Shamina Singh
Mastercard
New York, NY USA
"There’s no such thing as being stuck. Being stuck is just a frame of mind."
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Shamina's work combines: Business, Politics, and Helping People
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Advice for getting started
Getting involved in politics, model UN, etc. have been very instrumental in my career. Even if you don't plan on working in politics, the skills you can gain by volunteering and doing community involvement will benefit you no matter what you do. The other thing that is important is to intern in the field you are interested in.
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
Political Science and Government, General
Old Dominion University
Graduate Degree
Public Policy Analysis, General
The University of Texas at Austin
Certification
Development Economics and International Development
The Indian School of Business
Certification
International/Globalization Studies
Yale University
Certification
Global Leadership and Public Policy
Harvard University
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life took a while to figure out
1.
Born and raised in the Chesapeake Bay area of Virginia—her parents were immigrants from India who instilled in her the value of democracy and participation in politics.
2.
Attended Old Dominion University, where she earned her bachelor's degree in political science with a minor in women’s studies.
3.
After graduating, she began working in political activism including Doug Wilder’s campaign to become the governor of Virginia and the first elected African-American governor in the U.S.
4.
In 1993, she moved to Austin, TX to pursue working for Ann Richards’ reelection campaign for governor.
5.
Attended The University of Texas at Austin where she received her master’s degree in public policy—was taught by Barbara Jordan, civil rights leader, and the first female African-American senator.
6.
She has held senior positions in the U.S. Department of Labor, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and even served as Senior Advisor to then House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi.
7.
Transitioned into corporate social impact by working for Citibank and Nike—she is now the President of Mastercard’s Center for Inclusive Growth & the Executive Vice President of Sustainability.
8.
Since 2015, she has been serving a six year term on the Board of Directors for the Corporation for National and Community Service.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Myself:
Oh my god, are they going to find out that I don't know what I'm doing?
How I responded:
Imposter syndrome is a real challenge. I've experienced a lot of moments where I doubted my abilities and didn't think I would succeed. It's really important to have friends you can talk to and get advice from. You can't be everything you need all of the time, so find people to support you and build a network of people that make up for where you lack.
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
I was born in the U.S., but my parents are from India. They are still very confused about what my career is because it's out of the norm for them. It was challenging breaking out of that norm and pursuing my interests.
As the daughter of immigrants, there have been several obstacles related to this. At the same time, there is an immigrant mentality of resilience that I grew up with and that allowed me to carry on.
As a gay woman, I don't think this has necessarily worked against me since it is just who I am. It's been more outside forces that make it an issue. I try to be open and unencumbered.