Since graduating from the Working Professional MBA program in 1998, Sue Miller-Sylvia’s career has expanded to draw on her diverse skill set. Her two senior roles at IBM both challenge and nourish her, drawing on her strong leadership talents—and blending her dual backgrounds in business and technology.

What drives you in your work?
Currently I have two roles. I’m a vice president for a services practice in IBM’s Global Business Services, and I’m also an IBM Fellow. The first is a very business/operationally focused role, whereas the latter is one of the top technical appointments at IBM. I love being in this practice leader role, as it offers me a balance that blends business and technology. On the business and operational side, I’m responsible for the overall business and career growth of a 1,400-practitioner organization. On the technical side, our group is responsible for the thought leadership and application of emerging technologies in our clients’ business initiatives. We also plan and direct large and complex systems-integration projects.

In this job, my passion is around our people. I’m motivated by understanding what our practitioners are working on, what they need to perform their job more effectively, how they can achieve work/life balance while moving forward in their careers—and ultimately keeping them happy and motivated to work at IBM.

Where is your career headed?
I like to immerse myself into the here and now: I focus on the job at hand and try to perform to the best of my ability. I don’t spend a great deal of time thinking or worrying about what is next.

That said, if I had to look ahead, I would see myself continuing to run larger organizations. I try to balance that desire with also staying close to the practitioners in the organization. Luckily, at IBM there are many opportunities and areas for movement across the business, so potentially a movement to another organization within IBM is in my future. My goals are fairly simple: I want to be effective and I want to enjoy my job.

How has your UC Davis MBA experience helped shape your success?
I was a Working Professional MBA student. My undergraduate major was in mechanical engineering, and most of my career up until I entered b-school had a large technical focus. As I started to assume more business types of roles at IBM, I felt it was important to round out my education to balance my technical background. My studies at the GSM allowed me to assume a wider range of roles running organizations with financial and business responsibility.

What is the most amazing or interesting thing that’s happened to you since graduating?
Without a doubt, the most amazing thing that has happened since graduating is being appointed an IBM Fellow. This is IBM’s highest technical honor, and Fellows are appointed based on their sustained and distinguished technical achievements in engineering, programming and technology. There are only 73 active Fellows in our company of more than 400,000 employees, and very few are women. I’m extremely proud to be a part of this community of amazing technical talent!

Your favorite GSM memory?
Honestly, I have many great memories. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting and developing new relationships with fellow students and study partners, as well as with my professors. In fact, I would go back to school again if I could avoid homework and tests! It was a challenge to work and go to school at the same time—and traveling, as I did most weeks for work—but I don’t regret one moment. The hard work was definitely worth it: I am where I am today due to the value I gained from the UC Davis MBA program.

How do you support and participate in the GSM now?
I visit campus to speak with current students about my career and about life at IBM, and to answer any questions they have. And, of course, I make a gift each year to the GSM’s Annual Fund.