Payam Pourashraf serves as a senior modeler on the Advanced Capabilities team, where he plays a key technical role. He designs and builds data-driven tools, models, and systems. His work sits at the intersection of analytics and software engineering, turning complex ideas into practical platforms for Discover teams.
In addition to his day job, Payam has created a niche at Discover for nature lovers to connect over their shared appreciation for the outdoors.
Payam starts his day at Discover by sharing a sunrise photo with other associates and a small national park or nature fact that makes people smile. That simple habit has become a way to share what he cares about and to bring a moment of calm into busy workdays.
In October 2023, he launched National Parks and Preserves Daily, an internal employee engagement chat on Teams. Each week the group “visits” one state. Members share pictures from their travels and quick notes about U.S. nature. Over time, the group has added light games like jigsaw puzzles, “guess the park,” and short trivia. The community gives associates a fun way to connect around a shared passion.
This group is a small way to live Discover’s value of Collaboration, and it reflects his core value of creativity. He looks for simple, new ways to connect people to meaningful experiences.
As an immigrant, Payam also wanted to give back to the country that welcomed him and to the public lands that inspired him. He looked for a practical idea where he could use his technical skills to help travelers and parks alike. Over time he saw a mismatch: U.S. national parks generate more than $50 billion in economic output and support hundreds of thousands of jobs in nearby communities each year, yet many parks and gateway towns still operate with understaffed services and tight budgets. That tension sparked his idea for a staged travel loan that could help more people access these experiences in a safe, responsible way while directing visitor spending back into the communities that care for the parks.
Using the design-thinking skills he learned at Discover and the support of the innovation team, Payam invented and filed a patent application as the sole inventor for a National Parks Travel Loan. The concept rethinks how a travel loan can be structured to be shaped like a real trip. His patent describes a loan where funds become available when the trip begins and continue in modest stages as you check in along the way. Light challenges add a bit of fun and learning. Finishing the itinerary can unlock small perks, such as a modest rate reduction or a donation in your name to a park partner.
While the concept is simple on the surface, the proposed technology is nuanced and complex, focusing on technical ways to keep borrowers engaged from the planning phases through to the repayment of the loan. This project highlights how safe Discover associates feel bringing their authentic self to work.
Each Friday, Payam closes the week in the Teams chat with a short recap and a preview of the next state. He signs it with his phrase, “a leaf of memories.” He believes each of us is a leaf of memories in this world. He hopes to leave good memories, and a good name, through small acts that uplift people and places.
