Phoebe Cameron joined The Warner Group (TWG) as a consultant after earning her UC Davis MBA in 1998. When Gartner Consulting acquired TWG a year later, she remained with the firm and today is a director in Gartner’s Sacramento, Calif., offices.

Cameron credits her longtime and enthusiastic support of her alma mater to the power of the GSM’s alumni network. “I was able to achieve my career goal of becoming a consultant when a fellow GSM alumnus—a consultant—gave me excellent open and honest feedback. I want to do this for others, and over the years I have seen the results as Gartner hired two GSM student mock interview participants who took my advice and successfully positioned themselves for opportunities with the firm. It is extremely rewarding to help someone transition from the GSM to their next great adventure.”

What drives you in your work?

Helping clients make the right decisions about technology and understand how these decisions impact organizational change. I work primarily in the public sector, so every client engagement directly impacts improvements in public service. I find it very gratifying to see the results.

Where is your career headed?

I continue to focus on being one of Gartner’s leading subject matter experts in state and local government and IT organization methodologies. This year, as the lead for our IT organization solution area, I will be focused on helping further refine our tools and approaches, and on training additional consultants.

How has your UC Davis MBA experience helped shape your success?

My studies at the GSM enabled me to assume leadership positions at Gartner that have contributed to my success as a consultant with the world’s leading technology research firm.

The most interesting development since graduating?

I have become a technology expert when I specifically said upon graduation that I wouldn’t go into technology!

Your favorite GSM memory?

Planning the Associated Students of Management Golf Tournament and Steve Steinhauer’s mad dash—in a golf cart—around the course with my mom in tow! She had a blast and loves Steve to this day.

How do you participate in the GSM now? How have you involved Gartner?

As a member of the Alumni Association’s board of directors, I help coordinate communication with the School’s more than 2,000 alumni through the monthly e-newsletter; I also fundraise for the GSM. As a volunteer and corporate recruiting team member, I participate in diverse events that support student job placement, including mock interviews, the annual career fair, on- and off-campus interviews, case study preparation workshops and panel discussions. Gartner has recruited a number of GSM alumni—so many, I’ve lost count!