
John B.
Studied at Harvard Business School
Works at Defense Innovation Unit
Available Tuesday at 1:00 AM UTC
Questions? Start chatting with this coach before you get started.
About John
I’m an Air Force officer and Harvard Business School MBA who has spent the last decade moving between military, tech, and non-profit roles. I grew up without much exposure to elite education or professional networks, so I came late to the fancy business school world, and can relate to the struggle. Before business school, I served in a mix of intelligence and software product leadership roles, including leading software teams and supporting live operations in the Middle East and Indo-Pacific. At HBS, I focused on tech and public service, while figuring out how to explain who you are without relying on rank, acronyms, or a consulting background. Since graduation, I’ve worked in economic development, defense innovation, and technology, while staying in the Air Force Reserves. My wife and I live in Anchorage, Alaska, where we spend as much time as possible skiing, hiking, backpacking, and packrafting. Anchorage isn’t a popular post-MBA destination, but it reflects how we think about tradeoffs, priorities, and building a life that fits us.
Why do I coach?
I coach because I benefited enormously from people who helped me translate my experience at key moments, especially during the MBA application process. Military candidates are often more qualified than they realize, but struggle to tell a story that admissions committees can quickly understand and trust. I enjoy helping people move from “impressive but unclear” to grounded, coherent, and confident. Whether you’re just browsing Sitreps2SteerCos or polishing essays late in the process, I’m happy to help you put your best foot forward.
Work Experience
Program Manager
Defense Innovation Unit
September 2025 - Present
Regional Advisor
America Achieves
November 2023 - Present
I helped regional consortia capture and deploy large-scale federal innovation grants.

Manager, Product
United States Air Force
August 2021 - Present
DevSecOps for Kessel Run All Domain Operations Suite (KRADOS) applications
Senior Program Manager
Amazon
May 2022 - August 2022

Intelligence Officer
United States Air Force
August 2017 - August 2021
Managed operational planning and execution of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions in the Middle East and western Pacific

Graduate Research Assistant
Harvard Kennedy School
January 2017 - August 2017
Conducted network analysis of Iranian support to Iraqi Shia militias for the Director of the Iran Project

Manager, Application Development
United States Air Force
July 2013 - August 2017
Led technical teams across product lifecycle of aircraft command and control software development efforts
John was also given offers to work at
Amazon
Education
Harvard Business School
Master of Business Administration - MBA
2021 - 2023
Harvard Extension School
Master of Liberal Arts - MLA, International Relations
2015 - 2018
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Bachelor's Degree, Economics
2008 - 2012