Building Partnerships, Empowering Women, and Strengthening Global Connection Before Lunar New Year 2026

Right before Lunar New Year 2026, Let Her Shine Co-Founder & President Thania Trieu and Co-Founder & CFO Sean Lam traveled to Hanoi, Vietnam. What was intended to be a short visit became one of the organization’s most meaningful international engagements to date.

The purpose of the trip was clear: to listen, connect, and better understand how Let Her Shine’s work could genuinely support women across cultures and borders.

On the sidelines of the Xuân Quê Hương event, a national cultural program welcoming overseas Vietnamese from around the world, Let Her Shine's leadership team engaged with leaders from NGOs, academia, and the private sector. They laid the groundwork for future collaboration as the organization expands domestically and internationally.

Dialogue, Education, and Shared Learning

Throughout the trip, Let Her Shine participated in a series of meetings and engagements:

• Meetings with women’s organizations and women entrepreneur communities

• Visits to universities and schools

• Networking gatherings with CEOs, entrepreneurs, and founders

• A workshop for educators and staff at SimPace School

  
  

At every stop, a consistent message guided the discussions:

Access alone is not enough. Having a seat at the table means little without the confidence to speak once you are there.

The Foundation Behind the Mission

Raised between Eastern and Western cultures, Thania Trieu built a career spanning more than two decades across corporate settings and the beauty industry. Across both environments, she noticed a common theme: the people who moved ideas forward were not always the smartest or most experienced. They were the ones who communicated clearly, showed up with confidence, and trusted their voice. Her work centers on helping individuals align their inner essence with their outward presence, making confidence feel natural rather than forced.

Sean Lam’s path reinforced this insight from a global perspective. Over more than twenty years, he has worked as a bridge between the United States and Vietnam across investment, technology, education, and private sector development. He coordinated high-level delegations, supported collaboration with leading Vietnamese enterprises, and helped connect universities, government agencies, and industry partners across borders. Through this work, he repeatedly saw that successful partnerships were not built on resources alone, but on alignment, trust, and clear communication across cultures and systems.

Together, these experiences shaped the foundation of Let Her Shine. The organization focuses on strengthening confidence, communication, and leadership presence so women can fully participate, contribute meaningfully, and lead within their communities and professions.

Service Beyond Conversation

In addition to professional engagements, the visit included a service component supporting the program “Cây Dài Ngày Cho Trẻ Vùng Cao.” This initiative assists children in remote mountainous regions with essential needs such as warm clothing, meals, and improved learning conditions.

Clothing donations were delivered during the visit, and conversations were held with the program’s founder, Lana Nguyen, as well as students who had moved from mountain villages to the city in pursuit of higher education and opportunity.

Their heartwarming stories reflect resilience and hope. These moments were documented and will be shared through the Own Your Voice Podcast, a Let Her Shine storytelling initiative.

The Ripple Effect

Though brief, the trip marked the beginning of ongoing collaboration. Relationships were formed, shared understanding was strengthened, and new pathways for partnership emerged.

Let Her Shine arrived seeking connection and left with the recognition that meaningful impact grows through sustained dialogue and trust. When women are supported to trust their voice, families strengthen, workplaces collaborate, and communities become more connected across borders.

Looking Forward

This visit represents the start of a continued exchange by bridging cultures, expanding opportunity, and supporting women to participate fully and lead confidently in a rapidly changing world.

The journey may have been short, but the ripple has already begun.

In closing, I invite you to explore how you can engage with our mission and contribute to this meaningful work. Together, we can empower women and girls to find their voices and lead with confidence.

Let Her Shine