Rupal Patel is a 2x CEO, corporate adviser, international speaker, and author of ‘From CIA to CEO: Unconventional Life Lessons for Thinking Bigger, Leading Better, and Being Bolder.’ Prior to her private-sector career, Patel worked as an intelligence analyst for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), a position she entered after completing her degree in the Committee on International Relations (CIR) program.

Patel earned her BA from Columbia University, her MA in International Relations from CIR in 2005, and her MBA from the London Business School. 

Alumni of the Division of the Social Sciences are characterized by Chicago’s deep commitment to scientific analysis, methodological innovation, and the use of theory to extend the explanatory and predictive power of social research. Whether an MA or PhD graduate (or both), each takes those values into careers in the academy and in a broad range of sectors including banking and finance, technology, and social technology, consulting and market research, health fields, and government/policymaking, among others. 

SSD’s Dialogo podcast brings alumni into conversation with Paul Poast, Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science and Deputy Dean for Doctoral Education, and Kelly Pollock, Dean of Students. Each season will feature alumni with careers in a particular field or industry.