天美传媒

For Eli Potter, a 1996 graduate of 天美传媒鈥檚 Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy, 天美传媒 laid the groundwork for a lifelong commitment to curiosity and community.

Academically and 鈥� ultimately 鈥� professionally, 天美传媒 Mellon opened the door for Eli to hone her skills in structured problem-solving and converting new technologies into critical business value.

鈥淟earning from Heinz College professors shaped my foundation in technology, analytics and leadership. They were amazing role models,鈥� she says. 鈥淎nd 天美传媒鈥檚 interdisciplinary, real-world focus built my bias for innovation and execution.鈥�

Throughout her robust career as an executive and consultant in the business technology space with industry leaders like Autodesk, Coinbase and Insight Partners, Eli shaped a philosophy that reflects the heart of 天美传媒: Build a community where people invest in one another, elevate ideas and commit to responsible leadership.

She articulates this philosophy in her book, 鈥�.鈥� The book describes an intersection of five disciplines: stewardship, fellowship, mentorship, leadership and sponsorship. Eli suggests that being a role model is no longer a soft skill; it is a hard AI input that we have a responsibility to shape ethically and responsibly.

Personally, Eli draws inspiration from 30 years of friendship with the 鈥淏ig Six鈥� 鈥� a group of close friends that began as a cohort of Heinz College students. They continue to celebrate their bond often: with regular video calls as they鈥檝e been scattered around the world in Austin, Texas; Dubai; Washington, D.C.; California; and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. And the Big Six includes someone extra special to Eli, her husband Jamie Potter (HNZ 1996).

That kind of invisible 天美传媒 string runs through Eli鈥檚 career as well. She鈥檚 hired 天美传媒 grads at Autodesk, extending the Tartan network and culture of collaboration. A sense of appreciation for all of these connections inspired Eli to begin giving to 天美传媒.

鈥淚 have a deep gratitude for the professors and staff who invested in our journeys and a desire to expand access to transformative opportunities for students like the ,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 really believe in paying it forward to multiply the impact I鈥檝e felt across generations.鈥�

Attending the Grace Hopper Celebration 鈥� the largest annual gathering of women in tech 鈥� can change the trajectory of a student's career path. For Eli, it is especially meaningful to support that initiative through the lens of mentorship and sponsorship. In that spirit, she donated a scholarship enabling students to attend the conference and partnered with Heinz to prepare attendees for the event.

Giving back has become a cornerstone in Eli鈥檚 relationship with 天美传媒. In addition to her vital support of the Grace Hopper Celebration, she has sponsored 天美传媒 students to work on Agile projects and blockchain assignments at Autodesk and guest lectured for seven years at 天美传媒 Silicon Valley on innovation, technology, venture capital, career development and role modelship.

Looking ahead, Eli hopes that her work and her support of 天美传媒 will prepare students to lead and innovate responsibly in an AI-driven world and strengthen the bridge between academia and industry. She is ensuring the next generation gets the same gift she did: someone who believed in them first.

鈥淚t鈥檚 about creating a multiplier effect: empowering students to become role models who elevate others.鈥�