College

Even though I loved my time in Asia, I knew it was time to go back to the US for college. I attended Colgate University, a small liberal arts school in New York State. Going from the bustling, modern and trendy city of Singapore to the Village of Hamilton was definitely another big adjustment for me, but again, I learned to love it. I loved my friends, the Hamilton residents, the academics, the professors and the beautiful campus surrounded by nature. 

I was an Economics major but I took advantage of the liberal arts structure and made sure I experienced as many subjects as possible. I ended up taking courses in not only Economics but Art History, Computer Science, Studio Art, Music, and Religion. Even though it was a tiny campus with low access to the outside world and a very small amount diversity, I still found a way to broaden my horizons and learn more about the world through academics.

Business experience

My new journey began in 2019, when I graduated from Colgate. I moved back to my hometown of NYC and got and job at Guidepoint, an expert networking firm. I started off an a Client Services Associate (July 2019-July 2020), then was promoted to a Research Manager (July 2020-Feb 2021), then again to Associate Project Manager (Feb 2021 - March 2022). It was a great starting job - I had a lot of client-facing responsibility and learned what it meant to work hard. 

My product design journey

In March of 2022, I decided to leave Guidepoint to pursue my passion for Design. During the last 4 months of my time at Guidepoint, I dedicated my free time to researching different possible career paths that would allow me to explore my creativity. I looked into several different careers but after in-depth research and speaking to dozens of people, Product Design made the most sense to me. It complements my skills and incorporated both my professional and personal interests. I am a creative person at heart - I spend my time sketching, painting and designing the gallery wall in my apartment. On the other hand, from Guidepoint, I learned that I love to problem-solve and help people. I have 3+ years of experience working with clients and assisting them with challenging projects, so I understand customer empathy and communication. Product design combines all these aspects perfectly - its technical and hands-on yet creative. 

I knew it was the right path for me so I started at the Flatiron School in April 2022 and completed the intensive Product Design Program in December 2022. I worked on several independent projects and labs throughout the course and was extremely happy about the choice I made. I learned so much in the Program and hope to continue this experience and grow my passion in a more professional setting. 

Early Years

I was born and raised in New York City until I was 13, which is when my family and I moved to Singapore. At that time, I had no idea what Singapore was like, let alone where it even was. It’s safe to say that this was a VERY challenging adjustment for me, the die hard New Yorker. Eventually, I grew to love it - I got to see the world and travel for leisure (Bali, Hong Kong, Phuket, New Delhi, Ladakh), for adventure (Kota Kinabalu, Kanchanaburi, Bhutan, Verbier) and for service (Manila, Dehradun). This experience helped me understand and empathize with people or different backgrounds, cultures and mindsets.