About Me

I am definitely a "third-culture kid": I was born in China but spent my formative years in Hong Kong where I attended international schools for my primary and secondary education. After secondary school, I attended Cornell University for my Bachelor's degree where I double majored in Natural Resources and Development Sociology. Soon afterward I obtained my Master's in Water Resource Management at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

For as long as I can recall, I have always had an interest in education. At Cornell, I was involved with Project Hope in sponsoring children in rural areas of China to support their education. At UW-Madison, I volunteered as a tutor with the Greater University Tutoring Service to help international graduate students develop their conversational English skills.

My journey into teaching started in 2012 as an AmeriCorps*VISTA corps member working with an environmental nonprofit organization in Roseburg, Oregon. During my two years with Umpqua Watersheds I was responsible for expanding the organization's educational goals. Through grants, I raised over US$6000 to develop afterschool programs, such as the "Science Friday" program to teach local 6th graders skills related to forestry such as using compasses and calculating tree heights.

Realizing my passion is teaching, I enrolled in Teach For America (TFA) as a 2015 corps member in Houston, Texas. I was placed at YES Prep West (YPW) to teach AP Environmental Science and Environmental Systems to 12th graders. During my time at YPW, I was inspired by the YES Prep school district's annual Affinity Summit for LatinX and Black/African-American students. Organized and led by YES Prep teachers, the Affinity Summits provided ".... opportunities for students to develop pride in their identities and build relationships within the communities with which they identify." Realizing that there was no summit for Asian and Pacific Islander American students, I initiated and coordinated the first two Asian and Pacific Islander American summits.

Teaching at YPW set the foundation for me to consider teaching abroad—one of my teaching goals that originated while a student in Hong Kong. I recall my foreign teachers sharing their stories teaching at schools around the world. Hearing their experiences inspired me to one day do the same.

In addition, my experience at international schools in Hong Kong instilled a sense of curiosity, which has shaped the way I teach. Thus, one of my motivations as a teacher is to develop in my students that same desire to be curious about the world around them.

During my free time I enjoy playing squash, attending amateur tournaments whenever I can. I enjoy day hikes and visiting museums and other culturally significant points of interest. I also like playing board games, video games, and relaxing at cafes with a warm cup of mocha.