30 at 30: Kim Evanoff

Executive MBA – Strategic Leadership Class of 2021    

SVP of Sales, Large Format – Red Bull

From the beginning of her career, Kim Evanoff has courageously said “yes” to opportunities. After graduating from college, Evanoff was offered a role that required a cross-country move. Recognizing the tremendous opportunity, her father encouraged her to take the leap. She accepted the role, building a community in her new organization and city, and kickstarting what would become a successful career in executive leadership.

“My dad encouraged me to be courageous,” Evanoff said. “And that inspired me to approach my career with curiosity and tenacity, without blinders. That’s really tracked through my whole leadership journey.”

Evanoff’s drive and desire for growth have continued to open doors throughout her career, ultimately leading her to the Executive MBA – Strategic Leadership (EMBA-SL) at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Growing as a Leader

In her early career, Evanoff quickly moved up the corporate ranks. She had achieved a director role in her organization and was beginning to consider her next steps. Thinking about her long-term goals, Evanoff recognized that it was time to shore herself up with the tools she needed to move into an executive role.

“I knew that I needed to make a decision, and if I was going to continue pursuing my dreams of entering the executive suite, I needed to break out of my comfort zone,” she explained. “In thinking about the next 10 years, considering the skills gaps I wanted to fill led me to the Executive MBA.”

Coming into the EMBA-SL program, Evanoff was most focused on building her business acumen. With an undergraduate degree in engineering and specialization in sales, she knew that taking a deeper dive into different business verticals would prepare her for executive work.

One thing she didn’t expect, though, was the impact that the program’s strategic leadership coursework would have. This facet of Evanoff’s student experience changed her approach to leadership, business and culture and propelled her to new career heights.

“The leadership component of the program wasn’t the primary reason that I was there,” Evanoff said. “But that part of the curriculum completely changed the trajectory of my life and career.”

Applied Learning

Another major differentiator of the executive-level program was that much of the work focused on addressing real-world challenges. As part of the program, Evanoff worked on a company project to develop marketing for a specific customer base, working with Amy Cathey, associate dean of graduate and executive education, as her project advisor. This real-world project not only served as a benchmark for grades, but also as an avenue to immediately apply new skills and make a material impact to her role.

“The faculty cared about our learning,” Evanoff said. “They would take time to make sure we understood the content, help us ideate on solutions and they were available for any questions.”

A Graduation Transition

During the program, Evanoff had no idea how near she was to another life-changing transition, which would put her leadership strengths to work in a new way. As she worked through the EMBA curriculum, Evanoff’s corporate leadership team saw the program’s transformative impact. The night before her graduation, Evanoff’s company offered her a promotion into an executive role.

“It was a great way to end the year,” Evanoff said.

Community

Evanoff emphasized that her EMBA experience wouldn’t have been possible without the support of her community and her family in particular. During her year as an EMBA student, her family supported her through busy work weeks and class assignments to ensure she gained as much as possible from her experience.

“I didn’t do any of it alone,” Evanoff said. “My experience was impacted by my family, the cohort, the faculty and my executive coach, and I am so appreciative of them pouring into me and allowing me to grow and learn.”

The diversity of perspective in the class also made an impact for Evanoff. She explained that the class shared a drive and passion for executive leadership, but each person contributed their own unique insights. From different life experiences, industries and roles, the classroom was a space for sharing ideas and feedback, and for growing as a group.

“I was floored by the caliber of the executives in the program and the unique perspectives that they all brought to the table,” Evanoff explained. “It was something really special.”

EMBA Words of Wisdom

Signing off, Evanoff offered some advice for prospective EMBA students.

“You get out of it what you put into it,” she said. “I’d encourage prospective students to examine why you’re choosing to pursue an EMBA.  If you are invested in growth and passionate about learning, it won’t feel overwhelming and will provide an immeasurable ROI.”

Evanoff said that having her family, cohort and faculty support her in completing this long-term goal made the EMBA transformational for her career.