Jillian Pascoe
Michigan State University, Eli Broad College of Business
Age: 38
“Proud boy mom, wife, and data-driven leader balancing strategy decks, bedtime stories, and big ideas.”
Hometown: Clarkston, MI
Family Members: My husband Tom and our six-year-old son, Henry – my biggest cheerleaders and constant source of joy.
Fun fact about yourself: I am slightly embarrassed to admit that one of my favorite hobbies is paint-by-numbers. My love for it began when I painted one as a joke gift for a ‘White Elephant’ holiday gift exchange. Now, I genuinely enjoy it. They are very calming and surprisingly impressive on the wall.
Undergraduate School and Degree: Wayne State University, B.A in Public Relations
Where are you currently working? Stellantis, Director of Customer Data & Analytics
Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles:
- Pilates enthusiast, (very) amateur painter, explorer of all beauty and wellness trends
- MSU Broad Enterprise Leadership Academy Fellow
- Adcraft Detroit member
- Executive Coaching participant
- Internship program mentor, Stellantis
- Active community volunteer, Notre Dame Preparatory Parent-Volunteer Program
Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? Being selected by my executive leadership team at Stellantis to receive a full scholarship to Michigan State University’s EMBA program is the academic achievement I’m most proud of. It was more than financial support – it was a meaningful vote of confidence in my potential and future as a leader. That trust fueled my drive throughout the program. It also reminded me that when others believe in you, it can unlock a new level of belief in yourself.
What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? I’m most proud of proactively stepping up to support my team during our manager’s transition into a larger leadership role because I believed in her vision and cared deeply about our team’s success. I did this while juggling the demands of the EMBA program and absorbing everything I could to help me find my groove as a developing leader. By operating at the next level before holding the title, my promotion to director became a natural and well-earned step.
Who was your favorite MBA professor? What I loved most about our EMBA professors was the real-world experience they brought to the classroom. Our Special Topics in Business course was co-taught by Professor Archer, CMO of Baker Hill, and Dr. Sheard, CIO of Westmont College. The content was directly applicable to my day-to-day work. Some of the most memorable assignments involved readings from Enchantment by Guy Kawasaki, a book about how to influence, inspire, and build lasting relationships through authentic leadership and communication. I ended up reading it cover-to-cover in one sitting. It completely reframed how I think about authentic leadership. All of the tools, readings and lessons Professor Archer and Dr. Sheard provided continue to shape how I show up professionally.
Why did you choose this school’s executive MBA program? I chose Michigan State’s EMBA program for several reasons. What initially drew me in was that many of the people whose careers I admire most are MSU alumni, including several EMBA grads. After meeting the EMBA faculty – especially Amy Yousif Joa, Associate Director, and Cheri DeClercq, Assistant Dean – I felt confident this program was the right fit for me. The faculty genuinely cares about each student, both personally and professionally, which was an invaluable part of my success throughout the program.
What is the biggest lesson you gained during your MBA and how did you apply it at work? During my EMBA, I was deeply committed to my growth, and Executive Coaching became one of the most impactful experiences. As part of the process, I selected colleagues, including leaders, peers, and direct reports, to complete an anonymous Leadership 360 assessment on how they viewed me as a leader.
The feedback surprised me, but not in the way I had expected. I scored highest in the traits I believed I lacked, and it was eye-opening to realize others saw me as a far more confident and capable leader than I saw myself.
With my coach’s guidance, I shifted my focus from fixing perceived weaknesses to embracing the strengths I already had. These traits had been quietly shaping my leadership but had not reached their full potential, because I hadn’t recognized them as my strengths.
That mindset shift was not easy, but it changed everything. I now approach my career with greater clarity and confidence, an empowering lesson I would not have learned without Executive Coaching.
Give us a story during your time as an executive MBA on how you were able to juggle work, family and education? There were many weeks during the EMBA program when everything seemed to collide – intense work deadlines, demanding school projects, and the day-to-day of parenting. One week during the final module stands out: I had just been made lead on a major product investment evaluation and was juggling final projects in what was easily the heaviest workload semester. This was on top of managing everything at home while my husband was out of town for work. I was really feeling the pressure. I made it through with late nights, early mornings, and the unwavering support of my in-laws, who stepped in without hesitation. Their help – not just that week, but throughout the entire program – was invaluable. I learned that balancing life’s demands doesn’t mean doing it alone, it’s knowing when to lean on your village and giving yourself the grace to let go of perfection.
What was your biggest regret in business school? I wish I took more time to fully soak it all in. The program goes by so fast, and it’s easy to stay focused on deliverables and deadlines. Looking back, the real value came from the conversations, the late-night debates, and the moments between classes. I’m grateful for all of it, I just wish I had paused more often to appreciate it in real time.
Which MBA classmate do you most admire? I truly admire everyone in my cohort for different reasons, but the classmate who inspired me most is Maritza Ovalle Aguilar. As a young woman, she immigrated to the U.S. without her immediate family, driven by a belief that her dreams were bigger than the opportunities available to her at home. She taught me a lot about determination and courage, and that will always stick with me.
What was the main reason you chose an executive MBA program over part-time or online alternatives? As a mother and dedicated professional, I knew that if I was going to dedicate so much time to something, I had to be very intentional in my decision. I chose an in-person EMBA program because I wanted to be surrounded by and learn from accomplished, driven peers who were in a similar stage of life – people who would both challenge and motivate me. And they did exactly that.
How did you finance your EMBA and what did you do to make tuition and associated costs more affordable? I was incredibly fortunate to be selected by my executive leadership team at Stellantis to receive a full scholarship. Their investment in my growth was both humbling and motivating, and it fueled my commitment to bring back immediate value to the organization throughout the program.
What is your ultimate long-term professional goal? My ultimate goal is to become a Chief Marketing Officer. I aim to be the kind of leader who not only delivers measurable results, but also builds a culture where people feel valued, empowered and connected.
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