Katie Zigelman graduated from Northeastern University in 2014, and is now working as Head of Product & Client Services at Spectrum Labs, a San Francisco-based organization that helps social, gaming, and dating companies recognize and respond to toxic online behaviors in real-time. In her client-facing role, Katie is responsible for making sure that customers find success while using the Spectrum product and that the organization is building the right tools for them to use in the future. While no two days are the same, she enjoys working directly with customers and prospects who are searching for effective solutions to the real-world challenge of establishing trust and safety on their platforms.

“I am so proud of what this company is trying to do with the mission of making the internet a better place for everyone,” Katie said. “This is an incredible opportunity for me to use what I have learned so far in my career to help move this mission forward and really be on the right side of trying to use technology to do good. The internet is a place that can bring so many people together but all it takes is one bad actor to ruin it for everyone. My hope is that together, with our customers and partners, we can make online communities a safer place for the next generation.”

At Spectrum Labs, as well as her previous jobs, Katie has been able to apply the skills she learned while studying Journalism at Northeastern. Through her journalism studies, she learned how to communicate via writing (a key strength to have in the business world), how to use social media, blog, research, and more.

“I started my career with my co-ops working on the business side of publisher companies and still want to work hard to come up with revenue solutions for these companies as I think that what journalists do is so important for our society,” Katie added. “My co-ops were the best thing that happened to me in terms of my career. I would not be where I am today without them. Having an opportunity to work full-time in my industry opened up the door for me in terms of skills I could learn and a network I could build.”

In fact, Katie’s first two jobs after college were both working for people she met during her co-op experiences, which gave her the real-world experience she needed to succeed after graduation.

“While my career has taken me down a winding path with lots of surprise turns, I have learned so much from each of my job opportunities, especially my co-ops, that allow me to do what I do now,” she explained.

In addition to her amazing co-op opportunities, Katie took advantage of extracurricular activities at Northeastern, including being involved with The Huntington News. She also minored in American Sign Language, and still uses pieces of this language in her volunteer efforts.

We look forward to continuing to see where Katie’s career path takes her!