Jessica Angier, MSBA '19
“Curiosity drives my love and excitement with data and analytics,” says Jessica Angier, who has built her career on managing and building data-oriented systems and co-founded Hybrid Intelligence, a business data-enablement software company, in 2008. “There is no greater rush than digging into a heap of data, uncovering patterns, and creating a story from the insights we can squeeze out.”
She credits that same curiosity—paired with a field that is rapidly evolving and her drive to stay up to date with the current trends—with her decision to pursue an MSBA with Stern. “I selected NYU Stern to help me better understand data science capabilities and how to evolve the offerings of Hybrid Intelligence to satisfy those needs in the marketplace. I anticipated the degree would add value, provide credibility, relevant course work, access to professors who are leaders in data science, and access to an entire network of cohorts in the field.”
The program delivered in each of these anticipated ways, and Jessica recalls getting wrapped up in the “exciting” first week of coursework. “The courses were broad enough to cover many topics, providing a launching pad to pursue or dive deeper into the topics that were most applicable to each student personally,” she says.
Soon after Jessica began the program, Hybrid Intelligence was acquired by TABS Analytics, a technology-enabled analytics firm, and within the first weeks after the acquisition, Jessica was able to connect the knowledge from her coursework on data mining and building models with the TABS team’s predictive analytics on pricing and promotional optimization. “Every day I use something that I learned from the program,” she says and adds that her experience with Stern ignited a hunger for continued learning. “Since graduating I have sought and undertaken countless additional topics of study in related areas and cannot seem to get enough. At work, I push harder to get more information, research accordingly, and am constantly looking for ways to share the information across the organization.”
A hands-down highlight of the program was the opportunity to connect and work alongside a cohort of experienced data-minded individuals. “I cannot even begin to express what the relationships and experiences in the cohort have provided me with, and I have such admiration for so many of them. Through them, I learned even more about myself and my capabilities.”
Jessica has kept in close contact with many students in her cohort and has created relationships with many others from previous graduating classes. “These individuals have provided a sounding board for ideas where I am able to meet up regularly, ask questions, engage in great discussions on all things analytics, and feel I have made some life-long friends,” she says. “Additionally, the Stern MSBA provides a network of not just the cohorts from your graduation year, but the past, present, and future. There are so many opportunities to pursue this diverse network, which spans industries, countries, and areas of expertise.”
When considering what she might say to a student considering embarking on the Stern MSBA journey, she is quick to highlight the value add for her own career and the unique opportunity to engage with like-minded colleagues. “This is that rare opportunity in life where you will be surrounded by so many data-centric individuals and you need to take advantage of that. This is the time you will learn about other industries, other applications of data, and how people are embracing the digital transformation. That learning has provided me the ability to think more creatively with data issues at my own company and has provided me the knowledge to better push for what the company needs to be striving for in the future.”
Jessica recalls the pride she felt as the purple and white confetti swirled overhead during the graduation ceremony, as she sat next to once-strangers-turned-classmates-turned friends, with her husband and two young daughters in the audience. She reflected on the journey—from the challenges, the knowledge she gained, the invaluable network of cohorts and professors, and the success of the recent acquisition of Hybrid Intelligence. “With hard work, determination, a little bit of hope, and the collaboration of brilliant people, anything is possible,” she concluded. “I’d learned so much more than just the coursework and the knowledge in data analytics; I had built a network of trusted counterparts that I can rely on forever.”