Skip to main content

Laura Li

Met at: [Old family friend from Illinois] Met date: [Childhood/IMSA era, reconnected 2025-06-14] Role(s): Apple QA Engineer, Old Family Friend from Illinois Last interaction: 2025-06-14

Contact Information​

  • Lives in Austin, Texas (Domain area, 5 minutes from the Domain)
  • Husband: PJ (father of 3 competitive swimmers)

Personal Background​

  • Originally from Illinois, same hometown area as Gary Sheng
  • Attended IMSA (Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy) with Gary
  • Lived in New York before moving to Austin
  • Has been in Austin for approximately 5 years
  • Married to PJ, who is a competitive swimmer with 5am practice sessions
  • Has pets: a dog and a cat
  • Recently started volunteering at pet shelter in Austin
  • Parents are retired

Professional Background​

  • Works at Apple in Austin doing QA on their website
  • Focuses on editing/UX content rather than writing
  • Works at the Apple building on Brady Street (near 1618/1816 complex)
  • Got laid off during the pandemic (from previous job)
  • Works 3 days per week in office (as of transcript date)
  • Generally has reasonable work hours except during product launches (may work overtime in fall)

Family​

  • Brother Larry: Currently in Thailand (nomadic lifestyle), works in e-commerce for someone in New York, trying to start his own business, doesn't engage much with Thai culture, unmarried
  • Parents: Both retired, minimal pressure on kids regarding marriage/children

Lifestyle & Interests​

  • Lives near Domain area in Austin
  • Enjoys access to riverwalk
  • Used to play tennis, Gary suggested pickleball
  • Wake up around 9am (different schedule from PJ's 6am routine due to swimming)
  • Minimal social media usage (primarily Facebook, not Instagram)
  • Friend group primarily consists of work colleagues in Austin
  • Has not been able to replicate New York social connections in Austin

College & Background Connections​

  • Attended college in Missouri
  • Most college friends stayed in Missouri, generally more traditional lifestyle (married, having kids)
  • Some college friends have 3-4 children already
  • Maintains closer connections with high school (IMSA) friends and New York friends than college friends

Mutual Connections with Gary​

  • Shared IMSA background
  • Mentioned mutual friend from IMSA who also works at Apple in Austin (year younger than Gary, single)
  • Gary's parents and Laura's parents have maintained connection over the years
  • Connected through social media recently when Gary's parents mentioned his Austin move

Austin Experience​

  • Lives in area that used to be IBM campus
  • Enjoys the Domain area amenities (shopping, restaurants, dog park)
  • Has adapted well to Austin lifestyle over 5 years
  • Different friend group composition than previous cities

Personal Philosophy & Life Stage​

  • Part of generation taking non-traditional approach to marriage/children
  • Open to having children but not feeling pressure
  • Values work-life balance
  • Appreciates chill lifestyle in Austin vs. New York pace

Skills & Professional Interests​

  • QA and website content review
  • UX editing and content optimization
  • Technology troubleshooting (finds bugs in tech platforms)

Interactions​

  • 2025-06-14: One-on-one meetup with Gary Sheng at coffee shop in Austin. Reconnection after ~8 years since IMSA. Caught up on life changes, discussed Austin living, work at Apple, family updates, and social connections. Conversation covered generational attitudes toward marriage/children, Austin lifestyle, professional transitions, and IMSA alumni network. Both appreciated the opportunity to reconnect and maintain connection now that both live in Austin.

Notes​

Laura represents Gary's connection to his Illinois roots and IMSA network. She's successfully established herself in Austin's tech scene through Apple while maintaining a balanced lifestyle. Her experience transitioning from New York to Austin provides insight into different lifestyle preferences and the appeal of Austin's more relaxed pace. Her relationship with PJ and his competitive swimming career shows how couples can maintain different schedules and interests while building a life together in Austin.

The conversation revealed how IMSA alumni have maintained loose connections over the years and how social media helps facilitate reconnections when people move to the same cities. Laura's work at Apple positions her within Austin's growing tech ecosystem, and her volunteering at pet shelters shows community engagement beyond work.

Transcripts​

Transcript IDDateSummary
2025-06-14-gary-sheng-laura-li-imsa-reconnection2025-06-14Gary Sheng & Laura Li IMSA Reconnection - June 14, 2025