MBA (Two-Year), 2017

James Tatgenhorst

Senior Associate of Strategy, KPMG

Biography

My previous position on Capitol Hill required excellent time management, but even with that experience I've had to make adjustments and improve how I think about and utilize the hours in my day. I remember talking with my group in week 3 and someone mentioned that we had only known each other for less than twenty days. It felt like twenty months. At this point, my teammates aren't just classmates, they're a second family. I'm sure that will pay dividends down the road in my career as I continue to develop relationships with my peers, but right now, it's just great to have the kind of support that can only come from a team.
To prospective students who are evaluating different programs, I would suggest diving deeper than a course list to figure out what a school can offer. These two years at Goizueta aren't just about reading books or doing practice problems, they're a complete experience that build leadership skills from a fundamental level. Coming into school, it was not clear to me how managers make decisions when there is insufficient information to ensure accuracy. I knew the Management Practice course would address those situations, but I expected the class to be very high level and conceptual in nature. However, the class has been much more grounded in real world situations than I expected, helping us put in place frameworks with which we can organize ambiguous problems, determine exactly what information is needed and form evidence based conclusions. I hope to solve complex problems in a consulting role after school, and with case interviews approaching, I'm already using this skillset as the platform for my preparations.Coming into school, it was not clear to me how managers make decisions when there is insufficient information to ensure accuracy. The Management Practice class has been much more grounded in real world situations than I expected, helping us put in place frameworks with which we can organize ambiguous problems, determine exactly what information is needed and form evidence based conclusions.

2026 Commencement

Business Over Breakfast

2026 Commencement

2026 Commencement

MBA Students Bring Fresh Perspectives to Organizations

Show Your Goizueta Spirit

James Tatgenhorst

Biography