Ahmad Jenkins: Competing with Purpose
Ahmad Jenkins, MBA ’13, built his career on solving complex problems and creating impact, a mindset shaped on the field with Baylor Football.
Jenkins, senior manager of Strategy and Enablement at Netflix, leads cost strategy, working with the CFO and executive leadership to optimize spend across production, marketing, travel and entertainment, and other areas of the business. His role requires a mix of strategy, problem solving and working closely with teams across the company.
A lot of that approach goes back to his time as a student-athlete at Baylor University.
“My time with Baylor football taught me how to compete in a healthy way,” Jenkins said. “It’s okay to want to be the starter, but it’s important to elevate your teammates and focus on overall impact versus individual reward.”
That mindset still shows up in how he works today. For Jenkins, success is tied to how you treat people and how you support those around you.
As an undergrad, he balanced Mechanical Engineering with the demands of football while the program was working its way back to national relevance. The schedule was intense, with plenty of 15- to 18-hour days.
“Undergrad was a masterclass in time management,” he said. “Football was a full-time job on top of school, so transitioning to my career felt manageable. Long days at the office are not as challenging for me, especially knowing I won’t be running sprints at 6 a.m. the next day.”
His MBA built on that foundation in a different way.
“My MBA refined the way I think about time management and prioritizing my day,” Jenkins said. “I learned to focus on what actually drives impact. Being busy isn’t the goal, being impactful is.”
The relationships he built during the program are what stand out the most now.
“I made lifelong friends and built unbreakable connections, established through our common belief in Baylor’s mission,” he said.
Those connections have carried beyond graduation. Jenkins still stays involved with the program through guest lectures, panels, recruiting and serving on committees. He is also set to join the Baylor MBA Advisory Board when it launches this fall.
That continued involvement is intentional.
“I don’t believe I’d be where I am today without a Baylor MBA,” Jenkins said. “I want to share that with others.”
He also stays connected through Baylor’s alumni network, especially on the West Coast, where he works with the development team and keeps up with what’s ahead for the University.
“The Baylor brand is strong,” he said. “I wear my green and gold proudly around Los Angeles, and people always stop me to chat. It’s always Sic ’Em for House Jenkins.”
In his current role, Jenkins often finds himself working through complex challenges, something he feels prepared for because of his time at Baylor.
“No pressure, no diamonds,” he said. “I learned to thrive in high-stakes situations and seek out challenges others might avoid.”
It is a mindset he still leans on. For Jenkins, being uncomfortable is often a sign he is in the right place.
“If I’m too comfortable, that may be a sign I’m not in an environment that’s allowing me to grow in the ways I want to,” he said.
From Baylor Football to his role at Netflix, Jenkins’ experience shows how discipline, relationships and a willingness to take on challenges can shape a career, and how those connections continue to create opportunities for others.
