Makenzie Brandon ’09: Learning How, Not What, to Think

Makenzie Brandon ’09 works as an Associate Director at BTS, a global management consulting firm, with a focus on strategy implementation. “I spend a lot of time creating and leading learning and development programs centered on building leaders’ business acumen, change leadership, and leadership capabilities that align to an organization’s strategy and future vision,” she says. 

Her connections to SAAS run deep: as a middle and high schooler here, she excelled as a student and basketball, soccer, and track star (and remains the all-time leading scorer on our record boards!). After SAAS, Makenzie was a WBCA All-American basketball player, team captain, and kinesiology major at Occidental College. Later, she received an MBA from the UW Foster School of Business and worked in several roles at SAAS over six years, including serving as Head of the Upper School. 

A lifelong athlete, she reflects: “I developed at a young age the ability to see obstacles as welcomed challenges, understand failures as fundamental building blocks of growth, and cultivate an undying curiosity to learn and passion to improve, even if marginally, each day. I knew my successes were both a reflection of, and reflection upon, my team, and I learned never to shy away from the gritty, on-the-ground hard work it takes to get things done. I bring this mindset into everything I do.” 

We were thrilled to bring her back to campus for our January 2025 Summit, where she moderated our keynote panel, reconnected with former teachers and colleagues, and had the opportunity to tour our new building. “There has been so much growth since I was last at SAAS,” she reflects. “It was wonderful to hear about how the core, most meaningful components of the SAAS culture are still in existence but in new and meaningful ways for the community.” 

Here, Makenzie reflects on how her time at SAAS shaped the person she is today. 

“I am grateful for the foundation of understanding and celebrating the diversity of talents and skillsets of my classmates. SAAS did a great job helping us all find, engage in, and celebrate the things we love to do. The culture allowed me to see others in new ways on a regular basis and push myself to widen my own view of myself.” —Makenzie Brandon ’09

 

 

What were your most memorable and impactful experiences at SAAS? 

Definitely playing sports, especially the State Championship games and state playoff games! The honors American Studies class reinforced my critical thinking and public speaking skills and pushed me beyond my comfort zone academically. And as a high schooler, I got to introduce Tommie Smith at a community event—that was a huge turning point in my confidence around public speaking and owning my own story. 

Anyone at SAAS you’d like to shout out? 

Rob Phillips was a big mentor, my soccer coach, and advisor, as was my 7th grade basketball coach and mentor Lauri Conner. What I appreciated most about both of these people were how well they knew me, believed in me, and saw capabilities of mine I didn’t see myself—pushing me to try new things and take on challenges I may have otherwise thought I wasn’t suited for. Joe Pugelli was hugely supportive in strengthening my writing skills. And Cathy Schick was a constant for me. She was my basketball coach and a huge supporter throughout all my time at SAAS. I am still in close touch with many of my SAAS mentors. They were pivotal to supporting me into opening my own aperture and becoming who I am today, and I’m grateful to continue to learn from and grow with them. 

What skill did you learn from SAAS that you’re most grateful for? 

Learning how, not what, to think when faced with difficult decisions. At SAAS I learned to respect and understand facts and existing processes AND I learned the value of “understanding the rules so that you know when to break them,” as Joe often put it.