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Sepideh began her journey to the U.S. with the goal of earning a PhD in marketing. Then she pivoted into business analytics and data science, which led her to Oklahoma.
Sepideh began her journey to the U.S. with the goal of earning a PhD in marketing. Then she pivoted into business analytics and data science, which led her to Oklahoma. With support from the inTulsa Visa Network and her employer, Community Care, she secured an H1B Visa and is thriving in her work and life in Tulsa.
Where are you from, and what led you to come to the U.S.?
I’m originally from Iran. I initially came to the US after receiving admission into Virginia Tech’s PhD in Marketing program. After a year, I decided to pivot because the PhD program was not the right time or the right fit for me. Pivoting was the best decision that I’ve ever made. I came to Oklahoma State University to earn my second Master’s degree in business analytics and data science. I graduated in December.
How did you land in Tulsa?
I lived in Stillwater for less than a year. Then during our career fairs at OSU, I met the Senior VP, Chief Technology and Transformation Officer for Community Care, and I got an internship in Tulsa.
Tell us about your current role at Community Care.
I’m the project manager in the IT department. When I started in this company, I was a data engineer intern for their data engineering team. I worked on data science and data engineering projects for about eight months. But when I graduated from OSU, there wasn’t an open position in data engineering. Since I wanted to stay with this company, I looked for another role. Because I had an MBA background and a data science background, I thought the IT project management position could be even better. I started it three days right after graduation.
What is your day-to-day work as an IT project manager like?
What I do every day is communication. We have lots of meetings with stakeholders and vendors. I manage different projects for the data engineering team, business intelligence team, medical management, and external teams. I manage resources. I’m like a bridge that keeps things moving smoothly.
What do you love about your work?
I love the projects I work on. Even when I was in Iran, I worked in healthcare because my bachelor’s degree was in biomedical engineering. I know the health system in the U.S. is different, but I can relate to it. I love working here.
What stands out to you about the company culture at Community Care?
Community Care’s people are really kind and supportive. Even if you don’t have any background in some concepts, they’re always ready to answer questions and help you learn and understand. They don’t judge you. I worked with Youngmin (a fellow Visa Network participant) on the same team as a data engineer. We were interns together. I learned a lot from him. We worked on the same projects together so we could upskill together.
How did you become connected to inTulsa’s Visa Network program?
I heard about inTulsa through my managers and colleagues at Community Care. They suggested I give it a try, and I’m so glad I did it. I applied on the inTulsa website and had my first interview. inTulsa’s team were super cool, super nice people. From our first conversation, I realized that they really cared. I didn’t even have a job offer at that time, but they gave me direction and helped me understand what I should be looking for and what I should be doing. So, I’m really grateful for that and for the people who introduced me to inTulsa’s organization.
What has it been like to work with the inTulsa Visa Network?
It was always my dream to come to the U.S., and I knew that I wanted to stay. At the same time, I knew it is really hard for international people to stay. I knew the process of getting a visa involved going through a lottery, but I didn’t realize inTulsa would support me from the very beginning. My employer, Community Care, partnered with inTulsa and supported me too. Through inTulsa, I had an interview with a lawyer and other folks who explained the visa process, which was super helpful. It made this transition so much easier. I got selected through the lottery in the first round and received my H1B visa last month.
Did anything else stand out about your inTulsa experience that you’d like to share?
inTulsa’s communication was so nice and supportive. As I mentioned, I didn’t have a job offer at the start of the process, so they told me what I should be doing and looking for. They told me they have job opportunities listed on their website. The communication was the best part of this journey. They offered events and gave quick responses to my questions.
Now for the fun part—what has it been like to live in Tulsa?
I’ve found many friends here. Something I’ve really liked are the inTulsa gatherings with other Visa Network members, so we could get to know each other. I feel like I’m not alone. I also like that there are many events in the city, like art festivals. One of my colleagues at Community Care is an artist. She introduced me to one of these festivals and it was super cool—lots of dance music, art designs, paintings. I got to know many people through her.
This is something that I really like about Tulsa. I don’t feel like I’m alone. I feel like I know many people in the community. I walk daily at LaFortune Park or Gathering Place. I love those two areas. And I’ve even met people and made some friends there too.
What would you say to people who may benefit from participating in the inTulsa Visa Network?
I’d say go for it! The people at inTulsa are there to help us to succeed, and we can also help the organizations that we are working for succeed. You can search for jobs on inTulsa’s website. You can ask questions. There is a very good network here.
Any words of wisdom for companies that might sponsor and employ international people?
I would say, give people a chance. Internationals come here with a different skill set or a different perspective, so give them a chance to apply these skills and perspectives to whatever they’re going to do at work. When international people come to the U.S., I know most of us are trying to stay. We’re always trying to be hard-working and successful, and help the company succeed if employers give us a chance. Community Care gave me this chance. With my visa extended, I feel so relaxed mentally. I can now focus on my job and be confident that everything else is going to be great.
