Tiger Heritage Alumni Spotlight
Black History Month, 2025
Jason W. Gallo
BS ’98
Jason W. Gallo is Vice President, Global Partner Value Acceleration within Cisco’s Global Partner Sales organization. His team focuses on driving partner value by developing comprehensive global channel strategies across key areas like Networking, Cloud & AI, IoT, and Ecosystem Co-Innovation—helping partners differentiate, grow, and succeed in an evolving market
Recognized as a CRN Channel Chief (2022–2025) and a Top 100 under 50 Executive Leader by Diversity MBA magazine, Jason is a sought-after speaker at Cisco global partner events, industry conferences, and thought leadership platforms. He also serves as the executive sponsor for Cisco’s African American Partner Community initiative and co-founded the Alpha Phi Alpha Endowed Scholarship at RIT.
In addition to earning his bachelor’s in electrical engineering from RIT, he has gone on to earn his MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, and a master’s in engineering management from Washington State University. He enjoys time with his wife and two children, refining his golf swing, and playing chess.
Why did you choose to attend RIT?
From an early age, I knew technology would always be a part of my life. My mom told me that I would be an engineer, and she was right! I applied to Brooklyn Technical High School and specialized in electrical engineering. During senior year, outside of the school’s career office there was a tear-off post card promoting RIT. The description of the engineering program, the New York location, and if I’m being honest, the cool orange tiger in the picture, all caught my attention.
As a first-generation college student, my family did not know much about college. In fact, my extended family was against me attending college. However, I knew that engineering was my path out of Brooklyn. Borrowing my dad’s old typewriter - that he used to write his Sunday sermons - I typed up my RIT application letter.
I wish I could say that I did extensive research across schools, but RIT was one of, if not the only application I can remember submitting. Thank goodness for RIT’s great high school outreach campaign which met me where I was at during that point in life.
Looking back, what aspects of college were you the least prepared for?
When I started college, I wasn’t prepared for basic life skills like laundry, managing bills, or finding a campus job. Working as a student officer for Campus Safety and organizing library books helped me adjust, as did braving Rochester winters and navigating RIT’s quarter system.
What caught me most off guard, however, was the lack of diversity in Engineering. Feeling isolated, I pushed through, but struggled, especially with Optics in my fourth year. One day, I saw two top classmates playing Magic, a strategy card game. I love strategy games and had won spades tournaments on UHouse for years. I asked them to play a hand, and ultimately that led to us forming an Optics study group. Stepping out of my comfort zone paid off - I passed the class and made two new friends. For many years after college, I felt my struggles at RIT stemmed from limited support for students like me, especially in engineering. This sentiment is shared by many African American alumni who needed extraordinary resilience to complete the rigorous 5-year program.
Thankfully, RIT has evolved significantly over the past 30 years, fostering inclusivity and better preparing its diverse student body for the world and workplace. I'm proud to reconnect with my alma mater, thanks in large part to leaders like Candi Boston, RIT’s Director of Alumni Engagement.
My tough experience taught me a vital lesson: don’t let fear of judgment stop you from seeking help or building connections—support can come from the most unexpected places.
Could you share a memorable moment (or moments) from your time at RIT that stands out as a personal favorite?
One of my most memorable experiences at RIT was joining Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. in Fall 1994, a brotherhood that continues to impact RIT through leaders like Marcus Parker BS ’98, MS ’02 and the Vice President and Associate Provost of Diversity and Inclusion, Dr. Keith Jenkins. Alongside step shows and co-founding the RIT Alpha Phi Alpha Endowed Scholarship Fund, a highlight was attending an upstate NY regional conference, subsidized by RIT, where I represented Rochester as the oratory contest winner.
At the conference, I met a Nortel recruiter, but embarrassingly lacked a resume. Determined, I found a local hotel business center, typed up a resume, and returned within an hour. Impressed by my problem-solving, a Nortel executive hired me on the spot. That opportunity led to two co-ops at Nortel and launched my career in enterprise tech sales and product management. Thanks, RIT, for funding that life-changing trip!
What factors or experiences guided you towards your current profession?
Three key principles have guided my career:
1. Relationships: They open doors and teach the unwritten rules of success. Building a personal "board of directors"—coaches, mentors, and sponsors—is crucial, especially early in your career when potential matters most. These relationships help you navigate challenges beyond formal job requirements.
2. Continuous Learning: Steps to growing your transferable skills include Data, Insights, Execution, Strategy, Vision, Culture, and ultimately Shareholder/Stakeholder Value. And teaching what you’ve learned reinforces growth and gives back to the community.
At a recent RIT event led by Carol Harlow, Regional Director of RIT University Advancement, and alumnus Kenneth Holley BS ’02, I guided current RIT business students on navigating the National Black MBA Conference. I didn’t realize how much I knew until I had to explain the steps to success to these first-time attendees.
Fellow alumnus and RIT Board of Trustees member Jon Budington BS ’91, who was also in attendance, reminded me that once we gain wisdom, it’s easy to forget how being unwise felt—underscoring the importance of learning through sharing our experiences within the RIT community.
3. Agility: Adaptability is key to playing smarter. Many of us learn the 80/20 rule and appreciate that there are diminishing returns if trying to be too perfect in solving real world problems. As a more experienced leader, I came up with the 51/49 principle: gather just enough information to lead effectively and avoid analysis paralysis. This approach balances momentum with strategic adjustments, even in uncertain situations.
Reflecting on your time at RIT, was there a particularly challenging or difficult experience that, in hindsight, helped you develop skills or resilience for your career and life beyond college? How did that experience shape who you are today?
Being a poor college student was humbling, but it taught me to be smart with my money. After college, I embraced frugality, prioritizing savings and investing in my company’s stock and 401K, which enabled me to purchase my first home soon after graduating.
Committed to continuous learning, I also leveraged my time management skills from RIT’s quarter system to complete a company-funded master’s program while working full-time.
If you could change anything about your undergrad experience, what would it be?
Early in my undergraduate years, my grades didn’t quite align with ability. Beyond academics, I wish I had fully embraced the cross-disciplinary opportunities RIT offered. If I could do it all over again, I would take advantage of studying abroad, taking business classes, exploring the arts, or learning sign language.
When I am not working, you will probably find me….
Working on my golf game. Cisco sponsors the APGA, which provides a platform for aspiring golfers from underrepresented backgrounds to showcase their talents. While my game is not good enough to keep up with these amazingly talented young players, it’s a lot of fun to play in the ProAm tournaments and support their journeys towards being PGA Tour players. Representation and being involved matters.
Fun fact(s) about you that you would like to share…
My job has allowed me to travel to over 21 countries, immersing myself in cultures and cuisines—a favorite hobby! How many can you achieve?
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Tiger Heritage Alumni Spotlight
Black History Month, 2025
Jason W. Gallo
BS ’98
Jason W. Gallo is Vice President, Global Partner Value Acceleration within Cisco’s Global Partner Sales organization. His team focuses on driving partner value by developing comprehensive global channel strategies across key areas like Networking, Cloud & AI, IoT, and Ecosystem Co-Innovation—helping partners differentiate, grow, and succeed in an evolving market
Recognized as a CRN Channel Chief (2022–2025) and a Top 100 under 50 Executive Leader by Diversity MBA magazine, Jason is a sought-after speaker at Cisco global partner events, industry conferences, and thought leadership platforms. He also serves as the executive sponsor for Cisco’s African American Partner Community initiative and co-founded the Alpha Phi Alpha Endowed Scholarship at RIT.
In addition to earning his bachelor’s in electrical engineering from RIT, he has gone on to earn his MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, and a master’s in engineering management from Washington State University. He enjoys time with his wife and two children, refining his golf swing, and playing chess.
Why did you choose to attend RIT?
From an early age, I knew technology would always be a part of my life. My mom told me that I would be an engineer, and she was right! I applied to Brooklyn Technical High School and specialized in electrical engineering. During senior year, outside of the school’s career office there was a tear-off post card promoting RIT. The description of the engineering program, the New York location, and if I’m being honest, the cool orange tiger in the picture, all caught my attention.
As a first-generation college student, my family did not know much about college. In fact, my extended family was against me attending college. However, I knew that engineering was my path out of Brooklyn. Borrowing my dad’s old typewriter - that he used to write his Sunday sermons - I typed up my RIT application letter.
I wish I could say that I did extensive research across schools, but RIT was one of, if not the only application I can remember submitting. Thank goodness for RIT’s great high school outreach campaign which met me where I was at during that point in life.
Looking back, what aspects of college were you the least prepared for?
When I started college, I wasn’t prepared for basic life skills like laundry, managing bills, or finding a campus job. Working as a student officer for Campus Safety and organizing library books helped me adjust, as did braving Rochester winters and navigating RIT’s quarter system.
What caught me most off guard, however, was the lack of diversity in Engineering. Feeling isolated, I pushed through, but struggled, especially with Optics in my fourth year. One day, I saw two top classmates playing Magic, a strategy card game. I love strategy games and had won spades tournaments on UHouse for years. I asked them to play a hand, and ultimately that led to us forming an Optics study group. Stepping out of my comfort zone paid off - I passed the class and made two new friends. For many years after college, I felt my struggles at RIT stemmed from limited support for students like me, especially in engineering. This sentiment is shared by many African American alumni who needed extraordinary resilience to complete the rigorous 5-year program.
Thankfully, RIT has evolved significantly over the past 30 years, fostering inclusivity and better preparing its diverse student body for the world and workplace. I'm proud to reconnect with my alma mater, thanks in large part to leaders like Candi Boston, RIT’s Director of Alumni Engagement.
My tough experience taught me a vital lesson: don’t let fear of judgment stop you from seeking help or building connections—support can come from the most unexpected places.
Could you share a memorable moment (or moments) from your time at RIT that stands out as a personal favorite?
One of my most memorable experiences at RIT was joining Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. in Fall 1994, a brotherhood that continues to impact RIT through leaders like Marcus Parker BS ’98, MS ’02 and the Vice President and Associate Provost of Diversity and Inclusion, Dr. Keith Jenkins. Alongside step shows and co-founding the RIT Alpha Phi Alpha Endowed Scholarship Fund, a highlight was attending an upstate NY regional conference, subsidized by RIT, where I represented Rochester as the oratory contest winner.
At the conference, I met a Nortel recruiter, but embarrassingly lacked a resume. Determined, I found a local hotel business center, typed up a resume, and returned within an hour. Impressed by my problem-solving, a Nortel executive hired me on the spot. That opportunity led to two co-ops at Nortel and launched my career in enterprise tech sales and product management. Thanks, RIT, for funding that life-changing trip!
What factors or experiences guided you towards your current profession?
Three key principles have guided my career:
1. Relationships: They open doors and teach the unwritten rules of success. Building a personal "board of directors"—coaches, mentors, and sponsors—is crucial, especially early in your career when potential matters most. These relationships help you navigate challenges beyond formal job requirements.
2. Continuous Learning: Steps to growing your transferable skills include Data, Insights, Execution, Strategy, Vision, Culture, and ultimately Shareholder/Stakeholder Value. And teaching what you’ve learned reinforces growth and gives back to the community.
At a recent RIT event led by Carol Harlow, Regional Director of RIT University Advancement, and alumnus Kenneth Holley BS ’02, I guided current RIT business students on navigating the National Black MBA Conference. I didn’t realize how much I knew until I had to explain the steps to success to these first-time attendees.
Fellow alumnus and RIT Board of Trustees member Jon Budington BS ’91, who was also in attendance, reminded me that once we gain wisdom, it’s easy to forget how being unwise felt—underscoring the importance of learning through sharing our experiences within the RIT community.
3. Agility: Adaptability is key to playing smarter. Many of us learn the 80/20 rule and appreciate that there are diminishing returns if trying to be too perfect in solving real world problems. As a more experienced leader, I came up with the 51/49 principle: gather just enough information to lead effectively and avoid analysis paralysis. This approach balances momentum with strategic adjustments, even in uncertain situations.
Reflecting on your time at RIT, was there a particularly challenging or difficult experience that, in hindsight, helped you develop skills or resilience for your career and life beyond college? How did that experience shape who you are today?
Being a poor college student was humbling, but it taught me to be smart with my money. After college, I embraced frugality, prioritizing savings and investing in my company’s stock and 401K, which enabled me to purchase my first home soon after graduating.
Committed to continuous learning, I also leveraged my time management skills from RIT’s quarter system to complete a company-funded master’s program while working full-time.
If you could change anything about your undergrad experience, what would it be?
Early in my undergraduate years, my grades didn’t quite align with ability. Beyond academics, I wish I had fully embraced the cross-disciplinary opportunities RIT offered. If I could do it all over again, I would take advantage of studying abroad, taking business classes, exploring the arts, or learning sign language.
When I am not working, you will probably find me….
Working on my golf game. Cisco sponsors the APGA, which provides a platform for aspiring golfers from underrepresented backgrounds to showcase their talents. While my game is not good enough to keep up with these amazingly talented young players, it’s a lot of fun to play in the ProAm tournaments and support their journeys towards being PGA Tour players. Representation and being involved matters.
Fun fact(s) about you that you would like to share…
My job has allowed me to travel to over 21 countries, immersing myself in cultures and cuisines—a favorite hobby! How many can you achieve?
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