The Georgia Tech Scheller College of Business Full-time MBA program is proud to welcome a bright, dynamic incoming class of students this week. Included in the class is a construction project manager from Los Angeles, an Ernst and Young staff consultant from Mexico City, and a performance and execution lead from the Boeing Company in Atlanta.
Why did these three professionals choose the Scheller Full-time MBA program? We caught up with them to learn more about their history and what they are looking forward to the most in their MBA journey.
Blake Brady
Pre-MBA role: Assistant Project Manager (Construction), Carmel Partners
Hometown: Los Angeles, California
What are you most excited about as you head into the start of the program?
I took a huge leap and moved here to Atlanta from Los Angeles. I can’t wait to learn from and grow with like-minded individuals. Given the current status of the world, I think it’s the perfect time to be pursuing an MBA. We’ll be able to see how businesses are adapting to Covid-19 and it’ll force us to be more creative when planning for the future and finding solutions to challenges businesses are facing. I have the opportunity ahead to learn real estate development and real estate finance from Professor Branch and get better every day here at Scheller.
What are some unique qualities and experiences you bring to Scheller?
Having a construction management background, I have experience working in a fast-paced environment that required me to make quick and informed decisions. I’m a forward-thinking individual that understands what decisions need to be made so as to not impact progress and milestone dates. I believe that my organizational skills have played a major role in my success and I’m excited to bring this quality to the classroom.
What do you want your classmates to know about you?
I want my classmates to know that I can’t wait to learn from their experiences and how they have gotten to this point in their career journey. I like to bring structure and organization to the task at hand. Outside of the classroom and career, I want my classmates to know that I’m a big believer in maintaining physical and mental health via exercise, meditation, and practicing mindfulness. Also, I think it’s important to always teach yourself new things and try out new hobbies.
Mildred Salinas
Pre-MBA role: Staff Consultant, Ernst and Young
Hometown: Mexico City, Mexico
What are you most excited about as you head into the start of the program?
As a MS Quantitative and Computational Finance/MBA dual degree candidate, I have been part of the Scheller community for three semesters already. I am very excited to go back to Scheller to start my MBA. I am looking forward to meeting my new classmates and professors, working on challenging projects, participating in academic events, and joining the clubs and student organizations.
What are some unique qualities and experiences you bring to Scheller?
I am passionate about analyzing complex problems and finding attainable solutions to those problems. I enjoy building models that represent reality in the best possible way, using data and applying mathematical and statistical tools to make sense of the data, and making predictions. I am very excited to bring my technical skills to collaborate with the amazing people in the MBA program. I am eager to learn from my professors and classmates, bring enthusiasm to the classroom, and contribute to building new perspectives to solve business problems.
What do you want your classmates to know about you?
I am originally from Mexico. I enjoy outdoor activities and during the time I have been in Atlanta, I have explored some of the many hiking trails around the area. I think that amazing views and fresh air are the best to relax and recharge.
Carlisle Withers
Pre-MBA role: Lead, Performance and Execution, The Boeing Company
Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia
What are you most excited about as you head into the start of the program?
I am excited to meet my fellow classmates and the entire Scheller community! One of the many reasons I chose Scheller was to surround myself with peers who are looking to develop themselves as the next class of technology leaders. I am looking forward to the opportunity to network and to create a support system of friends and mentors for the rest of my career.
What are some unique qualities and experiences you bring to Scheller?
I am excited to bring my own leadership style to Scheller. I have had diverse experience leading teams on both the sales and supply chain sides of the aerospace aftermarket, with a global perspective supporting all major commercial airlines within the U.S. and Latin America. I have remained committed to leveraging data to empower my team while they sell custom service solutions and provide just-in-time deliveries of critical aerospace parts. These experiences have allowed me to develop a highly technical yet accessible communication style, so I am able to bridge the gap between the customer facing and the operational sides of the business.
What do you want your future classmates to know about you?
I love to play golf. I grew up here in Atlanta playing competitively, and I try to play every weekend if possible. I also am a big foodie - I love cooking and hosting dinners for friends.