Tamara Casasola

I come from a small provincial village close to the jungle in North Argentina, where we had limited access to computer science or English classes as part of the school system. I grew up with 8 siblings — 9 brothers and sisters total — plus mom and dad. In a house that full, you learn quickly.

And although I had those academic limitations, there were other important skills I gained during my childhood in such a small place — skills I’ve leveraged throughout my entire career: social awareness, and the understanding that results only become palpable after applying discipline, consistency, and dedication.

In a community that wasn’t big, social interaction, connection, and communication were everything. With 9 kids at the dinner table, you learned to speak up for yourself while respecting other voices. Staying quiet was never an option. Most work was performed in teams, and our most desirable extracurricular activities were physical ones — playing different sports, catch, or simply jumping elastic bands with friends. 

Leadership wasn’t measured by titles. It was measured by your capability to understand others through not just words, but physical language. People there are very expressive when they talk, and you learn to read body expressions, pauses, the accents placed on certain parts of sentences, and how topics shift with the occasion and mood.

Part of the social skills I learned as a child was expressing emotions, not suppressing them — and embracing and empathizing with others’. It was about finding the words and the moments to share what you feel, and understanding that sharing them through straight communication is always better than embellished phrases. Direct, honest, and human.

These were the first skills I learned as a child. And while they weren’t technical, they’re skills that cannot be fully taught or studied in universities later in life. They can be conceptualized, interpreted, or put in perspective — but they cannot be fully understood unless lived. I believe this deeply, after living in so many countries and having met and listened to so many professionals.

That foundation became essential when I moved out of Argentina. In Germany, Greece, and finally the United States, there were periods where language wasn’t fully learned yet. What carried me through was reading body language, tone, timing, and context — the social fluency I’d practiced since childhood in a house of 11.

Despite these humble beginnings, I never gave up on my dreams of becoming a businesswoman and working for the big industry. My journey took me across continents — from Argentina to Germany, Greece, and finally to the United States. I earned my bachelor’s degree in finance in Greece while raising two children, then completed my master’s degree in investment analysis at Boston University while working full-time at PwC.

Throughout my career, I've worked as a valuation consultant in venture funds, private equity, and consulting firms like PwC and Centri Business Consulting. Today, I work at Huntington National Bank where I created new due diligence and financial tools, an EV financial model, and enhanced existing ones as part of the new EV Group development within the bank.

My expertise spans from enterprise valuations through complex financial instruments, and financial modeling. I hold two degrees and a certification in Financial Modeling & Valuation Analysis (FMVA), years of valuation experience, as well as passion for the work I do.

My biggest professional achievement is being where I am today given my roots and history, and creating innovative and dynamic tools that will benefit either clients or my work teams for years to come.

The technical skills I couldn’t learn while studying in my native place, I gained later in life. But the social skills I learned as a child — in that small village, in that full house — I treasure and honor them in every step of my professional and personal experience.