Major: International Relations and Religious Studies
Profession: Account executive at Jhana, an online learning startup for business managers, San Francisco
What are you doing now?
Miguel Montoya is an account executive for Jhana, a startup in San Francisco that is modernizing online learning for managers at tech companies. Montoya joined as an “early employee” and has been able to experience how to build a company from the ground up.
How did you get there?
Even though Montoya had his sights set on international work and diplomacy as a student, Pomona instilled in him a desire to make an impact in a different way. He joined Teach for America and was hooked. For three years, Montoya taught a 5th grade bilingual class in San Francisco’s Mission District. After teaching, Montoya started doing development consulting work for nonprofits in Central America.
“I grew up in Honduras and helped launch a system of free physical rehabilitation centers (CRILA) in the northern region known as Atlantida. Working with non-profits was rewarding but also very frustrating for most (if not all) of the stereotypes usually associated with them. I decided that I wanted to get the kind of experience and skills needed to build my own efficient meaningful organization. Therefore, I decided to get into technology because of the elements of innovation and learning throughout the industry. I started doing online marketing for a tech company in Silicon Valley before finding the perfect opportunity to join a small but fast growing team at Jhana.”
How did Pomona prepare you?
“Pomona was great at preparing me for my life after college. I think it’s rare to have a clear picture of your career path after college because there is so much yet to learn even after you leave the classroom. What Pomona gave me were tools with which to view and examine the world. A lot of this came from direct relationships and mentorships with professors. I acted as the liaison for both my departments and got fantastic support and attention to help shape my decisions post Pomona. When I was contemplating between TFA and a private sector job, I was able to fall back on the advice on my professors to have the confidence to make the decision for me.”
Where do you hope to see yourself in five years?
“Founding an organization.”