Highlighting the importance of the MIT SFMBA cohort

Tony Roa, SFMBA ’24, is a United States Navy submarine officer with 15 years’ experience leading teams of sailors in solving technical engineering challenges. With degrees in systems engineering and engineering management, he has held multiple engineering positions throughout his career with a focus on unmanned systems, unmanned underwater vehicles (UUV), and autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). Tony has alternated his military assignments with positions in defense technology at Raytheon, General Dynamics, and Draper Labs. 

You’re a submarine officer—how did you end up in that space? 

My dad was a Marine. Seeing him in his uniform always inspired me, so I followed in his footsteps to some extent and enrolled in the United States Naval Academy. Like my father, I actually wanted to be a pilot. And like my father, I ended up doing something I didn’t expect but turned out to love. In my case, that meant growing up to be a naval officer on a submarine. I love the ocean, and submarines have given me a very powerful view of it and an even deeper appreciation. Most of all, I love the camaraderie of sailors being on a submarine together and the leadership opportunities that presents. 

When did you start thinking about pursuing an MBA?  

I was alternating between engineering positions in the Navy and those in private industry because I wanted new and different challenges within the defense tech industry. I saw my friends getting MBAs and was curious why. I was so immersed in tech, I didn’t fully see the point. But over the years, I saw their outcomes—the leadership positions they were moving into, and it made more and more sense. I could see that an MBA opened up their options in a big way. I also saw that it was about more than just picking up new skills and getting a degree. It was an important chance to learn about myself.  

What factors prompted you to apply to the Sloan Fellows MBA program?  

I had this mountaintop moment—literally. I was working on a radar system late one night on a mountain peak in Taiwan. I had been there for hours and the work, while interesting, was lonely. I realized just how important colleagues were to me. I hadn’t lost my interest in the technical side of my career, but I wanted coworkers to be integral to that career. I felt called to management at that point, but I didn’t think I had the full set of skills necessary to make it happen. For me, the SFMBA was the clear choice. For one thing, I couldn’t afford to take two years away from my career, and the SFMBA offered a world-class MBA education in just one year. Even more important, I wanted to be in class with peers from around the world who had considerable work experience. When you add all that up, you have the Sloan Fellows MBA. 

Did your experience in the program turn out the way you envisioned?  

Here’s what I expected: an excellent education, learning the management ropes, demystifying finance, accounting, and economics. And yes, I did get all that, but most important was the opportunity to redefine my life. I hadn’t realized just how important friendships would be to my growth as a leader and a human being. I remember an alumnus of the program saying that he could get the knowledge from many different sources, but the connections he made in the program were absolutely invaluable and difficult to achieve any other way. Something else he said resonated, too: there will always be somebody who knows the subject better than you. Pay attention to those people because you might need to reach out to them someday. Skillful leadership means knitting together a team of talented people.  

Does any particular lesson stand out that you learned from your program peers?  

I learned so much from the members of my cohort. Each of them had something to teach me. One of the greatest lessons: I came to realize that even though you might not seem to have much in common with someone who grew up on the other side of the world, that person may become your best friend. I lost a good pal in Iraq just before entering the program, so I really needed the camaraderie. This experience was just what I’d hoped for. I have to say that the program does a wonderful job assembling the right people. The MIT brand draws so many talented applicants—the name reaches around the world. It really impressed me, though, to see that Admissions is not looking for the smartest or richest people, they are looking for strong, values-driven people, and that describes my cohort perfectly.  

Did you have a favorite course?  

One of my favorites was Management of Services: Concepts, Design, and Delivery with Zeynep Ton, which looks at how an organization can offer good jobs while simultaneously creating value for stakeholders, employees, and customers. Another was Corporations at the Crossroads with former John C. Head III Dean David Schmittlein, which was actually a lecture series featuring leaders who shared their stories of companies facing a turning point. Pursuing Happiness and a Meaningful Life with Robert C. Pozen and Susan Neal showed us how happiness is about focusing on personal fulfillment rather than the bottom line. Financial matters are important, of course, but not the key to happiness. Another pivotal course was People and Profits taught by Anna Stansbury. Like Zeynep Ton’s, course, it looked at a future of work that provides good jobs for all, especially low- and middle-wage workers, and the role business can play in making this a reality. Anna Stansbury is terrific! 

What were the goals you set for yourself at the outset of the program, and did you meet them?  

I started the SFMBA with three goals: forge connections, build essential management skills, and—don’t laugh—get my dream job. And I accomplished all three. As I mentioned, I made some strong friendships and built an amazing network over the last year. I filled in some important knowledge gaps, including gaps I didn’t know I had. As for the dream job, I found that, too. I had been helping to organize the Defense Tech and National Security Conference—a collaboration between MIT and Harvard Business School. It gave me the chance to connect with leaders in my industry—all brought together for this one event. After that conference, I had five job opportunities. Several were dream-job material, but I chose a position at a really inventive defense tech company called Anduril. The company is launching a new sector dedicated to maritime technologies, including autonomous underwater vehicles, and I will be chief of staff.  

Final thoughts as you leave MIT? 

I am grateful to MIT Sloan for teaching us not just how to build businesses but how to build lives full of purpose and passion. Over this last year, I have often been reminded of a famous quote from Teddy Roosevelt. It goes something like this: “It’s not the critic who counts. If you fail, at least fail while daring greatly so that our place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat.”