After graduating early from University of California, Santa Barbara, Katie Kamnetz worked as a resort sales manager for a few years before moving to Chicago to start her career at 3M.
She eventually moved back to California to work as 3M’s Area Business Manager for the northern California territory. During her time at 3M, Katie’s growing interest in corporate strategy motivated her to take her education to the next level. She chose the Executive MBA program at San Francisco State University, College of Business because of its vibrant location, accommodating weekend schedule, and practical coursework relevant to real-world business situations she tackled at work on a regular basis.
As Katie worked toward her EMBA, 3M opened a Global Sales Excellence Leader position in Minnesota. The position, which entailed developing sales strategies to be deployed on a global scale, struck Katie’s interest. Despite the difficulties she would face commuting to school from Minnesota to California, Katie’s career ambition inspired her to take the job.
For six months, Katie flew back and forth between Minnesota, Europe, and San Francisco, juggling work, business trips, classes, and homework. During her time in San Francisco, Katie stayed with friends, occasionally booking a hotel close to campus. Managing her priorities was no easy task – changing time zones and time constraints made group work difficult, but supportive coworkers, classmates, and friends, coupled with her grit and determination, pushed Katie to continue with the program. Katie stated, “I loved the schedule and location of the SFSU EMBA. I could keep my job but also develop.”
In July 2018, Katie successfully completed her EMBA at San Francisco State University, College of Business. She plans to continue her career at 3M, a company she loves, where she collaborates with a talented team she enjoys working with. “Honestly, I am really enjoying what I am doing right now. With school being over, I am looking forward to focusing more on how I can make the biggest impact for our business next year,” commented Katie.