Welcome to the Data Science Alumni Mentorship Hub
The Data Science Alumni Mentorship Hub fosters meaningful connections within our community by matching experienced alumni with recent graduates and current students. This program offers seasoned alumni an opportunity to stay involved and give back, while empowering graduates and students with invaluable career guidance and support.
If matched, the program will help facilitate one connection meeting between mentee and mentor, providing guidance in helping the mentee prepare to get the most out of this experience. Browse mentor profiles to discover their areas of expertise and the topics they’re excited to discuss.
You are eligible to request to connect with one of our mentors if you:
- are a UC Berkeley data science alum (priority given to alumni searching for career opportunities)
- are a declared UC Berkeley data science major (priority given to students approaching graduation)
How it works
Submitting your request
Browse the available mentors below. During an open window, you may submit a connection request (located at the bottom of this webpage).
You will have an option to list up to 3 preferences for connection or may ask to be paired with the best available mentor who can help you with a particular topic (ex: interview prep).
Our mentors will take on 1-3 mentees each for the fall term. We will open the request window on August 27 and close it after one week. If more mentees are interested in meeting with a mentor than space allows, we will prioritize connections based on the priority criteria listed in the FAQ below.
What happens next?
Once the fall connection request window closes on September 3, the program will match mentees to available spots for each mentor. Space is limited and it is possible not all prospective mentees will be able to be matched. The program uses the priority criteria in the FAQ below in its matching process.
We will email all prospective mentees after the matching process is complete. Mentees who are able to be matched will be told who their mentor will be and the program will facilitate an email introduction. Mentees will take lead of scheduling and preparing for the meeting and can use our Mentee Pre-Meeting Checklist (right-hand side of page) to guide you through the process.

Become a Mentor!
Are you a seasoned UC Berkeley data science alum eager to give back to your community? Discover how you can make an impact as a mentor!
Fall 2025 Cohort Timeline
- Aug 20: Fall cohort mentor profiles on Hub
- Aug 27: Mentorship connection request window opens (link available at bottom of this webpage)
- Sep 3: Mentorship connection request window closes
- Dec 19: Fall program ends

Mentee Checklist
Our Mentee Checklist will guide you through the process of meeting with a mentor, from how to prep, what to ask, and how to say thank you!
FAQ
Once the connection request window closes, Data Science Undergraduate Studies will aim to connect you with a mentor. We aim to make matches that balance a mentee's goals and preferences with the kind of support our mentors are able to provide.
After the matching process is complete, we will contact you with information about the outcome. If you are matched with a mentor, we will either introduce you right away via email or inform you of the timeline in which we will introduce you. (Mentors may need to pace out their connections, and so may be able to meet with you at a later time in the term.)
You will lead the scheduling and preparation for the meeting so it's critical to prepare. However, we make it easy by providing our Mentee Checklist, which includes steps to follow, sample questions and email templates, and best practices for after your meeting. This experience is designed to build your confidence for future networking and informational interviewing.
After your meeting, you will receive a post-meeting survey so we know how things went. This will help us continually improve the program and ensure it's a positive experience for all involved.
At any time, if you have questions or concerns, you can email your Data Science Undergraduate Studies contact, who will email you with your connection request results. We can provide you with advice, information, or whatever you need to feel comfortable with the process.
Yes. Mentors will take on 2 mentees in summer and 3 mentees for fall/spring programs*, so there are limited slots available. So far, in each term, demand has exceed available space, though we have expanded mentorship spots for fall term with hopes to accommodate more mentees.
How mentees are selected
This program operates based on priority criteria.
During the open connection request window, if more requests come in (for a particular mentor or the program in general) than spaces are available, priority will be assigned in the following order:
- data science B.A. alumni who are not currently in a full-time data science roles and are actively searching for positions
- declared data science majors nearing graduation
- declared data science juniors
- data science B.A. alumni who are currently in full-time data science roles but are actively searching for positions
- other declared data science majors and minors and alumni
We will also consider the following factors:
- Order of submissions within an above tier (i.e. seniors who submitted early in the application window will be matched before seniors who submitted later)
- A fit with available mentors' industries, roles, or topics of support
- Flexibility with mentor options (connection request form provides options)
- If mentees have submitted connection requests in previous terms but were unable to get paired due to space limitations
- If mentees have had previous mentorship connections
Current students who are not declared in data science (major or minor) should wait until they have declared to submit a connection request.
What if I don't get a connection?
If we are unable to connect you with a mentor, we will provide you with other resources and provide advice around applying in a future term. For most people, priority will only grow as you advance through the data science major or minor, but we will let you know if you are looking for something the program may not be able to provide.
Should I even submit a request if I have low priority?
YES! As long as you meet eligibility terms, we highly encourage you to apply. As this is our pilot year, we are still experimenting with space and demand and hope to accommodate as many mentees as possible.
Additionally, your connection request can help you in future terms, even if you aren't matched now. We use connection request data to expand mentor recruitment in roles/industries with high demand and recruit for niche areas. Plus, having applied previously and not getting matched gives you a bump in priority in future cycles.
*Some mentors may receive special permission to take on fewer mentees than the term's standard.
One virtual meeting is all that is under the scope of this program, so we encourage you to make the most out of that opportunity by adequately preparing using the Mentee Checklist.
If a mentor would like to offer additional follow up or contact to their mentee, they may do so, however, this is not expected. Extra mentorship is beyond the scope of this program and is at the discretion of the mentor, not the mentee. Mentees may send one post-meeting email thanking the mentor for their time and expressing openness to future connection, but may not directly request more follow up support if it is not offered.
Mentees may only connect with one mentor per cohort. After completing a mentorship connection meeting and submitting your post-meeting feedback form, you may request an additional connection in a future term.
While there is no limit on how many mentorship hub connections a mentee can have, priority will be given to mentees who have not yet had mentorship opportunities.
Please note that mentees who fail to communicate with their mentor in a timely manner after being paired may be required to complete another step before being paired again*. Serious failure of communication or misconduct can result in being ineligible for future participation in the program.
*The program allows mentees to identify blackout dates to avoid communication issues due to being out of town or otherwise unavailable.
That's okay! We provide plenty of ideas for questions to guide your meeting. Remember, that this isn't an interview of you as a mentee--this is a low pressure way to hear about people's experiences, get advice, and connect with your community.
If you don't know your interests in data science or are feeling lost in regards to post-graduation plans, that's actually a great time to meet with a mentor. Share where you are with your mentor, but mostly, prepare to learn! You can focus on questions about the mentor's career and experiences if you're not sure where to start and we have mentors with a special interest in talking to mentees about finding direction.
Former and current majors are given priority, but we will do our best to connect former and current minors if space allows.
Fall 2025 Mentors
Akshatha Muralidhar
Organization: Mermaid Chart (https://www.mermaidchart.com/)
Industry: Tech
Extra or specialized topics:
- Personalized resume feedback
- Advice for selecting or applying to graduate programs
Breaking into the tech industry can be incredibly challenging, especially without guidance from mentors who have already walked the path. I’m passionate about helping current Berkeley students who dream of joining the innovative and exciting world of technology but don’t know where to start, who to turn to, what roles they would like to go into or even need someone to believe in them. Whether they need guidance, encouragement, or just a cheerleader to keep them motivated, I’m eager to help them navigate the path to a bright future in tech!
Allen Shen
Organization: Google (https://www.google.com/about/careers)
Industry: Tech
Extra or specialized topics:
- Personalized resume feedback
- Interview prep
- Networking advice
- Discussing whether grad school is helpful in your field/role
I have helped teach multiple courses (mainly Data 100) at UC Berkeley, and I am looking forward to continuing to give back to the data science community. I am particularly interested in the application of data science in software engineering roles and would love to help prospective applicants find these roles. I would also be happy to chat about applying to graduate programs and teaching positions.
Andrew Rall
Organization: Uber, Autonomous Vehicle Marketplace (https://www.uber.com/us/en/about/)
Industry: Tech
Extra or specialized topics:
- Interview prep
- Networking advice
- Finding early career roles in a tight job market
Hi I’m Andrew! I currently work as a Data Scientist at Uber, focusing on marketplace and optimization problems for Autonomous Vehicles. Before Uber I worked at both a late-stage startup and a seed-stage startup. At Berkeley I studied Statistics and was active in a couple student organizations. I didn’t come into college planning to work in tech or become a Data Scientist, but taking data and computer science courses opened up a new world for me. The path to where I am today hasn’t been smooth, it’s been full of ups and downs, and I’m excited to share the lessons I’ve learned along the way!
Angikaar Singh Chana
Organization: CourseWise by Equivalence Systems, LLC (www.coursewise.com)
Industry: Tech/Education
Extra or specialized topics:
- Special interest in working with current students
- Personalized resume feedback
- Networking advice
- Discussing whether grad school is helpful in your field/role
Hello! My name is Angi, and I'm excited to meet you! I came from an interesting path at Berkeley, initially beginning as a pre-law/pre-med student and, fairly unexpectedly, currently working in data science and education. I feel that my experience at Cal was most profoundly shaped by extra-curriculars and student-led orgs, providing unprecedented insights into what could be next. Over the years, I've had the opportunity to grow as a community member, volunteer, researcher, teaching assistant, ASUC/GA/BSA officer, startup exec, and so much more, all while grappling with what data science really meant for me. I hope to be a good mentor for someone looking to best optimize their time at Berkeley in the context of a pluripotent data science student, though I may have to defer to my peers in terms of the large, technical industry.
Arnav Gulati
Organization: Apple
Industry: Tech
Extra or specialized topics:
- Special interest in working with current students
- Interview Prep
- Finding early career roles in a tight job market
Being in Data Science while the field of AI is in incredible flux can be daunting. Should I focus on CS classes like 162 and 186? Should I take 189, 182, or try to do some Grad courses? I’d love to sit down and chat with you about what your goals are and help you navigate the chaos of the industry, and help you understand the connections between the classes you take and what the industry looks like. If you're a current student, and especially if you feel like you lack clarity and want to understand what kinds of work people actually do in engineering, come talk to me.
Ashley Santos
Organization: Warner Bros (https://careers.wbd.com/global/en/home)
Industry: Media/Entertainment
Extra or specialized topics:
- Personalized resume feedback
As a first-generation Latina transfer student who has had an untraditional educational journey, I have gained a lot of experience in building technical resumes and technical interview preparation. I have a passion for mentoring and would love to mentor first-generation, low-income, Latine/Black students. Especially if you're a transfer student or a woman interested in a technical role! On top of industry advice, I have a lot of advice on navigating the DS major and studying abroad. Feel free to ask me anything!
Carter Sun
Organization: Deloitte
Industry: Finance
Extra or specialized topics:
- Personalized resume feedback
- Interview prep
- Finding early career roles in a tight job market
Hi everyone! My name's Carter, and I graduated from UC Berkeley in 2023 and majored in Data Science and Economics. While at Berkeley, I was one of the Lead Undergraduate Student Instructors for Data 8 - I have a passion for teaching students, providing guidance, and generally helping people out when it comes to academic and professional areas. I'm currently working in a Data Scientist role within Deloitte, and I would be happy to discuss more about tech roles in traditionally non-technical industries!
Colby Lewis V
Organization: Weill Cornell Medicine (https://weill.cornell.edu/)
Industry: Health
Extra or specialized topics:
- Personalized resume feedback (you will receive the resume before your meeting)
- Discussing whether grad school is helpful in your field/role
Interested in education, collaborating with medical researchers, and applying data science concepts in your career? Learning more about biostatistics could be for you! There are a huge variety of careers in research that data science undergraduate studies prepare you for. I'd love to share what I know with you!
Conan Minihan
Institution: Halıcıoğlu Data Science Institute, UC San Diego (https://datascience.ucsd.edu/)
- MOSAIC Lab UCSD: https://mosaic-laboratory.github.io/
- Smarr Lab UCSD: https://smarr.ucsd.edu/
Industry: Higher Education, Biomedicine
Extra or specialized topics:
- Personal experience in STEM and graduate school, navigating as a nontraditional student
- Advice for selecting or applying to graduate programs and deciding between industry and academia
- Finding and shaping research opportunities, including using lived experience to guide focus
- Careers and research in data science for health, wearables, and precision medicine
After a research experience, many people decide they don’t like research... I did internships and found out I don’t like work, at least not the way most jobs do it. So I went for a PhD, where I get paid to think, teach, and solve problems that matter (for more hours and less pay). I knew I wanted this path when my skills and interests intersected with my lived experience, and the work I wanted to do became clear. My research blends statistical modeling, machine learning, and time series analysis of biomedical data from wearables and sensors, focusing on supporting marginalized communities, including formerly incarcerated individuals, former foster youth, and survivors of abuse, in managing conditions like PTSD and addiction. I’m happy to help you weigh grad school versus industry and find work that truly fits you.
Connor Clark
Organization: Harvey (https://www.harvey.ai/)
Industry: AI/Legal Tech
Extra or specialized topics:
- Special interest in working with current students
- Personalized resume feedback
- Interview prep
When I was at Berkeley, I had a pretty narrow view of what a career in data science could look like; I thought it was all about becoming a “data scientist.” Since graduating, I’ve realized the field is so much broader, with paths in analytics, engineering, product, and beyond. I’m now a Senior Data Analyst at Harvey, where I help build scalable data models in dbt and partner with product managers and GTM teams to drive analytics-informed decisions. Before Harvey, I worked at Verkada, where I rebuilt our core data model in dbt and Looker, designed KPI dashboards, and helped shape analytics engineering best practices. Earlier in my career, I was a product analyst at DraftKings, focusing on user journeys and experimentation. I’d love to be the mentor I wish I had: someone who can help you explore the wide landscape of data careers, prepare for job and internship searches, and feel more confident navigating it all. Whether you want honest resume feedback, mock interviews, or just someone to bounce ideas off of, I’m excited to support you however I can.
Derek Topper
Organization: Swish Analytics (https://swishanalytics.com/careers)
Industry: Sports
Extra or specialized topics:
- Personalized resume feedback or building a portfolio or personal website
- Deciding on a focus area (e.g., analysis, data science, or engineering) or domain in industry
Hey there, I'm Derek! I’ve worked for several professional sports organizations and hold both a bachelor’s and master’s in data science from UC-Berkeley. I seek to be the mentor I wish I had when I was at Cal and when I was transitioning into the workforce. I would be happy to be a source of support and guidance for any students! I'm especially eager to help those passionate about breaking into non-traditional data science industries. Data science can be difficult to get going in, and I’m excited to help students who dream of joining the field but don’t know where to start.
Dewi Sandra
Organization: Energeia USA (https://energeia-usa.com/about-us/)
Industry: Energy
Extra or specialized topics:
- Personalized resume feedback
- Interview prep
As a first-generation, international and transfer student, navigating the career search felt daunting, I often felt lost trying to find my place. With data science being applied across so many industries, the possibilities felt endless, but also overwhelming. Joining the Data Science Career Accelerator Program was a pivotal moment for me. The mentorship and guidance I received helped me build confidence, and a stronger sense of direction. I’m deeply grateful for the support that shaped my journey and now I’m excited to pay it forward. I currently work in the renewable energy sector where I combine my passion for sustainability with data science. I look forward to being a mentor, a friend, and a resource to support you as you explore your own career path!
Dhruv Krishnaswamy
Organization: Amazon Web Services (https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/)
Industry: Tech
Extra or specialized topics:
- Personalized resume feedback
- Interview prep
Hi, I’m Dhruv - I graduated from Berkeley in 2021 and now work as a Business Intelligence Engineer at Amazon Web Services. At AWS, I support analytics for our Data Streaming & Messaging portfolio (SQS, SNS, Kinesis, and related services) and lead operational excellence initiatives around CapEx reduction, Operational Readiness Reviews, and AWS Console health. I also serve as an Amazon interviewer and enjoy helping candidates navigate the interview process. Back at Cal, I was active in the ASUC and passionate about building community - something I’m excited to continue as an alumni mentor. I know how overwhelming it can feel to carve out your path in tech or data, especially with a multidisciplinary background. I’m always happy to chat about everything from resume reviews and interview prep to landing your first role or exploring longer-term pivots into product.
Irving Campos Carrillo
Organization: GoFundMe (https://www.gofundme.com/c/about-us)
Industry: Tech
Extra or specialized topics:
- Personalized resume feedback
- Discussing whether grad school is helpful in your field/role
- Finding early career roles in a tight job market
The transition to a full-time role, especially in today’s competitive market, can feel overwhelming — particularly for those without external guidance, like first-generation college students. I want to share the lessons I’ve learned and the mistakes I’ve made, so others can be better equipped as they navigate the process of securing full-time opportunities.
James Nguyen
Organization: HubSpot (https://www.hubspot.com/)
Industry: Tech
Extra or specialized topics:
- Personalized resume feedback
As a first-generation Vietnamese-American student from Richmond, CA, I’m passionate about mentorship and supporting others on their academic and professional journeys. I began my time at Cal studying Economics, and later added Data Science as a second major - so I understand what it’s like to balance a double major while exploring new academic interests. I started out interested in careers in consulting and finance, and through that journey, I’ve gained valuable experience preparing for both technical and non-technical interviews, reviewing resumes, and offering career guidance. I'm especially eager to support students from first-generation, low-income, and historically underrepresented backgrounds - particularly Southeast Asian students. Whether you're navigating coursework, choosing extracurriculars, or exploring opportunities in finance or tech, I’d love to support you!
Janani Vijaykumar
Organization: Pinterest
Industry: Tech / Social Media
Topics:
- Personal experience in role or industry
- General advice for job searches in their field
- General resume tips for their field (ex: skills to highlight)
I have always valued connecting with people more experienced than myself in my field or fields I wanted to join. They've provided me with such valuable advice and guidance with their expertise. I wouldn't be where I am today without the connections and mentors I have had throughout my career so I hope I can help someone reach their goals the same way.
Jhinuk Barman
Organization: UC Davis Cancer Center (https://health.ucdavis.edu/cancer/)
Industry: Health / Medical
Extra or specialized topics:
- Advice for selecting or applying to graduate programs
- Personalized resume feedback
I want to share my experiences with other, especially since I myself had a tough time navigating the data science career path when I was an undergrad. I also wished as a new grad that I had more guidance and mentorship. I hope to provide others with the resources, guidance and words of wisdom that I never had to help foster confidence in them.
Kathy Lee
Organization: Meta (Instagram) (https://www.meta.com/about/)
Industry: Tech
Extra or specialized topics:
- Personalized resume feedback
- Interview prep
- Networking advice
- Finding early career roles in a tight job market
Hi all! I graduated from UC Berkeley in December 2021 with a degree in Data Science. I transferred to UC Berkeley and switched my major to Data Science after my junior year. One of the greatest advantages of majoring in Data Science is the flexibility—it opens doors to a wide range of fields and roles, depending on your interests and career goals. Despite the challenges and uncertainty during my college years, I am now working at a Big tech company. I hope that sharing my journey and insights will be helpful and encouraging for you as you plan your own path.
Kendall Kikkawa
Organization: Micron Technology (https://www.micron.com/about)
Industry: Tech (Semiconductors)
Extra or specialized topics:
- Personalized resume feedback
- Discussing whether grad school is helpful in their field/role
- Finding early career roles in a tight job market
I came to data science a little later in my Cal journey. After switching into the major and deciding to pursue it alongside another, I know what it’s like to navigate uncertainty, feel behind, and keep pushing forward. Since graduating, I’ve continued learning and am now pursuing a Master’s in Data Science to deepen my understanding. I currently apply DS in the semiconductor industry—a challenging but rewarding domain. I’m excited to support students and recent grads navigating the DS major, exploring new domains, considering career transitions, or simply trying to find their place in this fast-moving field.
Kunal Mishra
Organization: Interwell Health (https://www.interwellhealth.com/who-we-are/about)
Industry: Health / Medical
Extra or specialized topics:
- Personalized resume review
- Discussing whether grad school is helpful in your field/role
- Finding early career roles in a tight job market
- Data roles in healthcare or public health
I had a chance to get into Data Science before the major existed, finding my passion in the intersection of Public Health and Computer Science. My work in industry has evolved over time, starting as the sole data scientist at a healthcare technology startup, then transitioning into a senior member on a growing Data Science team as the company became a more mature corporation, working to achieve profitability. Throughout it all, I’ve learned about what’s important to focus on as a budding data scientist in a relatively new field, as well as the need for a constant growth mindset, as the advent of LLMs and AI require new skillsets and give us more ways to add value. As a data scientist in healthcare, my primary motivation has been giving patients the chance to live their best lives… and that means a system that is more efficient and less costly at scale. I’m excited to meet you, hear about what motivates you, and watch you go on to do great things.
Nabeil Kizilbash
Organization: Google (https://about.google/)
Industry: Tech
Extra or specialized topics:
- Personalized resume feedback
- Interview prep
- Networking advice
- Discussing whether grad school is helpful in your field/role
- Finding early career roles in a tight job market
I graduated from UC Berkeley in 2019 as a Data Scientist, worked at Facebook post-grad and am now a Data Scientist at Google. I'm passionate about giving back and helping students prepare for internships and full time roles in Data Science.
Nicole Tin
Organization: Gilead Sciences (www.gilead.com)
Industry: Biopharmaceuticals
Extra or specialized topics:
- Resume editing & feedback
- Career strategy in medicinal and scientific applications
- Personal experience in role, industry, and academia
- Discussing whether grad school is helpful in your field/role
At Berkeley, we are asked to make a lot of decisions; some appear consequential but aren't, while others seem minor but are quite impactful. While in undergrad, I looked for specific signals amidst the noise, and my post-graduate experiences have given me new perspectives and nuance to these opportunities/ preparations. Having just one person that understood my ambition and my interests was helpful to me; I hope I can help do the same for someone else. In undergrad, I tutored Data 100, participated in several research groups, and was involved in a number of student organizations. My academic and professional experience is in scientific and medical applications of data science and computer vision. I'd love to hear about your personal interests, your experience in/out of Berkeley, and your thoughts on the industry. I look forward to talking to you.
Ojasvi Khanna
Organization: Xbox (Microsoft) (https://careers.microsoft.com)
Industry: Tech
Extra or specialized topics:
- Advice for selecting or applying to graduate programs
- Personalized resume feedback
- Interview prep
- Job search strategy
I am involved in the Data Science recruitment cycle at Xbox and also lead Xbox's Early in Career program. As an international student, recruiting for tech internships was tricky. I wanted to combine tech and sustainability, but didn't know how to choose the right classes. Today, I use my technical skill set and sustainability domain knowledge in the Gaming industry. I would love to be a guide and mentor to students or recent grads who want to break into the tech/ gaming/ sustainability sector. I'd also be happy to chat about advanced degrees, immigration as well as excelling in the tech industry as an undergrad.
Renjun Cheng
Organization: Nomura
Industry: Finance
Extra or specialized topics:
- Interview prep
I’m a former international student who wants to give back to the Berkeley Data Science community that shaped my journey. I work at Nomura in the U.S. Treasury E-Trading Strats group, building and improving trading tools. I’m excited to share what I’ve learned along the way and support current students as they explore their own paths in data science.
Rishabh Meswani
Organization: Asana (https://asana.com/)
Industry: Tech
Extra or specialized topics:
- Navigating early career DS, Analytics, Consulting, or SWE recruiting
- Resume Feedback
- How to approach career fairs & networking
- Class recommendations
I've had the opportunity to lead Asana's Data Science Early Career recruiting and have worked with dozens of undergraduates over the past 4 years to help them land internships & jobs in the Data space. Berkeley is a special place and the school has unlocked so many doors for me so giving back to the Cal community is one of my favorite things to do. At Asana, I lead our ML team that builds forecasting and revenue measurement models and am also glad to share any learnings from my time in the industry.
Saumya Sharma
Organization: Charles River Associates (https://www.crai.com/cra-careers/)
Industry: Finance/Consulting
Extra or specialized topics:
- Personalized resume feedback
- Interview prep
- Networking advice
- Discussing whether grad school is helpful in your field/role
- Finding early career roles in a tight job market
Hi Everyone! I'm Saumya. I graduated in 2023 with degrees in Economics and Data Science. I am passionate about exploring the intersection between Finance and Data. I work at Charles River Associates in their Financial Markets Practice. I decided on pursuing Data Science in my junior year, one of the most daunting yet rewarding decisions. Want to go into Finance? Or do you want to explore tech? Maybe both? I was in the same boat. Happy to talk about classes, recruiting, and everything in between and beyond.
Shirley Jiang
Organization: Blizzard Entertainment (https://careers.blizzard.com/global/en)
Industry: Gaming/Entertainment
Topics:
- Personal experience in role or industry
- General advice for job searches in their field
- General resume tips for their field (ex: skills to highlight)
Hello! I'm Shirley (they/them). I graduated from UC Berkeley in 2020 and from the School of Information's 5th year Master in Data Science in 2022. I'm currently an Associate Applied Scientist at Blizzard Entertainment where I help develop data-driven tools and solutions to support game development across franchises. I've recently delved into more natural language processing applications in addition to machine learning. I'm happy to share my experience as someone who stumbled into the game industry. During my time at Cal, I struggled to find my major and place on campus as a first generation, low-income student who wanted to embrace both creative and technical endeavors. As a result, I wore a lot of hats: public health Fung Fellow, QACON workshops committee member, secretary in Gamma Rho Lambda, and data science major peer advisor. Feel free to ask about my time at Cal and how I came into the data science major. I'm interested in staying in touch with current data science students and seeing how changes in the field have changed the major and how the major has grown since my time as an undergraduate student. I feel like this is a great opportunity to give back and share my experiences with others.
Steven Du
Organization: The Carlyle Group (https://www.carlyle.com/our-firm)
Industry: Finance
Extra or specialized topics:
- Networking advice
- Finding early career roles in a tight job market
I deeply empathize with students who feel lost in their undergraduate journey or are struggling to secure their first job. My own career has been anything but conventional, which taught me opportunities are endless and are yours to create. You just need your foot in the door. During my time at Berkeley, I concentrated in NLP, studying, at the time, cutting-edge models like Word2Vec, BERT, and GPT-2. It's remarkable how rapidly this field has evolved. What seemed impractical just a few years ago is now transforming knowledge work across industries. I'm open to connecting with mentees interested in finance or LLMs.
Tanvee Desai
Organization: Company Cam (https://companycam.com/about); Industry: Tech/Business
Previously: Barracuda (https://www.barracuda.com/); Industry: Cybersecurity
Extra or specialized topics:
- Interview prep
- Networking advice
- Discussing whether grad school is helpful in your field/role
- Finding early career roles in a tight job market
I would not be who I am today without the wonderful friends and connections I made through the data science community at Berkeley! My mentors at Berkeley and beyond helped me figure out what I wanted to do in life and have given me the guidance I needed to succeed in my career. I'm hoping to pay that forward by becoming a mentor myself! When I graduated at the peak of the COVID pandemic and lost a job offer, I felt very uncertain I would ever start my career in data science. However, a peer from my network gave me the referral I needed to land my first job after college! As someone who also recruited for a role in the 2025 job market, I understand the very harsh reality of searching for a job today. I want to share my experience and help guide anyone who may be in a similar position! I also love my career as a Product Data Scientist and would love to chat with anyone looking to explore a career in Product Analytics or Product Management!
Winson Truong
Organization: NVIDIA (https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/)
Department: Sales, Finance
Industry: Tech (Semiconductors)
Extra or specialized topics:
- Personalized resume and project portfolio feedback
- Engaging in the open source software and data science communities online
If you’re unsure about pursuing a career in data science or sometimes question whether you’re “smart enough” for this field, you’re definitely not alone. I felt this throughout my Cal experience. The advantage of a data science education is that it opens doors to so many different roles-analyst, scientist, engineer, researcher, developer-and makes you valuable across countless industries and departments. But with so many possibilities, figuring out where you belong can feel overwhelming. The supportive data science community at Berkeley helped me find the confidence to blend my interests and education into a meaningful career path. Now, I’m excited to pay it forward by helping you gain the same confidence and practical know-how as you continue your journey with data science. However I can be of service, I’m here to help!
Submit a Connection Request
Our Fall 2025 request window is now closed.
We welcome you to check back in January for information on our Spring 2026 program.
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