During her first year at the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management (AGSM), Camila Chaves Naranjo ’23 MBA was introduced to data analysis, “and I felt it was an area that I could have a better career,” she says. “I was passionate about the topic and ready to learn.
“When I was about 5 years old, I loved Play-Doh. Starting something with no form and creating shapes with my own hands was a great feeling. When I play with data, I feel the same thing. I enjoy seeing my final graphs and the sense of accomplishment. Data might seem very structured, but I believe it requires a great deal of creativity to push the boundaries of what is being asked.”
Shaping a Career
While earning an MBA at the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Business (AGSM), Camila Chaves Naranjo ’23 molded a career path in a number of ways, including exceptional internships, which helped her land her current position: associate consultant and data analyst at the Los Angeles office of Slalom, a business and technology consulting firm.
Chaves Naranjo’s experience with Slalom began with an internship, which, she says provided her with technical expertise and an understanding of professional expectations. “The internship offered me valuable insights into the consulting field and responsibilities of a data analyst,” she says. “I also delved into data engineering, learning foundational skills like creating tables in Snowflake, a data warehouse software.”
She also interned with Fox Media News, which refined her skills: “I worked extensively with SQL to query and analyze data, while also applying data visualization best practices to enhance Excel reports that previously relied on tables alone.”
Today, Chaves Naranjo uses these skills daily as she works on data visualization and data engineering projects for one of Slalom’s clients, a major media and entertainment company. “My recent responsibilities have included project planning, mentoring engineers, developing data migration processes for Tableau workbooks, and creating data pipelines to enhance the understanding of the organization’s use of their business intelligence tools.
“Mentoring incoming engineers is one of my favorite aspects of my daily routine. Drawing on my experience as a teaching assistant while earning my MBA, I enjoy teaching data visualization and engineering practices,” says Chaves Naranjo, who received the Outstanding Teaching Assistant of the Year Award at UCR’s School of Business.
What has been most surprising about her industry? “The constant evolution within the field and the need to stay agile,” she says, “both technically and strategically to address diverse client challenges.”
Staying Connected to UCR
As a professional, says Chaves Naranjo, “It’s important to inspire and guide the next generation, just as others did for me.”
Tamra Johnson is the interim assistant dean for external relations at the UCR School of Business, and says, “Camila been an amazing alumna helping us with recruitment and career panels.”
Investing her time in others, Chaves Naranjo has shared her own experiences “before, during, and after the MBA program,” she says of the recruitment calls and alumni panels. “These events have been significant, allowing me to connect with students from future, current, and past cohorts. Engaging in these interactions fosters a strong sense of community and provides an avenue for me to give back to AGSM.”
Looking Forward
When asked about her professional growth in the coming years, Chaves Naranjo knows exactly where her professional talents will thrive and what will provide the most satisfaction. “I aim to advance in designing and implementing technological infrastructures that foster a modern culture of data within organizations. I aspire to use cloud technology tools and data-centric solutions to improve decision making and operational efficiency,” she says.
“Beyond the technical aspects, I envision contributing to a culture of continuous innovation and improvement, driving sustainable success for the organizations I work with.”
Her statements reflect the same childhood delight she had while shaping new things with Play-Doh, and she reflects on the foundation she laid out for her career when she decided to earn a master’s degree at AGSM: “UCR’s program provided the ideal platform for achievement, combining academic learning with practical applications.”