At SPS Jennifer...
- Found the skills to drive innovation forward
- Got the mentorship to steer her ambition
- Learned to be creative at problem solving
- Used what she studied to ignite her career
- Launched a new product and got a promotion
You were already working at Starwood when you came to SPS. What drove that decision?
I had a background in business from the University of Virginia and four years of public relations experience at Starwood. But what I really wanted was to quench my curiosity about innovation, and how to drive ideas forward. The Executive M.S. in Communications offered a varied curriculum and the faculty turned out to be a gold mine.
You became a change agent at your job. Tell us about that project.
We had been doing some research on customer satisfaction. We heard this from conference organizers, ‘If you can make your chairs more comfortable, we’d do more business with you.’ At first it seemed too expensive, but I pitched the concept of revamping the meeting chair and then proposed a student design competition. Once the idea was approved, Starwood partnered with Pratt Institute for the Starwood Meeting Chair Re-imagined design competition.
What was the outcome of that project for you?
It’s been quite a ride! I helped position Starwood as an innovator and design-led company. We used storytelling to get our message across in sticky ways, using video and digital content. The chairs were rolled out with great fanfare, and I got to be at the center of the entire strategic plan and business results. Since then, I’ve been promoted twice and now serve as the director of global brand management.
How did Columbia SPS help you in all this?
Career advancement and mentorship were not the only things that made the program valuable. It was enriching to be part of such innovative thinkers. I had three professors who not only guided me through the program, but once I finished my studies, Frank Oswald, Mark Truss and Jane Praeger continue to shape my thinking to this day. They’ve been my go-to resources after I completed the Masters. With their help I approach new challenges in my career with this thought in mind…’How can we think about this differently?
