In February 2025, we interviewed our volunteers Swathi Ghanta and Martin Navarrete.
Swathi is a product designer and manager in NYC. Originally hailing from Louisiana, she studied graphic design at the Savannah College of Art and Design. She worked in advertising and toy design at companies like Kidrobot before taking a UX design bootcamp course that helped her transition into a career in tech. Her first product design role was at a healthcare startup focused on empowering caregivers supporting elderly patients and those with chronic conditions. Most recently, she managed a team of product designers at Maven Clinic – an employee benefit supporting women’s health and family planning.
Martin is a native New Yorker with 5+ years of product management experience. He has a bachelor’s degree in International Business Management from Dickinson College, where he took Introduction to Computer Science classes that piqued his curiosity in tech. His first product management role was at Forbes Media building SEO tools for the editorial team to reach new audiences. His ability to break down problems and prioritize initiatives made for a seamless transition into the fintech space at Bluevine where he solved banking problems for small business owners.
Swathi and Martin are both avid runners and met at an afterparty for the Brooklyn Half Marathon in 2019. Both are children of immigrants, and their wedding in 2023 honored both cultures – India and Mexico. They live in Queens and strongly believe that diversity is its superpower.
Enjoy our interview!
How did you learn about Pursuit and in what ways do you volunteer with us?
Swathi: I live in LIC and actually stumbled across Pursuit on a run through the neighborhood! It was still called C4Q (Coalition for Queens) at the time, and I was energized to learn about its mission and see such a diverse group of people coding together. I initially got involved as a behavioral interviewer and admissions volunteer. When Pursuit introduced design mentors into their capstone program, I leapt at the opportunity! Martin got involved last year as a product mentor, and it was truly special to see how electrified he was after coming back from work sessions with fellows.
Martin: Swathi has always been a huge advocate for Pursuit, and she encouraged me to volunteer. We ended up mentoring the same team. Funny enough, it’s the first time we’ve ever worked together!
What inspired you to start volunteering with us and what has been a highlight of your experience?
Swathi: It’s always a highlight to see fellows present their capstone [portfolio] projects as the culmination of all their hard work. But I also love the process of exposing fellows to design and guiding them to critically think through flows before building them. We even did a fun user testing workshop to teach them how to stress test their apps by making sure people could use them in the real world! It’s so rewarding to see fellows light up at these concepts and apply them to their own ideas.
What has your career journey looked like?
Swathi: I have a traditional background in design, and had already been working in graphic and physical product design jobs for 10 years when my entire team was laid off. When I started looking for jobs, I saw many open roles for “product designers” – but it was a very different job description. I enrolled in a UX bootcamp to learn more. Afterwards, I applied to over 100 entry level product design jobs, but I only needed 1 to take a chance on me! In my first role, 60% of my time was focused on graphic design at which I was already adept, and 40% was product design. I learned so much on the job and made plenty of mistakes, but a growth mindset and feedback from mentors propelled me to where I am today.
Martin: I had many pivotal moments in my career, but what ultimately led me to product management was upskilling. Starting my career in media advertising, I was exposed to digital tools that got me excited to break into the tech space. I took courses in Python and Data Science but kept failing to create basic programs or land data engineering roles. This was highly discouraging, and I almost gave up. Then I learned about product management – the bridge between technology and business. Having an understanding of engineering languages has allowed me to stay on top of trends and foster great relationships with engineering teams.
Are there any key experiences or key mentors that impacted your career or shaped your approach to leadership?
Swathi: In my first product design role, there was an amazing Sr. UX Researcher who became my mentor, teaching me all about research methodologies and how to apply research insights to my design work. Her empathetic and user-centered approach as well as her openness in sharing knowledge have definitely shaped my design work and management style.
Martin: While at Forbes, I met a Sr. Product Manager who became a great friend and mentor. When I began interviewing at other companies, he held me accountable with daily check-ins. Together, we reviewed applications I submitted and practiced product management interview questions. These hour-long sessions to review and improve my interview techniques led to two competitive job offers.
What tech trends are you following now? What are you excited about?
Martin: We’re in the midst of a transformational shift in the tech landscape due to rapidly increasing AI capabilities and accessibility. I’m optimistic that by making AI models more readily available, we’ll be able to level the playing field so that those with fewer resources are equipped with the tools to make a greater impact on society.
What advice do you often give Fellows or would you give to people starting their careers in tech?
Swathi: Pursuit fellows have resilience, grit, and great attitudes – more so in my experience than many tech workers from traditional career journeys. As a manager, I’ve realized these are qualities you cannot teach. I’ve made it a point to hire for these qualities because candidates with them strive to succeed, create stronger teams, and are a joy to work with. Additionally, have faith in yourself and don’t give in to imposter syndrome! We all face rejections throughout our careers, it’s important to not let it affect your confidence.
Is there a particular philosophy or guiding principle you live by that’s shaped your career and personal decisions?
Martin: I live by two principles that I refer back to when I’m making a big decision:
The first principle, “Be scared and do it anyway,” has always reassured me that it’s okay to fail and make mistakes along the way, especially when trying something new. As long as I invest and believe in myself, I will never lose.
The second principle, “Ponte las pilas,” is what my parents would tell me when I faced challenges. Literally, it translates to “Put on your batteries” – essentially become more motivated and focused. This motto helped me push through when I struggled in elementary school as an ESL (English as a Second Language) student, then being the first in my family to study outside of NYC for my Bachelor's degree.
Swathi and Martin
