Exploring career paths? Want more feedback on your resume? Need to practice for an interview?
Alumniii Office Hours give you the opportunity to schedule 1:1 meetings with an alum for advice.
As former students, alumniii have travelled a similar path, and now they want to help you navigate your path.
🔀 Alumniii will change monthly. Some will stay, others will rotate out, and new faces will join!
🤔 How do Office Hours work?
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You may schedule a meeting with any alum - regardless of your degree program.
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Review the alum profiles below and visit their LinkedIn to learn more.
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When you find a good fit, click "Schedule A 1:1 Meeting"; you'll be redirected to that alum's Calendly page.
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Check their availability and choose a meeting time.
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Prepare for your meeting (i.e. why did you choose this alum, what questions do you have for them...?).
- And, of course, attend the meeting and have a great conversation!
✍️ Please Take Note:
- Meetings are for guidance and advice - not to ask for internships or jobs.
- "No Shows" are unacceptable and unprofessional. If you cannot make a meeting, cancel it. If you "no show" more than once, your ability to participate in Office Hours will be restricted.
- A "thank you" message is always appreciated. When applicable, share outcomes too! For example, if an alum helped you prep for an internship interview, let them know how your interview went.
- Feedback is welcome; contact Mary Kilcoyne to share.
MSSM & MSTV Alumniii
Neha Arora ‘15
Senior Product Manager, Coupa Software
LinkedIn
Experienced in software engineering and product management for over 10 years. I grew up in Delhi, India. Worked at a bunch of financial software companies while in Hyderabad. Currently based in the SF Bay Area. I love customer discovery and leading teams to bring value alive.
I’m available to chat about:
- Career Exploration, Career Pivots, Job/Internship Search, Networking, Interview Practice/Mock Interviewing, Resume Review, Transitioning to the US, Post-CMU Life (visa, relocating, etc)
Rishabh Banga ‘22
Co-Founder, NexEd
LinkedIn
I'm a “Swiss Army Knife” kind of person in terms of work experience - Sales & Marketing, Senior Software Engineer, and Founder.
I’m available to chat about:
- Career Exploration, Career Pivots, Job/Internship Search, Networking, Interview Practice/Mock Interviewing, Resume Review, Job Offers & Negotiations, Entrepreneurship, Transitioning to the US, Post-CMU Life (visa, relocating, etc.)
Matt Brada ‘09
Geographic Vice President, Capgemini America
LinkedIn
I support Capgemini's South-Texas operations from Austin, TX.
I’m available to chat about:
- Career Exploration, Career Pivots, Job/Internship Search, Interview Practice/Mock Interviewing, Resume Review, Job Offers & Negotiations
Pratyush Dave ‘09
Director of Customer Application Engineering, Americas, Nordic Semiconductor ASA
I have 35+years of industry experience leading embedded software development projects, and managing teams. I grew up in India until the age of 15 and have been in the US for over 36 years, and I enjoy hiking, biking, and outdoors in general.
I’m available to chat about:
- Career Exploration, Job/Internship Search, Networking, Resume Review, Job Offers & Negotiations, Transitioning to the US
Tan Gao ‘12
Senior Technical Program Manager, Hinge Health
LinkedIn
I started my career as a software developer (backend). After completing my study in Software Management (CMU Silicon Valley), I transitioned to Technical Program Management (TPM). I spent 15 years at Google and currently work for a health tech startup based in San Francisco. I live in Austin, Texas and have been working remotely since March 2020.
I’m available to chat about:
- Career Exploration, Career Pivots, Job/Internship Search, Networking, Interview Practice/Mock Interviewing, Resume Review, Transitioning to the US, Post-CMU Life (visa, relocating, etc.)
Piyush Gupta ‘15
Chief Product Officer, Eva AI
LinkedIn
I serve as the Chief Product Officer at a Series A, AI startup in the valley. Over the past 17 years, I've founded and sold a deeptech company, and built several technology companies as the head of product from Seed to Series E. I've consulted a few public companies such as Corelogic, Remitly, etc. And I actively work with tech. founders to help them take off their companies off the ground as a coach, advisor, and investor. I'm based in San Ramon. First generation immigrant from India who managed to survive through tough situations. As an O1 and GC holder, I've helped several friends explore this route and achieve stability.
I’m available to chat about:
- Career Exploration, Entrepreneurship, Transitioning to the US, Post-CMU Life (visa, relocating, etc.), Fundraising, Leadership Coaching
Anil Iyer ‘10
Vice President of Strategy and Innovation, MasterCard
My name is Anil K Iyer, working with Global Companies, Clients, Customers, Startups and Global Teams in North America, Europe, Middle East, Asia and ASEAN countries.I live in San Francisco Silicon Valley and grew up in West Germany.
I’m available to chat about:
- Networking, Interview Practice/Mock Interviewing, Resume Review, Entrepreneurship
Biju Joseph Jacob ‘18
Engineering Manager, Meta Platforms Inc (WhatsApp)
LinkedIn
Lead the engineering teams responsible for Business Integrity at WhatsApp London. Previously worked as a Senior Engineering Manager at Grab in Singapore, leading the engineering teams responsible for all of the continuous integration platform (build, test, etc).
I’m available to chat about:
- Career Exploration, Career Pivots, Job/Internship Search, Networking, Interview Practice/Mock Interviewing, Resume Review, Job Offers & Negotiations, Entrepreneurship
Krish Karanam ‘18
Senior Product Manager, Nutanix
Product leader with experience in building Enterprise Tech, Cloud and SaaS platforms at Fortune-500 companies and successful startups.
I’m available to chat about:
- Career Exploration, Career Pivots, Job/Internship Search, Resume Review
Yuan-Fu (Jerry) Lou ‘20
Site Reliability Engineer, Google
LinkedIn
I worked as a Software Development Engineer for 4+ years in Taiwan before pivoting into Site Reliability Engineering (SRE). SRE is a role that combines software engineering and DevOps practices to ensure the reliability of software systems. While it may seem different from a Product Manager role, many of the soft skills we learn in MSSM are essential for SREs, such as communication, teamwork, and problem-solving. If you have some low-level system knowledge (Linux or Networking), I highly recommend giving SRE a try!
I’m available to chat about:
- Career Exploration, Career Pivots, Job/Internship Search, Networking, Job Offers & Negotiations, Transitioning to the US, Post-CMU Life (visa, relocating, etc.)
Xinyong Lyu ‘20
Software Engineer, Doowii
LinkedIn
I have 2 years of backend software engineer experience till now. I grew up in Hangzhou, China and now live in the SF Bay Area.
I’m available to chat about:
- Career Exploration, Networking
David Oh ‘12
Principal Product Manager, Dell Technologies
Innovative product management leader with 15 plus years of experience in Telco, Cloud, 5G, and Industry Vertical Solutions (Manufacturing, Retail, Smart City) product management.
I’m available to chat about:
- Career Exploration, Career Pivots
Ruben Rincon ‘15
Sr. Manager, Product Management - Developer Experience - Creative Cloud, Adobe
Most of my career has been circling around developer platforms and developer communities from the angles of advocacy, project and product management in companies such Adobe, Dropbox, HP, Microsoft, Nokia. I enjoy being a people manager and I'm committed to be better at it each day. I came to the US 12 years ago from Latin America and went through all the paperwork and VISA hoops that you can think of. I'm happy to help.
I’m available to chat about:
- Career Exploration, Interview Practice/Mock Interviewing, Resume Review, Transitioning to the US, Post-CMU Life (visa, relocating, etc.)
Shivangee Sabharwal ‘22
Product Manager, Tekion Corp
LinkedIn
I previously worked as a SDET for 4 years before transitioning into Product Management. I interned at Amazon as a Senior PMT, and post-graduation from the MSSM program, I started fulltime as a PM at Tekion.
I’m available to chat about:
- Career Exploration, Career Pivots, Job/Internship Search, Interview Practice/Mock Interviewing, Resume Review
Ani Seshasayee ‘20
Research Intern, Innointel
LinkedIn
I was a data annotation professional for about 2 years. I've worked in the customer service & data privacy industry, and am looking to transition into a data analyst. Currently working in recruiting & staffing. Living in Bangalore, born here, love me some music too!
I’m available to chat about:
- Career Exploration, Job/Internship Search, Resume Review, Post-CMU Life (visa, relocating, etc.)
Tim Tan ‘21
Data and Applied Scientist, Microsoft
I worked as Applied Scientist for personalized recommendations at Microsoft. Living in Seattle gives me the privilege to explore the outdoor world. I can't wait to share my experiences to help broaden your horizon and achievie your goal.
I’m available to chat about:
- Career Pivots, Job/Internship Search, Networking, Interview Practice/Mock Interviewing, Resume Review, Portfolio Review, Job Offers & Negotiations, Transitioning to the US, Post-CMU Life (visa, relocating, etc.)
Lisa Yeung ‘21
Innovation Product Manager, SAP
I'm based in Shanghai, China, working at SAP as a product manager in a team specializing in innovation. Basically doing everything related to creating a new idea + selling it to others. I was born in Hong Kong but grew up in Shanghai (and spent several years in Hong Kong).
I’m available to chat about:
- Career Exploration, Networking,Entrepreneurship, Post-CMU Life (visa, relocating, etc.), and Cutting-edge Tech
MIIPS Alumniii
Shobhit Aggarwal ‘22
Advanced Manufacturing Engineer - Robotics, Manufacturing Futures Institute
LinkedIn
I did my undergrad in Industrial engineering and worked for 2+ years as a supply chain analyst before pivoting to product design and manufacturing. I grew up in various cities in India and am currently based in Pittsburgh.
I’m available to chat about:
- Career Exploration, Career Pivots, Job/Internship Search, Resume Review, Portfolio Review, Transitioning to the US
Swagata Ashwani ‘18
Principal Data Scientist, Boomi
Swagata is a Data Professional with over 6 years experience in Healthcare, Retail and Platform Integration industry. She is an avid blogger and writes about state of the art developments in the AI space. She is particularly interested in Natural Language Processing, and focuses on researching how to make NLP models work in practical setting. In her spare time, she loves to play her guitar, sip masala chai and find new spots for doing Yoga.
I’m available to chat about:
- Career Exploration, Job/Internship Search, Interview Practice/Mock Interviewing, Resume Review, Transitioning to the US, Post-CMU Life (visa, relocating, etc.)
Yu-Jan Chang ‘21
Product Designer, KAYAK
I'm currently working at KAYAK as a Product Designer with a focus on B2B/Enterprise products. In my day-to-day work, I concentrate on UI/UX Design, data visualization, and design systems.
I’m available to chat about:
- Interview Practice/Mock Interviewing, Resume Review, Portfolio Review
Tanya Gupta ‘22
Innovation Analyst, Danfoss
LinkedIn
I am currently working at the Danfoss innovation Accelerator contributing to the company's electrification efforts and leading their internal engagement strategy. I live in Boston and enjoy exploring the art, music and food scene in the city. I did my bachelors in mechanical engineering from IIT Bombay, India.
I’m available to chat about:
- Career Exploration, Job/Internship Search, Networking, Resume Review, Transitioning to the US, Post-CMU Life (visa, relocating, etc.)
Melody Her ‘20
Product Manager, Disney
I am a Product Manager primarily focusing on internal data systems and have worked in various industries. I currently live in the LA area hunting for great restaurants.
I’m available to chat about:
- Career Exploration, Career Pivots, Job/Internship Search, Resume Review, Transitioning to the US, Post-CMU Life (visa, relocating, etc)
Harshika Jain ‘19
Sr Product Designer, McKinsey & Co.
I have been a designer throughout my career - designing digital and tangible experiences, and am passionate about HCI research. I was formerly simplifying digital manufacturing workflows at a Series D startup, before joining McKinsey 2 years ago, where I am a Sr. Product Designer. I currently build design systems and enterprise experiences.
I’m available to chat about:
- Career Pivots, Job/Internship Search, Networking, Resume Review,J ob Offers & Negotiations, Transitioning to the US, Post-CMU Life (visa, relocating, etc.)
Raghvi Kabra ‘21
Experience Designer, Adobe Inc.
A designer and a detail nerd. I have previous experience at designing for different clients for a design agency. Currently an experience designer based in San Francisco.
I’m available to chat about:
- Career Exploration, Job/Internship Search, Portfolio Review, Transitioning to the US
Ben Lewis ‘14
Full Stack Physical Product Researcher/Developer/Entrepreneur
LinkedIn
I have seemingly changed careers every 2 years with the exception of running a small business for 4+ years selling high-end leather and niche car accessories. If you are feeling lost and don't know where to start (if you are in the fuzzy front end of what to do next), I could be helpful. If you'd rather wrestle a cocaine bear than apply for a job, then I could be helpful. Together we are powerful.
I’m available to chat about:
- Career Exploration, Career Pivots, Networking, Interview Practice/Mock Interviewing, Resume Review, Portfolio Review, Entrepreneurship, and How to navigate this capitalist hell-scape with your values intact
Ian Miller ‘10
Senior Project Manager, Philips Respironics
17 years experience in medical device product development - both as an engineer and a project/program manager. I live in Western Pennsylvania and do my best to enjoy all 4 seasons!
I’m available to chat about:
- Career Exploration, Career Pivots,Job/Internship Search, Resume Review, Portfolio Review, Entrepreneurship, Post-CMU Life (visa, relocating, etc.)
Julia Mitzinneck ‘21
Product Manager, MOIA
LinkedIn
Since MIIPS, I‘ve been a product manager in a fast-scaling mobility unicorn and, currently, at a Volkswagen-owned startup piloting MaaS with autonomous vehicles in Europe. I enjoy caring for my plants on the balcony and when I can cook a meal from my yield. I am German, living in Berlin, at CMU I was as a Fulbrighter.
I’m available to chat about:
- Career Exploration, Entrepreneurship, Post-CMU Life (visa, relocating, etc.), Product Management
Dan Newingham ‘13
Solution Delivery Manager, ZS Associates
LinkedIn
My career has been a split between start-ups and technology consulting within the life science and healthcare industries. Currently I work in a consultancy, ZS Associates, as a Solution Delivery Manager where I lead product teams to deliver innovative business applications in healthcare. Previously I was a product manager at an early stage healthcare IT startup during the pandemic.
I’m available to chat about:
- Career Exploration, Career Pivots, Resume Review, Entrepreneurship
Trishala Pillai ‘22
Product Manager, Walmart
I previously worked in business development & strategy roles at various tech, retail, and e-commerce companies for 5+ years before transitioning fully into product management. I've worked with companies like Shopify, Dick's Sporting Goods, and, currently, Walmart. I'm highly entrepreneurial without being a full-time entrepreneur. I am of Indian origin, born & raised in the Middle East, and I spent a decade in Canada before moving to the US. I currently live in Walmart's hometown, Bentonville, with my partner.
I’m available to chat about:
- Career Exploration, Career Pivots, Job/Internship Search, Networking, Interview Practice/Mock Interviewing, Job Offers & Negotiations, Entrepreneurship, Transitioning to the US, Post-CMU Life (visa, relocating, etc.)
Rebecca Pinn ‘12
Director, Innovation Consulting, EPAM Continuum
Personal Website
Have spent a decade working in human-centered innovation. Currently living in Boston, I grew up in New York and have lived in SoCal, DC, and Pittsburgh.
I’m available to chat about:
- Career Exploration and Career Pivots
Vera Schulz ‘21
UX Researcher, Datacor
Hi/Hallo/Privet Yinz, I'm Vera Schulz. I originally hail from Pittsburgh but currently call San Francisco home. My professional journey has led me to become a mixed-method UX Researcher with three years of real-world experience. I've traversed diverse industries, from healthcare to accessible gaming, sustainable energy, and finance. What sets me apart is my specialization in the chemical and manufacturing sector and my love of complex, wicked problems. I am fiercely passionate about accessibility and being an advocate for users.I'm also deeply committed to social entrepreneurship and anything tech-related. When I'm not diving into the world of human experiences (UX), you'll find me whipping up delicious dishes and cakes in the kitchen. I have a husky mix who pretty much rules the roost in our household. She's got her paw firmly planted in the center of my heart, and there's absolutely no 'pawsibility' of dethroning her 🐾!
I'm available to chat about:
- Career Exploration, Career Pivots, Networking, Interview Practice/Mock Interviewing,Portfolio Review, Job Offers & Negotiations, Entrepreneurship, Transitioning to the US, Post-CMU Life (visa, relocating, etc.), and anything I can help with :)
Rahul Sekar ‘20
Venture Capital Analyst, Magna International
LinkedIn
Currently working as a Corporate Venture capital Analyst at Magna. I have also worked as a Product management consultant, Mechanical engineer in my previous roles. Any projects in the interface of People + Strategy+ Research excites me. In my free time, I like playing online chess, reading, and traveling.
I’m available to chat about:
- Career Exploration, Career Pivots, Networking, Entrepreneurship, Post-CMU Life (visa, relocating, etc)
Mu Jiun Shie ‘20
Senior Product Designer, Meta
I'm working on Meta Monetization team as the senior product designer, previously, I was the design contractor at Google Search Ads. I have experiences on both enterprise and consumer products. I come from Taiwan and currently am based in the Bay Area.
I’m available to chat about:
- Career Exploration, Job/Internship Search ,Interview Practice/Mock Interviewing, Resume Review, Portfolio Review
John Soh ‘16
Design Strategist, Capital One Financial
LinkedIn
In the 5+ years of being in the design field, I have done everything from industrial design to architecture to service design and UX. In the last couple years in the digital product design space, I've been known to navigate complex financial industry and processes and systems that keeps them moving. I love to talk design, how to implement design, and what it means to design in the corporate settings that we find ourselves in.
I’m available to chat about:
- Career Exploration, Career Pivots, Resume Review, Portfolio Review
Chenyu Wang ‘16
Senior UX Designer, Amazon Web Services
6+ years of driving UX strategy and deliverables to launch both enterprise and consumer products . I grew up in China and now live in the Seattle area.
I’m available to chat about:
- Career Exploration, Job/Internship Search, Interview Practice/Mock Interviewing, Resume Review, Portfolio Review, Transitioning to the US
Jiaxin Wu ‘21
Product Manager, Tencent
I have been working as a product manager since graduation, with 1 year of experience in the medical field and 1 year in subscription management and sales support for Tencent Meeting. I grew up in Shanghai and now work in Shenzhen.
I’m available to chat about:
- Career Exploration, Job/Internship Search, Interview Practice/Mock Interviewing, Resume Review
William Young ‘11
Staff Mechanical Engineer, Mainspring Energy
I've been working for about 12 years now in aerospace, oil & gas, residential & commercial lighting, horticultural lighting and controls, and now in green power generation. I now live in the SF Bay Area.
I’m available to chat about:
- Career Exploration, Career Pivots, Resume Review, Portfolio Review