Durga J.
Senior People Partner at Verkada | Ex-PayPal HR | Stanford MBA
Studied at Stanford Graduate School of Business
Works at Verkada
Available Wednesday at 1:00 AM UTC
Questions? Start chatting with this coach before you get started.
Durga’s Human Resources Qualifications
Experience level: Manager
I am so happy you are considering a career in Human Resources (or People, as they now call it!) A career change into HR/People is becoming more and more popular. I love this function and believe I am doing what I am meant to do. I would be happy to share interview tips, discuss my experience, and empower you on your journey into becoming a People person! I attended Stanford's MBA program with the intent of pivoting my career to Human Resources/People. After graduation, I did a rotational role at PayPal across learning and development, talent assessment, and performance reviews. I am now a People Partner reporting directly to the Head of People at Verkada. I operate as the Head of HR for the business units I support. I do "everything" including employee coaching, career laddering, performance reviews, employee relations, compensation, performance management - to name a few areas! I was also featured in LinkedIn's 2023 Workplace Learning Report video (1 of 5 global HR professionals).
Durga can help with:
Interview Prep
Skill Building
Employee Engagement
Promotion Strategy
Resume Review
Performance Management
HR Strategy
Salary Negotiation
Behavioral Interview Prep
Durga also coaches for MBA, Sales, and Career Development. View all.
About Durga
I have always been passionate about understanding and helping others. My parents are an Executive Coach and a College Counselor, so it's in my blood! I grew up internalizing the importance of coaching and mentorship, and it influenced my education and career. I have a BA in Psychology and Sociology from Middlebury College, followed by an MA Education and MBA from Stanford University. My career has spanned Sales, Business Operations, and Human Resources/People. After my MBA, I committed to pursuing a career in People. So much of what I do day-to-day in my role is coaching and development: helping employees navigate their careers, self-advocate, approach difficult conversations, and build the experiences they need to achieve their goals. My coaching journey actually started in high school when I worked as a part-time consultant for families relocating between the US and India. Then, at Middlebury, I founded a first-generation student mentorship program and lead our student Diversity Committee. At Stanford, I was an Arbuckle Leadership Fellow, spending my years in coaching training and practice. My style is reflective, empathetic and honest. We will work together to explore your values and how your career can align with what fulfillment means to you. We will look at the version of yourself you want to be, and see how we can get there. I will challenge you, hold you accountable, support you, and do everything in my power to ensure you get the most value out of every hour we have together. We will get a lot done! I offer the following: 1. Career Coaching: transitions, promotions, people management, soft skills 2. Life Coaching: work life balance, marriage, relocation 3. MBA Coaching specific to Stanford GSB and Harvard Business School, and waitlist strategy 4. Specific Career Pivots into Human Resources or Sales More about me personally: I live in Redwood City with my husband. At all 3 companies I've worked at, I've led the women's employee resource group and put my energy towards achieving gender equity. I love traveling, wine tasting, reading, and spending time with friends and family. I am very extroverted and look forward to chatting with you!
Why do I coach?
My career and personal life have been transformed by coaches and mentors, and I am excited to help others on their journey! I can't wait to pay it forward and watch you grow and succeed in the way that's right for you.
Work Experience
Senior People Partner
Verkada
February 2024 - Present
Business Operations
PayPal
August 2023 - February 2024
Human Resources Rotational Program
PayPal
August 2022 - July 2023
Strategic Account Executive
Twilio
January 2020 - July 2020
Account Executive
Twilio
September 2017 - December 2019
Sales Development Representative
Twilio
April 2017 - August 2017
Business Development Representative
Twilio
August 2016 - March 2017
Education
Stanford Graduate School of Business
MBA
2020 - 2022
Stanford University
MA, Education
2020 - 2022
Middlebury College
Bachelor's Degree, Psychology
2012 - 2016
Durga was also personally admitted to
Harvard Business School