Career Path Of A Director Of Internal Audit At Nasdaq
Jenna's career path began with a risk management and actuarial science degree, followed by actuarial internships that led to a pivot toward internal audit. After eight years at Goldman Sachs specializing in risk management and treasury, where the work involved "independently assess[ing] processes and controls," a position at Nasdaq's internal audit department focusing on similar areas followed in 2022.
Risk Management, Internal Audit, Data Analysis, Teamwork, Career Pivoting
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Jenna Heffler Beth
Director, Internal Audit
Nasdaq Inc
Penn State University, 2014
N/A
Finance
Finance (Banking, Fintech, Investing)
Finance
None Applicable
Video Highlights
1. Jenna majored in risk management and actuarial science, showcasing her interest in numbers and data analysis.
2. Her internships at insurance companies helped her realize her preference for teamwork and project-focused work, leading to a pivot in her career path.
3. Jenna's career progression from internal audit at Goldman Sachs to Nasdaq highlights growth and specialization in risk management within the financial industry.
Transcript
Could you walk me through your career path, starting with your experiences in college?
Did you have any internships or jobs before your current role?
I majored in risk management with a focus in actuarial science at the Smeal College of Business at Penn State, with a minor in economics. I always loved working with numbers and analyzing data.
In college, I had two actuarial internships at insurance companies. They were good, but not great, and made me realize I wanted to be in a more team-focused, project-oriented setting.
So, I decided to pivot. My first job out of college was in internal audit at Goldman Sachs, where I stayed for eight years. I specialized in risk management and treasury.
Internal audit is different from what you might imagine as classic audit. Rather than just accounting and balance sheet substantiation, we act more as risk managers. We independently assess processes and controls to ensure each part of the company operates appropriately and manages its risk.
With that in mind, in 2022, I started at NASDAQ in their internal audit department. I help them independently assess their risk management processes, particularly for treasury, risk modeling, and legal and regulatory topics.