Amber Ray

After training at the John Cranko Schule in Stuttgart and dancing professionally in the Stuttgart Ballet and the Dutch National Ballet, I knew I wanted to transition out of the ballet world -- but I wasn't sure where to start. While at Columbia University, I majored in Economics and Psychology out of pure interest, and became interested in a finance career largely due to the optionality it provided. I have spent the last three years post-college working in investment banking and private equity. Ballet set the bar high for me in terms of knowing what it's like to follow a true passion, so I feel like I'm still looking for my next "dream career." Nonetheless, I'm grateful for the experience I've gotten in finance thus far, and I'm happy to talk through any aspect of the transition from ballet to college and career.