice, equity, and betterment within the community. Her diverse skill set and extensive experience position her as a leader in the fields of education and public service.
Achievements
Ann Cheng's career has been marked by numerous notable achievements, such as her rapid ascent within the NYC Office of the Mayor, where she undertook significant responsibilities in strategic planning and community engagement. Her completion of the Reproductive Justice Leadership Institute Fellowship exemplifies her commitment to social justice, particularly pertaining to the rights of marginalized communities. Furthermore, she has actively engaged with various educational initiatives, contributing to the development of teaching methods and professional training designed to enhance learning environments and student success.
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Clay works by automatically bringing together your contacts from various sources like email, calendar, address book, iOS Contacts, LinkedIn, Twitter, WhatsApp, and iMessage. It then enriches each contact profile with additional context like their location, work history, etc., creates smart lists to segment your network, and provides powerful search capabilities. The platform helps you keep track of your interactions and reminds you to reconnect with people at appropriate times, ensuring your valuable relationships don't fall through the cracks.
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Clay offers many advantages over other personal CRMs. Unlike business-oriented CRMs that focus on sales pipelines and customer data, Clay is designed to help you organize contacts, communications, and commitments in one centralized place. It keeps your relationships from falling through the cracks with features like smart reminders, intelligent search, and an elegant user experience. Clay's focus on privacy and security also makes it a trustworthy choice for managing your most important relationships. Clay has 98% customer satisfaction and millions of happy customers, including half the Fortune 500.
Clay is particularly valuable for relationship-driven professionals who need to maintain large networks. The app is popular among many industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. Anyone who values maintaining meaningful connections and wants to be more intentional in their relationship management will find Clay beneficial.
Clay offers competitive pricing in the personal CRM market. Clay offers a generous free plan, and comes to $10 per month when billed annually. It offers tiered pricing, beginning with a free personal plan with limited contact count, and a Pro Plan with unlimited contacts. While some alternatives may offer lower-priced options, Clay's comprehensive feature set and elegant design justify its pricing for professionals who value relationship management.
Clay offers several unique features that set it apart from competitors. Clay focuses on aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of a user's network, consolidating data from various sources. Its Nexus AI feature is particularly innovative, allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network. Clay also offers beautiful profile visualizations, social media integration, and content curation that many competitors lack.
Yes. Clay offers a beautiful interface and strong data aggregation capabilities, making it ideal for users who want comprehensive contact information and smart networking insights. Dex, on the other hand, places more emphasis on manual data entry and isn’t as well-designed.
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