Chia, a former organic chemist who is happy to be out of the lab after a ten-year stint in front of a bench, is the Community Manager at 23andMe. What does this mean, you ask? Well, it’s a cross between a den mother, grassroots PR person, customer service agent, brand evangelist and community advocate. This position grew out of the early days of the internet, when the nominal leaders of a group were known as Sysops or more recently, moderators of a forum. Chia has been a passionate advocate for using the internet to bring people together since the early days of online communities using BBS (Bulletin Board System)in the late 80’s and early 90’s.

You can find Chia on Twitter.

Chia on the 23andMe Service:
“I found out some very interesting information about my ancestry that I never suspected. My maternal haplogroup is not found in Han Chinese, but is instead common in a small minority group called the Daic that lives in southeastern China. Other common places my haplogroup, F, is found are Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and neighboring islands. I haven’t had the heart to tell my extended family as they have always been proud to be Han Chinese.”

“I also found out that I’m a slow caffeine metabolizer, which is not surprising. I was banned from having coffee at another start-up I worked at because I would buzz around the office for hours like a hummingbird after one cup. I have figured out that I can’t have caffeinated tea or coffee after 11 am unless I want to be up until 3 am, sorting my sock drawer.”

Chia on Being a 23andMe Employee:
“I’m the first community manager and I feel very lucky to be able to remember my scientific training but at the same time be part of a biotechnology revolution. It’s great to be able to help people understand what 23andMe is!”

Think you’d like to join our team? Check out our jobs page!

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Rachel is the Manager of Communications at 23andMe, i.e. the company gatekeeper. She handles incoming press inquiries, manages the public relations surrounding the launch of new features and partnerships, and talks to reporters and news producers about everything 23andMe. Imagine C.J. on the West Wing, except shorter and with less politics and more genetics. Rachel joined 23andMe in May, escaping a career in corporate litigation for the serenity and rationality of science.

Rachel on the 23andMe Service:

“Because I’m not a scientist, I hadn’t thought much about my family’s genetic relationship prior to using the service. Now that my Mom and I are both customers, it has been interesting to discover where our genetics are similar and how they differ. It turns out I can blame her for my higher than average risk for psoriasis. It was also interesting to find out about our maternal haplogroup, K2a2a, which is common among Ashkenazi Jews. Now, we just need to do a 23andWe study to determine whether there’s a genetic basis for repeatedly asking, ‘Are you going to be warm enough in that?’”

Rachel on Being a 23andMe Employee:

“Because I have to keep up-to-date about on all aspects of the company, I learn something new every day. Everyone here is incredibly intelligent and creative. The scientists and engineering and product teams are always eager to explain a complicated genetics concept or how a new feature works. And, because we continuously are working on features and research projects, there’s always a new story to tell. Needless to say, my job never gets boring.”

Think you’d like to join our team? Check out our jobs page!

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