Costa Rica,
25
Junio
2026
|
14:43
Europe/Amsterdam

Costa Rican Woman Leads Global Data Science Teams, Driving Enterprise Progress in AI and Machine Learning

  •  Women's participation in STEM education grew from 42% to 47% by 2021, but only 32% of technology leadership roles are held by women.
  • Stefanny Quesada applies her engineering and data science experience to lead STEM initiatives at TransUnion, bridging technical innovation with business strategy.
  • 37% of the TransUnion Global Capability Center (GCC) Costa Rica’s leadership roles are held by women exceeding Costa Rica’s national average of 32%.

San José, Costa Rica, March, 2026 Stefanny Quesada Navarro, a Costa Rican data science leader at TransUnion®, exemplifies the increasing presence of women in STEM careers across Central America. Based in Heredia, she leads specialized data science and fraud analytics teams that develop machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) models that help strengthen fraud detection and support risk mitigation efforts, supporting the organization’s vision of making trust possible in global commerce.

Her journey from Pérez Zeledón leading to leading a 16-person data science organization highlights how Costa Rica's technical talent pool is shaping the future of analytics and AI capabilities. Over the past three years, Stefanny has expanded her team from three people to a robust function that positions Costa Rica as a hub for advanced analytics within TransUnion. Her leadership focuses on standardization, automation and technical discipline to help deliver scalable solutions aligned to global business needs.

While model development remains a core aspect of her role, Stefanny notes that building a strong team culture has been of her most meaningful contributions. By integrating teams from engineering, mathematics, economics and statistics, she has fostered a collaborative, performance-driven environment that supports continuous learning and consistency in analytical practices.

"Costa Rica has strong female talent capable to thrive in STEM fields," Stefanny said. "The future of artificial intelligence doesn't belong only to those who master technology, but to those who think critically, analyze deeply and communicate with clarity. Women contribute resilience, broad perspectives and the ability to manage complexity qualities that support leadership in technical roles."

Her perspective aligns with national indicators, where women's participation in STEM education has increased from 42% to 47% by 2021. However, only 32%  of leadership positions in the technology sector are held by women, highlighting the continued need for initiatives that support career advancement.

Beyond her professional responsibilities, Stefanny balances motherhood with high-performance athletics. She recently completed her fourth IRONMAN, placing in the top 10 of her age group. Fluent in English and currently studying Portuguese, she maintains a focus on continuous personal and professional development.

Stefanny's career has progressed within TransUnion's GCC in Costa Rica, a strategic operation that employs approximately 800 professionals supporting global business functions. The center provides career opportunities for Costa Rican talent while delivering analytical, technological and operational capabilities to the organization.

Bryan Castillo, Head of the GCC Costa Rica, said, "We strive to create an environment where every employee can bring their authentic self to work, develop their full potential and contribute to making TransUnion the employer of choice for top talent in country."

Stories like Stefanny's demonstrate how Costa Rica continues to strengthen its reputation as a source of highly specialized analytics talent and how women in technology are shaping global progress.

About TransUnion Costa Rica (NYSE:TRU)

TransUnion is a global information and insights company that makes trust possible in the modern economy. We do this by providing an actionable picture of each person, stewarded with care, so they can be reliably represented in the marketplace. As a result, businesses and consumers can transact with confidence and achieve great things. We call this Information for Good®. TransUnion provides solutions that help create economic opportunity, great experiences and personal empowerment for hundreds of millions of people in more than 30 countries.

TransUnion's Global Capability Centers (GCCs) enable a global operating model with robust scale and scope, improving efficiency and effectiveness whilst strengthening operational resilience and augmenting our existing service offering to clients and consumers.

In Costa Rica, our GCC leverages local talent to deliver TransUnion’s core capabilities and support global operations with scale and speed. We’re creating opportunities across a range of skills such as contact center, business process management, technology support and data analytics roles, among others, while expanding time-zone and language coverage, and ultimately enabling thriving economies around the world.

For more information, visit https://www.transunioncentralamerica.com/gcc.