This past summer during my internship at Castlight Health, I had the pleasure of working with other interns from universities all across the U.S.

For this two-part blog series, “Meet the Castlight Interns,” I sat down with each intern to learn more about them and their experience at Castlight. In this edition, get to know Ashwini Kelkar and me, Maira Garcia!

Ashwini Kelkar

Where and what are you studying in school?

I am a graduate student studying Computer Science with a specialization in Machine Learning at Rutgers University. I chose Machine Learning as an elective during my undergraduate study and was amazed by the impact data-driven decision making can have. I knew I wanted to study and understand the subject further.

What team did you work with and how was your experience?

I worked under the mentorship of Robert Stewart, CTO and chief architect, and Jeff Hendricks, principal machine learning engineer at Castlight. I have learned so much about healthcare, data science, and machine learning from them!

What has been your favorite project you have worked on this summer? 

I worked on a predictive modeling project that will enhance Castlight’s personalization capabilities when identifying members who might be at risk of developing certain health conditions in the near future.

Did this internship help guide you in what you want to do in the future?

Yes, this internship gave me the exact experience I wanted—thinking and working as a data scientist in an industry setting. School and hobby projects have certainly helped, but the experience of being governed by real-world data and constraints is incomparable.

Maira Garcia

Where and what are you studying?

I am an undergraduate senior at Sacramento State, majoring in Marketing. What led me to choose my major is being a part of my father’s catering business. I started helping him widen his target audience by creating a social media page and Yelp! account to promote his business. Learning the foundations of marketing at a young age inspired me to pursue this as a career and I have loved it ever since! 

What team did you work with and how was your experience?

I worked with the Corporate Marketing team, and they have been the most amazing people to work with. Not only are they passionate about what they do, but I admire how they execute their jobs. Working alongside them, I have been able to learn multiple different skills that school sometimes misses teaching you. 

What has been your favorite project you have worked on this summer? 

My favorite project was being a part of the regional event planning process. I had the opportunity to attend marketing kickoff meetings where our senior demand generation manager and senior marketing manager would work on event logistics, pre-event planning, and post-event planning. From there I was tasked with finding restaurants for a certain group of people and booking a private area for those potential prospects. 

What’s one piece of advice you’ll remember for the rest of your career? 

One piece of advice Caroline Kawashima, the leader of the Corporate Marketing team, gave me is: “To be interesting, you have to be interested.” To be successful in your job there has to be passion, enthusiasm, and dedication—that’s what will make you stand out.

What’s your favorite hobby to do outside of school and work?

I love to go on hikes with my dog! I have a pitbull mix boxer named Chompers and I love taking him with me on my hikes. One of my favorite trails is Mount Tamalpais State Park. It has a beautiful view and helps me disconnect and relax while being able to enjoy nature. I also really enjoy reading, anything from psychological thrillers (like The Silent Patient—what an ending!) to horror or something less gruesome like romance.

To learn about life at Castlight and apply to join the team, visit our Careers page!