Charting a global path in Product Management as an Industry Expert, Mentor & Speaker
S halini Dinesh is a skilled Product Manager who has gained global recognition for her ability to make bold decisions in the face of challenges. She is highly regarded as an Industry Expert, Mentor, and Speaker. Shalini currently holds the position of Product Manager at Walmart in the USA and is also a Featured Expert on Criya.
Shalini, who graduated in IT from India, initially worked for her family’s logistics business. However, she boldly decided to pursue a master’s degree in the US, despite being a mother and encountering opposition. She eventually took the leap and moved to America.
In 2019, she received her MS in Engineering Management from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX. After graduation, she began working in product management at Tango Analytics in Dallas. In 2021, amidst the pandemic, she received five job offers from top companies and ultimately decided to join Walmart’s Innovation and Automation Team.
“As I reflected on my experience, I came to two realizations. Firstly, age is merely a number and should not keep us from pursuing our dreams. Secondly, being a mother does not hinder one’s ability to pursue their passions. It is possible to balance both responsibilities and thrive in both areas of life.”
Shalini has displayed remarkable proficiency in career development, as demonstrated by her achievements at Walmart. She specializes in successfully launching mobile apps, lifecycle management, endto-end SaaS solutions, webbased products, etc. Shalini has played an instrumental role at Walmart in exciting projects, including the e-Docs technology solution, which eliminates driver trip paperwork from the GDC supply chain network of the world’s largest retailer. This solution supports both sustainability and helps to significantly improve driver productivity; she launched 0->1, a Walmart-owned NTransit mobile app that is now available on both Google Play and the Apple App Store.
Her exceptional collaborative skills enabled her to achieve all of this quickly. Despite months of remote work during the pandemic, she prioritized establishing personal connections with her team members. This proactive approach resulted in swiftly identifying and resolving problems, leading to faster product launches.
Today, Shalini is recognized as an Industry Expert on Criya. She began as an intern but has since become a thought leader by mentoring 500+ individuals over the past year. Shalini’s journey started when her friends asked her for advice on breaking into product management. She assisted and helped many of them get onboarded, which led to more and more requests for guidance on preparing for interviews. Shalini has been invited to speak as a guest at prestigious universities in the US, such as Carnegie Mellon Tepper School of Business, Southern Methodist University, University of Texas at Arlington, and the University of Texas at Dallas. Additionally, she conducts virtual group sessions for students at IIT, IIM, NIT, and BITS Pilani in India.
“I find great satisfaction in helping others grow and developing myself in the process. One of my proudest achievements is my mentorship work. While receiving a scholarship from my university for academic achievement was a significant accomplishment, the positive feedback I receive from those I mentor who secure good jobs is even more rewarding. This is what motivates me the most.”
Shalini’s dedication and exceptional organizational skills are truly admirable. She recently completed an Executive Certification in Product Management from UC Berkeley, a remarkable accomplishment. However, she faces a significant challenge in feeling guilty about not being available for her son fulltime. Shalini has discovered that maintaining a balance between work and family can be difficult, but she has found ways to overcome it by planning ahead and having open conversations. By doing so, she can prioritize her job and family without compromising on either.
Shalini is a true inspiration for working mothers in our society today. She learned essential life values from her mother and has always had the support of her family, even in the face of negativity. Shalini credits her success to the unwavering encouragement from her parents, husband, and son. She believes a supportive family is crucial for achieving one’s goals and feels blessed to have such caring and motivating loved ones.
A veritable Women’s Leader, Shalini is also a Member of Walmart’s Women in Tech STEM Outreach Program and is passionate about empowering women and school students on the importance of STEM education. “All the criticism and negative feedback I received, the traditional mindset that said, ‘You can’t do,’ is what drove me to success.”
She shared her insights and advised, “It’s important to have a mentor to guide you through the journey. Many people lose motivation and quit, but don’t give up on your dreams. Keep pushing forward and seize every opportunity that arises. Remember that you are capable of achieving anything at any stage.”
