Sarah Goodman

University of Texas at Austin, McCombs School of Business

“A creative strategist driven by curiosity and positivity to build impactful brand storytelling.”

Hometown: New York City, NY

Fun Fact About Yourself: I am an avid cinephile and a pop culture fanatic.

Undergraduate School and Major: Northwestern University, Radio/TV/Film Major

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Paramount, Branded Content Manager

What makes Austin such a great place to earn an MBA? You get the experience of going to school in a college town, but in the heart of a bustling city filled with plenty of outdoor activities and opportunities to meet new people. You can truly feel the growth happening around you in Austin so it’s exciting to be a part of it.

Aside from your classmates and location, what was the key part of Texas McCombs’ MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? A key factor that led me to choose Texas McCombs was its emphasis on experiential learning both in the classroom and through programs like McCombs+. The opportunity to work on real business challenges with local companies was important to me, as I transition from a creative role in NYC into a more strategic, data-driven marketing leadership career in Texas. The McCombs+ program helps students apply classroom concepts in practice to build the skills we need for after graduation.

What course, club or activity excites you the most at Texas McCombs? Marketing Fellows excites me the most because of the access to Austin-based marketing executives, the focus on sharpening my public speaking skills, and unique collaborations with brands that makes marketing at McCombs truly experiential.

When you think of the University of Texas, what word comes to mind? Why? Spirit. Not only do we have school spirit when it comes to sports, but that same energy carries into the classroom, where my peers are driven, collaborative, and genuinely invested in each other’s shared success.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: As a manager on The Drew Barrymore Show during the 2023 writers’ strike, I stepped up into a leadership role on my team during a period of significant uncertainty. I led efforts to sell new brand partnerships, while stabilizing existing ones and adapting our strategy in real time as the industry shifted. As a result, I preserved partner trust, helped maintain a culture of optimism, and ultimately delivered high-performing integrations that satisfied our clients despite widespread disruption.

Looking ahead two years, what would make your MBA experience at McCombs successful? I hope to graduate with a clear leadership identity, a strong professional network, and confidence in my quantitative skills. With these soft and hard skills combined, I plan to contribute a unique perspective to my next strategic marketing role.

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