I am a proud alumna of McGill Law, having completed the transsystemic program.
At the start of the program, I found the context intimidating as I was 18 years old, and my peers were older and far more experienced. The first semester was challenging for me, but the students I connected with then have remained lifelong friends. I absolutely adored the challenge of the law program. Studying law and more specifically, studying law at McGill has been one of the best decisions that I have made. The transsystemic program makes it very interesting to understand and compare civil law with common law, the two great legal traditions of Canada. In addition, McGill Law fosters an ideal study environment that is intellectually very stimulating and also very healthy and diverse. After McGill, I continued my studies with a master’s degree in medical law and bioethics at King's College in London, UK.
My personal story led me to create my own business. While my husband and I were living in New York City, I needed surgery. It was unexpected, and I activated my claim rights under my husband’s insurance. The insurance company tried to oppose my rights with the challenging argument of pre-existing condition. The litigator in me fought for many months, and eventually my claim was accepted and I was reimbursed. This experience made me realize that there was a need for people to be better informed not only of their health insurance rights, but also of their multiple health care pathways. I became an entrepreneur by accident.
Life brought us to Hong Kong. Four years after moving here, my business had grown and my husband joined the company. Today, he is the lead for Healthy Matters, our health information platform, and I’m the lead for Alea, our health and life insurance brokerage business.
When we landed in Hong Kong, we had never set foot in the city before and knew no one. The local McGill alumni chapter, with its over 3,000 McGill graduates, has hugely facilitated my integration into the city. Through the McGill Society of Hong Kong I was able to access a network of like-minded businesspeople, but most crucially, it allowed me to make friends and many valuable connections. Shortly after I arrived, there was an opening to take on the presidency which I saw as an exciting opportunity to contribute to the McGill community. Acting as president of the McGill Society of Hong Kong for approximately three years has been a privilege and an extremely valuable experience.