Early Days

Back in 1976, a baby girl named Oh was born into the family of a famous architect and respected professor and his wife.  That spunky little thing managed to grow up unharmed despite running around with two older brothers.  (Thank GOD for a wonderful nanny!)  She attended Jurairat Kindergarten and proceeded to Mater Dei Institute (back then was Mater Dei School), following her older cousin and followed by her younger one, Nancy.

At 12, Oh was selected as a part of a delegation of 2 boys, 2 girls and one 21-year-old chaperon to represent Thailand at Children International Summer Village (CISV) Hands Around the World in Melbourne, Australia.  For one glorious month, she learned about peace and friendship with children from all over the world and formed a life long friendship with many of them.  That was a beginning of the rest of her life as a “cultural representative” wherever she goes.

When Oh’s parents considered her “old enough” to venture out on her own, at the age of 13, she was sent to one English-speaking country each summer break (March-April for Thai students) for an English language immersion program.  First was a month in New Zealand where she was almost inseparable with the group of Thai students she went with.  The following year, it was 7 weeks in Bournemouth, UK, where she clung to the friend of the family she went with, and constantly called Nancy who was attending another school nearby.

And finally, in 1993,  Oh landed in Whittier, California, for a 2-month stay with a host family with only her “aunties” watching from the distance from Pasadena and Garden Grove.  She was on her own this time…well, except for the group of older international students who took her under their wings.  It was here in America where Oh was bestowed an American name of Oakley, inspired by Art Center College of Design, and introduced to a place where she truly belongs.

Coming to the USA

Upon her return to Thailand, Oakley decided on becoming a graphic designer, a college program Thailand is not well known for.  Following her older brothers’ footsteps, she made the giant leap across the Pacific.  Her principal at Mater Dei was not all that surprised when she and her mom turned up to request transfer papers.

“You’ve always been too westernized for your own good here,” the principal said.  “It’s time for you to go to America and really shine.”

Considered all the times Oakley ended up in her office for being “too opinionated”, the principal was right.  But you wouldn’t know that Oakley was an outspoken class clown when she first got to Santa Margarita Catholic High School in Rancho Santa Margarita, California.

Oakley entered 11th grade a meek Asian girl transferred in from Thailand, the only international student there at the time who would eventually become the first ever to have graduated from the school.  Still considered “shy” in her first year as she tread new waters, but she eventually grew into her quirky self.

Oakley’s participation in the handbell choir opened up into intermediate women’s choir in her senior year.  Theater class led to her taking the stage with minor roles in “The Curious Savages” and “The Great Ghost Chase”, and her miming her way through “Snoopy! the Musical” as Woodstock.  She also took on the cultural attache role with her performance of Thai classical dance at Talent Show, among all the rock bands and dance teams, and setting up a Loy Kratong festival demonstration.

College Years

Career aspiration shifted again in high school and Oakley found herself back in wanting to be an advertising executive when she entered University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communications with Cinema-Television minor.  Throughout her undergraduate years, she ran around campus with Trojan Pride and Thai Student Association which she eventually led.  She worked part time at the Annenberg Center and promoted movies for Warner Bros. Studios.  Oakley also rocked out with a 3-man acoustic band and performed her original songs for her grades at the songwriting showcase.

Somewhere in there, her friend Chris “Frenchy” managed to teach her the Way of the Geeks (“I’ll teach you HTML but I’m gonna have to walk you through it over IRC.”).  Alas, this life long closet nerd was finally set free!

Oakley graduated with honors in 1998, one semester early. Still undecided about what to do next and with the support of her parents, she took one year off to work full-time in Los Angeles in order to figure out the beginning of the rest of her life.

Dot Com: A Love Story

As fate would have it, Oakley landed a receptionist job at HSX – Hollywood Stock Exchange, where she worked everyday with both of her true passions–movies, pop culture, and the internet.  She remained there as their intern, doing research and interacting with “traders” after she decided to return to USC for graduate program.

Somewhere between graduate school and work at HSX, Oakley found time to ask out the company’s systems administrator, Brandon. (Well, Oakley asked him out when he was sleep deprived and couldn’t quite say no. LOL.) A year and half later, after both of them had left the company, Brandon got down on his knee to ask her to marry him outside the old office in Santa Monica where they first met.  She thought he was tying his shoe so she kept walking for a few steps before she realized what just happened.  She did came back, full of giggles, and said yes.

In January 2002, Oakley completed graduate school and got married in a hybrid of Thai and American traditions.

Adulthood Begins

Oakley started with a 2-year stint at a political public relations firm in Long Beach before anchoring at a nonprofit organization in Downtown Los Angeles for the next 6 years.  In 2011, Oakley decided to take a leap of professional faith to explore new career path and opportunities.  It’s a scary world out there but she’s looking forward to an adventure.

Oakley and Brandon reside in Los Alamitos, California, and are planning to raise some kittens one day.