The conventional introduction
I studied economics and mathematics at Yale and earned my MBA at Wharton.
Yale's liberal arts education took me well beyond my majors. Working with historians, I learned to approach large historical events through the lives of ordinary people, using oral histories and primary sources. Studying different societies and cultures also made me curious about how differently the same history could be understood depending on whose perspective we followed.
I spent twelve years at McKinsey, solving complex business problems, developing technology and analytics products, advising senior leaders, and leading multidisciplinary teams.
Much of the work depended on building relationships and getting to know the people making consequential decisions. I wanted to understand what mattered to them, the pressures they faced, and what kept them up at night.
My work involved developing recommendations for consequential decisions, helping executives communicate with their boards and organizations, and translating complicated information into something people could understand and act upon.
I also spent a great deal of time interviewing people, coaching younger colleagues, learning unfamiliar industries, and working with people whose backgrounds and perspectives differed from my own.
It was an extraordinary education.
