Lorea Barturen first got to see the everyday work, mission, and life of a Teach For America corps member through her roommate's experiences. After visiting her roommate's classroom, cheering for the marching band, and meeting other corps members, Lorea was ready for a career switch.

Lorea traded in her consulting job at Accenture and joined the 2009 corps. She taught high school Spanish in Colorado, an experience that would lead to a purpose-driven career as a brand manager at Starbucks.

She shares how this has experience shaped her career path.

What were some of the major lessons you learned during your time in the corps?

I learned how to fail fast and iterate. Turns out, this is how some of the most innovative companies structure themselves to adapt to changing market demands and consumer trends. I also learned to check my ego at the door. Like most people, students come to the classroom with all kinds of stressors and emotional experiences, and your job is to focus on their needs and help them.

What has your route been after the corps?

Since leaving the classroom, I have served as the director of talent at the Brooke Charter School Network through the Education Pioneers Analyst Fellowship, a program that offers hands-on training and experience for aspiring education leaders. I earned my M.B.A. from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, and just celebrated my five-year anniversary at Starbucks, where I’m now a brand manager.

How do you use the skills and beliefs you developed in the corps?

I use the skills I developed in the corps in a variety of ways. For instance, from a communications perspective, I often lead cross-functional teams of people with diverging interests to achieve one shared goal.