Alexandra Osten (Andover 2011) was named on the 2022 Forbes 30 Under 30 List for managing more than $5 billion in annual advertising revenue at Sprinklr. Osten, currently living in New York City, also runs a trucking business in Detroit and raises awareness about pancreatic cancer. Read on to discover how Bloomfield Hills Schools provided opportunities for exploration and growth that led to where Osten is now!

What was your favorite experience as a Bloomfield Hills Schools student? I loved being able to participate in multiple activities: The BIFF, Varsity Tennis, Jills, Musicals, Forensics, Figure Skating, Student Leadership -- I felt like I could do anything and was even more excited when I was able to excel in my chosen student activity!

What were the most important lessons you learned at Bloomfield Hills Schools? I learned a lot about time management. It was the first time I independently needed to work on my discipline to make sure that nothing slipped through the cracks with my extracurriculars and course work. I also learned to appreciate people with different backgrounds and experiences, be it students, faculty, or staff. There was great exposure to a diverse group of individuals.

Were there any classes that you took in BHS that inspired you to work in the field of advertising? I really enjoyed my radio classes (building out creatives, content, and promotions), Economics (learning about supply and demand) and Student Leadership (my senior year I was Class Historian), but I think BHS also helped me decide what I didn't want to pursue, which is equally important!

Share a bit about your educational and career background. What led you to where you are now? I moved to NYC to attend Pace University; I was torn between pursuing a path in the Arts or getting a business degree. Pace had just launched a new program (Arts & Entertainment Management) which essentially gave me the best of both worlds! I ended up also adding a major in International Marketing and a minor in Economics, as I wanted to maximize my course load and absorb as much as possible before pursuing a career path post grad. At Pace I had unlimited opportunities to get involved on-campus as well as off. On-Campus I was involved in various student organizations, honors societies, and ended up creating two organizations (a Women's Network and movie group affiliated with Universal Pictures). Out of the classroom I completed 12 internships at organizations such as CNN, NBC News, The Today Show, Universal Pictures, Glamour Magazine, and more. To close my chapter at Pace, I was chosen to be the Commencement Speaker and delivered my address at Madison Square Garden for over 15,000 attendees.

Post grad, I've been everywhere from startups to global organizations. This year I was chosen by Forbes for their '30 Under 30' list for Marketing & Advertising for the work I was doing at Sprinklr (a customer experience platform) and now I can say I'm very happy with my current home at Meta where I oversee our largest strategic advertising partnerships.

Share a bit about yourself! I just moved back to NYC after coming home during the covid pandemic to be close to my mom and stepdad, family, friends, and Costco. For the past three years, I've also been running my late father's trucking company out of Detroit. It was nice being able to spend time with the team and be close by to help the business thrive. I've also been really passionate about Pancreatic Cancer Awareness since my dad passed away in August 2019. He was my best friend, so I want to do everything I can to help prevent someone from going through the heartache of losing a loved one to the disease. Here is a link to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network which has a ton of resources for awareness and support. Lastly, I hosted my class's 10-year reunion last Thanksgiving. It was so wonderful catching up with my peers and celebrating all the success they've had!

What advice would you give current students or alumni? My advice would be to be genuine and never give up. It's totally okay to not have a plan or know what you want to do. Trusting your intuition and being authentic helps put you on your path. It's very easy to look at others and try to follow their path, but remember, your path is your own.