Operationalized the "Udacity Blitz" model and managed delivery for high-stakes projects like Kitty Hawk.
The Challenge
The objective was to operationalize the "Udacity Blitz" model, a strategic initiative designed to bridge the gap between education and employment. The challenge was twofold: establishing a viable commercial pipeline by securing enterprise clients (Demand) and ensuring successful project delivery by effectively coordinating distributed teams of recent engineering graduates (Supply).
The Approach
Operating in a dual-capacity role as Sales Lead and Senior Technical Program Manager, I executed an end-to-end commercial and operational strategy:
Full-Cycle Sales Development: I managed the complete sales pipeline, identifying enterprise opportunities, negotiating scopes, and closing deals to secure project flow for the engineering talent pool.
Agile Delivery Management: Once deals were closed, I pivoted to execution, managing distributed engineering teams to build complex solutions ranging from e-commerce platforms to meeting booking systems.
High-Stakes Project Delivery (Kitty Hawk): I was personally selected to manage the delivery of digital assets for Kitty Hawk, the electric VTOL ("flying car") venture led by Udacity co-founder Sebastian Thrun (backed by Larry Page). This required high-touch stakeholder management and precision execution to meet the standards of Silicon Valley leadership.
Key Outcomes & Legacy
- Strategic Delivery for Executive Leadership: Successfully delivered the web presence for Kitty Hawk, directly supporting the vision of Sebastian Thrun ("Godfather of self-driving cars") during a critical phase of the company's public-facing evolution.
- Operationalized Talent Marketplace: Validated the "learn-to-earn" model by successfully matching engineering graduates with active commercial demand, proving the viability of the Udacity Blitz concept through successful project completion.
- Commercial Pipeline Execution: Moved beyond project management to drive revenue, successfully closing deals and managing the transition from sales promise to technical reality for diverse enterprise clients.