Joanna Ka-Wai Poon, (BSBA, ’19; MBA, ‘20)
"The Lam Family College of Business gave me the tools I needed to become successful in all my aspirations and career, while the community gave me a chance to explore and work in unique scenarios and connected me with colleagues around the world.”
Joanna Ka-Wai Poon earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a Concentration in Management and Information Systems from San Francisco State University in Spring 2019. She currently works as a Marketing Manager for a small tech company in the Bay Area. Completing her undergraduate degree with dual concentrations allowed Joanna to balance her soft and technical skills to become successful in her current position – even without extensive experience in the field of marketing. She holds a strong appreciation for management and information systems and the skills acquired in her undergraduate coursework will forever be an asset in her career development.
Earning an MBA was always one of her academic goals. In Fall 2020, Joanna completed her MBA studies in the Lam Family College of Business. The MBA program further solidified her desire to seek education that she enjoyed and allowed her to continue building her professional resume. While employed in a marketing role, Joanna completed a number of graduate marketing classes as a part of her MBA to further develop high level, strategic thinking in this discipline. Thanks to the College, she is confident that she has the tools needed to advance in her career.
Rachel Artz, Sustainable Business (MBA, ’12)
"The tools I learned and the people I met at SF State's Lam Family College of Business put me on the pathway to my career.”
Rachel Artz was looking for a summer internship when she was referred to Career Services by Marketing Professor Subodh Baht. “With so many candidates applying to highly sought-after internship positions, it was extremely beneficial and valuable to have the support of the Lam Family College of Business” After receiving an email about an internship opportunity, Rachel applied at Vine Connections, a premium wine importer and broker. During her internship, she was the project manager for a new sustainable distribution channel of keg sake. After graduating, Rachel was hired full time as the marketing manager. Today, she leads the strategy process for new and re-branded products.
Shar Behzadian (MBA, ‘14)
“The Lam Family College of Business prepared me for the journey of entrepreneurship by honing my strategic thinking skills in an international and diverse context.”
Originally from Iran, Shar Behzadian moved to the United States and earned her MBA with an emphasis in Marketing from SF State in 2014. As a graduate student, she founded the student group SF Design Lab that focused on design thinking, and cultivating creativity and entrepreneurship. Access to the SF State alumni network provided her with a great advantage to entering the start-up world.
After graduating in 2014, she traveled to Oaxaca, Mexico, and became inspired to recreate the joy of authentic traveling. She wanted every newcomer to live like a local wherever they went. From this desire, she founded World Inside Out, a company that builds communities to simplify local living for international students and expats. World Inside Out is located in San Francisco and Shar has plans to expand to multiple locations.