Her Story
About Belen
Belen A. Krikul is an AI Model Behavior Specialist and Prompt Engineer working as an independent contractor with flexibility to choose hours across multiple companies in the AI solutions field. Her expertise lies in property and technology management, built through hands-on experience in property management where she progressed from receptionist roles to overseeing Grade A commercial buildings and entering the male-dominated construction industry. Without formal college education, Belen started her career at a young age and values honesty in professional and personal relationships. She credits her parents for instilling self-sufficiency and a strong work ethic that enabled her to persist through health setbacks such as breaking her leg twice and sustaining multiple arm injuries. Belen has volunteered her time with the Pasadena Humane Society for approximately 10 years and advocates for spay and neuter initiatives for animals.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Belen
01What do you attribute your success to?
I would actually attribute my success to really my parents. They really taught me how to be self-sufficient. I've had a lot of health issues during the past maybe 10 years or so, like I've broken my leg twice, I've broken my... multiple injuries, and there are things that could have stopped me from going to work, but I figure it out, whether it be going to work on crutches and catching an Uber 30 miles every day back and forth. I actually think it's just that tenacity and just the work ethic that they taught me. Like, doesn't matter if you have one broken arm, guess what? You have another arm.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would actually, because my daughter is a young adult who has tried different things, I say explore your passions on your free time. Whatever that may be, whether it's journaling, that may lead to something where you want to be a help out in a newspaper, like just you're writing, it could inspire, you can grow. You can join a group, you could join a book club if you love to read, that's how you connect with your community, and that may lead to opportunities in another field where you may not have thought. So I would just say explore your passions and connect with community within those passions.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
I think that a lot of it is training. The biggest challenge is actually getting people to open up to the idea that artificial intelligence is here. We were scared of the internet, but what it is capable of providing is much... it's here to help us, and as long as with anything, you use it responsibly. A lot of people when I tell them AI automatically it turns into data centers and environmentally not good, and the risks that it takes, and just robots taking over the world, but I actually think anything... robotics, they're helpful for surgery and things like that. I just think that just a lot more people need to be open to the idea of artificial intelligence and how it can actually help us.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
So I actually really respect honesty. Honesty, whether it come to like my job. Honesty, right? So like if I'm not doing what let's say if I'm not meeting expectations, I want it to be for my employer to be honest with me if I'm not meeting expectations. Just even in relationships, you know, if I need to spend more time with my daughter, or more time in my marriage, just honesty. Because no matter what the feelings are, it's like it's been communicated, so communication is part of honesty, but just honesty, there is communication in honesty. Just honesty.
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