Emily Gogarty

McGill University’s Desautels Faculty of Management

“Passionate about improving the quality of life through technology.”

Hometown: Mississauga, Ontario

Fun fact about yourself: I was a Canadian Border Services Agency officer for a summer during my bachelor’s degree. As part of my preparation, I had to complete firearm and combat training!

Undergraduate School and Degree: I hold a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, Biomechanical Option, from Queen’s University and a Master of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering from McGill University.

Where was the last place you worked before enrolling in business school? I worked at Zimmer Biomet, as a Senior System Designer.

Where did you intern during the summer of 2021? I interned as a Senior Strategy Consultant at Monitor Deloitte, in Toronto.

Where will you be working after graduation? I will be returning to Zimmer Biomet, as a Senior Product Manager.

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School:

• President of the Desautels Graduate Women’s Association (DGWA)
• Kelly Family MBA Leadership Award
• McGill Desautels Entrance Award

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? I’m proud to have tried something new by getting an internship at a great strategy consulting firm – and then ultimately deciding that it wasn’t for me. It can be easy to get swept up by traditional MBA career paths, but I chose a direction that is more personally fulfilling.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? I had the fortunate opportunity to be on a team of early developers of a robotic surgical assistant. The successful launch of that product took me around the world to support its use in live surgery. Now, after my MBA, I’m returning to the team as a Senior Product Manager and taking a more strategic role in building tools to improve patients’ quality of life.

Why did you choose this business school? Desautels has strong industry connections that I knew would give me the best exposure to exceptional guest speakers and networking opportunities. Montreal is also an incredible place to live as a student, and McGill is right in the heart of downtown.

Who was your favorite MBA professor? I really enjoyed taking Strategies in Mergers and Acquisitions with Professor Nathalie Duchesnay. She brought such a wealth of real-world experience to the class and designed the most creative course activities to explore the drivers of M&A success and failure. It also didn’t hurt that she brought us snacks to make it through evening classes!

What was your favorite MBA event or tradition at your business school? My business school experience was largely affected by the pandemic. When our cohort was finally able to meet up in person, it was a lot of fun getting together early on Saturday mornings to play soccer and relax outside of Zoom.

Looking back over your MBA experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently and why? I started working part-time during my last semester. If I could have done things differently, I would have just enjoyed the last months of being a full-time student. It’s a rare gift to be back in school and focused solely on personal growth.

What is the biggest myth about your school? I’m not sure that I knew of any myths about McGill or the program!

What surprised you the most about business school? I thought that never having studied finance or economics would be a disadvantage. In the end, my analytical background in engineering gave me an edge in structured problem-solving, which is an essential business skill.

What is one thing you did during the application process that gave you an edge at the school you chose? McGill’s recruitment team reached out during the application process to offer an optional meeting to discuss any questions I had. I’m glad I took that opportunity because I got helpful tips on how to refine my application to highlight my career growth.

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? Scott Brereton stands out for his exceptional entrepreneurial spirit and creativity. He also made for a great teammate during group work because of his naturally inclusive leadership style. I’m already looking forward to hearing about his accomplishments at our first class reunion.

Who most influenced your decision to pursue business in college? I had business school in the back of my mind for a couple of years as a way to continue progressing at work, but my dad’s encouragement was really what led me to apply. He’s always been the one to help me reach farther and think bigger.

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list?

• Never get bored, always be learning
• Work on projects that have a positive impact on the world

How has the pandemic changed your view of a career? The pandemic reinforced that I want my career to be both meaningful and balanced with a healthy lifestyle. The MBA has certainly added to my professional toolkit, giving me more options to pursue work that meets these criteria.

What made Emily such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2022?

“I had the chance to meet Emily for her admissions interview. There was no doubt she would make a positive impact on the cohort, in addition to pursuing a promising career. With a strong background in mechanical engineering, Emily was already quite successful in developing cutting-edge surgical robotics technology (ROSA knee system), working with surgeons and product managers, and celebrating women in STEM. However, she never took anything for granted. She obtained an internship in management consulting, kept networking, including across borders, and promoted women in leadership as President of the Desautels Graduate Women’s Association.

Emily was an invaluable addition to the Class of 2022 because she is forward-thinking, and solution and action-driven. She’s persuasive, yet humble and diplomatic, and will voice others’ opinions when it matters. She is loyal and remains committed to promoting the advancement of women in STEM and business. She decided to pursue her career as a (global) Senior Product Manager in an industry close to her heart. I am sure she will have a great impact and receive well-deserved recognition.”

Anne-Jennifer Challard
McGill Desautels MBA Career Coach

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