Mirrors: Raashi Bhatnagar, Solution Engineer
The AdaMarie Mirrors reflect back to us the many roads (often winding, never smooth) to success! Real stories of real women to see yourself reflected in. At first, you’ll see Raashi in this mirror, but eventually, we hope you’ll see yourself.
Welcome, Raashi Bhatnagar!
Solution Engineer Raashi Bhatnagar offers her advice to the AdaMarie community: never lose the desire to keep learning!
Getting to Know You:
Field of Work: Solution Engineer
Major/Minor: Masters in Management from Harvard
Expertise In: Enterprise Architecture, Business Process Analysis
Current Company: Freelancing
Job Title: Pre-Sales Engineer
One-liner about what you’re working on: Bridging AI with business transformation.
Currently geeking out over: Mixed media art - watercolor botanical art in handmade wooden frames.
STEM Hero: Marie Curie
Tell us about your professional journey – how did you get where you are now?
After graduating with an undergrad degree in ITSM, I worked as a Business Analyst at a pharmaceutical company. Simultaneously, I landed a job at Xpanse, a professional development startup focused on experiential learning, rooted in social-emotional intelligence principles and improv games. I then moved to Boston to start my master’s at Harvard and began working with a startup in Chicago to launch an e-learning platform for therapists, leveraging improv activities to make the content more accessible. Currently, I am working as a Pre-Sales Engineer in the enterprise architecture industry. In my free time, I love exploring mixed media art, hosting meetups to bring people together, and writing poetry.
We’re also curious to know your personal story and upbringing. What has made you “you”?
I grew up in California. My parents immigrated to the States in 1995; I was just 3 years old, and the intersection of Eastern and Western ideologies has profoundly shaped my personality.
My Indian heritage strongly anchors me to values of interconnection and family, while my upbringing in the States has empowered me to seek what my heart desires, to stand up for what I believe in, and to embrace the entrepreneurial spirit.
We know that real life isn’t a smooth and linear journey. What was your initiating moment that led you to your calling - can you tell us about that moment, what helped you move forward, what you learned/discovered?
After landing my first job out of undergrad, I found myself with a lot of time on my hands in the evenings. So, I started taking extension school classes at Stanford, attending cool meetups, and pursuing all things that sounded "fun." This was how I learned about design thinking, applied improv, and ed-tech startups.
My continuous desire to learn - regardless of having landed a "job” - is what has propelled me through a number of STEM industries and into a career that is perfect for me (which actually consists of several projects and a full time job!).
You’re a working woman in a performance-driven industry. Where do you find balance?
Setting expectations at home is just as important as setting expectations at work.
At home, my partner and I are equals in the responsibilities of the house, and when there is an imbalance, it is important to check in and debrief with the people you share your evenings with. This can be roommates, siblings, and parents too!
If you were part of the human body, what would you be?
If I were part of a human body I would be the brain. So many parts come together to make the whole and the value that is derived from the whole is ever-evolving, our understanding of the parts and their intersections continues to unfold. The enigma is what draws me.
We’d love to feature your work! How can we spread the word about what you’re doing? Some examples you might want to share:
To check out my whole portfolio visit: https://raashibhatnagar.com/creative-endeavors/
Or my website: raashibhatnagar.com
I've created e-learning platforms, launched dog toys - led professional workshops and art classes and so much more!