At HITL, our work thrives because of the amazing people who make it happen every day. In the first post of our “Life at HITL” series, we’re introducing Yalda, our project manager who’s been with us for 4 years. She skillfully balances deadlines, client needs, and daily tasks, celebrating both the small and big victories that bring our projects to life.
Yalda, what’s one word you would use to describe your role and why?
This is a hard one – If I had to choose a word, it’d probably be “Glue”! I do my best to keep things connected and running smoothly, supporting the team however I can.
If you could pick a superpower to help you with your projects, what would it be?
“Time Freezing”! Deadlines stack up way too fast, and it can feel like everything is happening at once. No matter how chaotic it gets with internal challenges and last-minute client changes, somehow, the deadline is still today. If I could just pause time for a bit, I’d catch up, triple-check the details, and maybe even drink a cup of Black Tea that isn’t cold! But since superpowers aren’t real, I just keep things moving the best I can – one task (and crisis) at a time!
If you could teach AI one thing, what would it be?
If I could teach AI one thing, it would be a deeper understanding of medical context to improve decision-making and support healthcare professionals – we are working with our clients on a lot of impactful use cases which I am super excited about!
What’s one fun tradition or memory you’ve experienced as part of the HITL team?
Some of my favorite memories with the HITL team are the times we play Just Dance with the Kinect in the office. We all just let go and have a good laugh! No one cares about looking silly! It really is a great way to break the routine and connect with the team on a different level. 🎮💃
What’s a typical day in your life like? Coffee or tea? Morning or night person?
A typical day for me? Honestly, it changes depending on the flow of things – I’m more of a “go with the flow” person in life (Very unlike how I operate at work, haha!). But one thing that always stays the same is my obsession with black tea. You can bet there’s a cup (or a few) in the background, and I’m pretty sure many of our clients have caught me sipping on it! As for the time of day, I’m definitely more of a night person now. There’s just something about the calm of the evening that helps me focus and get things done. ☕️🌙
And finally Yalda, If project management was a video game, what power-up or skill would you tell newbies to unlock first?
If project management were a video game, the first power-up I’d recommend newbies to unlock would be multitasking – it’s a must, though it’s definitely not a walk in the park! The second skill would be the power of prioritizing effectively, figuring out what truly matters and what can wait is a game changer when the pressure’s on. Oh, how I loveeeee video games!!
Any other thoughts you would like to share?
These questions are super fun!! Being part of the HITL team has been a great experience and I’m looking forward to the impact we’ll keep making together. 2025 is shaping up to be a great year!
Yalda will also be hosting a free webinar on March 18th, titled The Cost of Bad Data: Why Accurate Data Labeling is Critical for AI Success. If you’re interested, be sure to register and join the conversation. It’s sure to be a great discussion on an important topic for anyone working with AI!