NAAAP North Carolina welcomed 55 delegates from all across the US and Canada on the weekend of Feb. 25-27 for the 2005 NAAAP National Leadership Retreat at the Marriott RDU.

Representatives from North Carolina, San Francisco, Seattle, Houston, Chicago, Minnesota, Philadelphia, Toronto, Ohio, Boston, New York, Washington DC, and Atlanta gathered for a welcome dinner that Friday at the India Palace II in Morrisville. The following Saturday was quite busy as the delegates came face-to-face with various team-building and leadership challenges during the retreat. The activities, which ranged from NAAAP orientations, survival scenarios, city planning exercises, conflict resolution and "overcoming fear" challenges, were presented to encourage the development of personal leadership skills and to inspire the next generation of NAAAP leaders. “Through collaboration, NAAAP can become that organization for Asian-American professionals, inspiring leadership and influence in the workplace and the community,” states Vincent Yee, NAAAP National president.

The jampacked Saturday schedule was capped by a group dinner organized by Lisa Chang at the 518 West Restaurant in downtown Raleigh's Glenwood South district, after which many of the delegates went clubbing at one of Raleigh's downtown Warehouse district hot spots, the Five Star club.

Many thanks to our NC delegates and volunteers, including organizers, drivers and tour guides: Sabrina Yep, Hector Javier, Judy Tseng, John Chen, Julia Yip, Mark Wah, Binh Truong, Mary Chen, Sean Pan, Lisa Chang, Michael Wu, Mimi Yang, Laura Liao, Linda Hou, Leroy Lee, Catherine Soriano, Anna Lau, April Chang, Andrew Chin, Pam Fong, Lynn Chueh, Ted Suh, and Edward Yang.