Pivoting From Fashion to Data Science: an interview with Catherine Baker, Data Analyst

Catherine Baker worked for many years in the fashion industry and then in e-commerce and digital marketing, before transitioning into the data science world. She's now a clinical data analyst with a specific interest in the healthcare industry, using data analytics to improve patient's experience and outcomes while reducing costs.Catherine shared that she was raised in a suburb of Paris. Though she acknowledges that her family was well off financially, she places more value on her relationships with family and friends, and on her professional success.According to Catherine, she had a long term love affair with the U.S. from a young age. Her father, though based in France, worked for U.S. companies and traveled frequently overseas, taking his family along on his business trips. Catherine was attracted to American culture, in particular the freedom and opportunity it seemed to offer.Catherine's last job before she relocated to the States was in the biotech industry. After working many years in the fashion industry, and then in e-commerce and digital marketing, Catherine is now coming full circle as she transitions to a data analyst role in the healthcare industry.“I was coming from marketing and there are a lot of data analytics or data science roles in marketing and this is actually something that I pushed out. I do not want to go back to that because I know the problems, I know the complexity, I know the environment and I wanted to do something new.” - Catherine BakerKey takeaways:- Allow what resonates with you to guide your decisions. Catherine describes herself as ambitious, always moving forward and wanting to succeed. Growing up in a suburb of Paris, she felt out of place. The American mentality of striving to be #1, and having the will to succeed aligned with who she felt herself to be, so she relocated to New York City when she was in her 20s. - Take advantage of opportunities that come your way. Before relocating, Catherine had been working for a company that was bought out by a large Swiss pharmaceutical company. This led to her receiving a nice severance check, which she took advantage of. She did the calculation and said to herself: “Let’s go! Let’s do it! I can do it!”- Connect the dots between the skills you have and the roles you’re pursuing. Catherine was a graduate of FIT, the Fashion Institute of Technology, and worked in fashion, so her transition to become a data analyst was not intuitive. Catherine noted that, working in fashion, she was following trends, looking at colors, similar to how data is visualized through use of graphing programs. She has chosen to specialize in healthcare because she is drawn to helping people feel better, just as she helped people feel and look better with fashion. About the guest: With over four years of experience in data analysis and reporting, Catherine is passionate about finding solutions and improving the customer's experience while reducing costs. She has a strong background in marketing data analytics, having worked in the fashion and wellness industries for over a decade. She developed data programming skills and specialized in healthcare IT since 2020, obtaining multiple certifications in data science, math, business metrics, and SQL. She is interested in exploring different areas of healthcare data, such as population health, biotechnology, and genomics, and applying her skills to support value-based healthcare models and patient-centric care.Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cdcbaker/Email: [email protected] Interested in booking a free consultation? Schedule a call.Stay connected:Connect with Laura on LinkedIn@Rotters5 on TwitterConnect with Laura on FacebookSubscribe to my YouTube channelSubscribe to my newsletterGet your free copy of Unlock Your Money Blocks Workbook : Your step-by-step guide to unlocking your blocks to financial freedom.Disclaimer: Please remember that the information shared on this podcast does not constitute accounting, legal, tax, investment or financial advice. It’s for informational purposes only. You should seek appropriate professional advice for your specific information.