What led you to apply to EP?
After completing three years as an Investment Banking Analyst after college, I wanted to ensure that I gave back by switching careers to serve as an AmeriCorps member at a college access program for two years. At the conclusion of these transformative experiences, I wanted to find a long-term career in education that leveraged my finance skills but didn’t know where to start. This led me to apply to EP to leverage its cohort learning and alumni network.
What projects or initiatives did you undertake as a Fellow?
At my Fellowship placement site, Uplift Education, I created real-time, dynamic data visualization reports to streamline campus and network decisions with the ultimate impact of driving teacher effectiveness and student learning and achievement. I also consulted internally with school leaders using data gathered from Internal School Reviews, resulting in an estimated $552k annual cost savings for the organization.
How did EP shape your leadership growth and/or professional trajectory?
EP was transformative in my realizing that a long-term career in the education sector was possible for someone with my skill sets and background. I was able to leverage the EP network and local education landscape in my placement city of Dallas to be connected to the Teach For America (TFA) Dallas-Ft. Worth regional team. These connections eventually led to a full-time role on TFA’s national strategy team, where I supported multiple TFA regions with financial planning and analysis.
What were some key learnings or takeaways from your Fellowship experience?
My main takeaways were: (a) how needed people with finance backgrounds are within the education sector, and (b) despite how large the education sector is, how small it feels, and how powerful and prevalent connections are within the industry.
