Meet the Trainer: Ying Cheng

Ying Cheng has been a trainer for Senior Planet from AARP for three years. She assists the Contact Center and the curriculum team, as well as teaching programs in Mandarin both virtually and in-person. 

We caught up with Ying to hear what she’s looking forward to in 2023 (as the mother of three – she’s hoping it includes a lot of rest).  She also talks about how she’s celebrating the upcoming Lunar New Year of the Rabbit* with her students. 

What brought you to working as a Senior Planet trainer? 

When a friend asked me if I knew someone who could be a tech trainer for older adults I thought, “That could be me!” I had years of experience working in the medical field and part-time teaching Chinese, so I figured I would be a good fit for this position. Here I am! So far, I have been enjoying it. 

I enjoy helping people learn essential tech skills that bring convenience and joyfulness to their lives.

What are some of your favorite things about the job? 

I enjoy helping people learn essential tech skills that bring convenience and joyfulness to their lives. I am profoundly grateful that this job allows me to help people and positively impact their lives.  

What do you enjoy doing outside of work? 

As a mom of three, I usually attend to my children’s needs. I also make sure to catch up with the current trends in technology. Some participants are faithful attendees of Senior Planet programs, so I always try to bring new highlights to the same topics. That way the revisiting participants will still have a fresh experience.  

Will you being doing anything to celebrate the upcoming Lunar New Year in any of your Mandarin-language classes? 

Yes! Since the topic of my next national Mandarin class is Smartphone Photography, I am planning a class activity that will have the participants learn how to apply a Lunar New Year template to their portrait photo. That way they can send it to friends/families as a greeting card to help stay connected! 

Do you have any advice on how people should approach embarking on the new year? 

A positive mindset is necessary to embrace the new year. The worst is over! Be appreciative and enjoy the moment.  

 What does aging with attitude mean to you? 

To me, aging with attitude means taking control of how we want to extend the fullness of our lives. 

*The rabbit is the symbol of longevity, peace, and prosperity in Chinese Culture; 2023 is predicted to be a year of hope.

Want to learn more about Lunar New Year traditions?  Read our article from our archives about the celebrations.

Know someone interested in tech classes in Mandarin?  See here for more information and class schedules.

Pam Hugi is Senior Planet’s Community and Advocacy Manager. Based in Brooklyn, she runs Senior Planet’s Supporter program in addition to being a contributing writer for this site. She can be reached at supporters@seniorplanet.org.