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Meet the Mentor: Joany Huang, Technical Enablement Specialist at PING Identity
Watch meteorologist Callie Zanandrie's forecast.
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The sales tax in Denver is about to rise. Businesses and consumers will have to prepare to pay more for goods going into the New Year.
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Name: Joany Huang
Title: Technical Enablement Specialist
Education: BA in Economics from University of Texas at Austin, Currently studying in the MS Cybersecurity at Georgia Institute of Technology
Company Description for a 9-year-old: Ping Identity is an identity and access management software and services production company focused on innovative solutions to give the right people access to the right information at the right time.
Tell us more about your job.
As a Technical Enablement Specialist, my job is like being a superhero support for people who are tech-savvy and want to sell Ping Identity's awesome products. I make sure they have all the tools and knowledge they need to talk about our products to their customers.
I get to team up with cool folks from different parts of our company, like Products, Marketing, and Sales. Together, we come up with creative ways to show off what our solutions can do and help everyone build their skills. It's like creating a fun world to highlight our company!
Let's say Pingy is our product, and it's super smart at protecting people's information. We might make learning games to show how Pingy works in different situations. It's like turning our product into a hero with cool powers and helping everyone understand just how smart and amazing Pingy is!
Why is STEM important within your industry?
STEM is like the superhero toolkit in our industry! It helps us understand the challenges people face and build really cool and fast products to keep them safe. Being in STEM lets us be super creative and come up with new, clever ideas.
Now, a lot of what we do in cybersecurity is kind of like a virtual adventure happening on your devices, like tablets. Having STEM knowledge is like knowing the secret language your tablet uses to talk to the internet. It's super important because it helps us understand how your tablet talks to a library to get your content, and with that knowledge, we can create programs that speak the same language to protect you.
But it's not just about writing codes and programs. STEM also lets us express what we learn in different ways, like drawing diagrams. It's like turning invisible codes into pictures that help us understand and solve problems. So, in a nutshell, STEM is our superhero power for keeping the virtual world safe!
Was there a specific moment when you decided you wanted to pursue STEM as a career?
That's a great question! My decision to dive into STEM wasn't just one "aha" moment; it's been more like a journey of discovering what I love. When I was little, I always wondered about how things fit together in life, like why everyone uses money and how it helps our society work. I dreamed of being an economist.
As I studied Economics, I saw how cool technology was in making things faster and better. So, I added technology to my studies. After college, I started working at Ping Identity and discovered how cybersecurity, part of STEM, plays a big role in our lives. That made me super curious, leading me to enroll in a master's program in Cybersecurity to learn more about it. It's been a journey of finding out what I enjoy and how STEM fits perfectly into making the world work in amazing ways!
What do you like best about your job?
The coolest part is seeing how cybersecurity makes a big difference in our lives, both in things we can see and stuff happening behind the scenes. People come up with super smart ideas to solve tricky problems, and I get to be a messenger, sharing these awesome ideas with more people.
Imagine having moments at work where you go, "Wow, this is so cool!" or "Ah, that's how we can do this!" I have lots of those moments, and they make me feel amazed. It's like being in a world of endless surprises and clever solutions, and I get to be part of making it all understandable for everyone. That's what I love most!
What are the most important skills needed in your job?
One big skill I need is the ability to keep on learning in different ways and from different people. It's like having a bunch of teachers who each know something cool.
For example, I would learn about our company help us to log into online libraries without typing in passwords with your laptop or phone. Then, I think about how different people like to learn. Some love watching videos, while others like trying things out.
Have there been times in your career where you've faced difficult challenges and how were you able to overcome them?
I work with super smart folks in cybersecurity, and sometimes I get nervous because they know so much! I used to worry about not having all the answers and looking silly.
But you know what? It's okay not to know everything. I learned that saying "I don't know" is actually cool. It's like saying, "Hey, I'm ready to learn!" Every time I admit not knowing something, it's a chance to discover something new.
Talking to someone about my questions has been a game-changer. So, instead of keeping those feelings to myself, I ask questions and learn from the pros. Remember, it's okay not to have all the answers, and it's even cooler to use those moments to grow and become even better!
What advice would you give to girls of all ages who are interested in STEM?
First off, remember it's not a one-size-fits-all thing. There are many ways to jump into STEM fun! You can start by learning to code - it's like giving instructions to computers to do cool things. Ever thought about doing your own science project? That's another way to dive into the STEM world. You can even help out at fairs where people show off their cool STEM ideas!But also remember: it's okay if things get a bit tricky sometimes. It's just like playing a sport. When you're stuck, ask people around you for help. Find a mentor - someone who knows the ropes - and make friends who like the same things. Teamwork makes the dream work Think about what you already love. Maybe it's art, animals, or even superheroes. Guess what? You can add STEM to that! For example, I started with wanting to understand money (that's economics). Then, I mixed in some tech to see how phone apps work. Now, I'm curious about how to keep things super safe with cybersecurity. Start small, be curious, and keep asking "how does it work?" or "how can it work better?" You'll be on an awesome STEM journey in no time!
It's the first full day of winter, but it's not going to feel that way with daytime highs running well above normal. Sunday will be mild and dry with unseasonably warm temperatures. Daytime highs will reach into the upper-50s and low-60s which is 15 to 20 degrees above normal for this time of year.
A plan to beautify Buchanan Park in the town of Evergreen is moving forward thanks to new grant funding.
A man died after a crash in Aurora Friday when he allegedly jumped onto a moving SUV.
The Salvation Army provides shelter, meals, and support for families in need in our community every day, but they need help to raise those donations.
CSP troopers won't just be looking for drunk driving; driving while high will get you a ticket too and they have their own methods to detect if you're too high to drive.
Watch meteorologist Callie Zanandrie's forecast.
Saturday is the first night of Posadas, a Mexican Christmas tradition where people gather to re-enact the journey of Mary and Joseph to find shelter in Bethlehem.
A man died after a crash in Aurora Friday when he allegedly jumped onto a moving SUV.
The sales tax in Denver is about to rise. Businesses and consumers will have to prepare to pay more for goods going into the New Year.
The mission in Evergreen to try and beautify Buchanan Park, specifically introducing a skate park in this area, is starting to move forward with grant money coming in and a lot of optimism within the town.
The holiday spirit was alive at the annual Boys and Girls Club party where the Denver Nuggets brought joy to local kids. The club says they need more donations to make the season bright.
The Broncos missed out on a shot to end the second longest current playoff drought in the NFL with Thursday night's 34-27 loss to the Chargers.
Denver Broncos rookie running back Audric Estime scored his first career touchdown on Thursday Night Football.
The Charlotte Hornets' mascot appeared to award a fan a video game console, but the device was taken away when the cameras stopped.
The Denver Broncos Week 17 matchup against the Bengals is now scheduled for Dec. 28.
Senators approve a bill to expand Social Security benefits to millions of Americans, with President Biden expected to sign it into law.
The IRS said it's sending out checks worth up to $1,400 to 1 million people. Here's what to know about the "special payments."
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The Senate confirmed two more judges to the federal bench on Friday, giving President Biden a total of 235 since he took office.
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The Senate confirmed two more judges to the federal bench on Friday, giving President Biden a total of 235 since he took office.
Government watchdog claims Americans lost hundreds of millions to fraud related to the bank-operated mobile payments network.
The Biden administration is canceling federal student loans for another 55,000 workers to the tune of $4.28 billion in what's expected to be the last such round before he leaves office.
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Baristas at the Alameda and Federal location in Denver filed for a union election and on Saturday, baristas from across the Denver area are protesting outside another Starbucks calling for better pay and working conditions.
Senators approve a bill to expand Social Security benefits to millions of Americans, with President Biden expected to sign it into law.
The Holiday Market at Cherry Creek North is made up of dozens of small businesses and makers, and most of them are locally owned.
The IRS said it's sending out checks worth up to $1,400 to 1 million people. Here's what to know about the "special payments."
Government watchdog claims Americans lost hundreds of millions to fraud related to the bank-operated mobile payments network.
With a check in hand, a Coloradan is breathing a sigh of relief.
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Last year, 999 claims were made related to damage caused by the roadway in Colorado and nine were paid out.