Every good product innovation begins with a problem worth solving. That’s the lesson Ross Todrzak (MSTI ’22) carried out of the Master of Science in Technology Innovation (MSTI) program at UW’s Global Innovation Exchange (GIX), an academic unit at the University of Washington operated in partnership with the College of Engineering and Foster School of Business. Today, he applies those lessons in his work as a senior product manager at Alaska Airlines, where he leads digital products designed to improve the customer experience.
Earlier this year, Todrzak was recognized with the UW MSTI Alumni Impact Award for his professional accomplishments and continued investment in the University of Washington community. He took a break from his work at the Alaska Airlines Hub in Seattle to speak with us about his experiences in the MSTI.
You came to MSTI from a non-tech background. What drew you to the program?
Ross Todrzak: I didn’t choose the MSTI because I wanted to work in technology. I arrived because I discovered I loved building things.
As an undergrad at the University of Washington, I studied political science and expected to continue on a fairly traditional path, becoming a lawyer. That changed when I added a Minor in Entrepreneurship at the Foster School of Business to my degree. I discovered an interest in building products. For the first time, I experienced what it was like to take an idea from concept to prototype.
Until then, I’d never considered myself a technical person, but I realized I genuinely enjoyed the process of creating something that solved a real problem.
When I started looking at graduate programs, the UW MSTI stood out. I liked that it brought together engineering, business, and design to take an idea from concept to launch.
Ross Todrzak (MSTI ’22) overlooks Runway 34R at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport from Alaska Airlines headquarters in Seattle.
Is there a lesson from MSTI that still shapes how you approach your work today?
Ross Todrzak: The user-centered design class fundamentally changed the way I think. When you’re surrounded by a prototyping lab full of incredible tools, as you are in the MSTI, your instinct is to jump in and start building. That’s what all of us wanted to do.
But in that class, we weren’t allowed to think about solutions for several weeks. The entire focus was on understanding the problem first. Looking back, I see why.
Here’s an example: You have probably received a software update on your phone that you hate, because companies sometimes feel like they need to change something just because they can.
What I learned is that you can lead with technology, but if you don’t understand the user and the problem, none of that matters.
In product management, it’s incredibly easy to fall in love with a solution before you’ve earned the right to build it. We see it all the time. Products change because a team wants to add a feature, not because users need it or because it improves anything.
That course taught me to reverse the process. Start with the user. Understand what they’re trying to accomplish, where they’re struggling, and what success looks like from their perspective. Only then should you think about the technology. The technology itself isn’t what creates value. Solving the right problem does.
Looking back, what aspect of the MSTI had the biggest impact on your career?
Ross Todrzak: One of the most impactful experiences was our capstone project. Most capstone projects come from corporate sponsors like T-Mobile or Microsoft, but ours was the only student-led project in the cohort.
We partnered with UW Medicine, which encompasses the UW School of Medicine, Harborview Medical Center, and UW Medical Center. Our four-person team worked to address a real constraint in medical training: the limited opportunities surgeons have to practice. For the most part, surgeons practicing delicate hand procedures rely on cadavers, which are expensive, limited, and often single-use.
That gap — the lack of alternative and cost-effective ways to practice — is what we set out to close. We explored how augmented reality could improve surgical training, specifically by reducing reliance on cadavers for practicing delicate hand procedures.
Working with UW Medicine’s Sports Medicine department, we built an augmented reality training system using a Microsoft HoloLens that overlays a 3D model of the arm’s veins, arteries, and joints onto 3D-printed hand models, including a simulation of the numbing injection surgeons administer before an incision.
Ultimately, what I learned is that innovation starts with humility. We weren’t brought in because we understood surgery better than the physicians. Quite the opposite; they are the experts. Our role was to understand their world well enough to help solve a problem they faced every day.
That required weeks of observation, interviews, and user research before we ever thought seriously about a solution. Only after we understood their workflow, the limitations of existing training methods, and what success looked like for them did we begin exploring how technology might help.
That experience fundamentally changed how I think about product development. The solution is rarely the starting point. The starting point is understanding people.
What advice would you give someone considering MSTI today?
Ross Todrzak: Come into the program curious. You don’t need to have every technical skill on day one, but you do need to be willing to learn from people whose backgrounds are different from your own.
One of the strengths of the program is that it brings together engineers, designers, STEM, and business students who naturally approach problems from different perspectives. Some of the best ideas emerge because those perspectives challenge one another.
I’d also encourage students to take full advantage of the relationships they’re building. Your UW MSTI classmates, faculty, and alumni become an incredible network, and those connections often continue long after graduation.
Graduate school is a relatively short experience. The community you build can last much longer.
At Alaska Airlines, Todrzak applies lessons from MSTI to digital products designed to improve the customer experience.
You’ve stayed closely connected to the MSTI community as a mentor and guest speaker. What keeps bringing you back?
Ross Todrzak: I’m a first-generation college student. My parents didn’t go to college. They supported me, but when it came to higher education, I had to figure a lot of it out on my own. I remember not knowing who to ask. Sometimes I was even afraid to ask. Looking back, I realize how difficult it can be to navigate the college and career process without someone to guide you.
When I was an undergrad, I used to sign up for the University of Washington program Huskies at Work and meet alumni. Hearing their stories made a huge impact on me because so many of them had careers that didn’t follow the path they expected.
I don’t think I would have gotten through some of the tougher parts of my career without people taking the time to share their advice. I see the value in that, and I think it’s my responsibility to give back. That’s why I’ve committed to helping students in the MSTI program whenever I can. I always leave inspired.
Looking back now, what did receiving the MSTI Alumni Impact Award mean to you?
Ross Todrzak: In many ways, the award made me reflect on what I’ve attached my identity to over the years. It’s easy to define yourself by a job title or the company you work for, especially in technology. But careers and companies change. Those things are important, but they’re temporary.
What has remained constant is the UW MSTI community.
It has become a place I’m proud to be associated with, not simply because of the education, but because of what the program stands for. It encourages people from different backgrounds to come together, solve meaningful problems, and continue investing in one another long after graduation.
Receiving the award reminded me that there’s value in having a community outside of work—a place where you’re encouraged to keep learning, keep contributing, and keep thinking about what’s possible. That, more than anything, is what the recognition meant to me.
This interview wouldn’t be complete without a travel question. Of all the destinations Alaska Airlines serves, where would you most like to go?
Ross Todrzak: Australia. Working at Alaska Airlines reminds me every day how travel broadens your perspective, and Australia is one place I’ve always hoped to experience. I’d love to spend time there—not just visit the major cities, but really explore the country and its culture.
Learn more about the Master of Science in Technology Innovation (MSTI) program at UW’s Global Innovation Exchange (GIX), an academic unit at the University of Washington operated in partnership with the College of Engineering and Foster School of Business.