“The DNA of an educational experience here is totally unique—everyone is completely invested in the community.”
I had the benefit of spending four years in Hanover as a Dartmouth undergraduate and knew that there’s something really special that happens in this setting. The DNA of an educational experience here is totally unique—everyone is completely invested in the community. I knew that would be the setting through which I'd have the strongest community experience with my Tuck classmates and professors and others. For a lot of people, this setting is a big step outside of their comfort zone in a way that creates an open mindset for new experiences. As a Dartmouth alum and outdoor enthusiast, Tuck wasn’t outside of my comfort zone. I was excited to share what this environment has to offer with my peers.
I worked for Patagonia for several years right of out college. For me, that was a pivotal, transformational experience: to see that there are a lot of different ways for a company to exist in the business landscape as stewards of environmental and social good, and if you do it well you can be outrageously successful. Patagonia taught me how rewarding it can be to work in an organization where people are so driven by the purpose, not the paycheck or the title. They’re motivated by a sense of doing good, and as we’ve learned here at Tuck, when your organization has a strong culture of purpose, you’re always more successful on core business performance metrics as well.
There’s something really special about Georgian culture, where meals are a shared experience. It wasn’t just about finding food or taking a break, it was a chance for us to get to know each other at a level that none of us was expecting. There’s this tradition called “supra” of toasting and people speaking about things important to them. The supra created a setting where every night, the 20 of us were being vulnerable with one another. It was the most intimacy I’ve ever felt with a group of 20 people. I know that those connections will endure. We got together a year later and I knew I could be myself with these people whom I trust completely.
Social Enterprise
Anchorage, Alaska
Dartmouth College, BA, biology and ecology, 2007
Sequoia Capital, strategic marketing lead, spring and summer 2014; Stanford Graduate School of Business–Center for Entrepreneurial Studies, assistant director for student programs, 2011-14; Stanford University–Alumni Relations, marketing and programs officer, 2010-11; Patagonia, sales and partnerships manager, 2007-10 (all positions in the San Francisco Bay Area)
Tuck Centennial Award recipient; Dean’s fellow, committee chair on enhancing inclusiveness at Tuck; Center for Leadership fellow; Elevate Tuck Initiative, co-chair
First-Year Project for Pompanoosuc Mills on marketing strategy; Research-to-Practice Seminar on a retail operations project for Ibex
Global Insight Expedition to Armenia and Georgia—a phenomenal trip
Pete and Gerry's Organics, Monroe, New Hampshire, new product development and marketing
Leadership Out of the Box (Ella Bell Smith); The CEO Experience (former N.H. Governor John Lynch); Tools for Improving Operations (Joe Hall); Database Marketing (Scott Neslin); and Negotiations (Daniel Feiler)
Peter Regan (Professional Decision Modeling, the “math camp” Pre-Enrollment Program)
Founder, Totem Partners
The lessons at Tuck are everywhere, and they come in small and large packages. Most instructive were the instances when I missed the mark somehow. I can still feel the sting of those moments: realizing I was underprepared for a negotiation exercise; sharing unwanted feedback with a classmate; dropping the ball when my study group counted on me. These skills—preparation, tact, follow through—are much harder to master than many of the textbook skills you learn in the classroom. Thankfully Tuck fosters a community where I’ve always felt safe to stretch while honing these competencies and my authentic leadership style.
