Saturday Surprise

On a crisp Saturday morning in 2015, Ify Igboanugo walked into a finance class at Northwestern University, unaware that the next few hours would dramatically alter both her personal and professional trajectory.  

That morning in Northwestern's Master of Engineering Management (MEM) program, she not only started on the path toward gaining crucial knowledge for her future career, but she also met the man who would become her husband. 

Today, Igboanugo is the director of North American logistics operations at medical test manufacturer Cepheid, overseeing a team of nearly 300 associates across five sites. Her role involves managing material movements for diagnostic tests shipped to more than 260 locations worldwide.  

Her career path and familial happiness can be traced back to that pivotal day at the start of her MEM journey, a day when she mistook what she thought was a group invitation to go for a walk for what actually was a first date.  

“I thought when he asked me on the walk he was asking a whole bunch of different classmates,” Igboanugo said. "No, he was just asking me. That was really funny." 

The “he” was her future husband, Mark Bernardi-Reis (MEM ‘17).  

That one walk turned into a regular study partnership during her time in the MEM program. The lessons they studied turned into the foundation for her career in logistics.  

“At the end of the day, we need to get materials to the right place at the right time in the right quantity to the right customer,” Igboanugo said. “That's basically all there is to it.” 

When Igboanugo joined the MEM program, she was a business management consultant at supply chain consulting firm CGN Global. The program's unique blend of engineering principles and business acumen appealed to her career aspirations. 

"When I looked into the MEM program, I thought having that grounding with the engineering principles and fundamentals and then understanding the business side would help make me successful,” she said. “Learning how to do both at the same time was what really attracted me to MEM.”   

Today, Igboanugo applies her MEM skills to simplify complex logistics operations at Cepheid.  

She said the MEM program’s dual focus on engineering and business perspectives is crucial for success in her field. 

“One thing MEM does really well is this unique balance of the engineering mindset for problem solving and the business mindset to understand where the business is going and how to make it more profitable,” Igboanugo said. “That’s really what the job calls for, and that’s what MEM equips us for.” 

In her current role, Igboanugo faces daily challenges that require both technical expertise and strategic thinking.  

Her ability to master the complexity of her work is a testament to the value of her MEM experience, she said.   

“Logistics isn't incredibly complex,” Igboanugo said. “But it may get complex depending on how the network is designed. Part of being successful in this job is being able to remove some of those complexities.” 

The MEM program’s impact continues to resonate in her professional and personal life. The program not only equipped her with valuable skills but also expanded her network, leading to career opportunities and a life partner that have shaped her journey.  

From a chance encounter in a Saturday morning class to leading global logistics operations and building a family, her journey embodies the unexpected ways learning can shape a career and a life.  

“My future husband and I went on that first walk and the rest, as they say, is history," she said, “We dated from that day forward, and now we’re married and have a son. It’s a great story.”