From Astronaut to Aspiring Data Scientist, with Katherine Bell

Katherine Bell, a data analyst at Asana, joins us this week on “Women Just Like You”, a podcast full of career advice for women in the middle of their careers directly from women in the middle of theirs. Katherine’s journey from wanting to be an astronaut as a kid to a pivotal player in data analytics shows the impact continuous learning and transformation can have on your career journey. She dives into her switch from urban planning to data analysis, emphasizing the importance of embracing new challenges -- like branching out as a consultant -- and the instrumental role of feedback in career growth.

Katherine and I met through a career development program that pairs women at our company Asana with other women in the middle of their careers to support each other in achieving great things. Katherine shares her immediate goal of upleveling into a data scientist and her broader aspirations that just might include a graduate degree one day!

Our conversation is full of:

• The shift from urban planning to embracing the complexities of data.

• The significance of feedback and open dialogues with supervisors.

• Setting realistic short-term and ambitious long-term career goals.

• Why continuing education might be a crucial step for career advancement.

• Encouraging other women to pursue their career goals relentlessly.

• And laughing a lot along the way!

Chapters

00:00 Childhood Dream of Becoming an Astronaut

01:42 Transition from Urban Planning to Data Science

02:31 Transition from Urban Planning to Data Analysis

06:23 Career Path and Transition to Data Science

11:42 Challenges and Learning Experiences

12:47 Decision to Attend a Data Science Bootcamp

21:42 The Role of Data Science in Urban Planning

22:10 Navigating a Temporary Lateral Move

25:18 Unofficial Internship as a Data Scientist

31:42 Advice for Women in the Middle of Their Careers

33:15 Leveraging Feedback and Peer Input

38:24 Short-Term and Long-Term Career Goals

41:42 Closing Remarks and Takeaways

You can connect with Katherine at: 

www.linkedin.com/in/kathmbell/

You can find Audrey at:

⁠www.audreyutchen.com⁠

www.⁠linkedin.com/in/audreyutchen⁠

@audreythecareerwoman on Instagram and YouTube 

Join the distribution list to get behind-the-scenes content about the making each episode, along with monthly career development recommendations: 

⁠https://shorturl.at/begnv⁠

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"Women Just Like You" is a career advice podcast for women in the middle of their careers directly from women in the middle of theirs. Join Audrey on Wednesdays to hear from women just like you: not a new professional but not at the top of the ladder just yet, and learn what they are up to at this exact stage of their career journey. 

Theme music is “Dance of the Violins” by F-777, usable under Creative Commons.