Jonathan Jean-Pierre (JJP)
Duke University, Fuqua School of Business
Age: 32
“Driven leader passionate about people, innovation, and creating impactful change globally for communities and organizations.”
Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
Family Members: Claribel Sanchez (mother), brothers: Andre Jean-Pierre, Matthew Louis, and Joshua Louis (all three police officers in the New York Police Department)
Fun fact about yourself: I am one of the first two program alumni elected to serve on the Board of Directors of Fiver Children’s Foundation (“Fiver”) in its 25-year history. This is particularly meaningful because Fiver is an award-winning youth development organization, making a ten-year commitment to children from underserved communities across New York City and Central New York. I have been part of the Fiver community for 25 years, starting at the age of eight. The program includes a year-round, research-based leadership development program, as well as a 2-4 week residential summer camp experience focused on character development. Fiver’s model is effective, as evidenced by their over 1,700 program alumni, a 100% high school graduation rate each year, and 90% or more of program graduates attending college or enrolling in the military, who are now industry leaders across the globe from boardrooms to nonprofits.
Undergraduate School and Degree: Lehigh University, BA in Africana and Global Studies; Temple University at the Fox School of Business, MS in Human Resources (HR) Management
Where are you currently working? I am the Global People Strategy and Programs Lead for Google’s Hardware, Platforms, and AI businesses.
Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles: Board Secretary and Chair of the People Strategy Committee at Fiver Children’s Foundation; Tom and Heather Tucker Visionary Award Recipient; Duke Graduate Student Government DEI Director; Duke President’s Black Advisory Council; Duke Board of Trustees Racial Equity Advisory Council; Lehigh 10 Under 10; member of the Peer 150 (HR council); and Member of the LGBTQ+ Association of Board Directors.
Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? I am most proud of being the first Executive MBA student elected as a graduate student senator and subsequently nominated and appointed as the DEI Director. In this role, I collaborated across the university and Durham community – from the Duke president and administration to hundreds of graduate students, local community members, and alumni – to develop our first DEI strategy for graduate students. This involved establishing a grant program that provided funding for dozens of graduate students and clubs across Duke to attend conferences, bringing DEI learnings back to the university. The program also offered research grants for international research work and resources for innovative programs, such as podcasts and community events, including SAT and tutoring for local Durham students.
Beyond grants, we hosted impactful, belonging-focused events, including a 600-person holiday celebration with local nonprofits and students. We also expanded our anti-hate and discrimination policies and revamped student services to foster equity and inclusion. Despite the current challenges in the DEI landscape, the strategy and community built through this work have had a lasting positive impact on Duke and our local community. I continue to advocate for our community in my role on the President’s Black Advisory Council and the Duke Racial Equity Task Force, a subcommittee of the Board of Trustees.
What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? In my HR career, few companies have redefined the field and set global industry standards as significantly as Google. In my previous role as an HR corporate strategist in the Office of the Chief People Officer, I helped shape Google’s HR transformation strategy. This involved collaborating with hundreds of leaders, Googlers, and external HR experts to reimagine the future of HR, people practices, and our operating model, leveraging AI — a natural fit for Google, given its leading AI technology, Gemini. The CEO and CFO approved this investment strategy, and it is currently in its second year of implementation. Notably, nonprofits, companies, and social institutions are drawing insights from our strategy development and approach to transform their own people functions, aiming to redefine their people experiences and amplify their impact on customers, users, and the communities they serve.
Why did you choose this school’s executive MBA program? As a first-generation college student aspiring to earn an MBA, I sought a program that offered a truly immersive experience beyond typical part-time and online formats. Fuqua’s Executive MBA immediately felt different. The strong sense of community and the emphasis on leadership development through team-based core courses and programs resonated deeply with me, differentiating the program from many top business schools globally.
The monthly residencies weren’t just academic; they were opportunities to forge lifelong bonds through shared experiences, such as Duke basketball games and class events led by students in the program. The program’s flexibility, allowing for global study, electives across Fuqua and Duke, on-campus recruiting, hands-on leadership roles in clubs and committees, and even independent research and consulting projects with leading faculty, was a significant draw. The genuine “Team Fuqua” culture, where students, staff, and alumni support each other and create an inclusive community, was a key part of my experience. Ultimately, the extraordinary community of individuals I connected with during my decision-making process – their willingness to assist, even amidst significant personal events – solidified my choice.
What is the biggest lesson you gained during your MBA and how did you apply it at work? The biggest lesson from my MBA was the profound importance of understanding and owning my leadership style, coupled with strong communication and influence skills, to effectively lead and make tough decisions. While hard skills are foundational, Fuqua’s leadership series and team projects provided a crucial environment for developing the confidence to communicate effectively, collaborate with senior leaders, and empower those around me in challenging situations.
Growing up without significant diverse representation in leadership roles and often being told to simply “work hard,” the program taught me that I could lead authentically and develop a new approach to leading in senior roles. At Google, this translated directly into my ability to take on and excel in a global strategy role, influencing multi-million-dollar investment decisions alongside C-suite executives through strategy and executive presence. My enhanced leadership confidence also led to my election as Secretary on the board of a leading nonprofit, where I work with Fortune 100 executives to elevate Fiver Children’s Foundation and its impact.
Give us a story during your time as an executive MBA on how you were able to juggle work, family and education? The Executive MBA program was intentionally challenging, especially as someone new to business education while working full-time. Dean Karen Courtney’s opening thoughts during orientation — that the program would be life-changing and demanding — proved true. It required a constant balancing act between a rigorous course load, intense weekly group projects that often stretched into late nights and weekends, and personal commitments.
The strong sense of community at Fuqua was also instrumental in helping me navigate these demands. Towards the end of my final term, I faced a particularly challenging period, marked by surgery, a significant family loss, and unexpected professional demands, all of which coincided with my capstone project, final exams, and an international immersion experience. It was my classmates who became my lifeline, stepping up for group assignments, offering unwavering support through difficult times, and simply being there when I needed a shoulder to lean on. This experience, though incredibly demanding, underscored the invaluable support system within the Fuqua community and made the entire journey worthwhile.
What was your biggest regret in business school? Looking back, my biggest regret was not having more time to fully immerse myself in every opportunity the Executive MBA program, Fuqua, and Duke offered, mainly due to the demands of my full-time role. Balancing a demanding job with the significant investment required for the program meant making constant trade-offs in how deeply I could engage in various aspects, from extracurricular activities to networking events. While this was a regret, I also recognize that the constrained environment of an Executive MBA inherently requires prioritization and trade-offs — valuable skills that I developed and appreciate from my Fuqua experience.
Which MBA classmate do you most admire? I admire my MBA classmate, Tim Miller. From our very first week, during a rainy leadership simulation, Tim’s exceptional intellect and leadership qualities were evident to my team and the entire cohort. As a military veteran with a background as a pilot in special missions, Tim brought a level of strategic thinking and composure that was invaluable in every tough assignment and situation we encountered as a team.
In the classroom, he effortlessly tackled complex problems and organized challenging cases, consistently guiding our team to find the best solution that pushed our thinking and ways of working. Beyond his academic prowess, Tim was a consistent source of support and a mentor who helped me refine my leadership style. Despite a demanding executive career after his military service, his commitment to his family and community was inspiring. This ranged from participating in national military fundraisers to being the supportive dad at almost every game for his kids who competed across the country. Tim embodies grace, compassion, and the ability to excel in all facets of life, making him someone I admire and wish everyone could have on their team, whether as a leader or a partner.
What was the main reason you chose an executive MBA program over part-time or online alternatives? My primary reason for choosing an Executive MBA over part-time or fully online programs was the desire for an immersive and hands-on experience that wouldn’t interrupt my career progression at Google. Having witnessed the impact of top-tier MBA programs through the interns I supported over the summers, I knew that an MBA was a crucial investment, providing both intangible and tangible benefits that last a lifetime.
However, I sought a program that went beyond just classes and a degree. Fuqua’s Executive MBA stood out as a “hidden gem,” offering the ideal blend of in-person and hybrid learning, immersive on-campus experiences, and the opportunity to complete the degree in two years, allowing me to accelerate my career trajectory. Unlike the often class-centric and longer duration of part-time programs, Fuqua’s Executive MBA offered a more holistic and accelerated path, offering the same education and experiences as its full-time MBA program without requiring me to put my career on pause to receive a Duke education.
How did you finance your EMBA, and what did you do to make tuition and associated costs more affordable? Financing my degree was a significant consideration. Fortunately, Fuqua’s tuition was comparatively lower than that of many leading programs, and I was fortunate enough to receive a generous scholarship from Fuqua recognizing my leadership contributions. Additionally, Google’s tuition assistance program covered over a third of the costs. Leveraging Google’s student loan repayment benefit and the compensation offered through stock grants further helped offset some of the expenses associated with business school, including international immersions and off-campus activities with classmates. While it was a substantial investment, the early returns have been significant, and I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything.
What is your ultimate long-term professional goal? Initially, I envisioned pivoting to management consulting after my MBA. However, the diverse experiences and connections gained during the program sparked a new entrepreneurial ambition. My long-term goal is to become the global CEO of my own HR consulting and technology company, Leapwise HR, which I plan to launch this year (You can follow my founder’s journey and learn more on Instagram at @leapwisehr and on my account, @jjp.ceo). Our website, leapwisehr.com, is coming soon. Beyond building a global enterprise, I aspire to establish a venture capital fund that focuses on investing in underrepresented entrepreneurs, drawing on my own experience navigating these challenges. Ultimately, I also aim to expand my philanthropic work with Fiver Children’s Foundation on a global scale, impacting the lives of underserved youth worldwide and empowering the next generation of leaders, both here and abroad.
DON’T MISS: BEST & BRIGHTEST EXECUTIVE MBAS: CLASS OF 2025
© Copyright 2025 Poets & Quants. All rights reserved. This article may not be republished, rewritten or otherwise distributed without written permission. To reprint or license this article or any content from Poets & Quants, please submit your request HERE.
