My Story

My identity is deeply rooted in my family history. My grandparents were raised in luxury in pre-Communist China. That abruptly changed when the Japanese invaded their village during World War II. They were merely teenagers when they were subjected to the terrible realities of war. After fighting the Japanese for three years, my grandparents were forced to leave everything they knew behind to escape the inevitable onslaught of the Communist regime against wealthy landowners. As war refugees in Taiwan, they had nothing but the clothing they wore when they escaped. Despite immense adversity, my grandparents were able to raise my mother and her four brothers and sisters.

My mother took the courage, grit and tenacity modeled by her parents to the United States in pursuit of the American dream. For a number of years, while my sister and I were growing up, my parents worked two jobs in order to keep things afloat. As their cultural ambassadors, my sister and I experienced their frustrations of misunderstanding and being misunderstood by the new country they chose to be a part of. I am in awe of what my parents were able to accomplish; they came here with nothing and were able to send both kids to college, own their home and save for retirement.

I take what we do at Abacus very seriously because I know that many people are like my parents. They’ve worked very hard and want to make sure the fruits of their labors are well cared for. I love that I get to be a part of the stewardship process and work with people who really care. I’m so thankful for the opportunities and privileges that I have because I know I am where I am today because of the legacy of sacrifice from the generations before me.

How I’m expanding what’s possible with money

By continuing to Marie Kondo my finances and be intentional with spending money on what “sparks joy.” By living below my means, I’ve found ways to be unexpectedly and expectedly generous.

Outside of work, my passions include

Traveling, being a remedial Ashtanga yogi, my awesome church (RealityLA), and working with friends to serve our neighbors experiencing homelessness (primarily with Downtown Women’s Center, check them out!).