Tiara Durham
Product director for a large global pharmaceutical company
Philadelphia, PA
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Before being admitted to The Fletcher School, as product director for a large global pharmaceutical company, I spearheaded commercialization pilots for a new sensor-connected respiratory medicine and mobile platform. I have extensive experience as a marketing strategy executive, having held multi-disciplinary commercial roles in Fortune 100 global healthcare companies. I completed Post-Baccalaureate studies with a concentration in marketing at The Wharton School and received my Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Winthrop University.
I also receive daily lessons from my daughter on how to live each moment with the zeal and inquisitiveness of a five-year-old. I reside in the Philadelphia suburbs with my family, where I enjoy home renovation projects and experimenting with smoothie, juicing, and kombucha recipes.
What drew you to the GBA program?
I knew the GBA program was an excellent fit for me because of the quality of education and reputation of The Fletcher School, the global aspects of the program that align to my personal and professional goals, and the flexibility of being in an academic program that logistically fits my lifestyle.
Tell us about what you are gaining from the GBA program.
I want to master the go/no-go business decision and successfully grow products that create value for the world. Three courses have been instrumental in helping me retool, stretch my thinking, and quickly apply concepts to business problems. International Strategy and Innovation, Decision Analysis for Business, and Corporate Finance help to flip problems on their heads and create a four-dimensional perspective.
What topic have you explored at Fletcher that has resonated with you and why?
Topics such as global economic politics and international macroeconomics help contextualize the current global economy. These topics also raise provocative questions regarding the financial decisions that got us here.
You must start each day (for the rest of your life!) listening to the same song. Which song do you choose?
“Rock and Roll Part 2” by Gary Glitter. If I have to wake up to this song, every day for the rest of my life, it has to make me want to dance, it won’t slow me down, and—whether I feel like it or not—it will encourage me to poke out my chest, strut like a Jumbo and say, “I got this!”