Join Zoom meeting: go.cs.illinois.edu/cspd-spr23
Meeting ID: 826 5168 7135
Passcode: 262065
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Abstract
This session will feature CS alums who will share their experiences and lessons they have learned along the way. They will provide advice about what you can do while still in school to best prepare for the next stage of your career, what kinds of internships and projects provide the best experiences, and, looking back now, what do they wish they had done when in school but didn't? They'll also share their thoughts about topics such as how important is the first (or second or third...) job, which are the most important criteria to consider when selecting a position, and generally share their tips for success.
Speakers
James Commons
Vice President, Technology and Operations
Yahoo Finance
James is VP of Technology and Operations at Yahoo where he leads a global team of approximately 400 employees who are responsible for key technology platforms and processes that power $6B of Yahoo's $8B in revenue. Prior to Yahoo, James was part of the leadership team at AOL that helped to turn around the company and ultimately led to its successful sale to Verizon in 2015. He started his career at Deloitte Consulting and is a 2007 University of Illinois computer science alum.
Gautam Kumar
Chief Financial Officer
Lower.com
Gautam Kumar is a growth stage business executive who has grown 3 consumer internet companies (Lower.com, Rocket Travel, Options House) and successfully exited to industry leaders (Rocketmiles acquired by Booking Holdings, OptionsHouse acquired by E*Trade). He previously had a background as a management consultant with McKinsey & Company with internships in venture capital, banking, and software development. He graduated from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign with a BS/MS degree in Computer Science in 2006. He is currently taking a sabbatical to spend time with his family while doing part-time advisory and board work for non-profits and start-ups.
Akash Mukherjee
Data Engineer
Jump Trading LLC
Akash graduated from UIUC in Spring 2022 and started work as a Data Engineer at Jump Trading in Chicago. He attended UIUC for 5 years, earning both his bachelor's and master's degrees in Computer Science. His graduate studies focused on Artificial Intelligence and Edge Computing in the Cancer Research Field.