silicon valley, plug-n-play, entrepreneurship, & more

❗WOW…just 2.5 weeks into my time in Silicon Valley and I’ve never experienced or learned more in such a short period of time.

From meeting and speaking with Marc Tarpenning, Co-Founder of Tesla, to hearing from speakers I’ve only dreamed of seeing in person—Emma Grede (Co-Founder of Skims), Jay Shetty (host of On Purpose), Maria Molland (former CEO of Thinx), and more—and having energizing conversations with numerous co-founders, I couldn’t have asked for a better start to the months ahead of learning, growing, and working in this innovative city.

I’m so grateful to have been invited to the 3-day Plug and Play Tech Center Summit this week, where I heard from CEOs, founders, and venture capitalists from around the world. I dove into conversations about the expansion and ethics of AI, global innovation, the intersection of tech, business, and sustainability across industries, and more. As I continue to explore the evolving world of tech and entrepreneurship, I get closer to defining my brand—and the impact I hope to create.

While continuing my research on AI integration, I had the opportunity to attend the Chinese Institute of Engineers Conference last weekend. I was privileged to hear from Amit Sangani (Director of Partner Engineering, AI @ Meta) on the Transformative Impact of AI on Business and Industry, Hong Xue (Managing Partner @ VentureX Fund) on Investing in Tomorrow’s AI Today, and many more impactful speakers. I’m excited to keep exploring the future of AI and it’s integration with startups and business innovation.

A huge thank you to Dr. Sarah Leedberg, Wendy Fong, Dr. Willy Das, Dr. Samantha Dewalt, Marina L. Odierno, and Joshua Ehrig, who have all supported and believed in me from the beginning. I would not be where I am without their continued guidance and support and am so grateful for their mentorship.

So excited for what’s ahead, and I can’t wait to keep growing and feeding my purpose 📈