This accountant-turned-engineer brings people-centered curiosity and problem-solving to our team.

By City Bureau

Portrait taken by Grace Del Vecchio

We’re excited to welcome Susmita to the team as City Bureau’s Product & Operations Support Manager!

Susmita grew up in New York, where she developed a deep appreciation for connecting with people from all walks of life. That curiosity has led her to work in a range of roles, from accounting to quality assurance in engineering. What drives her is a desire to understand people’s challenges and help solve them. At City Bureau, she supports the Documenters Network by tackling tech support tickets and improving our systems behind the scenes.

We asked Susmita to share more about her experiences, her background, and what she’s bringing to the role. Here are some of the highlights, edited for length and clarity.

Can you share a bit about your connections to the places you call home or where you've grown up? 

I was born and raised in New York. I spent about 10 years in Queens before moving to the Bronx, where I've lived ever since with my family. Growing up, I was surrounded by a predominantly South Asian community, but I've always found myself in really diverse spaces throughout my life. I stayed in New York for college and did my undergrad at Hunter College on the Upper East Side. 

One of the things I love most about growing up in New York is having so many cultures right at your doorstep. That exposure has made me a more curious person. Hearing people's stories and finding commonalities has really shaped who I am. I currently volunteer at a yoga studio on weekends, and people might assume I'm only meeting a certain type of person there, but it's the complete opposite. There's a woman in her 50s I work with, and we bonded over surprisingly similar life experiences. That's what I love about it — getting to connect with people and genuinely understand them.

That curiosity carries over into how I approach work. I try to lead with humility and stay open to learning, and I think that openness has taken me further than anything else.

How have those values and being embedded in those neighborhoods led you to the career path you have had? Can you chat through some of the previous work you've done?

My first job out of college was in accounting. I was working cross-functionally with the logistics team, but my goal was always to break into the world of product. I eventually pivoted into engineering, and when life had other plans, I ended up in support roles. My career path hasn’t been the most linear, but when I really reflect, it all makes sense. What I’ve enjoyed most in every role is understanding people's problems and figuring out how to solve them. 

That's what I loved about engineering–I had the most direct access to people. I was a QA (Quality Assurance) engineer, and I handled a lot of support tickets. When I was figuring out my next step to break into product, I landed in sales operations. As I was mingling with folks and providing support, I realized—oh, I just really enjoy helping people. I love being able to make their day a little easier. There’s also a part of me that wants to not just help with quick fixes, but actually optimize things. I want to improve systems overall. That’s why this role at City Bureau lines up so perfectly.

What else drew you to City Bureau? 

I'm someone who's very mission-driven. I need to find a purpose in the work I do.. Knowing what City Bureau represents and how community-centered it is—that’s how I know I’m in the right place. Our goal is to keep the people we're trying to serve at the center of everything. Making sure the work we do is truly making a difference is what fuels me, so joining the team was an easy decision.

Can you share more about what grounds you in your work and how you approach it? 

I've always been told I’m low-key a therapist. I'm someone who loves to understand people's background, why they do certain things, and what drove them to make those choices. I think that translates really well into the type of work I do. I may not be a therapist, but I need to be able to build that rapport and trust. I make sure I'm able to create a space where people feel comfortable enough around me to share their feelings and their thoughts on what's not working. And I'm someone who loves feedback. I want to know, “Am I being effective? Am I supporting you in the right ways? And if not, what can I do better?” That mindset is just how I’m wired.

To connect with Susmita, feel free to reach out at susmita@citybureau.org.