Influential Woman · Technology

Riya Choudhary

Consultant, CollectWise

Chicago, IL

Certifications · Degrees · Memberships

Degree University of Wisconsin-Madison Degree Computer Science and Data Science degree Degree Graduated May 2024 Member Rewriting the Code

Her Story

About Riya

I graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in May with degrees in computer science and data science. I've been working full-time for about 8 months now. My journey into tech started when I was pre-med and doing research, which got me involved in data science and coding. I decided to switch more properly into data science because it was way more enjoyable for me, and I started taking data science classes and some CS classes. While I was interning at Chamberlain Group, working on the MyQ app that a lot of people have in their households, I realized that I belonged in tech and this is something I can really excel in. I was happy, I didn't feel stressed every day or burnt out. I recently started a new role as a forward deployed engineer at a startup focused on automated debt collection using AI. Almost all of my experiences have been with startups, and I love it because I'm always learning new things every day. I do a lot of client work and developing solutions for my clients. I reach out to clients, understand their needs, help build customized solutions for them, integrate them into our system, test them, and see the projects through from beginning to end.

Her Interview

Ten minutes with Riya

01What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?

The best career advice I've ever received was from my dad, and he always says to get a full, in-depth knowledge of not only the work I'm doing, but the work surrounding it, so that I'm able to understand everything end-to-end, and be able to help deliver solutions that are more targeted and more impactful.

02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?

I would say start from the pure basics. A lot of people want to just jump into the new hot stuff, such as AI or learning the new languages, so I would say start with the basics and get a proper engineering perspective into tech before you actually start developing solutions or developing projects, because without understanding what's even going on behind your machine, you will be able to understand your systems better.

03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?

Breaking into the job world right now is challenging since it is so competitive, and it is quite difficult to find a job right now. But I also think that as long as you are doing things that make you stand out and make you above average than any other applicant, you are pretty much set up for success. Make sure you're just being yourself, honestly, because especially women in tech, we tend to be highlighted as kind of a diversity factor sometimes, but just know that if you know your stuff, you're better than any man in this field.

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