Tell us about your career path and how you got to where you are today. 

I studied in undergrad at California State University Fullerton (CSUF) in 2019, majoring in Mathematics with a concentration in Actuarial Science. The pandemic began during my freshman year of college, so I took our quarantined days as an opportunity to get ahead in the actuarial exams. I participated in many extracurricular activities, such as governing the risk management and actuarial science club at CSUF, assisting our math department at various events, and helping other students pursue their career goals. In my last summer of college, I started at Pacific Life as an actuarial intern. I started working full-time at Pacific Life in August 2022.
 

Tell us about your job responsibilities and what a typical day looks like for you. 

I work closely with my manager on a variety of tasks. One of the biggest responsibilities is supporting our Product Management and Analytics function. A typical day for me consists of a few meetings, plenty of coffee, and using different programs, such as Tableau, Alteryx, and Excel, to accomplish my tasks. Since I am still studying for my actuary exams, a lot of my day also consists of studying.
 

How has Pacific Life supported your work life balance?

One of the days I look forward to most is our Rejuvenation Days! Another great benefit that I love is our Wellbeing Reimbursement fund. It truly makes me smile knowing that Pacific Life cares about employees and wants to support our wellbeing.
 

How has Pacific Life supported your career growth and development? 

Pacific Life has given me so many opportunities to learn, take study hours, and receive exam compensation through the Actuarial Student Rotation Program. The exposure to both the life insurance and annuity side of the business has increased my knowledge of Pacific Life and the insurance industry. I am grateful that Pacific Life wants employees to continue developing themselves.
 

What advice would you give to early career actuaries?

Since I just started working full time recently, I would mainly say for college students to pass exams and find internships! As a student pursuing actuarial science, I would say that the two most important things that a company would like to see is whether you have passed exams and pursued internships. Also, having an open mind and an attitude of learning is an amazing quality to have.
 

What do you enjoy doing when you’re not working?

I love to travel and have been to over 30 countries. My favorite place would be Santorini, Greece. The water is stunning and staying in the cave houses was truly a different experience. I also love to take photos and edit videos. I picked up this hobby during quarantine, when I had a lot of free time on my hands. Another activity that I love to do is going out with my friends and trying different boba shops! My absolute favorite boba drink is the Strawberry Jasmine at Sunright Tea Studio with honey boba, half sugar, half ice, and substitute sugar for honey.