Dina Guo All Star card

Dina Guo left her hometown in China in pursuit of her Ph.D. in Computational Economics. After researching a few different programs, she ultimately chose the University of Virginia (UVA) for its robust program — but also because she recognized the city of Charlottesville from one of her favorite movies. The beautiful scenery and fall foliage in Virginia made the perfect backdrop for that next phase in her life.

When seeking her first job in 2017, Dina was looking for an opportunity to build on her understanding of different financial models and how they’re used to further business objectives. Upon graduating, she leveraged a connection from UVA and secured a job with PNC Bank on the model validation team. After about a year, Dina was confident in her understanding of risk models, portfolios, etc., and was ready to pivot to a position where she could create models herself. She saw a position at Freddie Mac on the Multifamily Modeling team and knew this would be the perfect opportunity to obtain the hands-on experience she was seeking.

Since 2018, Dina has held various positions at Freddie Mac. Starting as a Quantitative Analytics Senior, she assisted in the creation of models used to help with the purchase of loans secured by multifamily properties. In her current role as Quantitative Analytics Director, Dina helps lead design, develop and maintain quantitative models used for property valuation, underwriting and credit risk. Every day is different for her, and she enjoys getting to see her hard work come to fruition through deals and making home possible for many families. 

Let’s hear more from Dina on why working at Freddie Mac is so special. 

When you think of community, what do you think of?

A: For me, community has a different meaning. When I first moved here, I didn’t know anyone, so I never really had much of a community. Once I started working, my community began to develop. I think of a community as a group of people who support and uplift each other toward a common goal. We all want a space where people feel safe and empowered to contribute. In the workplace, it’s the same but different — we’re invested in each other’s success. A strong working community helps everyone do their best work. 

What do you like about your job or what gets you excited to come to work?

A: When first looking for a job, I wanted to be on the front lines of modeling, and through my role now, I can do exactly that. The purpose and complexity of my work makes each day different. Every day I am involved in solving meaningful problems that directly impacts multifamily housing. The work I do has real implications, and through this work, I am constantly learning and working with different teams. I really enjoy collaborating with other teams, as we all have so much to learn from each other.

What do you like most about working at Freddie Mac?

A: At Freddie Mac, I noticed there is a sense of mission combined with the opportunity to grow. Over the past seven years, I have had every opportunity to grow from different perspectives. My position gives me the opportunity to collaborate on complex challenges with teammates who respect and boost me up. Additionally, our vice president has instilled in our team that we must be good and kind to each other, which I greatly respect.

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