Staff Spotlight: Natalya Buchwald

Natalya recently joined the TechChange team as an Account Manager, where she helps elearning partners leverage the TechChange platform services and education team to create powerful learning experiences.

Q: So, tell us more about yourself. How did you end up working in education?
I graduated from Carnegie Mellon in 2018 and starting working as a technology consultant in Northern Virginia. As a consultant, I primarily helped clients with modernizing their websites and implementing new software. As a student at CMU, I mentored high school students in software engineering, digital art, and sound design. I also organized and facilitated workshops for college students in gender and sex education. I wanted to mix both my passions of education and technology together by joining TechChange!

Q: How did you first hear about TechChange?
Thanks to Josh! We were cross-country teammates at CMU and he graduated a few years before me. I heard about his job at TechChange and remember thinking it sounded like exactly where I wanted to be.

Q: What are some of your favorite parts of working at TechChange so far?
Although I just started here, I have already been embraced and entrusted by everyone. I love the not only super innovative but also supportive environment at TechChange. Some other perks include being in the heart of DC and not having to wear formal business shoes every day.

Q: What excites you about this role?
I am super excited about how interdisciplinary TechChange is. I will be able to tap into all my passions: technology, teaching, team-building, and design.

Q: Anything you look forward to working on or learning at TechChange in the next year?
I look forward to getting to know everyone and creating meaningful work together.

Q: Lastly, what’s something that not a lot of people know about you?
I am weirdly passionate about 80’s pop culture. Just something about the overall aesthetic, movies and music makes me very happy.