The career of former Asia Media International staff editor and highly regarded LMU ’20 student Michelle Nguyen continues to proceed apace. The U.S. Congressional Office of Rep. Katie Porter – the nationally known law professor and attorney, serving as the U.S. Representative for California’s 45th congressional district since 2019 – has announced the hiring of the former Asia Media editor to work in the district office in Irvine as a full-time staffer.
Porter’s politically pivotal Orange County district takes in all of Irvine, Tustin, North Tustin, Villa Park, Laguna Hills, Lake Forest, as well as portions of Anaheim, Orange, Laguna Woods, Mission Viejo and Trabuco Canyon. Porter, elected in 2019, is the first Democrat ever to represent that district which, like Orange County in general, had been, until recently, predominately Republican. Michelle’s duties are to include external media communications, constituent relations, and office administration, including supervision of interns.
Last year, Michelle was awarded a coveted national Congressional Fellowship from the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS), the highly praised national non-partisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting Asian Pacific American participation and representation at all levels of the political process. During the past Zoom episode of our lives, Editor Nguyen worked out of her Orange County home office for activist Congresswoman Susie Lee, the Nevada Democrat, as an integral part of Rep. Lee’s legislative team in D.C.
Nguyen studied Political Science and International Relations, two of the Bellarmine College of Liberal Art’s most recognized undergraduate programs, in addition to Philosophy. Her senior thesis advisor was Political Science Professor Richard Fox, who teaches in the areas of U.S. Congress, elections, and media and politics. His noted research has been funded by the National Science Foundation and focuses on political ambition, electoral behavior, and gender politics. He is the co-editor of Gender and Elections: Shaping the Future of American Politics, 5th edition (Cambridge University Press, 2021).
Commented LMU Clinical Professor Tom Plate, founder and president of Asia Media International: “We are all very proud of Michelle. She is a brilliant young woman with outstanding work habits and drive. We are very happy for Congresswoman Katie Porter and her constituents as well.”