AAPI Employee Spotlight: Rain Wang
To celebrate Asian-American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Zynga has been spotlighting some of our incredible AAPI-identifying employees throughout May. We recognize the important influence that the AAPI community has had on the history, culture, and achievements of our organization and the world, and are honored to be sharing employees’ stories.
We are celebrating up our month of celebrations with a spotlight on Rain Wang, our Senior Data Scientist on Words With Friends based in Redlands, USA.
Tell us a little bit about your background, culture, and career.
I was born and raised in China and moved to the US over ten years ago. I’ve lived in Idaho and Oregon, and now I am living in Redlands, California, with my husband Vinny and our two-year-old Doberman Macho. I love to challenge myself, which is manifested in aerial silks as my favorite hobby and data science as my career.
What is your current role and responsibilities at Zynga?
I am a Senior Data Scientist on Words With Friends. My team delivers insightful analyses and builds cool data products to drive better decision-making on the product!
Tell us about joining ZAPI (Zynga Asians & Pacific Islanders) and what the employee resource group means to you?
I enjoy both the fun activities and the caring people in ZAPI. It is a great way to get to know people outside of WWF and I’m aiming to contribute more to this community as well – currently hosting a Language Circle program for Zyngites to learn foreign languages together.
What does Asian Heritage Month mean to you?
It is a time for us to celebrate the origin that made us who we are and our contribution to the cultural diversity of our current community.
Do you have an inspirational figure in your life? Who are they and how have they helped you along on your journey?
My mom. She was the first one in my family to receive a master’s degree and set a great example for what a strong woman is like by doing.
What was the best advice you ever received in life or career?
Be careful what you wish for. Many times in life when I thought I really wanted something, my husband would say “be careful what you wish for” and it always put my heart in the right place for me to not be distracted by things that won’t matter in the end.
Looking back at previous experiences, what makes Zynga stand out the most?
A culture where people respect and empower each other.
What’s a personal favorite of yours that you wish to share with the world? (This could be a game, book, food, quote, or more)
I love all kinds of food, especially boba milk tea!