My first exposure to Caroline Wong was in 2021. It was the height of the pandemic lockdowns, and we were brought together virtually, to discuss mentoring in technology. I was instantly drawn to her focus on happiness and on avoiding toxicity. 

She's wicked smart, having received a degree in electrical engineering and computer science from UC Berkeley. When you meet her, when you hear her, it's no wonder she is currently the Chief Strategy Officer at Cobalt, a firm focused on PenTesting as a service. 

While all this sounds like a natural fit, Caroline's journey is filled with twists, turns, courage, and fate. 

Caroline was born and raised in San Francisco, the daughter of Chinese immigrants. Her mother was a trained biologist turned a stay-at-home mom. 

Her parents wanted only the best for their daughter. They taught her from an early age that college was not a choice. It was a natural next step. Expectations were set including her father insisting on her taking the most difficult engineering program available.