ABOUT JAMES C. WONG

James Wong is a nationally recognized speaker, instructor, digital marketing and communications strategist and passionate social entrepreneur.

Emerging technologies, and the effects of adoption within physical and digital communities, have been a strong focus throughout his career. At age 12, James managed three online communities, supporting over 1,000 North Carolina technology enthusiasts – eventually leading to the management of online communities supporting over 600,000 users worldwide.

From 2007-2012, James served as the Marketing Communications Manager for the iContact Corporation (a division of the Vocus Corporation), an industry leading email marketing services provider, and pioneered digital strategies which spearheaded iContact into the social media marketing industry.

In 2007, James began assisting Chuck Hester, the founder of Linkedin LIVE Raleigh with networking events in the Raleigh, NC area.  In 2010, James and his partner, Virginia Johnson, took over as co-organizers of the popular Bi-Monthly Linkedin LIVE Raleigh Business Networking Events.

In 2010, he co-founded Empowered Ideas, a nationally recognized marketing communications firm for small businesses, nonprofits and government agencies — with a diverse coast-to-coast client portfolio.

In 2015, he also co-founded Fuquay Coworking, an award-winning creative coworking space designed for small businesses, entrepreneurs, nonprofits, telecommuters, and “mompreneuers.”

In 2019, he was appointed as a Division 9 Staff Officer (5th Southern Region) in the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary, and proudly supports efforts across the state to ensure safe waterways and environmental protection.

Currently, James serves the citizens of North Carolina as the BEOC Specialist at the Business Emergency Operations Center (BEOC) at the North Carolina Division of Emergency Management (NCEM).

His passion for diversity in leadership and community outreach has led to special recognition by the Society of New Communications Research (SNCR), North Carolina Army National Guard, the National Black MBA Association (NBMBA), The Men of Semper Fidelis (MSF), and by Asian Focus of North Carolina.

In addition, James currently serves on the Senior Advisory Council, and is a past President of the RTP Chapter of the National Association of Asian American Professionals (NAAAP); a Marketing Committee Member for the Fuquay-Varina Chamber of Commerce (2014-Present); and as the Marketing Chair for the Triangle Association of Black Journalists (NABJ-RDU). He has also served as the President of the Triangle Interactive Marketing Association (TIMA) in 2012.

Noteworthy Speaking Engagements

• Moderator, FEMA Region 4 Private/Public Sector Summit
• Speaker, Southern Wake Youth Leadership Initiative, Fuquay-Varina, NC
• Instructor, R.I.S.E. Youth Entrepreneurship Startup Challenge, Fuquay-Varina, NC
• Speaker, Leadership Fuquay-Varina Class of 2017-2018, Fuquay-Varina, NC
• Speaker, CADCA National Leadership Forum, Washington, D.C.
• Keynote, Washington State Prevention Summit
• Instructor, NCTTA Community Communications Campaigns (Series), UNCG
• Instructor, Louisiana Center for Transportation Safety, Webinar Series
• Instructor, Colorado Department of Education, Denver, CO
• Instructor, Thompson School District (Thompson C.A.R.E.S.), Thompson, CO
• Instructor, Safe Yakima Valley, Yakima, WA
• Montana Department of Public Instruction, Helena, MT
• Instructor, Yakima Indian Reservation & Mt. Adams School District, WA State
• Instructor, North Carolina Coalition Initiative (NCCI), Asheville, NC
• Speaker, Digital Engagement Strategies, Miller Motte College, Raleigh, NC
• Keynote, North Carolina Foundation for Alcohol & Drug Studies (NCFADS)
• Panelist, Marketing Best Practices, American Marketing Association (AMA)
• Panelist, Politics Online Conference (Washington, DC)
• Instructor, Digital Marketing & Communications Workshop, Los Angeles, CA
• Keynote, PRWeb Conference (Las Vegas)
• Speaker, Digital East (Washington, DC)
• Panelist, Public Relations Society of America (PRSA)
• Panelist, Email Experience Council (EEC), Miami, FL
• Panelist, AMA Email Marketing Best Practices
• Speaker, National Black MBA Association (Speaker Series)
• Speaker, youREACH Conference, UNC-CH
• Speaker, North Carolina Coalition Initiative (NCCI), Raleigh, NC
• Speaker, State of Virginia Prevention Conference (VCU)
• Panelist, National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) Region III
• Commencement Speaker, ITT Technical Institute
• Speaker, Strategic Branding & Marketing Training (Ada, OK)
• Speaker, NC Dept. of Public Instruction (NCDPI) Conference
• Speaker, AHEC State of the Art Conference
• Faculty, NC Foundation for Alcohol & Drug Studies (NCFADS)
• Speaker, Addiction Professionals of NC (APNC)
• Instructor, Strategic Communications (Duke Medicine), Duke University
• Lecture, NC State University MBA Association (NCSU)
• Lecture, Diversity in Media & Marketing, UNC-CH
• Lecture, Professional Branding, MBA Program, Meredith College
• Speaker, TAASCON, Duke University
• Speaker, Networking Through the Bamboo Ceiling, UNC Charlotte
• Speaker, Professional Networking (NCOSC)
• Keynote, Digital Marketing Strategies, Duke University
• Interview, “Is Social Media Working For You? ” UNC-TV: Black Issues Forum
• Panelist, Women’s Power Networking: Business Alliance Rally
• Speaker, Asian Focus Conference, NCSU
• Panelist, Social Media Strategies, Public Relations Society of America (PRSA)
• Panelist, Student Media Workshop, WNCU, (NCCU)
• Lecture, Digital Marketing Strategies, Duke Center for Documentary Studies
• Panelist, Social Media Marketing & Business, UpLink Business Networking
• Speaker, iMedia Conference, MEPNC
• Panelist, Profits Through Social Media Marketing, ECMTA Atlanta

Noteworthy Speaking Engagements

• Speaker, Southern Wake Youth Leadership Initiative, Fuquay-Varina, NC
• Instructor, R.I.S.E. Youth Entrepreneurship Startup Challenge, Fuquay-Varina, NC
• Speaker, CADCA National Leadership Forum, Washington, D.C.
• Keynote, Washington State Prevention Summit
• Instructor, NCTTA Community Communications Campaigns (Series), UNCG
• Instructor, Montana Office of Public Instruction, Helena, MT
• Instructor, Safe Yakima Valley, Yakima, WA
• Instructor, Mt. Adams School District, White Swan, WA
• Instructor, North Carolina Coalition Initiative (NCCI), Asheville, NC
• Speaker, Digital Engagement Strategies, Miller Motte College, Raleigh, NC
• Keynote, North Carolina Foundation for Alcohol & Drug Studies (NCFADS), Greensboro, NC
• Panelist, Triangle Association of Black Journalists (TABJ), North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC
• Instructor, Digital Marketing & Communications Workshop, Los Angeles, CA
• Speaker, Digital East Conference (Washington, DC)
• Speaker, NAADAC Annual Conference, Indianapolis, IN
• Speaker, National Prevention Network Annual Conference, Pittsburg, PA
• Speaker, North Carolina Coalition Initiative (NCCI), Raleigh, NC
• Speaker, State of Virginia Prevention Conference (VCU)
• Speaker, 34th Annual SALIS Conference, Reno, NV
• Speaker, Strategic Branding & Marketing Training (Ada, OK)
• Speaker, NC Dept. of Public Instruction (NCDPI) Conference, Greensboro, NC
• Speaker, AHEC State of the Art Conference, Greenville, NC
• Faculty, NC Foundation for Alcohol & Drug Studies (NCFADS)
• Speaker, Addiction Professionals of North Carolina Spring Conference (APNC)
• Instructor, Strategic Communications (Duke Medicine), Duke University
• Speaker, North Carolina Foundation for Alcohol & Drug Studies (NCFADS), Wilmington, NC
• Speaker, Parent Resource Conference, Raleigh, NC
• Speaker, North Carolina State Prevention Conference, Winston-Salem, NC