As the policy landscape becomes more complex for global businesses, David Boman ’18 says the skills he gained at GPS are more crucial today than ever
Even if you don’t work in healthcare, you may have heard of Intuitive’s technology through viral videos of surgeons who “did surgery on a grape,” making delicate incisions in the grape’s skin to demonstrate the da Vinci surgical robot’s capabilities.
But over the past three decades, the company’s operations have extended far beyond a small piece of fruit. Its robot-assisted surgical systems are now used in operating rooms across the globe, providing medical professionals with capabilities that can enable them to perform delicate surgeries with additional precision.
David Boman, an alumnus of the Master of Advanced Studies in International Affairs (MAS-IA) program at UC San Diego’s School of Global Policy and Strategy (GPS), helps the company navigate complex geopolitical waters in his role as public policy lead for international government affairs.
Today, Boman carries out the work that many people would expect of a government affairs professional, with government agencies and interest groups who shape policy and sharing his industry’s perspective on developing laws and regulations.
“I was really impressed by [GPS alumni’s] backgrounds, but also their character, their interests, their worldview. I met them and I thought to myself, ‘This is my type of community.’”
But he also described the work that happens behind the scenes, in between external meetings: analyzing the impact of decisions made by governments across the globe, communicating closely with Intuitive’s decisionmakers to fully understand their business objectives and writing up briefs to keep the company’s leadership up to speed.
Sharpening skills for a complex global environment
Boman has worked at the intersection of business and global policy for the majority of his career. He got his start at a trade association helping companies like Johnson & Johnson, Microsoft and Visa share their perspectives on economic and trade policy with governments in Asia, North and South America.
In his work, he coordinated CEO interactions with heads of state, attended diplomatic summits and collaborated with officials and interest groups in several countries. This led to an opportunity to relocate overseas to join PwC’s Hong Kong based regional team, where he focused on external engagement and thought leadership.
Boman ultimately decided to put down roots in the U.S. and pursue an advanced degree, which led him to GPS. He said that as a mid-career professional, it became clear he would benefit from returning to school, not only to sharpen his knowledge of government and business fundamentals, but also to expand his network.
Finding the right program to fit his needs was made easier by the fact that he came into contact with GPS alumni in his previous two jobs.
“I was really impressed by their backgrounds, but also their character, their interests, their worldview,” he said. “I met them and I thought to myself, ‘This is my type of community.’”
“The support I received from the Career and Professional Development Center was just unmatched.”
This, combined with the school’s focus on business fundamentals and the depth of the faculty, convinced him that GPS was the right fit for him.
Furthermore, he said that during his job search, the school’s Career and Professional Development Center was instrumental in helping him articulate the ways in which the skills from his degree would carry over to an employer.
“The support I received from Career Services was just unmatched,” he said. “If it weren’t for them, I would not have interviewed as effectively and successfully as I did, and they helped sharpen my resume and how I pitched myself.”
The other aspect of GPS that Boman said sets the school apart is the community of past and present students.
“I was able to reach out to members of the alumni network and just bounce thoughts off of them,” he said. “It was a great support system, and it really helped give me a perspective I wouldn’t have had otherwise.”
A continuing need for international perspective
Returning to school to pursue a graduate degree in international affairs might seem like a tough sell in a time when many government agencies and NGOs are reducing their internationally focused staff, and as there is increasing turbulence on the global stage.
But Boman said that the skills he learned and refined through the MAS-IA curriculum have directly helped him in his current role on Intuitive’s international government affairs team. The business community needs geopolitical expertise, so a degree from GPS will continue to open doors for current students and newer alumni.
Businesses, think tanks and interest groups are looking for people who understand geopolitics and international business precisely because of the current instability.
“GPS students might not love writing one-page memos as part of their coursework,” Boman said. “But that’s a large part of my job: translating complex government decisions for busy corporate leaders, who may only have five minutes to catch up on developments between meetings.”
In the current environment, he said, businesses, think tanks and interest groups are looking for people who understand geopolitics and international business precisely because of this instability. Companies’ demand for people who have this training isn’t going away anytime soon.
“You might learn some of this in an M.B.A. program,” Boman said. “But GPS really gives you those practical skills within the context of different areas of government policy.”
