About me
My story
When I began working at PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP (PwC), as an Experienced Associate in its consulting arm, I thought to myself, “I did it! I landed my dream job! I will become a partner here and stay here until I die!” However, I quickly realized that it wasn’t what I wanted. I could not connect with the motivations of the business, I did not feel as though my work was truly benefiting others, and I felt chained to the wants and needs of both my clients and bosses. More than anything, I was unfulfilled by the work that I was doing. I wanted to be able to do work that was meaningful to me and that would help others, while also creating a schedule and framework that would allow me to live the life I truly wanted.
After my mom passed away in 2017, I, as many do after such a loss, took a critical look at my life and how I was living it. In 2018, I decided that it was finally time to break free from others’ definition of success and pursue my own definition of it. I left the firm with no real plan, other than to continue working at Equinox, where I had started teaching group fitness classes part time (for fun) a few months before.
Luckily, the leadership team at Equinox believed in me enough to invest their time into helping me learn and grow as a fitness professional. While working at Equinox, I also had the opportunity to consult for local boutique gyms, where I was responsible for developing and executing marketing and business development initiatives, including establishing partnerships with high-profile brands, such as lululemon and Chameleon Cold-Brew, to host and promote group fitness events. Additionally, I created and delivered social media content and supported the day-to-day sales and in-studio management.
Although I was enjoying my new fitness-related endeavors, for a long time, I was still attached to the idea that I had to go back to a “normal,” corporate-style, 9am-5pm (or really, 7am-10pm), suit-required type of job that had met the definition of success ingrained in me since I was a young child. Fortunately, I met people who believed in my ability to inspire others and break out of that train of thought, and I was introduced to the coach training program with Accomplishment Coaching (AC). In 2019, I began my journey with AC to become a Professional Certified Coach and it has been nothing short of life-changing. Since I discovered coaching, I have been able to break free of others’ expectations for me and I have been able to design my own, empowered lifestyle. I have experienced huge shifts in both my personal and professional life, but, more importantly, in my mental and emotional well-being.
My philosophy
While building my coaching practice over the past few years, I have developed a passion for working with men. The more men that I have worked with, the more clarity I have gained around the struggles and pressures that men - especially outwardly successful men - deal with from their partners, friends, families, and society as a whole.
From a young age, men are taught that a “real man” is financially successful and provides for his family, good at (or at least knowledgeable about) sports, emotionally stoic and “ungettable,” attractive to women, and expected to be “the best” at everything he does. In his book, The Mask of Masculinity, Lewis Howes describes how these expectations cause men to wear a mask, covering up who they really are and what they really want and need. He writes that “almost every man has a story in which he learned - through pain, humiliation, or even force - how he does not measure up. When that happens to him, masks become more than a way to hide; they become armor.”
Through my work as a coach, I have seen what happens when men are able to take off their armor - and the results are truly remarkable. Taking off one’s armor leads to better and more authentic relationships, the release of burdensome and even depressive thoughts and feelings, greater business and career success, and a deep sense of personal fulfillment. These changes not only impact the men who are making them, but they also impact the people in their lives and society as a whole.
I believe that I am uniquely positioned to work with men. In a society that vilifies men (especially cis, heterosexual, white, successful men), I separate myself from the pack. I do not relate to men as being bad or people who need to be “fixed.” I relate to men as whole, good human beings who have grown up in a patriarchal system that actually hurts them more than it helps them. They deserve to be nurtured, cherished, and loved; and, in turn, they will do the same to others.
Professional background
Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from the University of Maryland, College Park (2014)
Certificate in Chinese and American Studies from the Hopkins-Nanjing Center (2015)
Master of Arts in International Economics from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) (2017)
Former Experienced Associate at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) (2016 - 2018)
Certificate in Social Media Marketing from the Georgetown University School of Continuing Studies (2019)
American Council on Exercise (ACE) Certified Personal Trainer (2016 - present)
Equinox Group Fitness Instructor (2017 - 2021)
CorePower Certified Yoga Sculpt Instructor (2018 - present)
Accomplishment Coaching Certified Life Coach (2019 - present)
International Coach Federation (ICF) Associate Certified Coach (ACC) (current credential 2022-2025)
Yoga Alliance Registered Yoga Teacher (2020 - present)
lululemon Ambassador (2020 - present)
More about me
I have had Alopecia, an auto-immune disease that causes your hair to fall out, since late 2010. I love to sing and music has been a huge part of my life for as long as I can remember. I was even in a band when I lived in China and played weekly acoustic sets at a local bar. Making playlists for my group fitness classes is one of my favorite things to do.
I am half Chinese and my heritage plays a big role in my life, values, and culture. I love to cook and try new recipes. When I travel, I essentially go to a new city or country just to try the food. I have two Labrador Retrievers, a black one named Cole and a chocolate one named Captain, who I treat like they are my real children. Basically any free time I have is spent with them hiking, bingeing TV shows, or reading a good book on the couch.
