Eve Noga, '24 MBA

Eve Noga, ‘24 MBA, is a seasoned professional with over 25 years of experience in the broadcasting industry. Throughout her career, she has held various roles in programming, promotions, and marketing, shaping her into a dynamic leader who oversees creative teams across multiple regions. Eve's passion for lifelong learning led her to pursue an MBA from the University of Alberta, which she uses daily to enhance her leadership and strategic data-driven decision-making skills. Outside of work, Eve enjoys staying active through hobbies like golfing, hiking, and skiing, and she is always seeking new opportunities for personal and professional growth.

BAA: Can you share an overview of your career thus far, highlighting key milestones and your current role?

I started my broadcasting career with ITV, currently Global Edmonton, over 25 years ago. I got my first job with ITV right out of radio and TV arts from Mount Royal College, and since that time have held several roles including in programming, promotions and marketing. I am now the senior manager of creative services with Corus Entertainment Inc.  I manage the creative teams at TV and radio in Edmonton, and all of radio in Ontario. We have the amazing job of creating, every single day!  

BAA: What made you pursue an MBA from the Alberta School of Business?

I took the MBA for several reasons. I am a lifelong learner and taking the MBA seemed to be the natural next step for me. I had been taking bachelor of commerce courses and I was floundering; that degree seemed to be taking forever and there was no structure or end in sight.  I was so fortunate to speak with Mike House about the MBA program at the U of A.  Mike insisted I speak to Chris Lynch and then get my application in. The timing was right, and the U of A offered the flexibility I had been looking for in a degree program.

Another reason I took the MBA is because I have experience as a people leader in sales, marketing and creative, and I wanted to expand my skill set so I could pursue other interests outside of my media career. I want to teach students to be better leaders, managers, marketers, communicators, etc. and this degree will hopefully help me do that. 

And of course, another reason many of us take the degree is to prove to ourselves (and others) that we can do it. 

BAA: Were there specific courses or experiences during your time at the business school that significantly shaped your professional journey?

I use my MBA knowledge every day and so I can say that many of the courses I took have shaped my professional journey. I work with my staff, with salespeople, with clients and with other internal stakeholders, so ethics, mediation, negotiation and marketing come into play every day.  However, business and organizational strategy and leadership have made the biggest impact in my journey.  As a manager in our organization, I must make business related decisions, particularly in the evolving industry that is traditional media, and having experience with strategic thinking is helpful to distinguish what we should or should not be doing.  And of course, leadership is invaluable when working with people, but it also helps me work through my own challenges in the workplace.  

BAA: What are some key leadership and management challenges you face, and how do you address them?

When I face leadership challenges I like to take a problem-solving approach.  I have so many metaphors or adages that I apply, but one I learned many years ago is to take the “5” approach.  I ask myself or whoever I am talking to, will this challenge matter in 5 minutes, 5 days, 5 weeks, 5 months, 5 years. The idea is to then apply the appropriate amount of emotional energy to the issue.  If it will be solved in 5 minutes, do not give it much energy, if it will last 5 weeks, then measure energy appropriately. This is only one tool. I also say, “fact over feeling”.  I have so many of these sayings! But they really help put things into perspective. I will take a different approach to a leadership challenge depending on the person and the circumstances. There is not a one-size-fits-all approach. No matter what, I refer to what I learned while taking the MBA…I can inspire or effect change by listening, supporting, and coaching.  So ultimately, that is what I try to do. 

When I face challenges that are business/management related, it really is about debundling the issues and then solving the problem piece by piece.  This happens on the daily!  When the decision is at a manager level, I go into analysis mode to determine risks of one decision over another. Then if something is really stumping me, I seek advice from my colleagues. When it relates to my team, I will often ask the team members affected, “what do you think is the best solution here?”, or “have you thought about this?”.  These questions (I hope) encourage strategic thinking and independence.  

BAA: How do you stay ahead of the curve in an industry that is constantly evolving with new technologies and consumer trends?

It is difficult to stay ahead of any trend let alone in the constantly evolving media industry.  But what we try to do on the creative side, is to lead with data and then inject creativity.  We are fortunate at our company to have amazing insight and data tools that can inform us and our clients, so their message reaches the right demographic, at the right time, and on the optimal media channels. Once we have that information, we can help craft a message that will reach audiences and persuade them to act in favor of our clients.  It can sometimes be challenging to convince clients that ‘their gut’ is not data and in fact may not be the best way to approach a media campaign. But with time, we develop a trusting relationship, and this is when we can really be creative but always with the intention to have a favorable outcome for the client.  

BAA: How important have networking and mentorship been in your career development, and what advice would you give to others about building these relationships?

This is so important. I do not have an official mentor, but I have built a network of emotionally intelligent people whom I talk to all the time – not just in times of crisis. And I keep adding to this network. I also have wonderful family members and friends who are part of my support network.  And they always have my health and wellbeing on the top of the priority list. I am so very fortunate in this way.  This support has helped me put work and life into perspective. My advice is to foster your family and friendship network to give and get emotional support throughout your life.  And then have a group of people outside of your close family and friends who can give it to you straight and not just give you the soft talk your ego needs.  And this is important – remember to give as much as you get. No one needs or wants a time vamp friendship/mentor relationship.    

BAA: What skills and competencies do you believe will be most critical for future leaders in the entertainment/media industry, and how can current students start developing these now?

Our industry is using data to inform all our decisions, so this is an area of growth.  AI is also the big talk in the media and in so many industries.  My advice with AI is to stay informed and know why and how you would use it.  It is a tool like any other so what could it do to add efficiency (reduce costs) but also how can it make the product better while increasing audience numbers.  Being able to demonstrate that you have successfully accomplished this trifecta will set you apart in this industry. 

BAA: Apart from work, what are your extracurricular interests, and how do they contribute to your overall personal and professional development?

Post MBA has been a series of vacations, and just getting back to the things I did before school, such as going to the gym, golfing, hiking, skiing, traveling, cooking, reading, sleeping, seeing friends and family. This provides positive distraction from my work, and for me this is critical to maintaining a balanced life.  I am also looking for opportunities that are now available to me because of my degree, paid and unpaid. This takes time and requires a lot of research, which means I am learning all the time.  And because of the MBA, I am not afraid to put in the work!  And the same can be said for my professional development.  I make investments of time into areas that I think will enhance my career but also help my team be smarter and better at what we do.   All of this said, I also watch A LOT of television.  It is encouraged in our industry so I will categorize that as professional development.