LOS ANGELES, CA — November 25, 2025 — From Refugee to Success Catalyst: Turning Struggles into Legacy has been released on Amazon, presenting the life and work of Dr. Emily Letran through a factual lens of resilience, professional discipline, and legacy building.
Letran fled Vietnam as a young teenager during the post-war refugee crisis. Before boarding a fishing boat bound for the South China Sea, she shared a brief, silent farewell with her father, a moment she describes as shaping her lifelong focus on responsibility and personal direction. The book documents her passage through refugee camps, her arrival in the United States, and the academic and professional steps that followed, including graduating Phi Beta Kappa from the University of California, Riverside, and later earning both a DDS and MS in Oral Biology from UCLA.
The book outlines twelve chapters centered on grounded themes such as preparation, personal leadership, and long-term contribution. “Emily’s story demonstrates that adversity and discipline can coexist to create a foundation for meaningful achievement,” said Dan S. Kennedy, who authored the book’s foreword.
The work incorporates personal accounts from Letran’s early professional life, including her first years in dentistry, the challenges of single parenthood, and navigating lawsuits and business setbacks. These experiences are presented as factual background for the leadership frameworks she later developed, including the emphasis on presence, readiness, and legacy planning.
Business author Sharon Lechter noted, “Dr. Letran’s journey underscores how focus and consistency can turn obstacles into opportunities for service and growth.”
Dr. Edward Zuckerberg, who contributed an endorsement for the book, added that Letran’s commitment to access to care and community service “reflects a leadership model built on integrity and long-term vision.”
The release also details Letran’s ongoing professional commitments, which include dental practice ownership, coaching, and her work through Action to Win, where she provides training for professionals seeking structured systems for productivity and performance. The book references her introduction of tools such as the “90-Day Legacy Plan” and the “Presence Policy,” which readers can access through included QR codes.
A speaking schedule for 2026 is currently in development, along with a companion podcast, Legacy in Action, which will feature interviews discussing service-driven careers and community impact.
“Legacy isn’t something reserved for later chapters of life,” Letran said in a prepared statement. “It is shaped by how we show up in our families, our professions, and our communities on a daily basis.”
Availability:
From Refugee to Success Catalyst: Turning Struggles into Legacy is available on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/REFUGEE-SUCCESS-CATALYST-Turning-Struggles-ebook/dp/B0FVYJGLFJ
Additional information about Dr. Letran’s work can be found at:
https://www.dremilyletran.com
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MEDIA CONTACT:
Dr. Emily Letran
Phone: 323-484-4989
Email: emily@dremilyletran.com
