About Me

Welcome to my tiny space!

I’m Ann Yang: an engineer, builder, and lifelong learner. I grew up in Jinan, China, spending much of my time on school and the arts, which shaped my curiosity and work ethic early on.

I studied Computer Science with a Business Minor at the University of Waterloo, where I completed five internships before moving to Silicon Valley to work full-time. Over the next ten years, I built and scaled distributed data systems, led engineering teams, earned patents, and spoke at conferences which helped me to develop expertise in database systems and large-scale infrastructure.

Today, I work on advancing information retrieval by combining data systems with AI. I’m driven by solving complex problems, building systems that operate at scale, and working with brilliant people who challenge me to grow.

Outside of work, I live wide. I dance. I play violin, guitar, and keyboard, and I’ve taught myself to DJ because I believe music is what the soul sounds like. The strongest sparks I've felt in my heart always come from connections in music.

I move to feel grounded and alive. I lift weights and chase sunlight. I once dreamed of being a bird, so I took up paragliding, and later equestrian jumping on my favorite horses, Roman and Leo. I’ve solo-traveled through Europe, Asia, Hawaii, the Caribbean, and many corners of the U.S., meeting kind strangers and collecting stories along the way.

Through these experiences, as well as through conversations and reading philosophy, I continue to expand how I understand life and people. Adventure and freedom fuel me, and I thrive in the uncertainty of the unknown. At the same time, I’m deeply curious about people, about healing, about what it means to come home to yourself. We all live in a bubble and community service is one of my favorite ways to stay connected to the world. I’ve volunteered with the homeless in LA through Food on Foot, and I continue to seek ways to stay connected to purpose.

I have a beautiful Finnish Spitz named Skoll, a name that means both “cheers!” and “the wolf that chases the sun.” He’s playful, loyal, and full of spirit. Just like the version of me I fought to become.

If you’ve made it this far, thank you for stepping into my world. I believe the most beautiful transformations don’t happen when life goes as planned; they happen when we choose to rise from the rubble with intention and courage. Wherever you are in your journey, I hope you know this: it’s not too late to begin again. Let’s connect! I use Instagram as a journal, and I’d love to hear your story too.