Catherine Cooper

Catherine Cooper always knew Cal Poly was the perfect place to advance her education. After earning her B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing and a minor in Spanish, she pursued an MSBA to build technical skills that complemented her business background.

“I really enjoyed my undergraduate education at Cal Poly and wanted to learn more technical skills to supplement my business degree,” she shared. The MSBA program provided her with the tools to excel in a technical and professional environment.

During her MSBA experience, Catherine gained real-world insights working hands-on with companies like Oracle and Pearce Services. One of her favorite courses was Lean Operations Management, where she collaborated with Firestone Walker Brewing Company to analyze and improve their brewing processes using lean six sigma principles. “It was exciting to work with a local business and see how data impacts different industries,” she said.

Outside the classroom, Catherine stayed active in leadership roles. During her undergraduate years, she served as the Head of Marketing for the Orfalea College of Business Ambassadors and as the Panhellenic Delegate for her sorority. These experiences laid a foundation for her collaborative and leadership skills, which she continued to develop in the MSBA program.

Since graduating, Catherine has built an impressive career at Adobe as a Program Manager in Adobe Customer Solutions. Her role involves orchestrating technology product launches, which bridges the gap between stakeholders and technical teams to achieve client goals. Catherine’s accomplishments include earning multiple Adobe Sales Achievement Awards and participating in the Women Executive Shadowing Program in 2023.

Her advice to incoming students? “Lean into what you’re good at and enjoy. If you’re passionate about your work, it’s so much more rewarding. Find a mentor who can guide you—they’ll offer wisdom that’s invaluable.”

Catherine hopes to continue growing in her career and plans to pivot into product management while applying the skills and experiences she gained at Cal Poly.

This profile was published in the Winter of 2024.