YouTube’s Chris Barra Returns to SDSU to Inspire Future Tech Leaders
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For Chris Barra (’05, management information systems), technology has always been a passion.
“I had a consistent interest in technology: I built websites at 13, was a webmaster for a music label’s fan sites at 15 and developed video games at 18,” said Barra. “When I was exploring the possibility of attending SDSU and I learned about their MIS program, it was an ‘a-ha’ moment.”
That moment set Barra on a path to a successful career, where he now serves as a lead program manager for YouTube, overseeing the team responsible for launching products such as dynamic live ads and establishing live streaming services for the platform’s sporting events.
His outstanding career achievements and dedication to giving back recently earned him the distinction of being named a “Rising Aztec,” an honor awarded by SDSU Alumni to young alumni who have excelled professionally while actively supporting SDSU and engaging with the university in their lives and careers.
One of the ways Barra engages with the university is through his role on the Management Information Systems (MIS) advisory board within SDSU’s Fowler College of Business.
“When the university offered me the opportunity to join the MIS advisory board, I was excited about the potential to positively impact SDSU students during their formative years,” said Barra, who joined the board in December 2023.
In addition to his advisory board role, he has also been teaching an online course, Principles of Information Systems (MIS 180) to SDSU business students since the spring semester of 2024.
“It’s a full-circle moment, since I give the mid-term and finals for my class in the same lecture halls I once sat as a student.”
One of the keys to Barra’s professional success was his coursework as an SDSU student and the support of his professors who led him to “explore MIS careers, unlock opportunities to make connections in the industry and help to develop a strong set of foundational skills” that Barra currently uses in his career.
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His involvement with SDSU’s chapter of the Association of IT Professionals (AITP) was also instrumental in launching his career. “In my last year at SDSU, I was the president of AITP where I learned to develop an organizational vision and execute it with a talented group of other officers,” said Barra. “At one of the group's events, I met an industry professional who connected me to the organization that offered me a full-time job offer upon graduating from SDSU.”
Since then, Barra has progressed up the corporate ladder, gaining more industry experience and knowledge along the way. It was his career success that ultimately inspired him to join the MIS advisory board and to share his professional expertise as a lecturer.
For fellow alumni who are looking to reconnect with SDSU, Barra offers this advice: “Connect with SDSU Alumni, former professors or the academic departments for your degree program to let them know you’d like to get involved and they will point you in the right direction. Any contribution you make, whether it is mentoring, volunteering or simply attending alumni events makes a tremendous impact.”
