BOOST Scouting Report: Stephanie (Bing) Tian, Sr. Data Engineer

In business, like sports, high performers blend talent, competitiveness, confidence, calculated risk-taking, and a relentless focus on their craft to position them (and their teams) for success.

Meet Stephanie (Bing) T. , one of BOOST ’s newest high performers.

Stephanie’s journey to become a Senior Data Engineer at BOOST included a: surprise setback, chance meeting with a future mentor, solo move halfway around the world, transformative career shift, and several rewarding corporate experiences.

Today, BOOST, its partners, and end users of its sports tech ecosystem are the clear winners. Her ability to demystify complex data and create compelling fan experiences that unify & engage is creating the future for sports properties and media companies including the Big Ten Conference and HBCU Gameday .

“Stephanie brings a fresh perspective to our team,” said Inga Nakhmanson , BOOST Chief Technology Officer. “With her engineering skills and analytical mindset, she's diving into the complexities of the sports data landscape, working diligently to streamline processes and make sense of our information flows. Stephanie's approach is grounded and focused, as she navigates the intricate webs of data, aiming to build more efficient structures for real-time processing.”

Navigation has been critical throughout Stephanie’s journey. Born into a family of doctors (father and grandfather), a future in medicine was her plan. As an undergrad at 天津大学 (near Beijing), when her preferred elective class was unavailable, the seemingly unfortunate situation resulted in a life-changing revelation for Stephanie.

“While it wasn’t my first choice, I ended up taking a course taught by James Leung, visiting professor from MIT,” said Stephanie. He had a more informal style than my other professors, and inspired a curiosity among myself and other students that made us happy we took his class – even though none of us selected it initially! He also encouraged us to study abroad.”

Inspired to explore grad school opportunities outside China, Stephanie encountered another challenge from her parents, who were not ready for her to leave home. But chance timing of a paid fellowship from the University of Utah School of Medicine resulted in Stephanie preparing for the unknown of life on her own in the U.S.?

“It was very scary, and I remember wondering if I would regret my decision during my flight. But I was determined to prove I could do this.”

She ultimately received a Masters in Public Health at Utah, focusing on lung cancer research (her grandfather passed from cancer). When considering a return to China, Stephanie came across another timely communication that enticed her to stay in the U.S. – an advertisement for Rice University ’s Data Science Boot Camp. As she contemplated the opportunity to strengthen her analytics proficiency, Stephanie decided that her next stop would be Houston.

Following Rice, Stephanie entered the workforce with a solar energy start-up in Houston. Subsequently, she moved on to work with companies including NRG Energy and Twilio , focusing on automating functions, managing databases and scaling data operations. Most recently, she worked with Amazon Web Services (AWS) , where she strengthened her expertise in backend application development. Her experiences in both small business and large corporate environments offer BOOST a valuable and unique perspective.??

Her U.S. journey from Salt Lake to Houston continued to Austin (where she met Ke), and ultimately Denver, where they got married and live today. In the Rocky Mountain State, they enjoy the outdoors, including hiking and snow sports, and are fans of the NBA World Champion Nuggets. Stephanie stays connected with her family through WeChat each day, and her family is planning a visit to Denver in Feb. 2024.?

As for her future at BOOST, Stephanie offers the same bold, confident vision that brought her here. “I am excited to grow here as a Data Engineer and beyond,” she said. “People are listening, respectful. I feel the energy, and am able to express my ideas, speak up and contribute (based on my experiences). I see a real opportunity to be a valued female leader at BOOST.”