When I got to Harvard, I got to work. While studying both economics and computer science, I rose from an account management position to the lead of Harvard Student Agencies (HAS), a collection of student-run start-ups with 700 employees. This was during the COVID-19 pandemic, when even established businesses across industries were struggling to adapt.

Fortunately for HAS, I combine my entrepreneurial instincts with operational discipline, which allowed me to both identify and execute successful strategies. I also recognized a critical difference between economic challenges and programming puzzles: the former involve people, who need more than airtight logic to function effectively. Putting my team members in a position to succeed individually was fundamental to the collaborative success of the entire enterprise.

Somehow, I also found time to help teach Harvard’s introductory computer science course and pursue my long-time passion for video games. My in-depth experience with gaming led to an invitation to help General Catalyst assess investment theses in the video game industry. I then joined the firm to develop investments in the next generation of games as they incorporate more advanced levels of AI, ML, and user-generated content.

Although I have less time for personal gaming now, I still keep my hand in. I also enjoy musical theater, catching traveling shows in Boston and Broadway shows in New York, and I’m already thinking about what I can give back to the educational system and the teachers it depends on.