{"id":13747,"date":"2023-03-01T01:20:52","date_gmt":"2023-03-01T09:20:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/business.wsu.edu\/edividend\/?p=13747"},"modified":"2026-02-18T11:26:27","modified_gmt":"2026-02-18T19:26:27","slug":"paulina-gastelum","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/business.wsu.edu\/edividend\/2023\/03\/01\/paulina-gastelum\/","title":{"rendered":"Executive MBA Prepares Paulina Gastelum to Lead in Agribusiness"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\"EMBA
Paulina Gastelum is CEO of US operations for AGQ Labs.<\/em>
(Courtesy photo)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

When Paulina Gastelum\u2019s<\/a> grandparents migrated from Mexico to the US to work in California and Oregon\u2019s agricultural fields, they planted the seeds of opportunity in the minds and hearts of their children and future generations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They worked for 30 cents an hour under the Bracero Program<\/a>, a farm labor agreement that allowed Mexican workers to temporarily work in the US to help relieve the agricultural labor shortage during World War II. As they toiled in pursuit of the American Dream, they sent money home to their children still in Mexico. Their work ethic and skills became an example for Gastelum\u2019s parents, who later moved to the US to work in the fresh produce industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After Gastelum (EMBA \u201922) finished high school in Mexico, she began chasing her own American Dream at age 21 when she immigrated to the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Inspired by her family\u2019s contribution to agriculture and her desire to gain a deeper understanding of the business, Gastelum pursued a career in a small agricultural lab in 2004. After a few years, her dream to grow as an agricultural business professional took hold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Overcoming challenges through education<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although she completed a college degree in Mexico, Gastelum\u2019s limited English proficiency posed a challenge where her professional goals were concerned. She also realized being a single mother and a woman in a male-dominated industry were perhaps even more challenging. \u201cI found myself working extra hard to stand out and earn the respect of employers and clients,\u201d she says. \u201cMy family, employers, teachers, friends, and colleagues faithfully invested in me and encouraged me to never give up, particularly in the face of adversity.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She knew she would need additional education and enrolled at Columbia Basin College in 2009, earning degrees in agribusiness and business management and mastering English proficiency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She learned about the WSU online Executive MBA<\/a> (EMBA) program from her agribusiness contacts in the Pacific Northwest and WSU graduates who are leaders in the agricultural industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBased on my research, I concluded that the WSU Carson College of Business would be the best fit for my educational needs and better position me to achieve my own professional goals,\u201d she says. \u201cThe online program provided the flexibility I needed with my full-time job and family obligations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

EMBA training advances career<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

While earning her EMBA, Gastelum was a senior manager in a lab providing food safety and quality advisory services. Before she graduated from WSU in 2022, she became vice president of commercial operations at AGQ Labs<\/a>, which offers sustainable agricultural, food, mining, and environmental solutions internationally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After just four months, she was promoted to chief executive officer of the US territory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy EMBA degree has opened doors within my industry that would not have been available to me otherwise,\u201d she says. \u201cIt has given me the confidence to trust my instincts without being complacent, the courage to be visible in a predominantly male industry, and the humility to admit my mistakes and move forward.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gastelum remembers two learning experiences in particular that supported her business aspirations. One occurred in her very first EMBA class, information management systems, with lead instructor Gregory Rose and section instructor Jolanda Barnett. At the time, she felt the class was completely over her head, but Barnett was \u201cabsolutely amazing and patient when explaining concepts and how they related to my work.\u201d In the end, Gastelum created an information systems project that she implemented at her work, helping increase the lab\u2019s productivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The other experience was in her capstone class where she and her team created a project to detect food allergens and contaminants early and propose solutions for consumers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Viewing business through a wider lens<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen I think about the value of my EMBA, what comes to mind are the knowledgeable professors, a great network of talented, driven professionals, relevant curricula on best business practices, and consistent individual support, guidance, and encouragement from school staff and faculty,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Overall, Gastelum says the EMBA program encouraged her to view the industry she had worked in for many years through a more comprehensive lens and taught her about alternative business methods. She also participated in the study abroad program, gaining international business experience and access to a global network in the Czech Republic, Estonia, and Finland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her future plans include furthering AGQ\u2019s mission for a better and safer world, implementing more efficient practices, and exploring new business possibilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI have deep respect for AGQ\u2019s vision and business model and feel very fortunate to be part of their US team,\u201d she says. \u201cAs I grow my career, I\u2019m determined to create a culture that supports education, empowers individuals, and breaks down stereotypes of women in this industry.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Learn more about online MBAs<\/a> and Executive MBAs<\/a> at the Carson College of Business.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Paulina Gastelum\u2019s executive MBA prepared her for the chief executive role at the US commercial operations of AGQ Labs. She\u2019s the third generation of her family to work in the agribusiness industry, building on the work ethic of her grandparents, who were migrant laborers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":[628],"featured_media":16496,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[626,425,613,428],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/business.wsu.edu\/edividend\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13747"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/business.wsu.edu\/edividend\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/business.wsu.edu\/edividend\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/business.wsu.edu\/edividend\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/628"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/business.wsu.edu\/edividend\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13747"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/business.wsu.edu\/edividend\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13747\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18587,"href":"https:\/\/business.wsu.edu\/edividend\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13747\/revisions\/18587"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/business.wsu.edu\/edividend\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16496"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/business.wsu.edu\/edividend\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13747"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/business.wsu.edu\/edividend\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13747"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/business.wsu.edu\/edividend\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13747"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/business.wsu.edu\/edividend\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/author?post=13747"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}