Jeffrey Williams Navarro

Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College

“Puerto Rican passionate about unlocking creativity through tech and positively impacting communities through business.”

Hometown: San Juan, Puerto Rico

Fun Fact About Yourself: I collect and love hot sauces and enjoy sampling different ones in my travels!

Undergraduate School and Major: George Washington University, Political Communication

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: YouTube, Manager, Music Publishing Partnerships, Latin America

What word best describes the Tuck MBA students and alumni you’ve met so far and why? Thoughtful. Tuckies are, by-and-large, eager to learn, reflective, and share deeply with each other. I have been pleasantly surprised at the level of depth present in conversations with my classmates. I’m excited to get to know them more and learn through their professional and personal experiences.

Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of Dartmouth Tuck’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? It was crucial for me to grow not just academically and professionally, but also as a well-rounded person guided by an imperative to leave the world better than how I found it. Tuck’s MBA goes beyond just classes and emphasizes this personal transformation aspect; it’s clear that everyone around you (from faculty to staff) is dedicated to maximizing that opportunity.

What course, club or activity excites you the most at Dartmouth Tuck? In terms of courses, I’m excited to take The Arrythmia of Finance with Peter Fisher, which receives rave reviews from students each term, and would help grow my very limited experience with finance beyond the basics.

What excites you the most about coming to live in Hanover? What is the one activity you can’t wait to do? I’m very excited to go skiing with my classmates in neighboring Vermont. It’s common to have min- tailgates in the Killington parking lot—it’ll be an opportunity to get to know my colleagues in a different setting while doing something fun.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: I started my most recent role during a time of amazing and unprecedented growth for the digital music streaming market in Latin America. Outside of Latin America, worldwide awareness and consumption of Latin music was also exploding. I worked on the foundational partnership deals with music rights holders that enabled us to grow the number of countries in Latin America that included YouTube’s music subscription service from a handful to 18. It was exciting, uncharted territory and incredibly rewarding—both professionally due to the strategic and operational challenges, but also personally, since I had the chance to work in a region that resonated with my upbringing.

How did COVID-19 change your perspective on your career and your life in general? COVID upended the very structure of daily life and made me realize I did not want to take anything for granted or live on autopilot. Living more intentionally was a key takeaway for me. It gave me perspective and helped me realize I wanted to attend business school and go through those experiences, meet remarkable colleagues, and verify what I want to do next, both professionally and personally.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point and what do you hope to do after graduation? I want to continue working in the tech industry, most likely at the intersection of creativity and tech. Eventually, I’d love to use my knowledge, professional connections, and expertise to contribute to Puerto Rico and work on an incubator or accelerator for startups there. Maybe even start one! I believe there is a huge untapped, creative entrepreneurial talent pool in Puerto Rico and someone with local knowledge, expertise and capital could make a huge difference. I would like to be that difference.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? UVA Darden, Yale SOM, Georgetown McDonough

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into Dartmouth Tuck’s MBA program? Connect with the fantastic network of Tuck alumni (I promise you’ll get responses), get to know the school, and visit Hanover! Not only will it help you make an informed decision, but it also shows a sincere interest in the school. I trust you’ll fall in love with the campus and its people if you come!

DON’T MISS: MEET DARTMOUTH TUCK’S MBA CLASS OF 2023