AANHPI Heritage Month Spotlight Series: Rachelle Ventura

As part of our Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month celebration, we’ve asked our colleagues to reflect on the significance of this month.

Cleary Gottlieb senior legal learning and development manger Rachelle Ventura shares some of her thoughts below.

Tell us a bit about yourself and your role at Cleary.

I work from the New York office as the senior legal learning and development manager. What I love about my role is that I have the pleasure of collaborating with many teams to develop programs that help lawyers and others develop strong professional development and leadership skills. A few of the examples of programs that our team offers is miniMBA and the Cleary Core Curriculum for Leadership Development, and in partnership with other talent teams, I get to work on programs such as the Building Pathways and Community Series, the Sponsorship Program, and many more.

What does AANHPI Month mean to you?

As an immigrant from the Philippines, AANHPI is an opportunity for me and others of AANHPI heritage to celebrate our rich and diverse culture. I enjoy hearing about the wide range of contributions those of AANHPI heritage have made to the world of art, sciences, medicine, law, and sports—just to name a few!

Has your identity impacted how you approach your work and career?

I came from very humble beginnings in the Philippines. The prospects of getting a visiting visa to the U.S., let alone have the opportunity to get a working visa was slim to none—and is still the case now. My mother’s ticket to the U.S. was education—specifically, a nursing degree that gave her the opportunity to work in the U.S. and eventually bring me over when I was five years old. These experiences have made my work philosophy quite simple: be kind, work hard, be thankful, and never stop learning. I will always describe myself as a lifelong learner and the L&D profession gives me the opportunity to continuously learn, develop, and share.

Are there any leaders, activists, writers/artists, professionals, or family members who have inspired you?

My Lola (grandmother) and my mom are my heroes. My Lola supported a family of seven selling fruit in a provincial market in Pampanga. She somehow managed to send my mom to college in Manila, and my mom upheld her promise of making sure she had a better life for herself and me. I am sensitive and empathetic to the struggles of immigrants who left an entirely different world behind in the hopes of a brighter future, often alone, with no support or family. My heroes are the everyday heroes who are able to stay positive and keep giving, even with the cup feels empty. Not all heroes wear capes!

When you’re underrepresented in your chosen field, why is it important to have mentors and sponsors who are invested in you and your career?

Since nursing was often the ticket for many Filipinos to make it to the U.S., it was a bit of a puzzle for family members that I chose not to go into nursing or medicine. A career in the corporate, legal, world was a foreign world in of itself.  I was very fortunate to have one unofficial mentor and unofficial sponsor who believed in me and gave me candid advice about communication and executive presence.  It was not always about keeping your head down, being smart, and working hard. They taught me that it is important that I use my voice and share my knowledge with others. It was not immediately evident to me that people would want to hear from me, but they showed me that I had value to give and an obligation to not let whatever talent I had, go to waste by being silent.

What are the benefits of joining an affinity group at Cleary?

Joining affinity groups lets you celebrate your unique cultures and experiences with others. It helps you feel heard and not alone and provides you with a sense of community.

Are there any programs at Cleary that you have been part of that have contributed to your professional journey and feeling included at the firm?

One particularly impactful program that I have had the privilege of being a part of is the Building Pathways and Community Networking series. Led by our wonderful DE&I team, it is a 1.5-day program that allows junior associates to share their backgrounds and effectively allows participants to start to build meaningful relationships based on their uniquely shared experiences. The Parenting and Life Committee is another program that I really appreciate as it gives parents and care takers the opportunity to discuss struggles and exchange information. I also appreciate how the firm celebrates different cultures and their commitment to pro bono. Such work provides me with a strong sense of community and a shared goal of creating a more inclusive environment for all.

What is your favorite thing about working in the legal industry, and why did you choose to work at Cleary?

I chose to work at Cleary for the strong sense of community and their genuine commitment to offering a wide array of learning programs, from practice specific, professional development, well-being, and inclusivity programs. It embodies the principle of lifelong learning, which I hold very dear. We also work with really smart, kind, and talented people! There is always someone, whether it be a professional staff member or senior lawyer to learn from. I also heard that we are the “dancing” and “quirky” firm of BigLaw—so who does not love dancing and quirky!