Celebrating Diversity in STEM With Booz Allen and SASE

“One can hire diversity, but one cannot keep diversity without equity and inclusion.”
-Bryan Kimura, Booz Allen Distinguished Engineer and 2020 SASE award-winner

Each year, the Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers (SASE) celebrates the success of Asian American and Pacific Islander scientists, engineers, and technologists who enhance their respective fields and make contributions to the global business world, academia, and their local communities.

This year, 10 Booz Allen employees received awards across Leadership, Achievement, and Military Service. Among the 10 awards presented in 2020, two senior leaders were selected for highly competitive leadership awards: Senior Vice President Paul Chi winning Executive of the Year and Senior Vice President Munjeet Singh winning Information Technologist of the Year.

Read on for more about the 2020 Booz Allen SASE Award Winners.

Leadership Award Winners

Leadership Awards celebrate the technical accomplishments and advancements in the fields of science, engineering, and technology, and recognizes exemplary leadership in the community, including volunteerism and efforts to foster diversity, equity, and inclusion.

• Senior Vice President Paul Chi received the Executive of the Year award. A leader of Booz Allen’s national agencies work, Chi also serves as a senior member of Booz Allen’s Global Multicultural Business Resource Group (BRG) and as a senior advisor of the firm’s Asian Pacific American Network (APAN), which supports the firm’s mission to recruit, retain, and develop Asian Pacific Islander American (APIA) talent by providing professional development, cultural, and philanthropic programming.

“We work hard to foster a sense of belonging and inclusion at Booz Allen—not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because when you bring your full self to work, we all succeed,” Chi said.

• Senior Vice President Munjeet Singh received the Information Technologist of the Year award. Singh leads digital transformation efforts for key clients across the firm and serves as APAN’s executive sponsor.

“Business resource groups and networks such as APAN provide Booz Allen employees with opportunities to influence the business, develop new skills, grow as leaders, and make meaningful connections,” he said. “Most importantly, groups like APAN serve as conveners of diverse perspectives that foster community, advance equity and promote inclusivity—values that are core to our business.”

Advancing technical innovations and leading by example to make an impact

The SASE Achievement Awards celebrate the wonderful achievements, leadership, and success that individual APIA members are contributing to the world. This year, Booz Allen received nearly 40 nominations from individuals across the firm seeking to recognize their managers, mentors, and colleagues. A maximum of five Achievement award nominations are allowed per organization.

• Lead Associate Kristine Allen received the SASE Professional Achievement Award for facilitating the strategic growth of Booz Allen’s federal healthcare business.
• Associate Jenn Chiu, winner of the SASE Promising Professional Award, has supported over $145 million in major federal agency contract wins.
• Lead Associate Jacqueline Guill, winner of the SASE Professional Achievement Award, has helped a wide range of federal agencies implement data-driven solutions.
• Staff Technologist Christopher Hong won the SASE Promising Professional Award for his leadership of the San Diego APAN team toward major advances for Asian American inclusion and professional development.
• Senior Lead Engineer Eric Lo—who works with defense clients to plan, research, and prototype capabilities for positioning, navigating, and timing—won the SASE Technical, Research, and Business Achievement Award.

Serving through leadership, technical excellence and mentorship

The SASEsalutes awards celebrate military service members and veterans of Asian heritage who continue to serve our nation and their communities through thought leadership, technical excellence, mentoring and participation in their organizations’ employee and business resource groups.

• Lead Engineer Joe Begala received the SASEsalutes Promising Professional Service Award for his technical leadership for Booz Allen’s defense clients.
• Distinguished Engineer Bryan Kimura, an APAN senior advisor who’s been pivotal to Asian American inclusion at Booz Allen, was recognized with the SASEsalutes Career Service award.
• Associate William Lu, winner of the SASEsalutes Promising Professional Service Award, has furthered the inclusion of veterans and Asian Americans at Booz Allen and the Department of Defense through his leadership with Booz Allen defense clients and the Armed Services Network.

Learn more about diversity, equity, and inclusion and multiculturalism at Booz Allen.