Q&A With One of Our First Marketing Analytics Alums

Page Ballenger graduated from the Master of Management, Marketing Analytics (MMA) program this past December, when he and one of his classmates became the program’s first-ever alumni. He recently started a new job as Multi-Channel Marketing Analytical Optimization Manager at ViiV Healthcare. Get to know a bit more about him in the Q&A conducted by our associate dean of academic programs, Vikas Anand.

Q: What was your undergraduate background?

A: I graduated with an Architectural Interior Design degree from UNCG. I pursued that thinking I would work for a Commercial Interiors firm, but when I was in school, I learned about the trade show exhibit design industry. I had an internship in Boston, and I also worked in Durham for seven years as a designer.

Q: Tell us a little bit about your job.

A: At my old job, one of my business partners got a new job at ViiV Healthcare, a partnership between GSK and Pfizer. I reached out over LinkedIn and asked about the job for the Multi-Channel Marketing Analytical Optimization Management role. I joined ViiV Healthcare on November 1st.

Q: How do you think your background in marketing analytics helps you moving forward?

A: I will be working with other people on the digital accelerator team to build new dashboards for brands to report on an omnichannel marketing approach. There are ongoing efforts internally in the business to understand how each touchpoint for a marketing message influences other marketing efforts. Just to be able to understand that approach in a comprehensive way, new reporting, predictive analytics tools, and visibility is important to the brand.

Q: When you look back, what is your favorite part of the program?

A: There’s so many different things. I would say, having curated content where a course is made to build or complement a prior course has been the most exciting thing for me. It’s great to have benefitted from having that guide to connect all the dots together.