Blue Cross NC Employee Fights Childhood Hunger with Data

Gayatri Rathod’s work as a data scientist associate at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina is more than a job. It’s a perfect fit between skills and passion.

Passion for fighting childhood hunger pours into job responsibilities 

She deeply cares about improving quality of care and health access. It’s easy for her to get behind Blue Cross NC’s dedication to positively impact the community. Fighting childhood hunger is a specific passion of hers.

“I think that having access to healthy food can determine a child’s health, well-being, and opportunity for the rest of their lives,” Rathod said. “I believe that we can do more to create systemic change when it comes to children who are food insecure, and I would love to bring that full circle with my work in Data and Analytics.”

The mission and culture of Blue Cross NC make her work meaningful and stimulating.

“The culture of mentorship and mission-driven people here is invaluable to me,” Rathod said.

Data and analytics as a means to solve food insecurity 

She works on a collaborative team that looks at food insecurity, transportation, housing, interpersonal violence, social isolation, and other factors to help improve health outcomes for North Carolinians. The goal is to turn information into actionable insights.

“For example, someone living in a food desert zip code of NC may not be getting access to proper nutritious food, which can cause chronic health problems in the longer term,” Rathod said. “So, the goal is, on a granular level, to be able to connect this person with community resources that can help address their health gap, while on a big-picture level identifying which counties in NC face the most barriers.”

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As she uses her skills to combat food insecurity, she follows her heart without being afraid of failure. Blue Cross NC values innovation and inspires her to push boundaries and learn along the way.

Rathod has a contagious enthusiasm for learning. She empowers others at work by organizing analytic events around our culture of collaboration and innovation.  Gayatri is part of Tech Network of Women, an employee network that promotes pathways for women in technology.

Her love of learning and empowering others extends to hobbies. She grew up learning Indian dance and enjoys teaching various styles. Lately, it’s Zumba.

Rathod encourages others to try new things, allow for trial and error, be open to feedback, and grow.

Interested in working in technology at Blue Cross NC? Check out our Technology Careers Page and search available positions. If you’re interested in learning more about the work culture and what we value, check out Life at Blue Cross NC.

 

 

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