Judge Albert Wong | Breaking Barriers and Building Belonging

In this powerful episode of Tune Up Your Warrior, host Jenny Chen sits down with the trailblazing Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel Judge Albert Wong—a retired citizenship judge, decorated Canadian Armed Forces Lieutenant Commander, peacekeeper, strategist, and proud father—whose career has been marked by a series of meaningful “firsts.”

Albert began his public-service journey in 1976, has dedicated 39 years to the Canadian military, and has sworn in over 300,000 new Canadians, embodying nearly five decades of continuous public service. From being the first of Chinese descent to serve as Chief Aide-de-Camp to the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario to his ongoing community leadership, Albert’s life work has centered on service, humanity, and transformational leadership.

But this conversation goes beyond titles. Jenny and Albert explore what it means to lead from behind—lifting others, challenging patriarchal systems, and creating space for people, especially Asian Canadians, to rise on their own terms.

Jenny reflects on meeting Albert at the Senate of Canada in 2023 during the centennial commemoration of the Chinese Exclusion Act—a moment that reignited her connection to her Chinese identity and deepened her commitment to storytelling, representation, and truth-telling.

Recorded shortly after Albert received his honorary doctorate from the University of Waterloo on October 24, this episode honours his legacy while looking forward—to the systems we need to transform, the people we need to champion, and the world we’re all responsible for shaping.

Albert will also be speaking and leading during the Canadian Armed Forces’ public apology for systemic racism on October 30 at Old City Hall in Ottawa—another pivotal moment in his lifelong commitment to service and change.

To find out more about Judge Albert Wong, follow him on LinkedIn here.