When I was 14 years old, living in South Korea, I read a book about a young Korean boy who went to America – it changed my life. It opened my eyes to a world of possibilities and made me think of America as the one place where I could fully express my creative personality and realize all my dreams. So, at that young age, I told my parents I wanted to study and live in the US. They (wisely) told me to devise a plan to do so, and to their surprise, I did! By the age of 15, I was living in New Hampshire and attended a boarding school in a little town called Hanover.Living alone in a foreign country, not knowing anyone, would seem intimidating for sure, but I approached it with a sense of adventure and discovery.While I was getting a degree in Economics at UC San Diego, I had many opportunities to visit the Bay Area, and I was energized and excited by all the tech companies that were flourishing there; I watched as little start-ups became huge and started to make equally huge impacts on people’s lives. I felt the tech world offered more interesting opportunities to a young immigrant - they seemed more open and willing to take chances and more accepting of my unique qualities.As I have become an adult, I realize more and more that it’s all about “connecting the dots” – connections one makes throughout one’s life can shape our careers, our relationships, and our futures. One of the things that are the most important to me is building a solid and fair proving ground in the professional arena for everybody, regardless of age, gender, or ability. To that end, I care deeply about women’s equality in Tech and STEM careers for young girls.I love playing with my charming and silly pup Teddy who gets me up and out each morning with his antics and energy. I am passionate about animal rights, first and foremost. I love to learn, and pursuing knowledge is another of my great joys. Right now, I am studying European history and French and love to travel to experience my lessons first-hand.Two values I live with every day: integrity and learning, so I can contribute more, be the best I can be, and reach my ultimate potential on this earth. Ultimately, in this one life we have, I want to be useful to the world.