In this edition of our Beyond the MBA series, we’re proud to spotlight Monika Johnson, Senior Manager of US Sales Finance at Gallo. With a dual MBA/MS in environmental science, Monika entered business school with a clear mission: to influence decision-making in the consumer packaged goods and agricultural sectors. Her journey has since evolved in unexpected — and energizing — ways, leading her into the collaborative world of corporate finance and strategy.
Monika shares how her vision has grown, what energizes her today, and why the Forté community continues to be a source of inspiration.
How did your vision for your career evolve after the MBA — and where has it led you so far?
When I went to business school, my objective was to develop the skillset necessary to influence business decision making in the CPG and agricultural product industries. I pursued a dual MBA and MS in environmental science to ensure I could understand not only the commercial side of the space, but also the broader context and environmental impacts.
While I have stayed pretty true to this objective, I didn’t expect my career journey to take me deep into the world of corporate finance and strategy. In my roles at Gallo, from Wine and Grape Supply to leading the finance and operations team for our Asia exports business, I have found that the finance function can be a really fun combination of analytical decision-making and cross-functional leadership.
Before my MBA, I pictured finance as a number-crunching, solitary function deep in Excel. In reality, it’s incredibly collaborative. I love bringing the numbers and facts to the table to help people from different areas of expertise — from winemakers and grape growers to supply chain or our sales team — make decisions that are in all of our best interest.
What’s one superpower you left business school with that you didn’t expect — but now couldn’t live without?
My classes and experiences in business school (University of Michigan, Ross School of Business) helped me hone my ability to see a business problem, structure a way to approach it, and communicate a plan to enlist others. Casing for interview prep helped a lot with this, as well as the Ross core strategy course and case competitions. This skill has been invaluable to me as my roles have evolved from individual contributor to leader, solving a diverse array of challenges across our organization with various stakeholders.
Complete the sentence: “Being part of the Forté community feels like …”
A warm hug from other women who have been there! As an alumna, the advice I have received from fellow alumni has been so supportive. For example, the “Parenthood as a Career Booster” session at the most recent conference gave me so much more confidence that I can leverage my next chapter as a mom to benefit my professional life. Likewise, I love passing on what I’ve learned to those just starting their business school journeys!
What’s been your most rewarding moment as a Forté volunteer or ambassador?
My company recruits Forté Fellows for full-time and internship roles. Seeing these awesome women impress my colleagues during the interview process makes me so proud to be a part of this community! They are smart, sharp, and bring great passion to their career journeys.
What’s energizing you lately — personally, professionally, or both?
California’s abundant summer produce! My creative outlet is food and cooking, and as someone passionate about agriculture and food systems, there is no better place to be. We get a weekly box from a farm in the Capay Valley, and I love figuring out how to bring out the best of it.
We are just a few weeks away from the beginning of California’s grape harvest and crush, so the winemakers at Gallo will soon be doing their own artistic work to bring vintage 2025 to life.
Monika’s journey reminds us that the MBA is just the beginning.
Whether she’s leading cross-functional teams or mentoring the next generation of Forté Fellows, Monika brings purpose, precision, and passion to everything she does. Her story is a powerful example of how business school can unlock unexpected paths — and how community can keep us grounded along the way.
