24 Nov, 2025
For John Baldino (M.S. in Business Analytics ’26), learning has always been about making connections between disciplines, industries, and ideas. You could say that his approach to problems is to see how every piece contributes to smarter decision-making. Now as Citadel Securities COO for Business Controls, Baldino has built a career around understanding how systems operate and how to improve them.
Enrolling in the University of Virginia’s Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA) program, offered jointly by the Darden School of Business and the McIntire School of Commerce, was the next step in his personal mission.
“I’ve always been drawn to taking complete vertical ownership when possible,” he says. “To be able to go deep on different topics, subjects, or functions—that’s really shaped my success.”
Lifelong Learning as a Leadership Strategy
Baldino’s commitment to continuous education reads like a roadmap for professional advancement and personal enrichment. The MSBA program represents what will be his fourth master’s degree, following graduate studies in Public Policy and Government, Business, and Information Systems Management. Each one filled in a different part of the business ecosystem, and each arose from a challenge he wanted to solve.
Though he started his career in the public sector, a mentor suggested he gain a stronger business perspective, and he pursued an MBA. Later, when technical frustrations arose at work, he decided to take matters into his own hands.
“While working at a prior employer, I was very frustrated with the IT department; it was like we were speaking different languages,” Baldino recalls. “After some self-reflection, I decided to get a degree in Management Information Systems to close the communication gap and take ownership of the technical things for which I wasn’t getting the support I needed.’”
Now, with UVA’s MSBA program, he’s connecting the final dots and learning to transform information into insight. “The pieces of the puzzle really come together here,” he says. “I understand how business works, how the regulatory environment works, and how the technology works, but now knowing how to maximize value through the ability to analyze and leverage data is where I see the value in the MSBA program.”
His tenacity extends beyond the classroom and shows that where there is a will to become better, there’s a way. In addition to balancing a demanding executive role and a rigorous graduate program, he’s also navigating life as the father of a growing family, as Baldino and his wife recently welcomed a baby girl who was born while he was enrolled in the MSBA program in addition raising their toddler son, “two potential future Hoos,” Baldino quips half-jokingly.
“To be successful in a program like this, you must be extremely organized,” he says. “But you also must have the drive to want to learn. You set boundaries, manage optimize your time to be most efficient, and stay focused on your goals.”
Making Data Matter
Having worked in both the public and private sectors, Baldino has seen firsthand how data has become central to decision-making. But he’s also witnessed how it can overwhelm rather than inform.
“In my 20-some years of experience, I’ve seen a very distinct journey of how data is leveraged,” he says. “More and more, decisions are being made with data informing the discussion in a richer way. But you never want to measure something just for the sake of measuring it. You want to collect data so that it can lead to a decision or an outcome.”
The MSBA program’s focus on applied analytics has given him new tools to bring this philosophy to life. He’s refreshed his foundation in statistics and learned to use programming languages like R and Python to approach problems with new precision.
“Parts of the curriculum are things I wouldn’t have had much exposure to before,” he explains. “The program has challenged me to think differently—and not just about how to apply the analytical methods—but why. When the data seems to point one way, but something feels off, I now have new techniques to better test my own hypotheses and strengthen my confidence in conclusions.”
Learning Through Collaboration
While the technical skills are key, Baldino says one of the most rewarding parts of the program has been the collaborative environment with professors and peers.
“The cohort I’m in has about 50 people, and it’s not homogeneous,” he explains. “There’s a lot of interesting professional diversity. But the other axis that’s been helpful is learning style. Some people are more process oriented, some more outcome oriented, some are tactile learners, some auditory. Learning how to work effectively across those styles has been eye opening.”
That experience has sharpened his ability to lead diverse teams at work. “It has made me much more aware as a leader,” he says. “It’s helped me appreciate differences in the way people operate and honed my ability to work more effectively with them. You can always work better together. There’s always room for improvement.”
Baldino also credits the program’s faculty for shaping that growth. “Each professor has a distinct teaching style, and I’ve really enjoyed the distinct teaching styles from each of them so far,” he says. “They’re demanding in the best way. They push you to be prepared, to think critically, and to apply what you’re learning to real-world scenarios. The faculty care deeply about making sure you succeed, and that comes through in every class.”
The program’s in-person residencies have also been invaluable in strengthening both peer and faculty relationships. “Do not underestimate the power of the in-person residencies,” he advises. “The learning and bonding you do during those sessions are fantastic. Compared to programs that might be fully online, this hybrid model creates a holistic experience that is truly best in class.”
Purposeful Progress
The MSBA program is much more than simply adding another credential to Baldino’s resume: It’s about deepening his understanding of how to use data to inform smart, ethical, and effective decisions in complex organizations. It’s also about staying open to growth, no matter how much he’s already achieved.
That mindset combines curiosity, adaptability, and purpose to define both his leadership and his learning philosophy.
And it’s why, even as a seasoned executive and serial degree-holder, he continues to seek out new ways to learn.
“The curriculum is very well designed and efficient,” he says. “Beyond the academic rigor, the holistic experience of the program—especially through the residencies—is something that can’t be underestimated. It’s what sets the UVA MSBA apart.”
This story was originally posted on the McIntire News site.