Steven Gomez

University of California-Berkeley, Haas School of Business

“Purpose-driven, California local ready for new challenges and ventures.”

Hometown: Stockton, CA

Fun Fact About Yourself: I am the first person in my family to attend college.

Undergraduate School and Major:

California State University, Fullerton: BA, Business Administration

University of Southern California: Master of Accounting, Emphasis in Data and Analytics

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Deloitte: Audit and Assurance Senior

Berkeley Haas is founded on four Defining Leadership Principles: Question the Status Quo, Confidence Without Attitude, Students Always, and Beyond Yourself. Which principle resonates most with you and why? The defining leadership principle that resonates most with me is Students Always. For me, being a student always means having the drive to pursue knowledge and wisdom no matter what obstacles stand in the way.

Through my parents’ words of wisdom, I understood that higher education was my opportunity for economic mobility. After graduating high school and experiencing ups and downs in my early college years, I was unsure of what I wanted my career to be. I researched many professions and ultimately decided to begin a new career path in public accounting. At the time, I told myself that I needed to learn as much as I could about this profession if I wanted to be successful. When recruiting for accounting internships, I made a point to speak with as many professionals as possible to deepen my understanding of the field. After obtaining my full-time offer with Deloitte, I decided to further my expertise in accounting by earning my master’s degree in the discipline.

Now, as I prepare to leave the accounting world, I’m ready to become a student again and continue this ever-learning mindset. The excitement of transformation and progress is something that will always make me a student.

What excites you about earning your MBA in the Bay Area? Berkeley’s location in the Bay Area places it at the epicenter of innovative and progressive initiatives, offering access to a thriving and pioneering ecosystem. From global financial institutions funding transformative development projects to startups designing the next world-changing products, it’s all right at the doorstep of Haas. This unique environment fosters creativity, challenges conventional thinking, and encourages bold problem-solving, making it the perfect backdrop for my MBA journey. Immersing myself in this ecosystem will not only expand my network but also inspire me to contribute meaningfully to the next wave of transformative change. The Bay Area has something special, maybe it’s something in the air.

What was the key part of Berkeley Haas’ MBA curriculum or programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? It sounds cliche, but for me, it truly comes down to the people and culture. From my earliest curiosity about pursuing an MBA to fully committing to the application process, the Haas community has been consistently welcoming, encouraging, and generous with their support. Conversations with current students and alumni revealed the depth and strength of this community, while interactions with faculty and staff gave me insight into the unique opportunities and resources Haas offers. While all top MBA programs boast exceptional curricula, professors, and resources, my decision ultimately came from the heart and I chose the place that already felt like home.

What course, club, or activity excites you the most at Berkeley Haas? At Haas, students are required to take an Applied Innovation course. Applied Innovation courses are designed to challenge how students think and solve real-world problems in creative, impactful ways. Of these offerings, the Haas Impact Fund excites me the most. This course involves collaborating with impact investing firms, providing rare exposure to real-world decision-making processes. These firms aim to invest in solutions for pressing social and environmental challenges, such as clean energy and affordable housing, that can drive economic transformation in communities. Gaining hands-on experience in evaluating metrics and KPIs, analyzing potential outcomes, and making investment decisions in a real-world context will be invaluable as I prepare to enter the field of strategic finance.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Being selected for Deloitte’s Audit Analytics Fellowship Program (AAFP), an exclusive internal initiative, stands as my greatest professional achievement. I was honored to be nominated by leaders who recognized my potential to add value to both the firm and our clients. In this program, fellows applied a variety of data analytics tools, but my favorite work involved building automations that improve efficiency and free professionals to focus on higher-level, judgment-based issues. To create these automations, I first identified use cases that often involve large volumes of data, a common pain point in audit processes, and then transformed the relevant data into actionable insights. These insights drove foresight, streamlined workflows, and enhanced the quality of audits. Viewing audits from new perspectives, developing solutions, and putting them into practice has been an enriching experience, for which I’m deeply grateful.

At this point, what do you hope to do after graduation? After completing my MBA, I plan to pivot into the world of finance, where I can influence responsible investment decisions and lead initiatives that create positive community impact. I aim to leverage emerging tools in AI and data analytics to tackle financial challenges and uncover opportunities with fresh perspectives. Drawing on my experience at Deloitte and my soon-to-be education and experience at Berkeley Haas, I’m confident in my ability to make a meaningful, purpose-driven impact.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into Berkeley Haas’ MBA program? Making the choice to pursue your MBA is a significant step, but it’s just one of many important decisions you’ll face during this pivotal time. As you navigate the application process, take a moment to reflect on your journey so far. Understand why you’re pursuing an MBA, what drives you, and the future you envision for yourself. This self-awareness will serve as a strong foundation, helping you make confident, informed choices in the decisions ahead.

DON’T MISS: MEET THE UC BERKELEY HAAS MBA CLASS OF 2027

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