Abigail’s Bio
Abigail Hing Wen is the New York Times bestselling author of Loveboat, Taipei, a romantic comedy being adapted for film. She is executive producing alongside ACE Entertainment, producers of the Netflix series, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before. Abigail is the Senior Director of Emerging AI Tech, Office of the CTO, AI Products Group, Intel Corporation, and Co-Chair for the Expert Group on Fairness, Transparency, and Accountability for the Partnership on AI. Her writings on AI have appeared in Fortune and Forbes. She speaks on AI, venture capital, diversity and leadership in international venues and has been profiled in media/TV in Entertainment Weekly, NBCNews, Bloomberg, Google Talk and the World Journal.
Abigail holds a BA from Harvard, a JD from Columbia Law School, and an MFA from the Vermont School of Fine Arts. Abigail lives in Silicon Valley with her husband and two sons.
More info and newsletter: www.abigailhingwen.com - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abigail_Hing_Wen
WITH GROUPS CREATING PROGRAMS TO ENCOURAGE FEMALES TO CONSIDER STEM, WHAT IS THE BIGGEST BARRIER TO ENTRY THAT IS STILL PREVALENT TODAY?
Boys and girls often still don’t socialize, even from early ages. However, informal socializing can often lead to career opportunities, mentoring and trust-building. As a result, girls may continue to miss out on opportunities or feel marginalized in male-dominated environments. Managers should be cognizant of this dynamic and make efforts to give all STEM employees equal opportunities to build trust and lead, regardless of gender.
WHAT OR WHO INSPIRES YOU?
My college roommate from Harvard, Judy Hung Liang, is one of the most generous people I know. She has always made choices to serve underserved populations and challenges me to do the same. During my national book tour for my novel, Loveboat, Taipei, she arranged a school visit to a high school outside Los Angeles where many of the kids are in foster care. The librarians told me I was the first author who had ever visited the school — it was a truly humbling experience and I’m grateful for the ways she keeps me grounded.
WHAT IS YOUR PROUDEST MOMENT/ACCOMPLISHMENT?
When Loveboat, Taipei hit the New York Times best sellers list for the second week in a row, I was on a plane to Baltimore for a conference of American booksellers. I received a text message from Sabaa Tahir, author of An Ember in the Ashes series, with the news. I was so shocked that I literally walked off my airplane and left my laptop behind!
The road to that moment was not easy. I had been writing for ten years — five novels and many rejections — before landing a publishing contract via a multihouse auction with HarperCollins. Loveboat, Taipei is a Crazy Rich Asians meets Jane Austen, the story of Ever Wong, an eighteen-year-old girl whose strict parents send her to Taipei for the summer to learn Mandarin and culture. What she finds instead is a summer free-for-all, a chance to rebel… and herself.
Loveboat, Taipei has since been optioned for film in Hollywood by Ace Entertainment, producers of the Netflix franchise, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before. I’ve also just completed the sequel to Loveboat, Taipei, which features a girl in STEM struggling to pursue her passions. I’m proud that I persevered and honored that my work is resonating with so many people across ethnicities and generations. I’m also glad for the opportunities to speak with so many people about leadership and representation.
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