Natalie Yanez
'14 Master of Business Administration
By Caleigh Tupy
English major
Communication & Public Relations Intern
After Natalie Yanez followed in her father’s footsteps by getting a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, she ultimately followed her heart and her mother’s career path into the business world.
She advanced from a part-time job as a bank teller to a full-time position as a business development administrator in marketing. But after spending more than a decade in the financial sector, Yanez noticed was ready for a change.
“I knew that in order to advance my career I would have to look into higher education,” Yanez explained.
While Yanez considered a couple of different graduate programs, she found CSU Channel Islands' MBA program most appealing.
“CI captured my heart from the beginning,” Yanez said. “CI wasn’t just another university. There was something inexplicable about its energy that made me want to be a student there.”
Yanez looks back on her time at CSUCI fondly. She took advantage of the willingness of the staff and faculty to provide learning opportunities beyond her courses.
William P. Cordeiro, the now retired Director of the Martin V. Smith School of Business & Economics, proved to be an invaluable resource for Yanez. After accepting his offer of a position as the graduate liaison on the school’s Business Advisory Council, Yanez expanded her professional network immensely. Ultimately, her networking enabled her to switch industries and attain the position she has today as a government relations manager for Southern California Edison (SCE).
Her position encompasses a variety of duties ranging from matters as routine as customer mitigation and education to those as urgent as incident management during emergency situations. While her tasks change day to day, one thing is constant — connecting with people.
“My job is all about building relationships,” Yanez said. Whether she is working with key stakeholders or local governmental officials, Yanez is helping to bridge the gap between the public and SCE.
Above all else, Yanez encourages clients to adopt more eco-friendly habits on both large and small scales. For example, in the commercial sphere, Yanez is working to electrify local dredging. With residential customers, she encourages electric vehicles and appliances.
Although these changes take time, Yanez is confident that they will help combat climate change and benefit future generations.
“My goal is to provide a future for the generations to come.”