Stories connect us, so let me tell you a few.
(1) My mother’s favorite poem is “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost and I repeatedly asked as a child: What happened if he took the other road? Where would he be now? That’s why I explore the nooks and crannies of the places I visit, whether it means wandering off a hiking trail or meandering through foreign alleyways. Of course, this means I’m prone to getting lost quite often. When I was 10, I almost got lost in Malaysia because I followed the crowd leaving the food court my family was eating in. My sister will never let me forget the moment, but I’d attest that I’ve been an explorer from a young age.
(2) I have an insatiable craving for experiences. I love to put myself in new situations and environments, even if I’m not the most adept for the job. Recently, I went camping in the Channel Islands with no prior camping experience, aside from a single-night trip when I was in first grade. I truly didn’t know what I was getting into, as there were birds smart enough to undo zippers and foxes that scrounged through any food they could get their paws inhabiting the island. Although I did end up crying due to the stench of the pit toilet, it was well worth the surreal experience outside of my comfort zone.
My key areas of expertise.
My key interests center around creativity and collaboration. While I have the hard skills, rigorous academic background, and gritty perseverance to succeed in the many interests that I pursue, I find the most joy from the collaborative brainstorming process. While I'm by no means a magician, I believe the closest thing to magic is when creative minds work together to make something that no singular person could have created on their own.
Brand Marketing
In Spring 2024, I earned a minor in Professional Writing with an emphasis on Multimedia Communication from UC Santa Barbara. Through two capstone courses and my 6-month marketing internship with ECPC Travel, I gained experience creating a comprehensive brand identity for myself and a start-up company.
Project Management
I contributed the last two years of my undergraduate experience to service on UC Santa Barbara’s Community Financial Fund. I served as the board’s External Vice Chair in my final year. I was the first person in contact for all inquiries and collaborations outside of our organization and spearheading our annual Spring Speaker Series. This year-long project involved researching, networking, negotiating with professional speakers, creating a student-centric speaker lineup, and leading a 5-person marketing team.
Content Marketing
For the past 3 years, I’ve dabbled in freelance content marketing, allowing me to gain professional experience directly collaborating with brands, film and video editing, and exercising creative freedom.
Writing
I have ample experience writing across genres and mediums: from blog writing, creative nonfiction, academic/research-based writing, brand writing, and more. I enjoy using writing as not only a means of self-expression but also a crucial way to connect with others, whether it be individual to an individual or brand to the audience.