Her Story
About Debalina
I grew up in Minnesota, which is a very predominantly healthcare-based state with a lot of big companies like UnitedHealth Group, Boston Scientific, and Medtronic. Both my parents worked in healthcare for their careers, which gave me early exposure to the field. Through college, I took several healthcare courses and did my internship at UnitedHealth Group, and I just thought it was a very interesting field. The American healthcare system has a lot of problems, so I think working in it is very interesting, and you feel like you're solving an actual problem, which I really liked. It's a conversation that comes up a lot, so it's cool to be at the forefront of the field and just know what's going on. In my most recent role, I focused on strategic profitability improvement work for health plan clients across the U.S., analyzing their AP data to identify vendors and negotiate cost reductions, as well as claims recoupment work to help insurers recoup claims paid in error. I recently got into a weekend MBA program at Ross, which I'm really proud of because I was putting off school for a while. I'm excited to get the chance to go back while also applying to jobs, as I want to pivot from data analytics consulting to more project management and strategic work.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Debalina
01What do you attribute your success to?
I think there are a couple of factors. I have a family that's really supportive. They have always inspired me to work hard and continue to push through and do my best. I think my peers as well. A lot of my friends are high-achieving individuals, and I'm always inspired by them. Internally, I've realized that I do want to really grow in my career, progress, and get to a level of leadership, because whatever I do, I want to do fully. So I think it's been the environments that I've been in, and that has inspired me to adopt that mindset. Being around those people pushes you further.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would say to just be sure what you want to do within the field, and then from day one, have a learning mindset. Know that when you're working, it is different than school in the sense that you kind of have to hit the ground running. They don't really teach you this in school, but when you start working, you realize quickly that you should ask questions, but the learning isn't as important as getting the job done. So being a little bit more tactful and getting some of those soft business skills can really help you go a long way, because that's not always really taught. Having a good mentor or two is really helpful, because they can talk through some of these nuances with you that other people probably won't. So, having good mentorship and just kind of hitting the ground running is my advice.
03What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I think one of the strongest values for me is just being hardworking and putting your all into everything that you do. Even if it's something new or something that doesn't make 100% sense right away, I definitely try to put my best foot forward and learn it as much as I can. I think also strong relationships, whether that be personally or professionally, is very important. I do have a lot of strong relationships personally. Professionally, it is a little bit harder after COVID, and my career started primarily after COVID, so it's not the same as seeing people in the office. I don't think it's as strong as older people's ability to network and relationships that they have in the office, but it's something I value, and I have tried to push for. That's why I kind of prefer working in a hybrid or in-person environment, so you're able to build some of those relationships. And then lastly, I think just integrity in the work that you do, putting your best foot forward.
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