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Land a Top Banking Offer: Start-to-Finish
Starting at
$3,150
Land Top Banking Interviews
Starting at
$1,662.50
Nail the Banking Interviews
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$1,662.50
About
I specialized in Early Career, Mid Career and Executive level recruitment, Finance Recruitment, Quantitative Finance Recruitment and Specialty Masters Admissions. Additionally I am an expert in International Student placement & coaching (CPT/OPT/H1B) and US Masters student placement & coaching. With 100% placement outcomes for internship and full time at graduation. I started my career in finance being a controller for start-up organizations. But I found my true passion was coaching through my many experiences in Higher Education. I began my Higher Education career at Stanford Graduate School Business in Leadership Development. I learned many techniques and business acumen through my experience in the classroom at Stanford GSB. In not so many words I have my MBA from Stanford with the amount of sessions I facilitated and supported during my 8 years running Executive Leadership programs. In the next phase of my career I found myself at UC Berkeley Haas Business school in the Master of Quantitative Finance Program, first in Admissions, then as the Director of Career Development and then as the Executive Director of the program. But again I found my true passion was coaching students and Alumni and celebrating their outcomes in getting a full time job at their dream firm and promotions within big banks, hedge funds and Fintechs! Now I have my own career coaching and career development firm, QuantMinds.com!
Natalie also coaches for Master’s Programs, Quantitative Finance, Capital Markets & Trading, Career Coaching, and Hedge Fund. View all.
Natalie’s Investment Banking Qualifications
Coaches professionally
Experience level: Partner or Managing Director
200+ Investment Banking clients
Natalie has helped clients get into these companies:
Fiona Taft is an exceptional coach for investment banking careers, with deep expertise developed through her leadership of career services at UC Berkeley’s elite Master of Financial Engineering (MFE) Program—one of the top pipelines for investment banking, sales and trading, and quantitative finance roles. She has successfully coached students into front-office positions at leading global banks by providing targeted guidance on technical and behavioral interview preparation, networking strategies, and offer negotiation. Fiona has also cultivated strong relationships with top-tier investment banks and led career treks to financial hubs like New York and Chicago, resulting in increased placement rates and stronger employer engagement. Her deep understanding of the finance landscape, coupled with her data-driven approach and individualized coaching style, uniquely equips her to help candidates break into and thrive in competitive investment banking roles.
Natalie can help with:
Behavioral Interview Prep
Cover Letters
Freelancing
General Exploration
LinkedIn Review
Networking Strategy
Promotion Strategy
Resume Review
Salary Negotiation
Skill Building
Technical Interview Prep
Why do I coach?
I became passionate about coaching during my time at Stanford University when I was developing leadership programs and reviewing applications for Executive Leadership programs. Many applicants were struggling in their careers to get to the next level in organizations like Google, Meta, Amazon and other tech organizations. I found myself coaching many different levels of leaders in their career. Many of my program participants often told me I wish I had this content and insight earlier in my career. I had an epiphany for my passion for coaching and mentoring other. Fast Forward to my time at UC Berkeley Haas when I was coaching Master students and Alumni on their career strategy and trajectory. I found that many alumni didn't know how to level up their career once they entered at the associate level, how could they get promoted to a PM, Manager or a VP. I found I really enjoyed sharing leadership strategies, coaching techniques and mentoring with people at all levels of their career. When I started to move farther away from coaching in my career as Executive Director I didn't find as much fufillment and happiness in my career. "You have to do what you love" This lead me to start my own company, QuantMinds so I could focus on coaching and career development full time. I truly enjoy coaching individuals in all careers paths but especially in Career Development in Computer Science, Data Science, Data Analytics, Business Analytics, AI, Machine Learning (ML), Finance and Quant Finance. I specialized in CPT, OPT, H1B and International Student Career Coaching and Placement!
Work Experience
Chief Executive Officer
QuantMinds
November 2024 - Present
Hiring Manager
QuantMinds is a coaching platform for Quantitative and Data Science professionals. The platform empowers professionals and students across all career levels in Quant Finance, Data Science, Computer Science and Investment Banking with tailored career strategies, career rebranding, and technical skill assessments to pivot their careers. Collaborating with organizations, universities, and stakeholders, our mission is to facilitate meaningful career development through workshops, strategic partnerships, and personalized coaching programs. Career pivots into Quant Finance and HedgeFunds are our speciality! Quantminds continues to provides comprehensive support to students applying to Master & PhD programs in Finance, Quant Finance, Financial Engineering, Economics, Math, Data Science, Computer Science, Business Analytics and more!
Executive Director, Masters of Financial Engineering
Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley
February 2024 - October 2024
Admissions Committee
Evaluated the life-cycle of the admissions process, made final decisions on admissions, establish high level relationships with Faculty, firms and Alumni, Advised students on job opportunities, internships and salary negotiations.
Director of Career Development, Employer and Alumni Relations at MFE
Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley
December 2021 - June 2024
Admissions Committee
Reviewed Admissions applications, essays and profiles and gave recommendations for admission. Coached students on career readiness, resume optimization and strategic job search with Finance and Quantitative Finance firms. Established strategic relationships, career events and bespoke hiring opportunities with top finance firms, hedgefunds and FinTech firms and MFE Alumni. Created Career workshops in Strategic Job Search, Resume Optimization, Linkedin & Networking Strategies, Behavioral Interviewing, Business Etiquette, Job Market Updates, Mock Interviewing and Salary Negotiation Coached and Advised students and alumni on job search strategy, resumes strategy, salary negotiation and networking strategy.
Senior Associate Director of Marketing & Admissions for MFE
Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley
July 2021 - December 2022
Admissions Committee
Reviewed applicants for Admission to the Master of Financial Engineering Program and was a part of the Admissions Committee. Evaluated application and career readiness.
Business Development Associate Director
Stanford University Graduate School of Business
September 2018 - March 2019
Admissions Committee
Partnered with organizations to build Execute Leadership programs for C-suite Executives, Managers, High Potential Leaders and DEI. Developed proposals to potential clients for leadership programs
Associate Director, Executive Education
Stanford University Graduate School of Business
January 2016 - November 2020
Admissions Committee
Created and Managed Executive Leadership programs for Fortune 500 companies and individuals. Coached individuals on how to become leaders, managers and accelerate to the C-Suite. Admissions officer for all open enrollment programs. Collaborated with faculty on admission decisions to programs.
Program Manager
Stanford University Graduate School of Business
April 2013 - January 2016
Special Events Manager
Stanford University
August 2011 - September 2012
Controller
Jupiter Hosting
May 2000 - June 2007
Hiring Manager
Managed financial P&L and balance sheet of at early stage start-up, Jupiter Hosting, Inc (1120S DE Corp). Responsible for reconciling the accounting records. Tracked business expenses, cash flow, and all other financial related activities through first round of financing (Angel). Managed payroll (ADP), and benefits program. Managed all banking relationships (Silicon Valley Bank and Bank of America).
Natalie was also given offers to work at
UCLA Anderson
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
University of California, Berkeley
Harvard Business School
Georgetown University
Education
San Francisco State University
Bachelors, Economics
1995 - 2000
Natalie was also personally admitted to
Santa Clara University
California State University, Chico
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Overall rating
Natalie has helped clients get into these companies:
Land a Top Banking Offer: Start-to-Finish
Starting at
$3,150
Land Top Banking Interviews
Starting at
$1,662.50
Nail the Banking Interviews
Starting at
$1,662.50
Advance Your Investment Banking Career
Starting at
$3,150
Natalie also coaches for Master’s Programs, Quantitative Finance, Capital Markets & Trading, Career Coaching, and Hedge Fund. View all.
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