January is all about new. As a token to the new year, I would like to introduce something new to the Electronics blog...ME!

My name is Jiani (pronounced "Johnny") Zhang and I am the new Global Marketing Manager for Electronics and Telco Industries for Rational.

I believe I was born with a love for tech. As a child of two Electrical Engineers, it's no surprise that I had an affinity to electronics. I built my first circuit using my dad's breadboard and resistors when I was six. Consequently, it only made sense for me to pursue engineering as a career. After graduating from University of California, Berkeley with a B.S in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, I joined AMD as their youngest IC design engineer. Being part of the R&D group, I designed new systems and circuits and by age 25, I had obtained four patents in semiconductor design. As I was promoted from design to project management and product management, I became more and more fascinated by the business decisions that drove our innovation pipeline. After receiving my MBA in strategy and technology management from UCLA, I moved into management consulting with IBM Global Business Services. In consulting, I had the opportunity to tackle a plethora of business challenges across industries, from consumer products and media entertainment to energy and telecommunications. Although the strategy experience is unparalleled, I missed the intimacy to engineering and execution. That's the reason why you find me here.

I am thrilled to join the Rational family. In this position I hope to fully utilize my strategy experience, industry knowledge, and technical training to drive new market initiatives.

In the spirit of the new year, I resolve to bring you: a fresh perspective, a new voice, and a collaborative discussion of the most exciting news in Electronics. Feel free to reach out with any ideas and topics you'd like to see covered here!