Alum Spotlight: Cheyenne Johnson (MPP/MBA ‘22)

Batten graduates enter a variety of sectors and fields after graduation. While many go on to public service careers, working in local, state, federal, or even international policy areas, other Batten graduates go on to work in the private sector, including healthcare. The Batten Admissions team sat down with one of our amazing private sector alums, Cheyenne Johnson (MPP/MBA ‘22). Hailing from Ojai, California, Cheyenne joined the Batten School in 2019 after completing her undergraduate degree in Chinese from UC Santa Barbara and spending time teaching in China and working in different marketing roles. Following her time at Batten and Darden, she has gone on to serve in the Redwoods Resident Leadership Development Program at DaVita Kidney Care. Today, she serves as the Senior Manager of Patient Experience & Voice of the Customer at DaVita Kidney Care. Get to know more about Cheyenne below! 

Why did you choose Batten? 

• I chose Batten because I wanted to make sure I understood the intersections between business and public policy and would be able to approach my future roles with those stakeholders and priorities in mind. My MPP has been a huge boon in my current role, whether it’s navigating complex healthcare policies or thinking through how to motivate and influence others, I regularly tap into the insights and lessons I gathered in my coursework and from my professors. 

How would you describe the Batten community?  

• The Batten community is a diverse and welcoming group of policy nerds all motivated to make the world a better place. We’re idealists almost to a fault and always ready to roll up our sleeves to make things better for our communities. 

How were you able to explore your policy interests while at Batten? 

• I spent time learning more about international affairs specifically in Asia which was a significant interest for me after spending 3 years abroad in China. Even with the in-person experience under my belt, I learned a lot about the nuances of the US’s relationship and the different political levers involved during my time at Batten. 

What’s one way the MPP helped you grow personally or professionally?   

• Batten helped me to better understand how history deeply plays into current situations and how you can’t understand where someone is at now if you don’t understand where they’re coming from. It encouraged me to prioritize empathy and perspective taking when pursuing my goals. 

Similarly, how did Batten prepare you for your first role after graduating or your current role? What skills and experiences at Batten set you up for success? 

• A Batten education has been invaluable in my current role in healthcare. Healthcare policy is complicated and frustrating for both payors and patients. Being able to understand the nuances and speak to both the policy wonks and the people directly impacted by them has been a huge boon and helped me to “walk across the aisle” even though I’m several miles away from Washington DC. 

What course or academic experience was a highlight of your time at Batten? 

• It’s not one particular course but the hours we all spent together in the Batten building [Garrett Hall], huddled over our own but still shared work. There was something exhilarating and oddly comforting about being surrounded by such motivated, smart people all struggling over the same data set. 

Beyond academics, what are some other memories that stand out from your time at Batten?  

• To name a few, lots of bagels, hanging out on the Lawn, and picking too many apples on Carters Mountain. 

What piece of advice would you give to a student considering Batten? 

• Batten will help you become a nuanced and effective policy expert with a deep understanding of the situation and the people within it. Your fellow classmates will help you become a better, more rounded, worldly, and empathetic person. It’s been years since I graduated and I still have friends I made during my time at Batten.