Current Employer
Meta (Formerly Facebook)Job Title
Product Management Lead
Biography
Bala is a Product Leader at Meta. She is currently working on making communication private and safe for billions of people around the world. Previously, she launched delightful audio and fintech experiences for millions of Alexa customers, sellers on Amazon, and Morgan Stanley financial advisors and their clients. She believes in leading with empathy, kindness, and authenticity. She is an advocate for mental health and wellbeing, DE&I (diversity, equity, and inclusion), and creating access to opportunities for the disadvantaged. She is also an animal rights advocate and is excited about the growth we are seeing in the plant-based/alternative protein space. She feels most energized when using her voice and abilities to make the world a more kind, safe, and equitable place, and while helping others succeed and thrive despite adversity.
Previous Work Experience
Senior Product Manager, Technical at Amazon (Payments, Alexa); Assistant Vice President, Morgan Stanley Wealth Management
MEM Internship Company Name
RetailMeNotMEM Internship Title
Business Analytics Intern
Why did you choose the Dartmouth MEM?
After speaking with alumni and thoroughly researching MEM (or equivalent) programs at Duke, Cornell, Columbia, Purdue, and UIUC, I chose Dartmouth because of the academic rigor, focus on experiential learning, and generous scholarship program.
What was the most valuable part of your MEM internship experience?
I came to the Dartmouth MEM program straight out of undergrad. Interning at RetailMeNot during the summer allowed me to apply concepts I learned in class to a real-world problem and gain industry experience which proved valuable when interviewing for a full-time position at Morgan Stanley in the Fall.
How did the Dartmouth MEM prepare you for your career?
The MEM program's curriculum gave me a perfect blend of hard skills, experiential learning opportunities, and soft skills required to thrive as a business leader. More importantly, in going through the program, I developed a strong work ethic and the intellectual rigor needed to teach myself new concepts and skills. This in turn gave me the confidence to take risks, say yes to exciting roles in domains that I knew little to nothing about, and as a result, enabled rapid growth and learning for me in my career thus far. Last but not least, I have access to an invaluable global network to rely on, for career and life advice.
What is your favorite Dartmouth MEM memory?
My top three favorite memories from Dartmouth have to be: 1) The countless hours I spent in the tower room of Baker-Berry Library, working through assignments and job applications, often looking around and thinking to myself — I feel like I am at Hogwarts! 2) The "zenness" of walking under the clear, star-lit sky in Hanover. 3) Spending my first holiday season in the US in New York City, living a block away from Times Square, and working on defining product strategy for a top media company as a part of Tuck's Onsite Global Consulting course.
How would you summarize your Dartmouth MEM experience?
Broadened horizons
