Born in Taiwan, Kirin went to high school in the predominantly Caucasian town of Anchorage, Alaska, where he was the only Chinese student in the entire high school.

Though a common tale amongst Asians who grew up in predominantly white communities, Kirin never thought of himself as any different from his friends, and apparently, neither did they. The other kids looked at him as just another Eskimo.

Kirin earned a Bachelor of Science degree in nutrition and a Japanese minor from UC Davis. He went on to work for pharmaceutical giants such as Bristol Myers Squibb and Novartis as an account manager covering the San Francisco and Hawaii markets. Kirin moved back to Taipei in April 2009 and is currently a partner of an expanding nutritional and fitness business there.

Unbeknownst to many, Kirin is a certified nutritionist and is passionate about health and fitness. He enjoys traveling, skiing, playing basketball and kite boarding, and he is a big sports buff and an unabashed, fair-weather fan of the Giants and the San Francisco 49ers. Weighing in at 220 lbs., Kirin relishes the idea of having the build of a typical starting NFL running back. Too bad that he loves to eat... !

Having witnessed first-hand how ORIENTED enhances the Asian business communities by bringing individuals together for professional and career development, Kirin joined the SF Bay Area organizing team in 2007 as an organizer, then co-head organizer, and later head honcho of that region. Now that he is back in Taipei, Kirin wants to continue providing resources and programs that inspire and empower, and to develop and support professionals to become effective community and global leaders.

Kirin speaks fluent Mandarin and English, and conversational Japanese and Taiwanese. He is also a master sushi chef in his own kitchen.

Joined: October 2007