Jessica “Jess” Chong

Jessica “Jess” Chong (Yanu tribe), a 37-year-old software engineer, originally hails from Hong Kong and Toronto but currently resides in San Francisco, California. Described as silly, compassionate, and persistent, Jess is known among her friends as an empathetic, tenacious, and socially vibrant individual. Throughout her life, she’s embraced risks to pursue growth, including quitting entry-level jobs to delve into freelance web design, eventually transitioning into software engineering. Beyond professional achievements, Jess takes pride in her role as a mentor, guiding others through career transitions into software engineering, a field she’s passionate about. Despite her outward appearance, few may know that Jess is an identical twin, a former college rugby player, and possesses the remarkable skill of typing at 140 words per minute. Inspired by past Survivor contestants like Tai, Gabby, and Maryanne, Jess approaches challenges with resilience and empathy, embodying a spirit of adventure both in her career and personal life. When not coding, she enjoys sewing her own clothes, biking around San Francisco with her husband, and indulging in the unique ritual of binge-watching TV shows followed by online recaps, excluding Survivor.