Five Questions with Suchi Pandey ’99

As the program manager for advanced systems and robotics at Walmart, Suchitra “Suchi” Pandey ’99 leads a team that develops products which support the streamlining and fulfillment of online grocery orders for customers. Pandey ensures that projects remain on track, identifies areas of improvement and troubleshoots challenges. “Each day is dynamic and can bring about something new,” she says.

A business major at Stonehill, Pandey has always been interested in innovation and finding solutions to complex problems. Through the field of project management, she discovered that she could combine her love of business with her interest in technology, resulting in, she notes, continuous learning and growth.

While she and her team work in “two-week sprints” to deliver on projects, Pandey also prioritizes finding balance in both her workday and her leadership style. “My typical day begins with a morning meditation or a workout. This helps me to feel balanced and prepared for the day ahead,” she says. And leading with a positive attitude, empathy and fun, Pandey notes, helps foster collaboration within her team. 

In five questions, Pandey talks about her career journey, what she finds most exciting about her field and how her Stonehill professors encouraged her to follow her passion. 

Can you share about your educational path and career journey?

After graduating from Stonehill, I started my career in the medical software industry, where I traveled throughout the United States and Canada to help hospitals transition from a manual patient scheduling system to an automated one. It is here where my love of business paired with technology began. I decided to pursue an MBA from Bentley College, with a concentration in Management Information Systems. I have had the opportunity to work in the areas of project/program management, product management, business process redesign, business analysis and compliance. My career journey has spanned multiple industries including retail, financial services, software, consulting and now robotics.

You have mentioned that you balance strategy, empathy, a positive attitude, and fun as a leader in your work. Why is this important to you?

These qualities are important to me in creating a balanced environment where our team members feel supported and empowered. Leading a team as a program manager involves establishing a clear vision of why we are doing something and inspiring each team member to contribute to the overall success of our program. Empathy and a positive attitude are key to my leadership style. Cultivating a collaborative, trusting environment where my team knows that I am approachable and that their opinions count is extremely important to me. Every team member contributes to our overall success as a team. Finding ways to have fun while still delivering complex solutions encourages collaboration and makes work more enjoyable.

What currently excites you most about your field?

What excites me the most about the fields of technology, robotics and program management is that they bring together innovation to drive change and to improve the customer experience. There is continuous learning and constant growth! In my current industry, we streamline the process of fulfilling online grocery orders for our customers. This is a future-focused industry, and our team plays a key role in creating technologies that fulfill customer orders more quickly.  

Is there a lesson you learned at Stonehill that continues to resonate with you today?

Follow your passion and be open to change. I started at Stonehill as a biology major. While at Stonehill, I started working part time at the Boston Herald newspaper and realized that, although I loved the sciences, I resonated more with business. I had the support of my professors and was encouraged to switch to a field that I had a passion for. I realized that it was ok to switch paths and to be open to change.

Stonehill’s motto is Lux et Spes or Light and Hope. What does this mean to you? 

To me the motto of Light and Hope in my personal life is a message of positivity and perseverance—in believing that you can bring good things into your life, despite the challenges that life can bring. The motto of Light and Hope in my professional life inspires me to lead my team with this message of positivity and encouragement, to be the best that we can be.

[Photos by Kai Patrick O'Leary.]