By Aarushi Gupta | @deca.aarushi| Burlington DECA, MA
From late nights preparing for competition to designing graphics that connect thousands of DECA members, Ruby Han’s journey reflects how one student’s passion for DECA can grow into a commitment to serving an entire state.
As California DECA’s Vice President of Marketing, Han uses her creativity and leadership experience to help members discover opportunities, access resources, and engage with the organization beyond the competition floor. However, her journey into state leadership began with a much simpler goal: gaining experience in business.
From Competitor to State Leader
Han joined DECA as a freshman with no prior business experience. Through conferences and competitions, she gradually developed her confidence and discovered new opportunities for growth. By her sophomore year, she was serving as her chapter’s Mentorship Officer and had placed 5th at the State Career Development Conference (SCDC) in Business Services Operations Research (BMOR), an achievement that came after countless late nights of preparation.
Initially, Han primarily viewed DECA through the lens of competition. That perspective shifted during her junior year, when she witnessed the broader impact of California DECA’s state officers through initiatives such as Champ Camps and social media outreach.
“I was especially inspired by how they made resources and opportunities more accessible to members across the state,” Han explained.
Seeing how state officers could make a difference beyond their own chapters motivated her to pursue the VP of Marketing position. She wanted to combine her interests in marketing and mentorship to help members throughout California feel more connected to DECA.
Ultimately, her decision to run for state office represented a shift in perspective: DECA was no longer just an opportunity for her personal growth, but a platform through which she could help others succeed.
Behind the Scenes of California DECA’s Marketing
For Han, creating engaging content starts with understanding her audience. With Pinterest and Canva as two of her go-to tools, she approaches each graphic with the perspective of a student scrolling through social media.
Because California DECA primarily reaches high school students, Han aims to create content that feels personable, visually appealing, and informative while maintaining the organization’s branding.
Her creative process begins in Canva, where she establishes the dimensions and incorporates essential information, including titles, dates, times, and descriptions. From there, she brainstorms a theme that will make the post memorable.
One example is California DECA’s “Apply to Be a State Officer” graphic, which incorporated video game-inspired themes featuring Pokémon, Mario, and Kirby. By pairing familiar pop culture references with the organization’s branding, Han found a way to make an important announcement more visually engaging.
She then experiments with layouts, fonts, and Canva applications to add depth to her designs. Pinterest provides the finishing touches, offering stickers, backgrounds, and visual effects that help each graphic feel distinctive.
For Han, effective marketing goes beyond simply sharing information. It is about making members excited to engage with DECA and helping them recognize the opportunities available to them.
“Ultimately, I want California DECA members to genuinely enjoy our content and feel excited about the opportunities DECA has to offer!” she shared.
Leading With Confidence
Despite her experience and accomplishments, Han’s transition into state leadership was not without challenges. Looking back, she identified one quality she wishes she had developed sooner: confidence in herself.
During the appointed candidacy process for VP of Marketing, Han knew she was passionate about the position but often questioned whether she was qualified enough. Even after being appointed, she continued to experience imposter syndrome, sometimes making it difficult to fully appreciate the experience.
Although she does not believe these doubts affected the quality of her work, she recognizes the toll they took on her self-esteem.
Her experience taught her an important lesson about leadership: earning a position is only part of the journey. Learning to trust yourself and recognize your own capabilities is equally important.
“Being in a leadership position naturally comes with pressure, but I've learned that it's important to trust yourself and recognize that you earned your place for a reason,” Han explained.
She also emphasized that self-doubt can distract leaders from the impact they are already making. State officers have members who look up to them and benefit from their
work, making it important to focus on serving others rather than constantly questioning their qualifications.
Her advice to aspiring leaders is simple: recognize your strengths, trust the work you have put in, and remember that you are capable of more than you may realize.
Looking Ahead
Han’s journey illustrates how DECA can evolve from a place to develop competitive skills into an opportunity to make a meaningful difference in a larger community. Through her work in marketing, she
Photo courtesy of Ruby Han
is helping California DECA communicate opportunities, strengthen member engagement, and create a more connected organization.
Her experience also serves as a reminder that leadership does not require having everything figured out from the beginning. Sometimes, it starts with recognizing an opportunity to make a difference and having the confidence to pursue it.
For DECA members considering their own next steps, Han’s journey offers an encouraging takeaway: use the skills you have developed, embrace opportunities to grow, and do not let self-doubt prevent you from making an impact.
