Tory Paez

Georgetown University, McDonough School of Business

“A passionate changemaker and feminist, working to maximize every second of my time on Earth.”

Hometown: Cleveland, Ohio

Fun Fact About Yourself: After living two years on a very remote fishing island in Costa Rica, I am now a pro at deveining shrimp!

Undergraduate School and Major: Miami University (Ohio) – Business Management & Organizations

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: United States Peace Corps – Community Economic Development Advisor

Prior to the Peace Corps, I worked as a Customer Experience Consultant at West Monroe Partners, a business management and technology consulting firm for nearly four years.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: While serving on the volunteer-led Gender and Development Committee in the Peace Corps, I led the effort to design an innovative national Science Technology Engineering Math (STEM) club curriculum for girls. Prior to Peace Corps, I worked in a technology consulting firm, so I was particularly passionate about the initiative. The program we developed was unique in that we provided engaging activities that can be done with very limited resources. That was because access to consistent internet or a computer lab is not common for the majority of Peace Corps Costa Rican communities. With support by the Costa Rican Ministry of Public Education, the National Institute for Women, TeachHer, and Intel, we reached approximately 160 students during the three month pilot program alone. This year Peace Corps Costa Rica will be sharing the curriculum with all Spanish-speaking Peace Corps countries, reaching 1,235+ volunteers who could potentially utilize the program in their sites! This project provided me with the opportunity to use past knowledge related to technology and gender advocacy and apply it to international development and my Peace Corps experience.

What quality best describes the MBA classmates you’ve met so far and why? Supportive. From deciding to get my MBA to moving through the application process to deciding Georgetown, I never have encountered more kind, helpful, and encouraging colleagues, coaches, mentors, and now friends. Everyone has been willing to answer my questions, introduce me to their network, provide me with advice, and even give me their used textbooks!

Aside from your classmates, what was the key factor that led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA and why was it so important to you? The program’s focus on service and principled leadership really resonated with me during the application process. Located at the epicenter of government, business, nonprofits, and international development, I knew Georgetown University and the McDonough School of Business would allow me to explore opportunities related to both my professional and personal aspirations here in the nation’s capital. With courses like Design Thinking and Service Consulting, Developing Women Leaders, and Impact Investing (as well as certificate programs like the Certificate in Nonmarket Strategy), I was certain Georgetown’s program would be a great fit for me.

What club or activity are you looking most forward to in business school? Georgetown Net Impact, whose mission is to promote positive change and social impact through business.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point in your career? I wanted the dedicated time and creative space to unite my professional experiences to date (consulting and international development). I knew that in an academic environment surrounded by extremely motivated, talented, and intelligent people, I would be able to learn and develop to be a more effective leader in the social sector.

How did you decide if an MBA was worth the investment? As I spoke to my mentors and investigated my “dream jobs,” the majority of leaders I looked up to had MBAs. I realized that in order to continue to grow within my career in the direction I was most excited about, it was time to invest in myself and go get an MBA. The unique and tailored experience one gets in an MBA program with the academic coursework, internships, and extracurricular exposure is an unparalleled opportunity.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? IE Business School, IESE Business School, Northwestern Kellogg (MMM), Berkeley Haas

How did you determine your fit at various schools? Because I wasn’t able to travel to visit schools during my Peace Corps experience, I relied very heavily on online information about the programs (e.g. school websites, sites like Poets & Quants, rankings), the school admissions teams, as well as the current student and alumni networks of the schools. Current and graduated students provided the most insight into the program’s culture and how I could contribute and fit into it. After that research, I prioritized programs that I was certain would support me as I pursued my social impact goals in a business context.

What was your defining moment and how did it shape who you are? As an undergraduate student, I co-founded and later became president of Miami University Women in Business (WIB). It was an unbelievable learning experience for me. As an organization, we grew tremendously in those first few years. To this day, it is one of my most proud achievements as WIB continues to flourish. That experience of seeing a gap and building something to address it taught me the importance of building a legacy. Too often, people raise issues without solutions. Instead, I had the opportunity to work with an insanely talented group of women to dream up and execute an amazing organization. That solution-oriented mentality is something I take with me everywhere.

What do you plan to do after you graduate? I will focus on creating a more equitable world and I hope to do that either through nonprofit consulting, international development, and/or social entrepreneurship.

Where do you see yourself in five years? In the next five years, I plan to be a leader within a social impact organization with global impact, as well as a member of a nonprofit board.