Career Path Of A DEI Manager At SoundCloud
Tamura's career path, beginning with an entrepreneurship major fueled by a desire to "own my own business," unexpectedly evolved through marketing and consulting, culminating in a DEI management role. Their journey, marked by a first-generation college experience, active campus involvement ("pledge two different sorority fraternities," VP of marketing for the Black Student Union), and diverse internships, showcases a dynamic and adaptable career trajectory.
Career Exploration, Overcoming Challenges, Resilience, Marketing, Leadership
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Tamura Davis
DEI Manager
SoundCloud Inc
Loyola Marymount University
N/A
Business Management & Admin
Arts, Entertainment & Media, Technology
Human Resources (HR)
Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School, Greek Life Member, First Generation College Student
Video Highlights
1. Tamura's journey highlights the value of diverse experiences. From entrepreneurship to marketing, consulting, and DEI, her path showcases adaptability and a willingness to explore different fields.
2. Her involvement in multiple extracurricular activities (sororities, Black Student Union, and academic programs) demonstrates the importance of networking and developing leadership skills, which are transferable to many careers.
3. Tamura's experience as a first-generation college student from a single-parent household emphasizes the importance of perseverance and utilizing available resources to achieve academic and career goals.
Transcript
Could you walk me through your career path? Start by telling me why you chose your major and college.
Then, describe your experiences in college, including any internships or jobs you had before your current role.
Sure, so it was pretty much destined to happen. When I reflect back on my upbringing, where I was raised, and the schools I attended, it makes sense how things unfolded.
I am a first-generation college graduate who grew up in a single-parent household on the west side of Compton. Many people were counting on me to succeed.
My first major in college was entrepreneurship. I chose it because I knew I wanted to own my own business, but I didn't really understand what that entailed. While taking core business classes, I fell in love with marketing, specifically the consumer insight side.
I changed my major to marketing for my last couple of years. During undergrad, outside of my major, I had an on-campus job that helped pay for my tuition and other expenses.
I pledged two different sororities and fraternities: Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, which is a cultural sorority, and Delta Sigma Pi, the business fraternity. I was also VP of Marketing for the Black Student Union.
I was part of the Academic Scholars Program, which allowed me to travel to Japan. I also had internships within marketing. I had a lot going on during my undergrad.
Ultimately, I went in a completely different direction and entered the consulting world. For the past seven years, I've been placing independent consultants on project-based work across Fortune 1000 companies.
I also fell into Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) work in my last couple of years at my previous company. That’s kind of how I got here. It's a bit all over the place, but that's okay.