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This Q&A has been edited and added to.
What is your job title and where do you work?
I am the Lead Data Scientist at Zoom, a popular communication platform that allows users to connect via video, audio, phone and chat. I work in San Francisco.
What does a day in your role look like and how do you approach new projects?
Because Zoom is a high-growth company, my day varies a lot. My responsibilities range from incorporating projects, communicating with stakeholders, planning the design and execution process of machine learning projects, and delivering end-to-end machine learning models.
On any given day, I can be deep in coding a machine learning model, and debugging and figuring out next steps. I build consensus across functional teams to gain alignment on how to execute to drive impact. My work involves a lot of data strategy, design and execution.
Is there anything people are wondering about your professional journey?
I think a lot of people are surprised that I’ve worked as a product manager, data lead, and engineer in my various life cycles. This is because Zoom is unique in providing autonomy and ownership over projects that deliver client impact.
Tell us about your journey from graduation to your current career.
I started with an internship at NCR, a hardware, software and services company. I was one of the first people to drive advanced analytics projects. I’ve been involved in everything from complex machine learning tasks like predictive maintenance to business intelligence and engineering. My focus was not only on the technical aspects of the job, but also on learning how to make decisions and what organizational structures and culture influence them. I realized that culture played a unique role in driving business and wanted to learn more about that journey in Silicon Valley companies. That’s when I got the offer, not just from Zoom Silicon Valley, but from High Growth. I was hired to help with the machine learning initiative. However, I soon realized that we needed to invest more in fundamental engineering, stakeholder engagement, and business intelligence. This is where I worked the most, leading a team that grew from one to seven people. Then I was promoted to design my own role in the company and decided to take up machine learning in the area of trust and security. I built one of the first models of zoom in the accounting space and now I’m going to lead the crafty initiatives there.
Are you where you thought you would be in your career? What are your goals?
I am where I want to be in my career, and there is so much to do and so much to learn. I want to excel in O-to-1 execution for advanced analytics initiatives. A lot goes into creating a system that can be used to scale not just startups, but machine learning-based projects. My goal is to be a value driver, eliminate redundancy, create transparency in the process, and help more people do something as complex as machine learning with ease. In an age where we are dealing with technological advancements, such as the explosion of LLMs like ChatGPT and Stable Diffusion, we need to be more agile in terms of technological changes that seek to serve us all as consumers.
What Smith resources or connections did you use for your work?
During my early years at Smith, a lot of work went into developing good communication skills and presenting myself in interviews. I am motivated to do my best because of the wonderful support system we have. Resume reviews, mock interviews, conversations with alumni, and networking were invaluable.
How has your Smith education helped you in your career? Were there certain classes, hands-on projects, group projects, or internships that were particularly valuable to you?
The Smith School focuses on providing a more comprehensive view of the corporate environment. My classes have included business transformation courses, disruptive technology, network effects, and technical concepts like database management, machine learning, and more. We used Yelp data to find out which reviews are most relevant to customers and how we can use social media networks to help with consumer decision making. It was both a great business problem and technically challenging to solve. We had a lot of fun. Professor Anand Gopal was a rock star. He was a great teacher and partner!
Why did you decide to get a business degree and why did you choose Smith?
I always think that technology is a means to an end and the means involves understanding business needs. I wanted to know the technological links that tie all these things together. Smith allowed me to complete the perfect business school trip with a technical lens. It was a great mix where I dipped my toe into complex math/computer engineering-based tasks while thinking strategically and executing.
What led you to your personal journey to success?
My personal journey has taught me that a series of small steps in the right direction lead to success. Also, find out what others want from you rather than what they want from you. I still work hard. I live my life by realizing my core values and what drives me. I have an incredible partner who supports me in that journey, is a great source of knowledge and shares my values. I think it’s really important to know what you are at your core and live your life to the best of your ability.
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