Get to know... Tiffany Baker

This month, we’re excited to highlight Tiffany Baker, MBA career coach and educator at the Alberta School of Business, whose adventurous spirit, willingness to embrace discomfort and deeply empathetic approach bring a thoughtful and human perspective to her work.

What’s a fun fact about you that most people wouldn’t know?

I started my career as a Dental Assistant. It’s as gross as it sounds, but I’m weird that way.

I enjoyed dental work, but hated the industry, so three major career pivots (and many sub-pivorts) later and here I am as a coach, educator, and speaker.

What’s your favorite way to spend a weekend or day off?

Depends on the season. In spring or summer, I’m usually on one of my bikes (I have three: road, gravel, and mountain). In the winter, you can find me on cross-country skis. But if the weather is not great, you can also find me wandering around a shopping mall.

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?

Anywhere where I can stay in a hut on the water. Fiji, Maldives, French Polynesia. I’m not picky! I’ve always wanted to be able to wake up, peer over the side of the bed, and see the (warm) ocean below.

What’s a hobby or skill you’ve recently picked up (or would like to try)?

Improv! I’m not amazing at it (and I really thought I would be) but it’s helping me grow in the best, and most uncomfortable ways: taking action in the face of failure, doing something without a plan, trying (desperately) to care less what people think of me, and getting out of my head!

What’s a book, movie or TV show you’re currently enjoying?

I just finished Colin O’Brady’s book “The 12 Hour Walk”. It’s fascinating, and I’ve got my own 12 hour walk planned for July 17th!

Do you have a favorite meal or go-to comfort food?

Ethiopian, Thai, Mexican, Vietnamese… in that order.

What inspires or motivates you the most in your day-to-day life?

We only have one short life, and we have 100% control over how we experience it. I lost my mom when I was 25, and it wasn’t until recently that I realized how young she truly was when she died (55). So now I try to live by the FIBI rule…. “F It, Book it”. Do the thing, say yes (and say no), do it scared, dream big, try, laugh, cry. We only get one shot at this, make it count.

Can you share a bit about your role and what brought you to the Alberta School of Business?

On the surface, I help MBA students find jobs. What I actually do is help them understand themselves and their relationship to the world so they can think, feel, and act in ways that support their growth first as humans, and then as professionals.

I had lunch with a stranger, and after hearing my desire to make a career pivot, she pulled out LinkedIn and said “The UofA just posted a coach role… let me find it”. Without her I would never have known about this role. Still unsure whether I should apply, I took myself for an intuition-walk. I was drawn to this imprint in the snow, which is made when a bird takes off and it’s wings hit the snow. And my intuition whispered to me “It’s time to take off Tif”... so I applied. And here I am!

What’s something about your job that you wish more people knew?

That tears (or strong emotions) are normal to have during a career coaching meeting. They happen more often than you think. So as a coach, holding space for a student's emotion is one of the biggest privileges of my role. It’s also why I sometimes hide in my office and don’t socialize… Holding space for emotion can take a lot out of me

What’s one piece of advice you’d share with a new colleague joining the school?

Coffee chats! It’s the same advice we give students… Take as much time as you can to go for coffee with anyone and everyone at the Alberta School of Business. And give yourself grace… the University is a beast, so manage your expectations of yourself as you settle in.