Meili Zhang - Class of 2019

Meili Zhang, graduate of the Overlake Class of 2019, is in her influencer era. A brand ambassador for companies like Kendra Scott, Goodwill, and Essie, Meili is a lucrative and successful influencer and content creator because she loves it so much, claiming that she would “do it even if she wasn’t getting paid,” a credit to how working with brands and sharing about products is truly her passion. “I would never endorse a brand that I didn’t personally know and love,” shares Meili, a clear testament to her work ethic and integrity as an influencer.  

But how did Meili get started in this world? Though Meili began making YouTube videos while at Overlake, things really took off when she went to UCLA because her college experience overlapped with COVID. “We were all stuck at home and so I started making vlogs to share about campus life” shares Meili. Her videos became popular campus recruiting materials and she regularly heard from younger students – online and IRL – that they chose UCLA because of her videos since the campus was closed for visits during the height of the pandemic. Knowing she influenced other students to attend UCLA means so much to Meili who “absolutely loved” her time at UCLA where she also became a Campus Ambassador for Victoria’s Secret Pink. “I learned the most about social media and networking from that program” and Meili is now able to pay forward what she learned to her own set of student ambassadors today as a Strategy and Operations Specialist for Door Dash. 

That’s right. Meili also has a full-time day job, but she “loves being busy.” “Some people have after school or after work activities like sports. Mine is content creation and influencing,” she shares. Though initially hired for Door Dash’s Consumer Finance Team, Meili was able to move to the Campus Ambassador Program within 6 months, a clear and perfect fit for this work. Meili now manages 25 schools with 2-5 ambassadors per campus, exclaiming that the “meetings are the fun part” and she enjoys connecting with people who are close to her age, relating over shared experiences and life chapters. In fact, Meili oversees Door Dash’s campus ambassadors at UCLA and UW, to name a few.   

Looking back on her Overlake days, Meili credits Overlake with helping her to be focused and organized. “At Overlake I was surrounded by people who work hard and that was really motivating in terms of pushing myself.” Meili especially loved being a part of Mia Wall’s AP courses, sharing that “not only was Mia funny and interesting, but she also gives great life advice. She saw me at some of my hardest times and helped me know I wasn’t alone.” A committed advocate for mental health awareness, Meili has learned to prioritize selfcare after struggling with her own mental health throughout her youth. 

For those who are looking to edge into the influencer world, Meili credits her success with consistency. “You have to stay relevant and stay in the zeitgeist,” she explains. Perhaps she began this work as a hobby, but it’s clear that Meili’s college afterhours side hustle has paid off in both her work at Door Dash and in the influencing world beyond her day job. Check out Meili Zhang on Insta at @meili_zzz and see this Owl living her best life by leaning into her passions.