Chris Kluesener

What drives Chris Kluesener is a desire to work with people on problems that matter, so he came to Questrom for a dual-degree in business and information technology. "I wanted to shift my career focus away from sales and management consulting to entrepreneurship," says Chris. He got all that and more in the MBA+ MS in Information Systems program (now MBA+ MSDT).

“I was seeking a hybrid MBA and upskilling program to learn more advanced product management and data science principles and toolsets,” says Chris. “The marketplace strategy and segmentation courses were invaluable. Generally, the art of testing and learning from customers was at the core.”

Outside of the classroom, Chris took advantage of many opportunities to get the hands-on experience he’d need to re-shape his career. He was a finalist at the Harvard X Design conference on education, took part in the Aspen Institute sustainability case competition, and served as team lead of the Boston University Urban Business Accelerator.

What’s more, Chris was part of a team that participated in a case competition called the Fuld Corporate War Games about the future of education and work. Ten years later, he co-founded a company with one of those teammates focused on the disruption of the future of work.

Chris’ new venture, Workback, is a marketplace that matches skilled workers exploring their career options with host companies for short and meaningful ‘midternships.’ At the same time, he is also a managing partner in another company, Surf Park Central, a media and events firm focused on the growth of surf parks and wave pools around the world.

“I couldn't recommend Questrom more,” says Chris, who continues to leverage the skills and experience he gained in the dual-degree program.