Regina Diego, EMBA ‘23 Candidate, knew that to grow, she needed to move outside her comfort zone, and she decided an Executive MBA was just the challenge she needed to take her career forward.

“I wanted to go to the next level, so it felt like the right time to continue my education and elevate my potential,” says Diego, Distribution Center Manager at NRI Distribution Inc. in Surrey, B.C.

Diego's motivation to pursue an EMBA stemmed from her desire to reach the next level in her career. She sought a challenge that would enable her to learn and grow, with the ultimate goal of securing a seat at the table. Diego opted for Ivey because it offered a unique curriculum that included an international trip and in-person segments once a month, providing her with exposure to diverse perspectives and experiences.

Imposter Syndrome had been on her mind when she started the program. Initially, Diego was intimidated by her more experienced classmates, but she found the program's inclusive and collaborative environment reassuring. The case-based approach and experiential learning methodology helped her gain new insights and perspectives on complex problems, providing a “more comprehensive and robust understanding than what a textbook could offer.”

“I was the only one in distribution and warehousing, so it was pretty intimidating that first week. But I got to know the other people in the program, and there were no titles; everybody was there to learn,” she says.

“Everybody had input and diverse ideas. And that was the type of experience that I was looking for, where you get different points of view, different thinking -- that's what I need to go to the next level.”

The demands of the program and travel requirements have also given Diego some super-charged time management skills.

“Just the fact that I have to fly to Toronto and make sure that I plan my week leading up to the trip so I can immerse myself into that module and go offline from work, means I have to stay more organized than ever,” she says.

But the juggling act is worth it, Diego says, because even just a few months into her EMBA, she feels her thinking is already broader. She’s also been able to solidify her view of the type of leader she’d like to be.

“The EMBA opened my mind up to a different view, and I love the whole conversation during class, the debate during class, just because you learn so much more that way.”