Jessica M. Griffin
Arizona State University, W. P. Carey School of Business
Age: 37
“I am a faith-rooted intellectual who processes life out loud and makes complex ideas accessible.”
Hometown: Phoenix, Arizona
Family Members: Phoenix is full of family for me, with my husband, parents, grandmother, siblings, nieces, and nephews all located within a 15-minute drive.
Fun fact about yourself: I’m a bit of a nerd who likes reading both research papers and science fiction for fun.
Undergraduate School and Degree:
Undergraduate: Northern Arizona University, Bachelor’s degrees in Advertising and Photography, 2010
Where are you currently working? Marriott International, Director of Analytics
Extracurricular Activities, Community Work, and Leadership Roles: I have spent most of the past two years focused on my EMBA program. I recently took up running, and now that my program is finished, I plan to return to writing poetry and attending local open mic nights.
Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? I was honored to receive the Dean’s medal for my academic work. But I am most proud of running my first Spartan race with Jen, Jo, Chase, and Mo from my cohort. When I decided to sign up with them, I couldn’t run more than 30 seconds at a time. But with four months of training, I gained enough strength to finish my first-ever race. The MBA was an investment in my career, but my classmates helped me invest in my health.
What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? I am most proud of leading my operations team through the Marriott-Starwood merger from 2016 to 2018. After the merger, a third of my team received promotions, including one who took over my role when I moved to analytics. There is nothing better than seeing the people you lead succeed.
Who was your favorite MBA professor? Reynold Byers, who taught statistics, was my favorite. He elevated the material above the formulas to discuss how bias can shape different stories from the same data and how important it is to select the right metrics to drive the right behavior. He took time to ensure everyone understood the material and was intentional about including online students in the class discussions.
Why did you choose this school’s executive MBA program? I have worked remotely for 14 of my 15 years with Marriott. It was important to me to attend an in-person program to develop my presentation skills and executive presence. ASU was an easy choice because it is the largest school in the city, offers multiple in-person tracks, and has a reputation for innovation.
What is the biggest lesson you gained during your MBA, and how did you apply it at work? The best negotiation style for repeated games is collaboration. The negotiation class changed the way I show up at work. I identified that my typical styles were avoidance or competition. When I became more collaborative, I was included in more meetings and had significantly more influence. I was no longer trying to defend myself or fight for my point of view. I was now focused on helping everyone on the team succeed.
Give us a story during your time as an executive MBA on how you were able to juggle work, family, and education. A few months before the program, my husband and I decided that he would take on most of the housework. We spent several months reviewing the mental load and the physical tasks. This allowed him to learn not just how to do the work, but also how to manage the process proactively. By taking on the housework, I freed up mental space to focus on my work and education. The process showed me that regardless of whether people are single, married, or have children, asking for help makes the journey more sustainable.
What advice would you give to a student looking to enter an executive MBA program? Your time will be precious. Take 4 or 8 weeks before the start of the program to work on whatever you are weaker at, either Excel spreadsheets or writing papers. You will be doing both in the program. But shoring up your weak area means that you can focus on the material instead of figuring out how to write a formula or how to push through writer’s block.
What was your biggest regret in business school? I focused heavily on completing all the academic work, and I learned a lot along the way. But the trade-off was that I spent less time in extracurriculars, I missed connecting with my cohort outside of the program, and turned down a volunteer opportunity.
What is one way that your business school has integrated AI into its programming? What insights did you gain from using AI? The program included one required AI class, one elective class, and a discount on the AI in Business certificate. I took advantage of every one of them. The elective gave me the tools to understand how AI works, enabling me to iterate with it and validate its outputs. I now regularly document and share my AI processes with my colleagues.
What was the main reason you chose an executive MBA program over part-time or online alternatives? I have worked remotely for 14 of my 15 years with Marriott. It was important to me to attend an in-person program to develop my in-person presentation skills and executive presence. I was able to do both. The interplay of working closely with classmates I respected and receiving their respect in return boosted my confidence and helped quiet that voice that told me I was an imposter.
How did you finance your EMBA, and what did you do to make tuition and associated costs more affordable? I began planning to attend a master’s program in late 2022. After an unexpected promotion, I delayed a year. I used the extra time to save up my bonuses. This enabled me to pay half the tuition in cash and half through student loans. I also received a small amount of tuition reimbursement from my company.
What is your ultimate long-term professional goal? My long-term goal is to lead an analytics organization that shapes strategy through accessible and innovative analysis. I have deeply valued the in-person aspects of collaboration I experienced through the EMBA and, in the long term, hope to return to an on-site leadership role in Phoenix, perhaps with a mission-driven nonprofit.
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