Joanna Zhang

I was an international student afraid of speaking in English when I first came to the US at 15—and I cannot emphasize enough how important it was to have the right mentors when I needed advice and coaching. I never would have believed you if you’d told my younger self that one day I’d be working on some of the most important strategies you read about in the news. During my time in a demanding consulting environment, I came to deeply appreciate my female mentors and their core strengths—blending empathy, compassion, and vulnerability with resilience, allowing for deeper connections and effective leadership without the rigidity of pure toughness. I aspire to be one of those mentors. And I hope I can help you understand there’s more to the “standardized” interview process—your personality matters, and it’s one of your greatest assets.