The second annual AL DÍA 40 Under Forty event will serve to highlight and showcase some of the most diverse and impactful young professionals across the Philadelphia region.

At the event, taking place on August 27, 2021, Noel Claudio will be one of the 40 honorees. Currently, he is the Strategy & Operations Analyst II at Twitter.

Noel Claudio joined Twitter as a strategy and operations analyst in March 2021. Prior to joining Twitter, he worked as a consultant for the strategy, technology and business transformation consulting firm, Slalom, and also worked five years with Deloitte Consulting.

Claudio is a graduate of Penn State University, having earned a bachelor’s degree in information sciences and technology.

Here are Noel Claudio’s responses: 

The biggest challenge I faced in my professional career was unexpectedly losing my mother Dulce Rodriguez in December of 2017. Shortly after she passed away, I thought I could continue working and everything would be fine. In 2018, I was promoted to Senior Consultant at my previous employer, Deloitte. I was staffed on a project where I had to lead a team and also manage client relations. After only a couple months in, I constantly felt anxiety and did not have motivation some days. The loss of my mother impacted me tremendously to the point that it affected my mental health. I highly encourage those with similar situations to embrace mental health resources and speak up in moments of need. Personal health and well being is just as important as excelling in your professional career. 

The technology industry has struggled with DE&I since the start of the internet revolution. This was largely due to a lack of resources, education, and surroundings. There is also a misconception that you must know how to code in order to get into tech. In reality, the tech industry is huge and there are several paths that you can take including program management, strategy & operations, and many more. I recommend that people take time to speak to others in Tech about their experiences and career paths. There are certification programs and nonprofits that help minorities prepare for long careers. The first step is to tell yourself that you can and want to do this! 

It is important to improve DE&I in Tech because the future is changing and becoming more diverse than ever. Many of the applications, products, and services used today consist of different populations of users. In order to make improvements to technology, we must have new perspectives, use cases, and innovation. We as Latinos should look to bring our entrepreneurial skills to the Tech industry and be part of the next change. 

A leader is someone who has empathy, organizational skills, and is willing to make people around them better. As a leader, you also represent your team and/or organization. It is your job to coach, mentor, develop and be proactive. I personally believe that I have such qualities and the passion to lead as I progress in the future. 

I see myself marching towards becoming a director or manager at a large tech company. I also hope to be engaged in the community and be known as a great advocate for DE&I. I will know I have executed on my plan when I am loving my job but also serving a greater purpose of helping others.