Can you briefly walk us through your career journey so far, from being a CUA student to starting at Deltek and now being promoted to Sales Executive?
I graduated from The Catholic University of America in 2023 with a double major in Sports Management and Sales, and I have recently completed my Master of Science in Management with a specialization in Sales Leadership. During my time at CUA, I also played Division III baseball and served as a three-time team captain, finishing my career with more wins than any player in program history. I began my career at Deltek in October 2024 and immediately connected with the company’s culture and the complexity of the GovCon vertical. Learning such a technical and nuanced market early in my career played a significant role in building a strong sales foundation. Over the past 16 months, I’ve experienced substantial success at Deltek, including four promotions, 168% annual quota attainment, a leadership award, and a top-three MVP nomination. Most notably, I became the first SDR in company history to be promoted into an Enterprise Sales role, joining a team with an average tenure of 15+ years and an average age above 50. I attribute my success to consistently putting myself out there, embracing rejection, and intentionally carving a career path that differs from the “average.”
How would you describe your overall experience at CUA and within the Sales Program?
My experience at CUA and within the Sales Program was extremely formative and instrumental in preparing me for my career at Deltek. The program provided a strong foundation that immediately set me apart from many of my peers as I entered the workforce. Courses focused on active listening, professional and personal selling, and sales leadership equipped me with practical, real-world skills that translated directly into success early in my career. I am especially grateful for the opportunity to learn from Professors Weber, Traxler, and Pin, whose professional experience and mentorship helped shape my understanding of what it truly takes to succeed in sales and leadership roles.
The two most impactful skills I developed through the CUA Sales Program were active listening and effective communication tone. At the end of the day, prospects, clients, and colleagues want to feel heard, and the ability to truly listen and demonstrate genuine understanding is the foundation of successful selling. Equally important is tone—sounding confident, personable, and credible often matters more than the exact words being said, especially early in a sales conversation. When asking someone to invest significant time or financial resources, confidence and belief in yourself and your solution are essential. I leverage these skills both externally with prospects and internally with leadership, which has directly contributed to my success and recent promotion.
Can you share a moment from your time at Deltek where you realized the CUA Sales Program truly prepared you for the role?
Early in my tenure at Deltek, I was conducting outbound calls to small GovCon companies and connected with a CFO who reacted negatively, using profanity and abruptly ending the conversation. While the interaction was initially frustrating, it quickly became a moment of clarity for me. The CUA Sales Program consistently emphasized that rejection is an unavoidable part of sales and should never be taken personally. Reflecting on that experience helped me realize that rejection does not define you—it’s simply part of the process. That mindset allowed me to move forward, learn from the interaction, and focus on continuous improvement rather than dwelling on a single outcome.
What has been your biggest professional accomplishment so far, and why does it stand out to you?
My promotion from Senior SDR to Enterprise Account Executive stands out as my greatest professional accomplishment to date. This milestone required significant initiative, persistence, and self-belief, as it represented something that had not been done in Deltek’s 40+ year history. I built and presented a detailed case study to multiple senior leaders in Q3 and Q4 of last year, demonstrating both my readiness and long-term potential. While the process required patience, I maintained confidence in my ability to perform at the Enterprise level. Being the youngest Enterprise AE and the first SDR-to-Enterprise AE promotion in company history is especially meaningful to me, as it helps pave the way for younger professionals to accelerate their careers through hard work, belief, and differentiation from the status quo.
What advice would you give to current CUA Sales Program students who want to accelerate their growth early in their careers?
While it may sound cliché, networking is truly one of the most powerful drivers of early career growth. Networking played a critical role in helping me secure my role at Deltek, earn multiple promotions, and achieve a historic career milestone. Effective networking goes far beyond sending LinkedIn messages or asking surface-level questions—it’s about building authentic relationships and taking a genuine interest in people. Some of my most valuable professional connections were formed through conversations unrelated to work, including shared interests in sports, fitness, faith, and personal goals. When you truly invest in relationships and understand that your network is your greatest asset, long-term success naturally follows.