2022 Alumni Notes 2017-2018
2018
Ruslan Adamovics-Davtian
Over the last year, I graduated with my masters in quantitative economics from Cal Poly OCOB and accepted a position with the Seattle Kraken NHL team as a business intelligence analyst. It has been interesting working for an expansion team in its inaugural season, focusing on building models and analysis reports for the business side of the hockey team. I have been living in Seattle over the last eight months, but I am relocating to Cincinnati shortly to start a new role with the Cincinnati Reds in their baseball analytics department for the 2022 MLB season. I am excited to get back into sports player performance research after my baseball analytics experience with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2019, and hopefully it's the start of a long career in sports player analytics.
Gianna Ciaccio
I'm wrapping up my final days at Facebook (Meta) as a marketing science partner, where I'm a data science and measurement consultant for major advertisers on the platform. In just a few weeks, I'll begin a new role at Atlassian as a data scientist for the talent acquisition team focused on the expansion of the company's remote work program.
On the personal front, I got married to my college sweetheart at SLO Brew Rock in 2021, and we recently reallocated to Ann Arbor, Michigan, for his Ph.D. program. We just closed on a house this past week, and our cats are very excited for their own bedrooms. ;)
Mitchell Collins
In the past year, I've had a few big life changes. In March, I started a new position at Arcus Biosciences. I'm serving as a senior statistical data analyst working on their clinical trials, focused on oncology. Around the same time, I moved to the east side of the Bay Area to move in with my girlfriend after almost three years of long distance after we graduated from college.
Evelyn Fox
I am currently working as a systems engineer at SAS Institute on the Customer Advisory team for our federal government customers. I've been in this job since graduating in 2018, and it provides me with a plethora of statistical use cases to work on: computer vision, natural language processing, real-time edge computing and more. My role here has given me many opportunities to present unique analytical solutions for our government's data and statistical needs.
Originally this role relocated me to Washington, D.C. where I lived for the first two years out of school. As everyone went remote, it allowed me the flexibility to move back to sunny California where I now get to enjoy the beach every day in Dana Point.
Outside of my career, I've continued to develop old and new hobbies. I started coaching basketball at the local high school where I just finished up my first season, got scuba-diving certified and have taken up boxing most recently. Moving back to California also allowed me to be near my family where I get to spend time with my two baby nieces. I'm excited to see where my career takes me and look forward to visiting SLO very soon!
Jenna Harrelson
I’m going on year three of living in New York City, though I’ve spent a good amount of time back in California thanks to remote work flexibility. For the past year I’ve been working on the Business Intelligence team at Fox Corporation. I love my job (and we’re always hiring interns if any current statistics students are reading this update). I primarily manage the reporting and analytics side of Fox’s first party data initiative. I’ll also be graduating from Fordham University with my master's in data science this coming May.
I also got a pandemic puppy, Sota. Here’s a picture of her in Central Park. :)
Howard Liu
In the last few years since graduating, I worked a few random jobs and ultimately worked long term as a front desk staff member at a local climbing gym (Planet Granite). Recently, I have actually started working for a biopharmaceutical company as a data specialist focusing on database management. The role is currently remote, and I took the opportunity to move from NorCal to SoCal. That being said, I’ve been really enjoying the change in scenery and the food. Hope all is well for anyone reading this!
Michelle Lu
In January 2020, I started working at DuPont in Hsinchu, Taiwan, as an assistant engineer in our Manufacturing Technology Department. My work requires using Excel, Rstudio, JMP and Minitab for data analysis, so I am thankful to have used all these tools in my time at Cal Poly. I have already spent two years in this role and plan to continue for a couple more years. Ever since the pandemic, I have not had a chance to visit my family back at home. I hope this pandemic passes soon, so I can head back to California soon to visit!
Tessa Mcdonnel
I am working in SLO as a digital marketing analyst at a Christian marketing agency called The Parable Group. I am using my stats knowledge to optimize marketing campaigns and maximize ROI.
I got married last year to Brian Schultz (he works in IT at Cal Poly), and we bought a house in Atascadero! We just adopted a one-eyed pug named Daisy, and life is good. :)
Lindsey McPhillips
Since last year, I personally have taken up more interest in my health and have started doing hot yoga and spinning and really enjoy it! My boyfriend and I got a French bulldog who is wild and crazy and keeps us busy. We’ve been skiing a lot this year and are planning a trip to Europe this summer for a few weeks to visit my sister who now works in Finland at the U.S. Embassy.
Professionally, I recently left my job at National University as a research analyst and am now working at Cox Communications as a data analyst II on their cyber security team. It is a completely new field for me in terms of subject matter, but I am very excited to have a new challenge. I am able to work remotely in San Diego while my team is in Atlanta, so I go out to visit every once in a while, which is kind of fun — but there are a lot of early meetings working on East Coast time! I never expected to be in the cyber security field, but it is a fast-growing and interesting area. I’m lucky for the opportunity.
Stephanie Mendoza
Last summer, I moved to downtown Chicago and am loving exploring all the city has to offer. Also, I rang in 2022 with a new job! Although I had a great experience working in survey statistics at Westat, I recently started working as a data analyst at a startup called GoPuff. It's definitely been a change of pace, but I'm enjoying navigating the startup world and have been learning so much. Outside of work, I've been staying active and enjoying activities like indoor rock climbing and ice skating. Last fall, I completed my first half marathon!
Elise Mihanovich
When I graduated in 2018, I had a part-time coding, part-time consulting position lined up. The company treated me well and the pay was good, but I wasn't enjoying the position as much as I would have liked. Within the last year, I was able to switch positions within the same company into a part-time coding and part-time data analyst position, and I have been much happier. I work on a product that my company offers to state agencies where we analyze submissions (tax returns, unemployment insurance application, etc.) and try to help find ID theft to prevent the state from losing money. With the position switch, I was also able to move to Denver, which I have been loving. Denver has offered a lot of opportunities to explore and keep active (though I have been missing SLO a lot recently and am hoping to come back soon).
Brannden Moss
In the past year, I have continued my journey at Deloitte Consulting, now leading a team of Tableau practitioners. I am very satisfied with my daily work, and I hope to do the same work for a non-profit client to uphold my obligation to tzedaka. I continue to work on my master's in computer science but at a very slow pace. Last year, I mentioned a desire to branch into data science, which still lives in me, but if given the choice between a client with data science and a NPO, at this time I'd lean into NPO.
Last year, I intended to do an Ironman as soon as they were available again. However, I've found that I appreciate the balance I've found between endurance sports and my other hobbies, so I have put that on the back burner in favor of half marathons (recently getting a 1:28:10) and marathons (racing in May). I may not have much that has changed in the last year, but I have a stronger appreciation for the balance I have created and hope when I read this a year from now I can appreciate and continue that balance.
Nicole Segovia
I’ve been working at Stanford University for over three years as a biostatistician, and I just recently finished my master's in public health through Imperial College London's online program. On a personal note, I got engaged last summer and will be getting married in the fall to my high school sweetheart! We also adopted two kittens (Miso and Matcha) around the beginning of shelter-in-place. I hope everyone has been able to stay safe and healthy!
Michaelynn Welther
It's been a few years now since graduating from Cal Poly. Since then, I took on a data analyst role, did a 6-month stint of solo traveling, did IT consulting for SoCal Edison and now am the project manager for Ableton's Americas office. Though my current trajectory isn't stats-focused, graduating from the statistics program at Cal Poly prepared me well for the workforce. I have incorporated my statistical background into smaller projects to conduct reporting and effectively can present information to higher ups in a data-oriented manner. Having a statistics degree is quite versatile! Outside of work, I enjoy travelling (pandemic considered), take care of a pet hedgehog, take German lessons (which helped me land a job with a German company), cook and play bocce or disc golf on a nice day.
2017
Haley Ford Riley
The year 2021 was eventful for me. I moved back home to San Diego with my husband and our dog, Noodle. We are so excited to have settled down in this wonderful city! After almost four years as an analyst at a digital advertising agency, I started a new position as an ecommerce manager for a Danish furniture and decor brand called MENU. While I don't use lots of my hard stats skills on a daily basis any longer, my analytical and mathematical skills give me a unique perspective in this industry, and it's so exciting to continue to learn and grow. (Plus, I'm my boss's favorite person when he has a problem to solve, a forecast to make or some data to dig into.) Perks of the job so far have included upping my home decor game with a couple of beautiful designs and the opportunity to travel to Copenhagen to meet my colleagues. In the coming year, I will be traveling all over the U.S. to celebrate many, many weddings with the friends I made at Cal Poly, and I am so happy to have my time there to look back on!
Christina Garcia
(See Max Klingmann, Class of 2013.)
Jonathan Kisch
I just started year five working as a data scientist at Deloitte. Over the years, I’ve worked on many different problems for our clients across computer vision, NLP and uplift modeling. Currently, I am leading an experimentation group at a client and scoping building reinforcement learning based next best action model and implementing a Bayesian A/B testing framework.
Besides work, I relocated to Denver, Colorado, in 2020. I’ve taken up landscape photography over the pandemic to document my travels. Additionally, I’ve been learning to play jazz trumpet, much to the chagrin of my neighbors.
Bradley Lubich
I am still proceeding with my Ph.D. work at UC Riverside. I’m planning to graduate in 2022 and then look for an industry job, hopefully near family. I have been teaching introductory statistics this quarter (online for the first four weeks, now back in person). It my first experience as the instructor in-person, which I have confirmed that I prefer (though uniform student access to online applets is a nice pro for an online course). I have been leaning heavily on the open intro materials, ask good questions blog and Rossman-Chance applets. I hope all is well in the Stats Department! If I get a chance to visit SLO during a weekday, I would love to stop by and hear how you all are doing as well.
Reina Ono
In the past year, I have transitioned positions from a data analyst to a business operations specialist at Boeing. I’m happy to continue to work under the same C-17 Program that I’ve been supporting for the past four years, but I’m glad I moved on to something that’s a much better fit for me where I have more exposure to the customer as well as the C-17 Leadership Team. I’m currently still living out of Long Beach, enjoying the sunny weather and close access to the beach. Thankful every day for the experience at Cal Poly and with the Stats Department — hope everyone is doing well!
Ryan Raasch
I got married in June 2020 in the midst of the pandemic and moved across the country to Pennsylvania a couple days later for my wife to begin grad school. I am working remotely for Peraton as a data scientist and Python developer within their Global Health and Finance Solutions sector, focusing on two internal research and development projects.
Claudia Sison
I started a new role at Workday in 2021 as a people analytics analyst after being a workday reporting consultant for almost three years. I'm still living in the Bay Area and spend my free time going rock climbing and doing trivia. I hope everyone is doing well and would love to see everyone again when it's safe to do so. Miss you all!
Caroline Yovanovich
I am currently in my fifth year of my Ph.D. program at UCSB; I am hoping to finish next June. I advanced to candidacy last year, and my research is trying to see if there is a link between UV radiation and blood pressure using functional linear mixed effects models. I have been applying and am hoping to get an internship this summer, hopefully in something related to biostats. I am also currently the lead TA for the Statistics Department, so I have been training the incoming TAs, which has been a fun challenge to find materials and book guest speakers. Besides school and work, I have been enjoying having game nights with friends.
