May 31, 2024

Center for Global Affairs Alumni Spotlight: Katie Kokkinos

M.S. in Global Affairs ‘12

Concentration in Energy & Environment

Currently, Katie is a Director of Strategy & Business Operations at Unum.

What makes you proud to be an alum?
Each interaction I have with CGA faculty, alumni, and staff leaves me feeling inspired - the quality of the people who make up this program - in terms of intellectual capacity, relatable, personable, and empathetic personalities, and meaningful accomplishments in professional and personal lives - is top-notch.

What are your main areas of responsibility in your current role?
Product design and strategy, operational design of business and product development processes, vendor management.

How did your time at the CGA help prepare you for this role?
An immediate example that comes to mind is my involvement in the Scenarios Initiative. Much of the strategy work I do today involves scenario-building in order to make a compelling business case. For the last year, I have been working to build a product strategy to launch a new product in the market. Having a thorough understanding of the market landscape, organizational dynamics, and business priorities is necessary in creating any plausible go-to-market product launch strategy. The creative and systematic thinking that we used at CGA in building out future scenarios, shaped by a mature and informed understanding of the political, economic, and social environment, has prepared me for the work I am doing today for my product strategy role.


Related Articles