Distinguished Speaker: Akiko Tagawa
Chief Deputy Director, Medical Examiner-Coroner
Why did you choose to work for LA County?
After graduation, a classmate from college was applying for a position as an Environmental Health Specialist with the Department of Public Health and encouraged me to apply and we joined together in 1995. I had previously told her about an internship opportunity and we did the internship together as well. I chose to work for LA County because the job was something that aligned with what I studied in college, the benefits appeared great, there was stability in pay, and most of all, a 4-day work week that allowed me in my 20’s to enjoy 3-day weekends every week.
What advice would you give to someone starting out?
Be open to all ideas and opinions. I always assume that I don’t know anything and ask lots of questions. Never limit yourself.
What’s the biggest factor that has helped you be successful in your career?
I thought long and hard about this question. It’s an interesting question because I’ve never thought of promotions as a success or something that defines who I am. For me, success in my career is about enjoying the work and feeling like I’m making a difference to someone. I’ll always give my 100%. I’m also very liberal in speaking my mind, especially if a new idea or plan may have hurdles that have not been addressed. I like to work in the collective and achieve missions together as part of a team. I’ve always pursued continuous learning and improvement of myself and my teams. I always try to pass these values, ideas and practices to all the teams I work with. The team growth gives me much more pleasure and level of accomplishment than my own.
As a team, we will never say no to an assignment or project, and are never afraid to try things that no one else has attempted.
What are your success habits?
My success habits are that I am extremely comfortable in my own skin and will make sure to start projects, and close out projects. The ability to follow through on an assignment and complete a task is a must.
Whose career inspires you and why? If you weren’t a Chief Deputy Director for LA County, what career would you like to explore?
I’m inspired by the day-to-day function of life and work. Most of my colleagues and bosses have inspired me throughout my career. Each person comes to work and they do their best to make the County a better place. It’s not something one person does; it’s something that happens because of the collective. How amazing is that? I’m inspired by the housekeeping staff that make sure our offices our kept clean each and every day, I’m inspired by the secretaries that make sure my hectic calendar is kept at bay, and remind me to take my breaks, I‘m inspired by my bosses who work all the time to keep the departments running, keep staff happy, and make their departments the best in the country. The list goes on.
If I must choose inspirational careers, I’d say, Eleanor Roosevelt, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Madeleine Albright, Michelle Obama, Yuri Kochiyama, and Barbara Ferrer, who are all very intelligent, strong women who have utilized their platforms to offer a voice, and uplift others. They are confident and never afraid to speak up.
I wonder if I’d be a gourmet dog food caterer or a food blogger. My family and friends all believe that whatever it is that I decide to do, they know I’ll always be busy and fully engaged.
What personality trait should every leader have?
Leadership requires an array of traits, and what works for one person may not work for others. For me, the traits which have been helpful have been compassion, relentless pursuit of improvement, a systems approach to completing tasks, the ability to foresee and respond to challenges, the ability to evaluate the “whole picture”, tenacity, perseverance, and finally to have the self-confidence to know when and how to say, “I need help,” or “I made a mistake”. I always remember what a supervisor in my past has told me younger in my career, “Akiko, you can’t do everything by yourself. You will only be as successful as your team. Take care of your team and make sure your team succeeds.”
What was the hardest decision you ever had to make?
I feel many decisions are hard and difficult. Some of the simplest decisions may end up with serious unintended consequences. For that reason, I do everything I can to follow best practices, evidence based approaches, and be as transparent as possible by involving as many people as I can. I anticipate all positive and negative outcomes that could arise as a result of my decision, but also keep in mind that some consequences are beyond my control. I also solicit advice and guidance from the people around me. The collective decision is so much stronger and safer.
How do you push through your worst times?
Good or bad, we must keep moving forward. When I had a bad day, I breathe, cry a little (quietly and by myself), apply mindfulness exercises, and hug my dog. Then, I pick myself up, dust myself off, and get back to the tasks at hand. I feel “safe” knowing that I always have a “team” that’ll help me get back up and encourage me to keep going. The show must go on.
What mistakes have you made along the way? If you could start all over again, what would you do differently?
Everyday is filled with mistakes. I’d never start over because the mistakes I make and the subsequent learning I do from them is what makes me who I am today. I’m ok in my own skin and will own all of the mistakes I’ve made throughout the years.
Have you personally experienced any form of discrimination as an Asian American?
Yes, I have experienced discrimination because of my race/ethnicity, but also because of my religion, age, gender, and just because of who I am. It has shaped me to be who I am today.
In light of the rise in AAPI hate crimes that are occurring in our community, what are some (or one thing) our community can do as a response?
The wonderful thing about the United States is that it is a country that offers the right to free speech and assembly. We have rights, and I strongly believe that it is our duty to speak out with one voice against discrimination and hate. That one voice can bring about thoughtful and purposeful institutional change.
What is the best advice you can give LACAAEA and its membership?
Be a continual learner. Be kind to internal and external partners. Live in the here and now. Be careful of confusing the destination with the journey, the pursuit of career advancement may be your goal but shouldn’t be your only focus in your work or your life. Try to give your very best that you can. Always keep alert - be aware and ready for situations that may lead you to unexpected opportunities
Akiko has over 25 years of County experience, mostly associated with administrative and process improvement work. She started her County career as an Environmental Health Specialist (restaurant inspector). Her inquisitive mind and penchant for asking questions helped her develop many friendships and working relationships with the State, federal, and local gov’ agencies which helped her develop a reputation of expertise in food safety, quality assurance regulations and best practices. She also supported the implementation of the restaurant grading system and helped establish the public relations program within Environmental Health.
Her administrative career has since evolved from legislative analyses and process improvement projects with the Substance Abuse Prevention and Control program, management services for the Probation Department, and most recently as the Acting Deputy Director of Public Health where she was instrumental in supporting the expansion of the contact tracing program and implementation of the vaccination mega-PODs during the COVID19 pandemic response. The combined experience and knowledge over the past 25 years and being a strong change agent has allowed her this opportunity as the new Chief Deputy of the Dept of Medical Examiner-Coroner’s office.
