Influential Woman · Education

Bethany Alexandra Guerrero

Financial Analyst, Gevirtz Graduate School of Education

Santa Barbara, CA

Certifications · Degrees · Memberships

Degree Bachelor's in Psychology from UC Santa Barbara Degree Master's in Business from Pepperdine Graduate School of Education and Psychology Member Kappa Alpha Theta Alumni

Her Story

About Bethany

I'm a financial analyst at a graduate school of education and psychology, where I've been working for two and a half years. I'm passionate about mental health, which drew me to this position. I'm currently studying for my master's in business at Pepperdine Graduate School of Education and Psychology because I would love to open a wellness business one day focused on health and wellness. Learning the finances of a grad school helps me learn about the new research coming out in the field while getting hands-on financial business experience. I grew up as an artist and always thought my creative skills were where I was going to go, which is ultimately where I do want to go. I learned in my current position that I'm able to do the numbers, and my supervisor and employers were really pushing me to go into this world of finance because they needed support and I was doing a good job. I would have never expected that I would be working as a financial analyst. I'm about to finish my master's in two months, and I've been working full-time throughout, which has not been an easy task. I'm so proud of myself that I have been able to pay for my schooling as I'm in it. That's a huge achievement for myself.

Her Interview

Ten minutes with Bethany

01What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?

I would say to just believe in yourself and be patient. Things will fall into place eventually, as long as you work hard and are consistent. And to just, yeah, love yourself and believe in yourself. I think especially for young women, they need to be reminded that they are able to succeed. Maybe we can have a female version of Elon Musk or something. It's much easier to see yourself succeeding when you see another Mexican woman who's also succeeding in your field, but it's just much more rare to see that. So representation is really important.

02What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?

I guess just representation and seeing other people that remind you of yourself kind of inspire you. It's much easier to see yourself succeeding when you see another Mexican woman who's also succeeding in your field, but it's just much more rare to see that. So yeah, I guess just representation.

Keep Exploring