Justin Yu
New York, NY
Open to work
About Me
I'm an "ex-rocket scientist," data and AI nerd, strategist, and lifelong learner. I have 15 years of experience across leadership, data, consulting, and operations. I've helped shape strategy both as an individual thought leader, and as a team leader of analysts, developers, and researchers.
I’ve seen how successful companies operate, while also invoking my inner “intrapreneur” to go from 0 to 1 on some internal products. I’m a scrappy, insatiably curious generalist who loves wearing many hats, navigating ambiguity, and getting things done. From strategy to execution, I’m comfortable operating at 10,000 ft or 10 ft, solving problems from first principles.
I drive tangible business outcomes by thoughtfully using data and technology.
Industries
Media & Entertainment, eCommerce, Finance, Consulting, Aerospace
Domains
Strategy, Data & Analytics, Customer Experience, Customer Service, Risk, Engineering
My leadership style
Supportive — I strive to make others around me successful and am generous with my time and knowledge.
Adaptable — I figure out what's needed in each situation. I listen, learn, and adapt, not just copy/paste from the past.
Thoughtful — I'm a deeply methodical and introspective person. I act with much thought and intention.
Innovative — I positively challenge the status quo. I'm always looking for better ways to do things, and encourage others to as well.
My personal Values
Respect — There's always a respectful way to treat others, even amidst disagreements or frustration. Take the high road as much as possible.
Authenticity — Wearing a mask gets tiring. It's better to be true to ourselves.
Honesty — Honesty builds trust. Trust builds relationships. Relationships enable effective teams and results.
Humility — Everybody has something they can teach you…if you can open your mind to the possibility.
Curiosity — The world is full of amazing things, both natural and man-made. Go forth and explore!
Efficiency — Always look for a better way. Relentlessly improve processes and your own knowledge.
My Superpowers
Visual Storytelling — The intersection of precise messaging and aesthetic design.
Connecting the Dots — Combining info from multiple sources to create new insights and ideas. From strategy to execution, across domains.
Outside of Work
Skills & Tools
Competencies
Strategic Planning
Data Analytics & Visualization
KPI Definition / Frameworks
Organizational Design
Organizational Transformation
Change Management
Project Management
Product Management
Process Improvement
ROI Optimization
Additional Working knowledge
AI / GenAI / LLMs / RAG
Data Science and ML
Data Engineering
Analytics Engineering
Agile / Scrum
Lean / Six Sigma
Technical Skills
SQL
VBA
Python
HTML
CSS
Software
Languages
Education & Certificates
Cornell University
B.S. Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering
Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI)
M.S. Systems Engineering
London School of Economics & Political Science
MBA Essentials Certificate (curriculum)
My Journey
Foreword
I purposely didn't call this section "Experience" because life has shown me that we are so much more than our work experience. In fact, I created this website to tell a more complete story than a resume or LinkedIn can, so it is a longer read. If you just want the "Cliff Notes" summary, LinkedIn is better. If not, I hope you enjoy this more narrative version!
As Steve Jobs once said in a famous graduation speech…
…and I couldn't agree more. Throughout my life, I've picked up a wide range of skills, both technical and non-technical, even before I began working. People sometimes talk about "squiggly careers," and I think this concept applies even more broadly to my life. For this reason, this section is ordered going forward in time so you can relive my journey!
Highland Elementary School
Curious 6th Grader
My story starts in elementary school, where I had an amazing 6th grade teacher, Mr. Maturo. Remember, these were the very early days of PCs (i.e. Windows 3.x). Grade 6 didn't have any programming classes, but Mr. Maturo was progressive. He saw my interest in computers and personally introduced me to the BASIC programming language. At the age of 12, I wrote my very first "Hello World" program. He later introduced me to HTML, the basic language of the (then) emerging web.
KEY SKILLS GAINED
"BASIC" programming skills (pun intended)
Looking Back: Learning early how to think like a computer really set the foundation for working with technology through my career.
Cheshire High School
Web Design Hobbyist + Newspaper Layout Editor
Web Design: When I reached high school, Web 1.0 had matured a bit, and I developed interest in building websites on Angelfire and Geocities. I bought books to teach myself HTML, CSS, Javascript, and Flash. I also found it necessary to learn some complementary, basic design skills to create media for my sites. Thus, I also learned Photoshop to create and edit simple images (which I might have also used to make memes).
Newspaper Layout: In my Sophomore to Senior years, I got involved in the school's newspaper. I handled the monthly "layout" of the newspaper using QuarkXPress. This entailed arranging all content in an engaging and readable fashion. In the process, I learned about typography concepts like Leading, Kerning, Paragraph spacing, and more. I became skilled at manipulating text and images. An innovator, I also applied my web design skills to pioneer the school's first internal website to view the newspaper and its archives online.
KEY SKILLS GAINED
HTML, CSS, Javascript, Flash, Photoshop
Basic web & graphic design concepts
Text layout & typography concepts
Looking Back: Little did I know that these hobbyist skills would pay dividends later — from designing websites and event flyers in college, to making executive presentations as a "visual storytelling" expert at EY.
ebay @ Cornell
eBay Reseller and Search Hacker
In college, I ran an eBay storefront as a side hustle, buying and re-selling Magic: The Gathering cards there. I used my design skills to make an attractive, branded landing page. I learned how to use the right keywords ("eBay SEO") and how to merchandise my items to maximize sale prices. By the end, I had generated thousands of dollars at 90%+ margin to help support myself through college.
But wait, how? I had started by buying cards only for myself. Then one day, I had a key insight: there were many, low visibility items often selling for far below market value. In other words, search discoverability presented an opportunity for price arbitrage. I started purposely searching for misspelled card names, listings in the wrong categories, and sniping them for cheap. Since I knew their true market value, I'd set my max bids to ensure a high margin when I resold. This strategy proved highly effective.
One of my favorite types of cards to exploit — "dual lands" which were both high in value, and commonly misspelled as "duel lands."
KEY STATS
Looking Back: Running my own eBay storefront taught me some business basics about tracking my revenue, costs, and margin.
Yale University
Mechanical Engineering Research Intern
As a rising Junior at Cornell, I managed to get a summer internship at Yale helping a graduate research student. There, I improved a MATLAB model for engineering a bio-battery. I researched new methods of ion permeability regulation and implemented them into the model. I authored a paper summarizing the research and improvements to be submitted for future publishing. Curious minds can view the paper here.
NASA Ames Research Center
Engineering Intern
As a rising Senior at Cornell, I was fortunate to land an internship with NASA. I moved to an old air base in Mountain View, CA for the summer, along with other interns. There, I helped NASA identify and predict part failures. Essentially, they had a physical model of a spacecraft's electrical power system and were developing predictive models. There, I used MATLAB, Excel, and SQL to enhance data analysis and management tools to support their research. You can view my final report here.
KEY EXPERIENCE GAINED
Real-world MATLAB use
Exposure to SQL and databases
Exposure to Aerospace research environment
Reflection: After two internships in research, I decided that the research environment was just not for me. As much as working at NASA had always sounded cool, things just moved too slowly; I needed a faster pace.
Cornell Microgravity
Engineering Team
Haptic Controller Team Lead
In my Senior year, I joined Cornell's Microgravity engineering project team, which was designing a low-power robotic arm for use in space applications. I led the design and fabrication of a haptic controller for the arm. We had the privilege of flying to Johnston Space Control in Houston to test our designs aboard NASA's "Vomit Comet" in a simulated zero-gravity environment. Although the robotic arm did not function as well as hoped, we all still learned a lot and had a once-in-a-lifetime experience!
Pratt & Whitney / UTC (now RTX)
Associate Aerospace Engineer
Upon graduation, I took a job related to my degree as an Aerospace engineer back home in CT. My job was to analyze commercial jet engine performance data, evaluate engineering changes, and optimize fuel consumption (airlines' largest cost). I ran Monte Carlo simulations of engine operation, used proprietary data analysis tools, and wrote scripts to batch create charts and analyses. Most importantly, I had caring leaders who taught me not only about "real-world" thermodynamics, but also how to think independently, analyze and present data, and to never stop asking "why?"
I learned UTC's version of Lean / Six Sigma ("ACE"). This included various Process Improvement, Root Cause Analysis, and Waste Reduction skills.
I also wanted to improve my public speaking skills. I found and joined Toastmasters, along with taking trainings on effective presentations.
At the time, I thought I wanted to eventually work for a Systems Integrator like Airbus or Boeing. So in 2009, I opted for a part-time Masters in Systems Engineering. Although somewhat focused on physical systems, many of the concepts I learned in this degree also translate well to software (e.g. SDLC). For our Capstone project, I created an opportunity for myself to learn and utilize VBA, which seemed like a useful language.
Soon after, I applied my new VBA skills to improve a team process at work: task assignment and updates. I created a shared team tasklist with VBA macros for advanced filtering. My tasklist became an integral part of our team's status meetings. The tool and associated process later spread to multiple other teams in the department.
KEY SKILLS GAINED
Data analysis and visualization
VBA
Presentation skills
Systems thinking
Pratt & Whitney / UTC (now RTX)
Aerospace Engineer
Lead Performance Analyst
After a couple years, I was promoted and given a new responsiblity to lead analysis for the Production Delivery Center. In this capacity, I supported the QA testing of jet engines coming off the manufacturing line. I designed experiments, calibrated testing equipment, and analyzed test data to ensure that customers got what they paid for. Every day, I navigated a challenging dynamic between Operations (who wanted to ship ASAP) and Engineering (who prioritized quality).
As the lead analyst, I also delegated work to on-site and off-shore contractors. It was my first experience in a semi-managerial capacity: defining tasks, delegating them, reviewing work products, and providing feedback. I found it extremely rewarding to see junior analysts grow thanks to my efforts.
Additional Experiences
— Wiki Consultant: Frustrated with the lack of documentation for newer employees, I became the change I sought. I became 1 of 3 experts and evangelists and drove company-wide Wiki adoption from <5% to >70%. I built Wiki solutions for teams and trained hundreds on the tool (e.g. reducing Engineering's onboarding time by 25% with a streamlined Wiki).
— Process Improvement Team Lead: I volunteered to lead a team of 7 engineers to identify and reduce waste. We eliminated over 400 hours of annual process waste.
— Hobbyist Investor: After paying off my loans, I started learning about fundamental investing. I learned how to read financial statements and how to evaluate companies based on various financial ratios.
KEY EXPERIENCE GAINED
First-level Management
Cross-Department Dynamics
Process Improvement
Internal Consulting
Reflection: These years gave me a solid foundation in analytical thinking, process improvement, exposure to management, and an aspect of business administration.
Senior Consultant, Advisory Services
Data & Analytics Practice
After 4 years in engineering, I realized I wasn't passionate about Aerospace. Upon reflection, I'd learned that I liked making smart decisions with data and solving a range of problems. This led me to pivot my career to the budding field of Data & Analytics. I landed a job at EY, moved to NYC, and began helping a variety of Financial clients with data problems like:
— Finding vendor fraud with forensic testing techniques in Spotfire
— Automating the creation of financial disclosures (CSI, FAS 157, FAS 161), saving the audit team 80+ hours of effort
— Reconciling trade records with ACL (a CAATs tool) and data extracted from 200,000 pages of PDFs using Monarch
— Defining a firm-wide taxonomy of Processes, Risks, and Controls
"Visual Storytelling:" It was in my 2nd year as a consultant that years of collecting random skills suddenly connected. My creative hobbies helped me become relatively exceptional at making great decks (for somebody with a math/science background). I developed a training to upskill my team. Word spread, and there was soon demand for my course from other EY teams as well as our clients' teams. I ended up delivering the training a total of 9 times, benefitting hundreds of professionals.
KEY EXPERIENCE GAINED
Financial Services industry
Client-facing experience
Variety of specialized data tools
Infamy as "Visual Storytelling" expert
Manager, Advisory Services
Data & Analytics Practice
After a couple years, I was promoted to Manager and started leading client engagements. I owned increasingly senior relationships (VP → ED → MD) and more of the end-to-end sales process (e.g. proposals, SOWs). I ended up spending 3 years as a "retained consultant" at a major investment bank, making decks for the Chief Risk Officer and leading a variety of transformation projects:
— Enterprise Metrics & Reporting: Collaborated with all functions to develop Operational Risk KPIs. Established processes to collect and present data to leadership. Created thought leadership that helped establish our client as an industry leader in Operational Risk reporting.
— Enterprise Risk Transformation: Performed Current / Future State gap analysis to develop organizational Target Operating Model and RACI. Established a global Risk Data Aggregation (RDA) program, standards, and PMO to collect risk data from all LOBs/BUs. Created a Conceptual Data Model, benchmarked vs. industry, by analyzing Market / Credit / Liquidity risk data assets.
By the end, I had become an "acting" Senior Manager, leading 3 simultaneous projects for my client, each with their own Manager and teams. Internal to the practice, I also played a key role in growing EY's Data & Analytics practice from 100 to 300 professionals by performing 100+ interviews, contributing to 25 sales proposals, and leading trainings.
Volunteer "Shark": Interested in startups, I visited my alma mater in March 2015 to judge students' business ideas for innovative ways to improve the Ithaca, NY community. Students generated solutions for either homelessness, poverty, or the Cornell-Ithaca relationship. They then pitched myself and 2 other judges a business idea. Evaluation criteria included the quality of the idea, how well it was supported with research, and pitch delivery.
KEY EXPERIENCE GAINED
Managing senior clients
Owning engagements end-to-End
Managing multiple teams / projects
Significant soft skills
Director, Global Customer Analytics
In late 2017, Audible approached me with an opportunity I couldn't turn down. It was a step up in all regards, including being my first chance to directly manage people. I was hired to lead the Customer Service Analytics team, which I transformed from a basic reporting function into a world-class analytics function over 3 years. I also built out 2 additional functions which the department needed: a Global Voice of the Customer Program and a mini-technology team. I managed 11 FTE across the US, UK, and Costa Rica, supporting Global Operations across 10 countries.
Customer Service Analytics (transformation)
— Project Truth: Standardized KPI definitions and ownership across teams. Streamlined existing suite of reports and developed stakeholder-facing Wiki documentation.
— Measurement Transformation: Revamped CS' performance framework (improved existing KPIs, created net new KPIs, introduced a balanced scorecard, change management for 1500 employees).
— Stack Modernization: Migrated org from OBIEE to Tableau and AWS QuickSight. Created 100+ dashboards in the process and educated org about modern data viz platforms. Began adopting dbt for Analytics Engineering efficiencies.
Infrastructure & Intelligent Solutions (IIS) (creation)
— Prometheus: 0 to 1 build of an innovative "Next Best Action" platform on AWS to provide CS Agents with prescriptive guidance, reducing cognitive load and personalizing customers' experience. Leveraged Audible's main APIs for realtime data. Rolled out to 200+ users globally, achieving 85%+ CSAT.
— Intelligent Routing: Pioneered new technology to apply greater data-driven intelligence to contact routing. Personalization improved customer retention and reduced costs.
Global Voice of the Customer Program (VoC) (scaling)
— Created a program to identify, synthesize, and amplify customer feedback from customer contact transcripts, social media, app reviews, and other sources.
— End-to-end strategy to scale from one analyst into a global program serving 400+ leaders across the C-suite, Product, Tech, UX, Marketing, and Engagement / Retention.
— Program achieved 70+ NPS, 90%+ CSAT, 85% action rate on insights, and lessened specific contact types by 35-45% in some cases.
KEY STATS & IMPACTS
Sr. Director, Global CS Ops, Analytics, Voice of Customer, & Tech
Although I was hired to lead an analytics team, I ended up doing much more. With a seat at the department's leadership committee, I was always interested in and vocal about ideas for further improving the broader organization. In my career, I'd never been one to focus narrowly on my own role or function, and this was no different. Over the years, I had come to embrace an ownership mindset that…
The SVP of CS leadership took notice of this and promoted me to be one of three department leaders, while retaining leadership of my original 3 functions (hence the above, convoluted title). I found myself wearing 5 hats and in a strange dynamic where I was a department leader, but also the "trusted advisor" to the department leaders.
In my expanded role, I made decisions that affected a department of 300+ FTE and 1500+ outsourced individuals across 10 countries. I was crucial in defining the department's 3-year plan, 1-year plan, and overall Operating Rhythm with quarterly OKRs. I nourished a data-driven culture, drove costs down, and enabled programs that increased customer engagement and retention. I had the opportunity to impact the company's bottom line, as well as people's careers:
Creating Growth Opportunities: As I built out my teams, I also created Internship and Rotation opportunities for employees who were looking to explore new career paths. I eventually hired one of the Rotation participants to join the IIS team. Another participant joined my team at 50%, evolving his role to match his interests in tech. I'm proud to have been able to help others in their careers.
Cost Reduction: In 2023, the company's focus shifted more towards profitability and cost reduction. I personally convinced the CS department to do so as well, diving deep to identify an untapped opportunity to save $10-20 MM annually. The project ultimately saved the company $24 MM annually with no customer or brand impact.
As the IIS tech function matured, I was given another technical employee and more customer-facing tech products to manage, bringing my team's "product" ownership to 7 technology products and 50+ data products. My Amazon internal job family was subsequently reclassified as "Principal Product Manager - Technical."
KEY STATS & IMPACTS
Reflection, Learning, and Exploration
In April 2024, my role at Audible was eliminated amidst a mass layoff. It was my first time not working for an extended time since I'd started working. Rather than jump straight into job seeking, I spent time reflecting, learning, and exploring. Additionally, it was my parents' 50th anniversary, and we'd already planned a 2-week trip in mid-May. Thus, I began job seeking in June, while also improving my skills and knowledge:
Light MBA: Leaning into my interest in business strategy, I completed an MBA certificate from LSE to fill any gaps I had in business administration.
Events: I got plugged into the NYC startup / tech / AI ecosystem by attending 40+ events, meeting over 300 new people, and began reshaping my network.
AI: Between events and tons of reading, I got up-to-speed on all things AI. I tinkered with 80+ AI tools to become more efficient and "AI-ready."
Hackathon: I participated in my first AI hackathon. In 2 days, we built an MVP of a AI workplace coach using Bubble and Make.com, and "pitched" it to real investors.
Volunteering: I offered to help others through the Next Play community. Through 10+ "office hours," I helped AI founders with AI strategy, and gave resume and career help to young professionals.
This Site: In under 1 week, I learned Framer and built this site from scratch.
WIP: My current focuses are pursuing certifications in Scrum PSM I (to work better with Tech teams) and Python (to supplement organic exposure with fundamentals).
Speaking
I have spoken at company All Hands' and multiple conferences in front of audiences of 150+ people. I enjoy both working with smaller groups in intimate environments, as well as speaking to larger audiences. If you are interested in having me speak at your event, please reach out.
Topics:
Leadership and Culture
Data, Analytics, and AI
Building a Culture of Accountability:
Setting Clear Goals and Metrics for Data-Driven Success
Chief Data & Analytics Officer Conferece (CDAO) Fall, Oct 2024
Empathica.ai Pitch Deck
Pitched at Hatch Labs Hackathon to judges (investors) in Nov 2024
My Library
Books contain humankind's accumulated knowledge. As a lifelong learner, books, newsletters, and blogs are a source of endless enrichment. Here are some of my favorites:
Entrepreneurial Thinking
(Keep scrolling ↓)
Leadership and Self-Improvement
(Click books for details)
Entertainment
(Click books for details)
Newsletters & Blogs
• The Rundown AI - learn AI in 5 minutes a day
• Ethan Mollick's "One Useful Thing" - thoughtful essays on the implications of AI
• AlphaSignal - a more technical AI newsletter for devs
• Lenny's Newsletter - product, growth, career growth, and more
• Kyle Poyar's "Growth Unhinged" - exploring the unexpected behind the fastest-growing startups
• Anu Atluru's "Working Theorys" - essays examining modern ambition, attention, and creation
• Dave Kellogg's "Kellblog" - startups, strategy, financing, GTM, sales, marketing, metrics, and more
• Chief AI Office - the latest in AI startup funding
© 2025 Justin Yu (adapted from Anton Drukarov's Framer template)
