SCWIST member spotlight: Lee Ling Yang

I am the Director of Customer Success at Hack Capital, a software consulting company. To give back to the community and meet like-minded women in STEM, I volunteer with Women in Tech World and was previously Director of Immigrant Women in Science (IWIS). I completed my B.Sc. Honours (graduated with distinction) and M.Sc. in Cell and Developmental Biology at the University of British Columbia.

Outside of work and volunteering, I enjoy rock climbing, weight training and swimming.

How has SCWIST impacted your education/career path?

During my volunteering experience with the Immigrant Women in Science, I was mentored by women who are experienced in the workforce. They were role models to me because of their ambition, motivation and tenacity. Furthermore, they coached me on how to develop the skills I need, helped me build confidence, and pushed me to expand my comfort zone. When I doubted my abilities, they believed in me and encouraged me to take on new opportunities.

What are your successes in your career?
I am fortunate to take on a management position in a software company although I am a Biologist by training. After graduate school, my career focus shifted to business. At that time, my experience was largely related to research and development in a lab. To build up my knowledge in business, I took on volunteering positions that allowed me to develop my marketing, public speaking and networking skills. After a year of perseverance, my first job outside of the lab was as Customer Support Role in B2C e-commerce store. Since then, I was headhunted and worked with three different software companies.

What are your professional aspirations?

I am looking to continue to grow my team to 10+ people in my current software company. I enjoy motivating my team, seeing their strengths and provide them with opportunities to grow . My goal is to become a recognized project leader with a track record for satisfy internal and external stakeholders while having an engaged team.

What challenges have you faced as a woman in STEM?
A lot of women tend to have imposter syndrome. Doubting ourselves cause us to shy away from taking on challenges, sharing our successes in public and speaking up. Believe in yourself and know that you were hired because of your past accomplishments and your potential.

Any insight or advice you can offer to girls/women pursuing STEM careers?

Be comfortable with being uncomfortable. Your career path won’t be a straight line and you may deviate from your plan at times. Given how quickly the world changes, this is to be expected. Focus on growing and surround yourself with positive people.

Any feedback you can offer to SCWIST?

Keep empowering women and girls!

“Lee Ling is a very proactive management professional who would make a great addition to any team. I belonged to a team led by her when she was the Director of Immigrant Women in Science. She did an outstanding job by tirelessly helping the team members, contributing to their professional development and coaching us along the way — which made us more confident and inspired. In addition, her ability to communicate her vision and provide guidance were crucial to helping us achieve the program’s goals as a team. Because of her effective time & team management skills, our team was able to deliver the expected output in a time and cost-effective manner. I find Lee Ling a professional with passion for helping people grow and a smart person whom everyone in our team very much enjoyed working with.”- Zhila Pirmoradi, PhD, PMP, CSSGB