Tal Moriah

New York University, Stern School of Business

“I combine my engineering background and my passion for business to make an impact.”

Hometown: Plainview, New York

Fun Fact About Yourself: I took an ice climbing trip to the Adirondack Mountains, where I spent three days climbing frozen-over waterfalls

Undergraduate School and Major: Cornell University College of Engineering, Computer Science

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: American Express, Product Manager

What excites you the most about living in New York City and how do you see it enhancing your learning experience? No other place in the world is like New York — there’s so much to do and discover. If you want to try something new – be it a dance class, pottery, or outdoor yoga – you can easily find an opportunity to try it here (and probably speak to someone who has)! If you’re willing to dive in, give it your all, and talk to new people, you can explore a world of opportunities. While that may sound overwhelming, that world of opportunities energizes me and motivates me to wake up every morning and make the most of what the city has to offer.

Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of NYU Stern’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? As I continue developing as a professional, I want to learn as much as I can about as many industries as possible. Stern has access to networking and experiential learning opportunities in every industry imaginable, from finance to tech to entertainment. The more I learn and experience, the more I can contribute to any professional setting.

What course, club or activity excites you the most at NYU Stern? I am most excited to participate in SWIB (Stern Women in Business). As a Forté Fellow, I had the honor of already meeting some of the other highly accomplished women and allies who will soon be my classmates. I cannot wait to learn from them and work together to advance all women in business.

What does EQ (Emotional Intelligence) mean to you and when have you seen its value in your career? As a product manager, I am constantly working cross functionally and managing stakeholders. This requires consistent interaction with many different people, all of whom have competing priorities and interests. This means that relationship-building and influencing skills are essential in order to be a successful product manager, and emotional intelligence is key to developing those skills. Without emotional intelligence, bringing people along to create innovative products is not possible. I look forward to expanding these skills while at Stern and implementing them in my future professional endeavors.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: It was being a founding member of the Data Product Team in American Express’s Colleague Experience Group. This team was newly-created in order to harness the power of colleague data to inform leadership on key decisions regarding Amex colleagues (employees). This team will help create new data products in order to improve the colleague experience and keep American Express as one of the best places to work.

What do you hope to do after graduation (at this point)? Work in a role that combines my engineering background and business education, while making a lasting impact on the world.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into NYU Stern’s MBA program? Speak to current students and learn about their experience! Learn about the community and culture. If you come in with genuine curiosity, you’ll be on your way to forming a network that will love to work with and support you both during and after your MBA.

DON’T MISS: MEET NYU STERN’S MBA CLASS OF 2025