Finding His New Mission: How The Eller Executive MBA Transformed Zack Brooks ’25
When Zack Brooks ’25 MBA left the U.S. Army’s elite 2nd Ranger Battalion in 2021, he knew the transition ahead would test him in new ways. After years of leading under pressure, making high-stakes decisions, and thriving in mission-driven environments, the question became: What’s next?
Zack Brooks with his Executive MBA Cohort
Brooks first pursued graduate degrees online, earning master’s degrees in Emergency Management from Arizona State University and Cybercrime and Digital Investigations from Michigan State University. Yet despite his academic success, he craved something different—an environment that would push him outside of his comfort zone, demand his presence in real time, and challenge him to grow alongside peers from diverse industries. He found exactly that in the Eller Executive MBA program.
“Walking into Eller, I wondered if I’d fit in,” Brooks recalls. “But the cohort welcomed me immediately. No egos, no gatekeeping—just motivated, accomplished people eager to learn and grow together," he says. "The team-oriented, mission-driven mindset I carried from the military blended seamlessly into Eller’s culture.” Despite wondering if he would fit in, Brooks went on to win the Phillip Blanchard Award—a leadership award voted on by his fellow students and faculty at Eller.
Professors and classmates alike left a lasting impact. Brooks credits Diza Sauers with reshaping his view of leadership. “She taught me that stepping back isn’t the absence of leadership—it’s the most advanced form of it," says Brooks. "Watching teammates step into their own leadership roles reminded me that it’s not just about driving the mission forward, but about building other leaders along the way.”
Beyond the classroom, Eller helped Brooks refine his executive presence. “Yes, I learned statistics, finance, management, and HR,” he says. “But the real takeaway was learning how to show up—how to defend your position under pressure, how to articulate clearly, and when to lead versus when to step back.”
Those lessons have already shaped his career. Today, Brooks serves in mission development at Vannevar Labs, where he applies both his military foundation and his Eller education to high-stakes national security challenges. He credits Eller with providing both the clarity and conviction to pursue the role. “Eller sharpened my lens,” he explains. “It reminded me to surround myself with the best people—and to keep pursuing environments that demand excellence and deliver purpose.”
For students beginning their own journeys, Brooks offers candid advice: “Don’t count yourself out before you even try. I graduated undergrad with a 2.3 GPA. Years later, I’ve earned multiple graduate degrees and completed an Executive MBA at Eller. Your past doesn’t define you—effort, attitude, and grit do. You can rewrite your story at any point.”
Looking ahead, Brooks plans to continue expanding his expertise through professional certifications in counter-threat finance, risk management, and applied behavioral science, while keeping the door open to future academic pursuits. For now, he remains committed to lifelong learning and leadership growth.
“Eller gave me more than an education—it gave me a team, a new mission, and the confidence to keep pushing forward.”