Neal Donaghy

• School of International Affairs

• M.S. INTA 2005

Neal Donaghy is currently a director of Global Transportation and Logistics for a multi-national company and has had the opportunity to travel for business across EMEA, Asia and South America. At this moment, Neal is working on a project to model and optimize specific areas of the company’s supply chain. 

How did Tech and the Nunn School help you get where you are?

The Sam Nunn School at Georgia Tech taught me how to evaluate issues and identify opportunities with a theoretically grounded,  scientifically rigorous approach.  Whether negotiating international business contracts or executing global logistics for Fortune 500 companies, I utilize the skills developed at Tech every day.  Having Georgia Tech on your resume is also… well, a door opener.

What advice you would give current students at Tech as well as the Sam Nunn School specifically?

Take the opportunity to align some of your core projects and papers with a potential area of employment. For example, for one of my modeling projects I focused on what the impact might be to global oil prices if a major chokepoint (like the Suez Canal) were shut down. Six months later I had the opportunity to discuss the project in a job interview with a Fortune 50 company,  who then hired me as a supply chain analyst. 

I would also say ‘have fun’ with your group projects and debates – and take chances.  You may still be able to do so once out of the program, but the Nunn School  program at Tech is an opportunity to explore, learn and push boundaries in a safe, academic environment… do it while you can!

What is something that you got from studying International Affairs at Tech?

I got so much out of the International Affairs program at Tech… an understanding and application of critical theory…  a view point that takes into account technology, policy and international relations… but most importantly, life-long friends and colleagues who make real and positive change in the world.