Salesforce Dreamforce was the Stage—UC Davis MBA Was the Training Ground

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I've presented technical solutions dozens of times, usually in a conference room of engineers or a Zoom call with stakeholders. But presenting at Salesforce Dreamforce was different—not because of the audience size (it’s the world’s largest and most trusted AI event), but because of what I was trying to explain.

Our session, "How Workday Elevates Performance and User Satisfaction Through the Heroku Platform | TDX 2025," went beyond the technical implementation. It was about why this integration mattered to the business. And honestly, a year ago, I'm not sure I could have made that case effectively.

But standing on the Dreamforce stage, I realized something: my UC Davis MBA experience had not only sharpened my business strategy skills, but it had also taught me how to best communicate technology stories.

When I started my UC Davis Bay Area MBA journey, I was chasing much more than just another credential. As a technology leader at Workday and previously at Delta Dental, I have spent over 17 years in systems architecture. But I realized that to scale my impact, I needed to connect technical depth with strategic thinking.

I could understand the technology, but I couldn't always explain why it mattered to the people who controlled the budget.

That search for perspective led me to UC Davis.

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Three MBA Classes That Changed Everything

The Bay Area Part-Time MBA offered the perfect balance. The weekend classes fit my work schedule, and the curriculum allows me to immediately apply what I learned in class to my day job.

Three courses reshaped how I lead:

1. Articulation and Critical Thinking sharpened my ability to explain complex technical ideas in clear, compelling language. Before this class, I'd present a solution and watch executives' eyes glaze over. Now I start with the business problem, then introduce the technical solution. That shift made all the difference when presenting at Salesforce TDX and Dreamforce.
    
2. Financial Accounting gave me a new lens for connecting technology initiatives to financial impact. I now think not only in terms of architecture and performance but also ROI and value creation. When I propose a new integration, I can speak the CFO's language.
    
3. The Individual and Group Dynamics helped me understand what drives high-performing teams. It's not just about assigning tasks—it's about trust, communication and motivation. I apply these lessons daily when leading cross-functional initiatives where engineers need to collaborate with business analysts who speak an entirely different language.

Balancing a Full-Time Job and Part-Time B-School

Managing both roles requires real commitment. There are nights when I'm reviewing case studies after putting in a full day at Workday. There are weekends when I'm in class instead of hiking with friends.

But the UC Davis structure makes it achievable. The experience has taught me that balance isn't about doing everything at once—it's about being intentional. Whether I'm troubleshooting a production issue or leading a group case study, I focus on impact over activity.

My classmates face the same challenges. Unlike other programs, UC Davis brings together diverse professionals who share the same drive to bridge business and technology. They've become partners in growth, not just peers. We text each other at odd hours, share study notes and celebrate wins together.

If you're considering an MBA while working full-time, choose a program that challenges both your logic and your empathy.

UC Davis has expanded my lens from managing systems to leading strategies—from thinking in technical layers to operating with business clarity. The professors push you to think differently, and the collaborative environment makes it clear you're not doing this alone.

When I stood on that Dreamforce stage, I wasn't just presenting technology. I was telling its business story. I explained how we built it, why it mattered, what problems it solved and what value it created.

That confidence, that clarity, that ability to bridge worlds? That came directly from my MBA experience.

Now in my second year of my MBA, I can see the transformation clearly. Great leaders don't just solve problems. They build bridges between people, data and ideas.

And that's exactly what I came here to do.

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