Title:GTA Alumni Spotlight: Meet Bess Chapman (C’11)

Meet Bess Chapman (C’11), AI/ML Product Lead at Apple and GTA Board Member!

Please introduce yourself.

Hi! I’m Bess. I’m from Middleburg, Virginia, just an hour from Georgetown. I was C’11 and got my Graduate degree from Stanford Business School in 2020. I started my career as a Product Manager at JetBlue Airways then spent a few years as a VC at JetBlue Ventures, where we were investing in startups and incubating new ones. My favorite product that I worked on at JetBlue was Fly-Fi, which is still the only free, high-speed internet in the sky.

I’ve spent the last four years as a Product Management leader at Apple, where I work on the AI/ML team on Siri and Apple Intelligence. I love skiing, gardening, and music, and live in San Francisco with my boyfriend.

How did your time at Georgetown influence your career path in the tech industry?

Georgetown helped shape my values and taught me to bring them to everything I do. I’m also lucky enough to have partnered on projects with various Hoyas throughout the years, and mentored Hoyas who are getting into and growing in tech. Giving back to the Georgetown community through mentorship is really important to me.

What does the day-to-day look like in your current role?

One of my favorite parts of my role is that no two days look alike. I spend a lot of my time meeting with partner teams like design, engineering, and data science, driving consensus, and brainstorming and prioritizing new product features.

What is your favorite app or website, and why?

Alltrails! I’m a big outdoors person. I love the UI and product features like trail discovery and reviews, and looking back on my routes from old backpacking trips.

What is your favorite work meeting each week, and why?

This week, I loved my one-on-one with my intern. She’s so enthusiastic and intelligent – I always learn something new, and feel very inspired by her.

What is one piece of advice you would give to a Georgetown student that is interested in tech?

Journal! It’s so important to record how you’re feeling and how you react in different moments. If you’re in an internship and you have a great day, write down what made it so great. Even if you read an article or hear a lecture that inspires you or that bores you to tears, check in with yourself and document it. I think you’ll find yourself going back and reading this as you consider your next move.

For me, this is what helped me decide to move into consumer rather than B2B tech. I had journaled that I really felt fulfilled in the moments when I saw users using something I’d helped build, and this helped guide my decisions.

For more GTA Alumni Spotlights, click here.