This week our special guest is Amanda Peña (she/her) who discusses the topic of advocating for yourself in grad school. Amanda Peña is an entrepreneur and master’s student at USC’s Iovine and Young Academy where she focuses on machine learning and artificial intelligence for underserved groups, particularly building tech for women and people of color. She has expertise in brand strategy, storytelling, and narrative building for social platforms. She has been a leader for a marketing communication team for a design tech firm in Seattle that focused on mobility. She’s also a Brand Strategy Manager for AnitaB.org working towards diversity, equity, and inclusion in tech.

In this episode we discuss: How she landed her first job out of college and gained skills to become an entrepreneur. The moment she realized she needed a master’s degree to advance her career. Why it’s important to advocate for yourself as soon as you’re admitted into a grad program. Her interest in machine learning and artificial intelligence and why it matters to women and people of color. And advice for how to advocate for yourself if this is something you struggle with. 

You can connect with Amanda on LinkedIn and by emailing her at [email protected].

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*The Grad School Femtoring Podcast is for educational purposes only and not intended to be a substitute for therapy or other professional services.*

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