Talent: Ariana Pineda. Photo: Reinhardt Kenneth.
At just 22, Ariana Pineda, Miss Asia USA 2023, has already achieved what many spend a lifetime pursuing. She has co-authored cancer research published in renowned scientific journals and founded two technology companies that operate the world’s leading gout management app, serving more than 11,000 users across 200 countries. The young prodigy also completed a combined bachelor’s and master’s program in Biomedical Engineering at Northwestern University in the United States. And she has walked New York Fashion Week.
She now returns to Google as a full-time Associate Product Manager, one of the most selective programs in technology.
Gown & Bow, Rivini by Ritavinieris Couture. Earrings: Mahrukh Akuly.
The question her story always provokes: How does she do it all at such a young age?
Gown & Bow , Rivini by Ritavinieris Couture. Earrings: Mahrukh Akuly.
Ariana Pineda’s Childhood Spark
Ariana’s journey began early. At just 10 years old, she launched her first company, Charming Creations, selling handmade jewelry to raise money for the homeless in Los Angeles. She raised hundreds of dollars through schools and her social media. Every dollar went into purchasing fleece blankets, which she personally delivered to shelters in downtown LA. It was a simple idea with a lesson that never left her: She could build something from scratch and use it to help others.
Gown & feather wrap: Đỗ Long. Earrings: Veronica Tharmalingam.
By middle school, she had taught herself to code, creating websites to sell her jewelry and laying the foundation for larger projects ahead. From the start, her instinct was consistent: identify a problem, act on it, and bring others along.
Gown & feather wrap: Đỗ Long. Earrings: Veronica Tharmalingam.
Groundbreaking Research While Still A Teen
By the time she was a student at Harvard-Westlake, one of the nation’s most distinguished high schools, Ariana Pineda had already embarked on cancer research at the City of Hope National Medical Center following the loss of a family relative. While still in high school, she co-authored studies published in world-renowned journals including Nature Communications and the Journal of Biological Chemistry.
Gown & feather wrap: Đỗ Long. Earrings: Veronica Tharmalingam.
Around this time, she also traveled to Haiti, where she volunteered at orphanages, distributing food and spending time with children. The trip left a lasting impression; philanthropy for her was grounded in face-to-face connection and the belief that even small acts could restore dignity and joy.
Gown: Đỗ Long. Earrings: Ariel Taub Accessories. Heals: Bella Belle.
Empowering the Next Generation of Women
Her work soon expanded beyond service into building platforms for others. She launched Font Femme, an all-girls STEM magazine that grew to more than 200 writers and highlighted stories of young female founders and technologists. She created a middle school hackathon, securing corporate sponsorships and awarding thousands of dollars in prizes.
Gown: Diana Couture. Earrings: Veronica Tharmalingam. Heels: Gigi Felfel.
And she founded EntrepreneuHER, the largest all-female online STEM makeathon of its kind, backed by Tory Burch, HyperX, RStudio, and Fifth Third Bank. Hundreds of high school girls were paired with female founders and executives, gaining firsthand experience in pitching, coding, and launching startups.
Gown: Diana Couture. Earrings: Veronica Tharmalingam. Heels: Gigi Felfel.
Founding “Purity” and “Kairos Automations”
At Northwestern, Ariana accelerated through her studies, earning her bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering early and completing her master’s in the field within a year. She chose the discipline as preparation to develop technologies that could confront the world’s most urgent health challenges.
That mission became deeply personal when she saw her father suffer from painful gout attacks for years. Determined to help, she self-coded Purity, an app that allows patients to track diet, uric acid intake, and symptoms. What began as a project for her father has become the leading gout management app in the world, with tens of thousands of users across hundreds of countries.
Gown: Diana Couture. Earrings: Veronica Tharmalingam. Heels: Gigi Felfel.
Today, Purity is laying the foundation for something larger: an AI-driven platform designed to personalize chronic disease management and promote longevity. Her long-term vision is to create an ecosystem that brings precision and accessibility to everyday wellness.
On the side, Ariana also runs Kairos Automations, where she helps companies build custom automations with a focus on marketing agencies. To date, Kairos has supported more than 40 clients, creating tools that streamline outreach, client management, and campaign execution while replacing costly SaaS platforms..
Gown: Đỗ Long. Earrings: Georgina Jewelry.
Miss Asia USA and Modeling Career?
Winning Miss Asia USA 2023 became a turning point. Ariana entered as a biomedical engineering student, often buried in exams and research, and emerged as a queen with a platform to inspire others. She MC’d a gala that raised more than $150,000 for children’s cancer treatment, represented her community in cultural parades, and spoke at events encouraging young women to pursue STEM.
Gown: Đỗ Long. Earrings: Georgina Jewelry.
Pageantry also introduced her to the world of fashion. As a Korean-Filipina, she modeled for acclaimed Asian designers and walked New York Fashion Week, often balancing appearances with coursework. One weekend she was on the runway; the next, she was back in class for finals.
Today, she continues to model in editorial and print campaigns and is preparing to expand into commercial work. Some people see Ariana’s path as a mix of contradictions: engineer and beauty queen, researcher and model. To her, they fit together.
Gown: Charles & Ron. Headband: Adiba. Chocker: Georgina Jewelry.
“Pageantry pushed me to show up even when I felt out of place. Fashion keeps me creative. Science keeps me rooted. Each part adds to who I am.” – Ariana Pineda.
Gown: Charles & Ron. Headband: Adiba. Chocker: Georgina Jewelry.
Silicon Valley and the Next Frontier
For the past three summers, Ariana has worked in Silicon Valley, most recently as a product manager intern at Google. She will now return as a full-time Associate Product Manager, a role widely regarded as one of the most competitive programs in the industry.
Her work has included developing features for the Pixel Watch that bring together her training in biomedical engineering with her vision for digital health.
Gown: Charles & Ron. Headband: Adiba. Chocker: Georgina Jewelry.
If her past has been about weaving together many identities, her future is about convergence. Ariana sees the next frontier at the intersection of entrepreneurship, health, technology, and beauty, where wearables can evolve into instruments of longevity and empowerment.
Gown: Andrea & Leo. Earrings: Mahrukh Akuly. Chocker: Georgina Jewelry.
“I’ve seen how technology can change lives, from my father using Purity to patients managing their health more confidently. I’ve also seen how confidence itself, whether from health, style, or mindset, shapes how people live,” she says. To her, wearables represent the bridge: technology that helps people look good, feel good, and live longer, healthier lives.
Gown: Andrea & Leo. Earrings: Mahrukh Akuly. Chocker: Georgina Jewelry.
Her Mindset and Inspiration
Ariana’s story is not only about what she has achieved but also about how she approaches the work. From childhood projects to companies now serving thousands, she has carried the same mantra: be delusional, think big, and work hard to make it real. She credits her environment for shaping that belief.
Gown: Andrea & Leo. Earrings: Mahrukh Akuly. Chocker: Georgina Jewelry.
Surrounded by peers and teachers who were passionate about their work, and by parents who were her earliest believers, she learned what it meant to commit fully to a craft.
“My parents taught me to work hard, to dream bigger than what felt realistic, and to trust that I could make it happen.”
Suit: Amara. Bustier top:: Karolina’s Kingdom. Earrings: Rocknot. Boots: Ryan Thomas.
What inspires her most is not recognition but passion itself. “When someone pours their life and soul into what they do, that is when they create something beautiful,” she reflects. “Hard work matters, but it is passion that transforms it.”
Suit: Amara. Bustier top:: Karolina’s Kingdom. Earrings: Rocknot. Boots: Ryan Thomas.
At 22, Ariana Pineda has already lived many lives as a scientist, founder, philanthropist, pageant queen, model, and engineer. Together, they tell the story of someone who sees challenges not as obstacles but as opportunities to build.
Dress: Ryan Thomas. Headband: Adiba. Earrings: Veronica Tharmalingam. Heels: Bella Belle.
Dress: Ryan Thomas. Headband: Adiba. Earrings: Veronica Tharmalingam. Heels: Bella Belle.
Dress: Ryan Thomas. Headband: Adiba. Earrings: Veronica Tharmalingam. Heels: Bella Belle.
Photography: Reinhardt Kenneth @reinhardtkenneth
Muse: Ariana Pineda @arianapinedaofficial
Fashion Stylist: @michellewustyle
HMUA: Reyna Khalil @reynakhalil
Lighting Director: Hugo Arvizu @arvizu_arts
Digitech: Suimay Lee @suimaylee
Harper’s Bazaar Việt Nam
