Age: 24
Hometown: South Hamilton, Mass.
Current residence: San Francisco, Calif.
Occupation: UX designer
Favorite hobbies: Backpacking (bonus points if it leads to sleeping under the stars), photography, running
3 words to describe you: Green (both in that I absorb all new experiences/information around me, and am environmentally conscious), empathetic, witty
Pet peeve(s): Being "mansplained" to, people on their phones while you're hanging out.
What is the accomplishment you are most proud of? The body of work that I am most proud of is my senior thesis, which bridged my two majors of Environmental Science and Visual Arts. They are two departments that have never worked together as a double major, and it took a lot of initiative to create my own syllabus and thesis which addresses both. The thesis is a true reflection of me, of my equal passions in sustainability and art.
What is something we would never know from looking at you? People often assume I'm extroverted because I've very effusive and engaged, especially when meeting someone for the first time. But I'm definitely an introvert and need time alone to recharge.
Who is your hero and why? My father paved the way for my family and our life as we know it. He grew up as a sweet potato farmer in the impoverished countryside of China; he eventually came to the United States, completed his PhD in genetics, and now creates biotechnologies to increase yields for those very crops. To say I admire his tenacity, discipline, and work ethic is an understatement.
Which past Survivor will you play the game most like? Kim Spradlin. She had the ability to control the game based on her interpersonal relationships, convincing everyone on the tribe that they could trust her. She straddled the perfect balance of executing huge game moves without being pegged as the mastermind -- and is feminism at its finest. Also, Andrea Boehlke because she is outdoorsy, carried her weight and manipulated people while staying likable.
Why do you believe you can be the Sole Survivor? Given the evolution of the game, I see the winner as having to sit between multiple trust clusters and have the intuition to know when to rely on which at any given moment. I can sit in that position; I can create relationships with people from completely different backgrounds and juggle the nuances of my different alliances. My athleticism and outdoor experience give me the ability to "outlast," but I see my real strong-suit in the "outwit" portion. I can read social dynamics easily, which will allow me to be ahead of the curve in terms of moves. I'll make my own moves, so that at final tribal council, there will be no question of whether or not I played actively and assertively.
