Hi, I’m Sophia 👋
I'm a Technical Program Manager at IBM and a recent UCLA Economics grad. I love digging into how people actually use products, spotting the friction points, and turning those insights into solutions that make things simpler.
FUN FACTS ABOUT ME
I’m originally from a small town south of Houston, TX
I grew up helping my grandparents build a small Chinese restaurant — best eggrolls ever!!
I have a detailed spreadsheet rating every coffee shop I’ve been to
I like to sew funky (not very good) pajama pants for my loved ones
I carry 4 journals with me at all times
My Meyers-Briggs personality is ENFJ
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
IBM - Technical Program Manager
PayPal - Technical Program Manager
Takenaka Partners - Investment Banking
Stifel - Investment Banking
The Wayside Pub - Hostess
Shanghai Restaurant - Waitress and Eggroll maker
PROJECTS I’VE WORKED ON SO FAR
SIP
CoFounder/Product Lead
April 2025 - Present
Sip is a full-stack mobile app I co-founded to help people discover and review cafes based on things like outlet availability, seating capacity, crowd levels, and drink quality. Built with React Native, Node.js, MongoDB, and Firebase, Sip offers a streamlined, aesthetic, and community-driven alternative to noisy platforms like Yelp or TikTok. As Product Lead, I defined the roadmap, managed a 16-person team across design and engineering, and led user research that shaped key features like interactive map search, cafe scoring systems, saved lists, and social reviews. Through iterative prototyping in Figma and close collaboration with our dev team, we delivered an MVP that reimagines how people find the perfect place to sip, study, or connect.
Clothesline
Product Manager
September 2024 - December 2024
Clothesline is a mobile app to make fashion more affordable, social, and sustainable. Designed for students, Clothesline connects borrowers and lenders through a peer-to-peer clothing exchange platform, reducing one-time purchases and textile waste. As the product manager, I led a 10-member team of designers and engineers to develop core features like search, item saving, profile-based trust-building, and in-app messaging. Built using Flutter, Firebase, and Algolia, we launched the beta on TestFlight and hosted a live pop-up on campus to promote sustainable fashion, gaining 50+ new signups and growing our Instagram engagement by 65%.
FINTERVIEW
Product Marketer
January 2024 - June 2024
Finterview is an AI-driven web platform designed to simulate investment banking interviews and provide real-time feedback to users. As Product Marketer, I led user research with 50+ students and recruiters to shape feature priorities and improve platform effectiveness. I also conducted market research on AI use cases and industry trends to inform positioning and growth strategy. Working closely with our product and design teams, I translated insights into messaging that resonated with aspiring finance professionals. Finterview combines advanced tech with targeted preparation to help users build confidence and perform under pressure.
LOCAL FIND
Product Marketer and Designer
January 2024 - June 2024
Local Find is a personalized web app I helped design and market to make restaurant discovery easier for UCLA students. Tired of endlessly scrolling through Yelp and TikTok, we created a streamlined experience that recommends local spots based on user preferences and location. I led design efforts in Figma, creating 30+ logos and curating 10+ color palettes for high-fidelity wireframes that guided the final UI. I also helped drive user acquisition through targeted social campaigns and built a data-rich restaurant database by scraping information from 200+ vendors. Local Find blends thoughtful UX with curated recommendations to bring food discovery closer to home.
IMPORTANT LISTS
Top 4 Hobbies
Journaling
Pickle Ball
Making Matcha
Duolingo
Top 2 Movies
Mamma Mia 1
Mamma Mia 2
Favorite Artists
Tyler Childers
Daniel Caesar
SZA
Top Travel Destinations
Kona, HI
Paris, FR
Ho Chi Minh
Best Coffee Shops
Community Goods, CA
Agora Coffee, TX
GoodBoyBob, CA
Reunion, MA
HERE’S HOW I WORK
Hi, I’m Sophia and I wanted to create this website as a way for you to know just a little bit more about me! How do I work? Well, I love working with people. I love building new concepts, learning from others, and experimenting with new things. I’m a VERY passionate person. When I get the opportunity to work on a product I believe in, I work tirelessly to ensure its success.