Empowerment Through Education: Katie Hamm’s MBA Journey

For many employees, finding a personal path for professional development can be daunting. While some may consider higher education, it can seem unachievable if a person’s personal situation makes it feel impossible. For Katie Hamm, her journey to a Master of Business Administration (MBA) was not just a leap towards career advancement, but a story of dreaming big and having Sanofi at her back to help her achieve her goals.

As a Senior Area Business Manager for neurology and multiple sclerosis, Katie was craving new opportunities to make a difference at Sanofi and reach patients in a different way beyond her sales role. One avenue she had in mind to stretch and learn was to explore MBA programs, but she felt it seemed financially out of reach for a single mother of three.

However, the reintroduction of Sanofi’s tuition reimbursement benefit in 2022, which allows for $10,000 in tuition reimbursement per year with a $50,000 lifetime cap, was the push she needed to take that leap. Enrolling in Northern Kentucky University online classes, she embarked on her MBA journey alongside her eldest daughter, who began her freshman studies at the University of Louisville.

“This parallel path created a unique bond with my daughter as we shared the highs and lows of academic life,” Katie stated. “This included things like finding the best deals on textbooks to navigating the quirks of online learning.”

The completion of her MBA opened doors within Sanofi that were previously unexplored. It led to her current role as a Thought Leader Liaison for Type 1 Diabetes and autoimmune diseases where she helps key healthcare providers gain insights on gaps in the market and helping to solve for those gaps – a task that requires both strategic insight and a deep understanding of the healthcare landscape. Katie says, “This role involves strategy, strong relationship management, leadership, strong communication skills, and emotional intelligence, and my MBA had specific courses on each of these skill sets. This education, combined with my prior experience, prepared me well for the role.”

Initially apprehensive about meeting the grade requirements for reimbursement, Katie’s fears were unfounded as she excelled in her program and graduated with a remarkable 3.9 GPA. “The path to reimbursement was smooth,” Katie added. “With simple course registration and managerial approval, I submitted my grades and payments for reimbursement to the Bright Horizons platform and received reimbursement from Sanofi.”

Beyond tuition reimbursement, Katie leveraged her points from Sanofi’s Bravo Awards program, which acknowledges and rewards employees who have exhibited and role-modelled the company’s “Play to Win” strategy or celebrated life events and service milestones. “I knew I had to plan ahead around my work schedule, classes, and upcoming exams to ease the burden of meal preparation,” Katie explains. “So I converted a lot of my points into restaurant gift cards to maintain focus on my studies without compromising family dinner time.”