John B.

John B.

Harvard Business School Logo

Studied at Harvard Business School

Defense Innovation Unit Logo

Works at Defense Innovation Unit

Available Tuesday at 1:00 AM UTC

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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

Defense Innovation Unit Logo

Program Manager

Defense Innovation Unit

September 2025 - Present

America Achieves Logo

Regional Advisor

America Achieves

November 2023 - Present

I helped regional consortia capture and deploy large-scale federal innovation grants.

United States Air Force Logo

Manager, Product

United States Air Force

August 2021 - Present

DevSecOps for Kessel Run All Domain Operations Suite (KRADOS) applications

Amazon Logo

Senior Program Manager

Amazon

May 2022 - August 2022

United States Air Force Logo

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

Harvard Kennedy School Logo

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

United States Air Force Logo

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 Logo

    Amazon

Education

Harvard Business School Logo

Harvard Business School

Master of Business Administration - MBA

2021 - 2023

Harvard Extension School Logo

Harvard Extension School

Master of Liberal Arts - MLA, International Relations

2015 - 2018

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Logo

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Bachelor's Degree, Economics

2008 - 2012

John B.

John B.

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