First-year MBA student and Kilts Fellow Lorena Prates shares insights from the Kilts Center’s “Ask Alumni Why Product and Brand” event. Interactive sessions with Booth alumni from Microsoft, Meta, and Suja Life gave students a behind-the-scenes look at careers in product and brand management.
The Kilts Center’s “Ask Alumni Why Product and Brand” event this fall was more than a career panel—it was a backstage pass to the worlds of product management (PM), product marketing management (PMM), and brand management through the eyes of seasoned Booth alumni. Engaging directly with leaders from Microsoft, Meta, and Suja Life offered students a rare glimpse into the dynamic challenges and rewards of these roles.
Jessica Peet (Class of ’14), a Partner (General Manager) of PM at Microsoft, gave a powerful reminder of the need for resilience and curiosity in carving out a meaningful career. Having transitioned from consumer goods to tech, she shared a valuable lesson: “You can do anything if you’re curious.” Jessica emphasized how her curiosity kept her moving through industry shifts and challenges. From her brand management days at Amazon, she learned the importance of understanding human motivation to create meaningful products. Now at Microsoft, she applies this insight daily, focusing on the user above all else.
Joel Rabinowitz (Class of ’19), Product Marketing Manager at Meta, shared insights into the fast-moving tech space, describing PMM as the “voice of the product to the market” and “voice of the market to the product.” His journey from CPG to tech showed how foundational consumer insights are, whether in brand strategy or the rapid pivots demanded by tech. Joel’s advice was simple but resonant: “Focus, cut out the noise, and learn to prioritize.” He consistently applies this key lesson learned at Booth to his dynamic role at Meta.
Jamie Berle (Class of ’17), Director of Brand Marketing at Suja Life, brought the CPG world into focus. Jamie highlighted the satisfaction of working on brands people use daily. In CPG, she’s found cross-functional collaboration essential, engaging not only with marketing but also with finance, sales, and supply chain teams. Moving from Mars to Suja Life was a personal search to reconnect with her values. There, she found greater alignment with her passion for health and wellness, showing that brand management can be as much about personal growth as it is about market growth.
At Booth, events like this bring us face-to-face with real-life career paths, where we see the impact of curiosity, flexibility, and a user-centered approach from those who’ve already paved the way. It’s an experience that goes beyond the classroom, giving us not just career insights but invaluable guidance on how to navigate and grow within these fields.
For me, this event not only clarified the differences between PM, PMM, and brand management but also provided actionable insights into the skills and mindsets I need to develop. Hearing first hand stories from alumni who have navigated these paths reinforced the importance of curiosity, resilience, and strategic thinking in building a meaningful career. As I consider my own future in these fields, I’m grateful for opportunities like these at Booth that deepen my understanding and guide my professional journey.
Students had the opportunity to interact with alumni industry leaders including Jamie Berle ’17 (Suja Life), Jessica Peet ’14 (Microsoft) Joel Rabinowitz ’19 (Meta)
