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Robert Torres
Robert Torres
00:53

Robert Torres

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

New York, NY USA

"The first question has always been: How can I have the biggest impact?"

Career Roadmap

Robert's work combines: Education, Non-Profit Organizations, and Helping People

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Day In The Life

Senior Program Officer

I lead digital media and college readiness work for the Gates Foundation, focusing on games and learning.

Skills & Education

Here's the path I took:

  • High School

  • Bachelor's Degree

    English Language and Literature, General

    Oberlin College

  • Doctorate

    Learning Sciences

    New York University

Life & Career Milestones

My path in life has been direct

  • 1.

    Grew up in the projects in deep poverty.

  • 2.

    His siblings started doing drugs from a young age because they were widely available in his neighborhood.

  • 3.

    Made it through high school, went to Oberlin College, but still didn't know what he wanted to do with his life.

  • 4.

    Moved to Oakland to do Teach For America, saw many poor Hispanic families, similar to his own.

  • 5.

    Realized that his problems were universal, decided he wanted to work with low-income children.

  • 6.

    Calls his impoverished background his "secret weapon."

  • 7.

    Believes that ultimate success means being a free person, having a completely open mind.

  • 8.

    Feels he's successful because his job lets him collaborate with creative people, think outside of the box.

Defining Moments

How I responded to discouragement

  • THE NOISE

    Messages from undefined:

  • How I responded:

Experiences and challenges that shaped me

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  • We had to figure out when to skip a meal because we didn't have enough.