Venturing out of comfort zones: How the UBC PMBA helped this alum land his life-changing role at Jays Care Foundation
Rodrigo Cuadra entered the UBC PMBA with the goal of becoming the President of Best Buy. He came out with a new mindset, lifelong connections and a career that aligns with both his passions and purpose.
Now Director of Omni-Channel Strategy and Lottery Operations at Jays Care Foundation, Rodrigo leads the largest 50/50 lottery program in major league baseball. Applying a for-profit lens to a non-profit mission, he uses data, strategy, and a focus on growth to make every dollar go further and every decision count. His work helps drive transformative change for youth across Canada, supporting initiatives like Indigenous Rookie League, Challenger Baseball, Girls At Bat, and Field of Dreams, which all help kids facing barriers to learn, grow and thrive through sport.
But his path to this role wasn’t exactly linear.
“I never planned to leave Vancouver,” Rodrigo admits. “I thought I’d be at Best Buy for life.”
After building his early career in retail—working with Best Buy, the Canucks, and eventually Samsung—Rodrigo found himself increasingly drawn to opportunities that allowed him to innovate, lead cross-functional teams, and have a greater impact.
When the Jays Care opportunity appeared on LinkedIn, he applied, not knowing it would be the role that brought together his personal passion for sports and his professional drive to lead with purpose.
A change in perspective and ambition
Rodrigo is no stranger to UBC Sauder. As a proud BCom alum from the Class of 2013, he always knew he’d return for more education—he just needed the right moment.
“I was still at Best Buy when I applied for the UBC PMBA. At the time, my ultimate goal was to become President of the company,” he says. “I wanted to broaden my thinking and push myself beyond the numbers-focused, for-profit lens I’d always operated in.”
What he didn’t expect was how much the UBC PMBA would transform his mindset. “Being in a cohort of over 50 people from so many different industries—engineers, healthcare, education—it challenged how I approached problems. I started asking, ‘How would someone else tackle this?’ That level of empathy and open-mindedness was new for me.”
Embracing discomfort and challenges
Juggling a demanding career, school and life during the UBC PMBA—especially when COVID hit four months in—was no easy feat.
“It was intense,” Rodrigo says. “You’re juggling your family, your friends, your education, your career. And sometimes, the people you love the most are the ones who get put on hold.”
He credits his support system, especially his wife, for helping him stay the course. “She saw the struggle. The sacrifice. The moments of neglect. But we both knew it was worth it.”
The program helped Rodrigo make the leap from an individual contributor to a leader. “It pushed me into places I wasn’t comfortable with. But that’s what made me adaptive. It made me ready.”
Chasing growth over grades
Rodrigo’s advice for those considering the program?
Know your “why.”
“The program can be rigorous and brutal at times—but because I understood why I was doing it, it made it easier to push through. I wasn’t chasing grades—I was chasing growth.”
He encourages future students to let go of the competitive mindset often associated with business programs.
“The PMBA isn’t about who’s at the top of the class. It’s about building relationships and learning from each other. Your success doesn’t take away from mine.”
Having recently celebrated two years into his role at Jays Care Foundation, Rodrigo remains close with many from his cohort and reflects on how far he’s come.
"When I joined the program, my goal was singular: to become President of Best Buy. The UBC PMBA shattered that narrow vision and opened doors I didn’t know existed. It challenged me, shaped me, and ultimately expanded my definition of success. I emerged with a renewed sense of purpose, and one of those unexpected paths brought me to Toronto and to Jays Care. I couldn’t be more grateful."