Some of the MBA women to watch in the Class of 2019
It starts with a dream – a spark that inspires people to ask why and spurs them to figure out how. Such dreams stem from a passion, a desire to push change using the tools around them. Most MBA candidates are dreamers, passionate about creating and correcting. For them, business is a tool to challenge and change, a means to bring access and foster equality.
In the Class of 2019, women often embody this spirit. They are the catalysts who enrich discussions, build connections, and broaden opportunities. Many times, they are the organizers who run events and plan trips. More often than not, they serve as the mentors who impart their school’s deepest aspirations and cultural traditions. They are entrepreneurs and experts, financiers and free spirits, mothers and managers. Often, they measure themselves more by impact and influence than income and importance.
Each year, Poet&Quants honors 10 first-year women who personify the best of their class. Each represents something fundamental to the MBA experience. They are volunteers like Adi Rajapuram who brings comfort to the injured. They are strivers like Gillian Apps, an Olympic champion who is returning home to brave a career transition. They are inventors like Eva Hoffman, who plies her engineering wizardry to level the playing field for underserved populations. And they are public servants like Amy Dobbin, who works tirelessly behind the scenes to leave the world far better than she found it.
In short, these women represent the best of their classes. Soon enough, they will act as examples of how business can bring both profit and parity. Here are the stories of these 10 amazing women.
Kenya Hunt / Harvard Business School: Kenya Hunt describes herself using words like “passionate,” “driven,” and “persistent.” However, she was tagged with a different word during performance reviews: “quiet.”
Too quiet.
A Chevron engineer who produced forecast models for billion dollar projects, Hunt took this feedback to heart when it came time to pick an MBA program. For her, Harvard Business School was the best place to step out of the shadows, engage with the best minds, and stretch her abilities. And all for good reason – her grade depended on it!
A case classroom isn’t a comfortable spot for quiet types. Instead, it is a place, as Hunt has learned, to step forward and voice one’s views. Through this act – and the preparation behind it – she witnessed her world open wider and her passions transform into plans. “The case method,” she says, “gives me the tools to make decisions in the face of conflicting data, ask the right questions, hone my business judgment, address developmental gaps, defend and challenge viewpoints, and become versed on how to persuade, negotiate, and influence others.”
Her advice to future MBA students? Don’t be hard on yourself during the application process. “I cannot stress the importance of positive self-talk,” she says. “Stop and notice when you are feeling negative emotions (like frustration, doubt and worthlessness). Keep a log if it will help. Once you are aware of your critical voice, you will be in a better position to stand up to it. Begin replacing those negative thoughts with positive affirmations. Talk to yourself the way you would talk to a friend that you believe in!”
Gillian Apps / Dartmouth College (Tuck): This February must be a surreal time for Gillian Apps. As the world is glued to the Winter Olympics, this “washed up Canadian hockey player” is probably a mix of pride, relief, and nostalgia. You see, Apps was once an Olympic athlete. In fact, she competed in three Olympics in hockey. And she came away with a gold medal every time.
Sports has always been a big part of Apps’ life. At just three years old, she was already waterskiing! However, hockey wasn’t just a means to blow off steam for Apps. Instead, it gave her insights into the issues she’d face in business. “Each Olympic Games was a very different and unique experience, with different challenges along the way,” she shares. “A lot of what I learned about myself as an athlete and a person comes from those experiences.”
Alas, hockey is a team sport. This love of team was one of Apps’ motivations to return to Dartmouth, where she’d studied psychology as an undergrad. While Hanover may be an Olympic pipeline with a wealth of skiing and skating venues, it was Tuck’s close-knit and supportive culture that made the deepest impression with Apps. “Challenges are more enjoyable when experienced with good friends,” she says. “To me that’s what success looks like: taking on the big things head-on with a great group of people by your side.”
Amy Dobbin / London Business School: Many candidates see business school as a path to power. Amy Dobbin has already been there and done that. Before joining the London Business School, this attorney served as a senior adviser to Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. However, Dobbin was far from an anonymous analyst churning out position papers or making ends meet. Instead, she made something that most MBA applicants dream about: an impact.
“I advised the Australian Prime Minister on technology, media and telecommunication policies, and shaping the messages and policies that won the Australian Federal election in 2016,” she writes. “These policies have improved connectivity for millions of people, including the $49 billion National Broadband Network, the largest infrastructure project in Australia’s history, which will connect 8 million homes and businesses by 2020.”
At LBS, she is building on her passion for technology, all while building the expertise and network needed to put her ideas to work. To do that, she’ll need to sell her vision – which is exactly she did to gain admittance. “Do not be afraid to sell yourself, particularly if you are from a non-traditional business background,” she urges future business school applicants. “Contextualise your achievements in your essays to help the admissions committee understand who you are and why you are unique.”
Caitlin Geehan / University of Chicago (Booth): Sometimes, people just take popular songs for granted. They assume staples like “Closer,” “Something Just Like This” or “Paris” just organically topped the Billboard charts. In reality, it takes a team to make a star, people who sacrifice the spotlight and handle the dirty work so everything looks smooth for the public. At Booth, Caitlin Geehan is the star-maker behind the scenes.
For years, Geehan served as a point person for Sony Music Entertainment in international marketing. Leading over 40 teams, she handled everything: branding, promotional trips, photo shoots, budgeting, and even merchandising. Her biggest success story was spearheading marketing campaigns for The Chainsmokers for over two years – an effort that proved that there is no such thing as overnight success.
“It was a path of consistent and strategic artist development,” she writes, “which made every single milestone challenging to achieve but ultimately extremely rewarding. It is incredible to remember where we started and then recognize how far the project has come with several #1 singles, a chart-topping debut album, multi-platinum sales, billions of streams, sold out shows, and even a few Grammy awards won along the way.”
Geehan isn’t yet sure which path she’ll take next. Looking back on her application process, she came away with a piece of advice for those who follow in her footsteps: Be honest with yourself. “Your GMAT scores and GPA are obviously important, but they do not explain what kind of person you are and they should not be your biggest strength in the application.”
Ximena Gonzalez Rojas / Georgetown (McDonough): “Keep moving north” is Ximena Gonzalez Rojas’ motto. A Texas native, Gonzalez Rojas followed her own advice after earning a degree in political science. Starting as an intern to First Lady Michelle Obama, she climbed the ranks to becoming Chief of Staff for Presidential Personnel in the Obama White House.
Her biggest accomplishment? “Serving President Obama and working on diversity and inclusion initiatives to create an administration that is representative of the people it serves.”
Now, Gonzalez has found a new mission: making a career transition to finance as a first-year MBA student at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business. If you’re looking to join her at a top program like McDonough, she makes no bones about what it takes. “Study for the GMAT,” she urges. “If quant is not your strong suit spend twice the time practicing.”
Marilyn Vaughn / USC (Marshall): Marilyn Vaughn doesn’t take her good fortune for granted. When she was 17, she suffered a brain injury during a car accident. Although the injury impacted the part that governed her emotions and memory, it never hindered her sense of humor.
“Overnight I went from an introvert to an extrovert,” she jokes.
Vaughn persevered, eventually earning a degree from the University of Alabama. From there, her star skyrocketed, as she became a multi-media newscast producer with WHAS 11 News, one of Kentucky’s leading news sources. During her tenure, Vaughn found herself covering some of the nation’s biggest news stories. “[I was] managing and leading newscasts with national and global news value including burial services for Louisville-native Muhammad Ali, University of Louisville men’s basketball escort scandal, and Kim Davis’ same-sex marriage license refusal,” she says.
After earning her MBA, Vaughn hopes to manage her own production company. When she does, you can bet that her success will stem from the same meticulous preparation and commitment to quality that won her an acceptance letter at Marshall.
“Once I decided to apply to business school, I laid out a plan that had each day mapped out in detail from which subject I would study that day for the GRE to which alum I would reach out to for insight I could add to my essay,” she writes. “When you’re crafting your application, know yourself and know your story. I believe I had a well-rounded application with a story that clearly articulated how Marshall was essential to me achieving my post-MBA dreams.”
Eva Hoffmann / University of Oxford (Said): Eva Hoffmann has done a little of everything in her career. Holding undergraduate and graduate engineering degrees from Stanford, Hoffmann has spent her “nomadic” career “catching sharks in the South Pacific; teaching 3D printing; sorting recyclables with Cambodian wastepickers; writing copy for pharmaceutical ads; and combing rats’ fur in Africa.”
Those may have been her jobs, but this “sustainability-obsessed” designer’s passion is reducing poverty. It is here where she put her engineering skills to work. At d.light, she was part of a team that produced a high quality solar lamp. It covered all the bases, making light more easily accessible in rural areas – and less dangerous to use than kerosene lamps. Best of all, the solution sold for just $5 – creating a savings that families could put towards food and education.
Now, Hoffmann has set up shop at Saïd, an MBA program renowned for innovation, impact, and entrepreneurship. For her, this reputation originates from her classmates and faculty, who’ve already shown themselves capable of stretching her thinking in “unexpected ways.”
“I love that Oxford has become a magnet for people that share this commitment to positive impact,” she explains. “The classmates I’ve met so far have already completely amazed me with how considerate, diverse, and globally-conscious they are. Oxford Saïd’s self-definition as “the business school the world needs” sounded like a catchy marketing slogan to me at first, but each conversation I have with students, staff, and professors here only reinforces how true this tagline is.”
Ashley Allen / Columbia Business School: Ashley Allen is a prodigy. That’s the only word to describe her. She skipped two grades in elementary school. She completed college in three years…when she was just 19! Oh…and the 26 year-old did all this while raising her nine year-old.
Yes, this self-described “finance junkie and super mom” has big plans. Allen chose Columbia Business School so she could learn from the best minds in investment. Chances are, they are going to learn plenty from her too. Come year’s end, she is hoping to have been accepted into the school’s second year Value Investing program and leave her mark in its Investment Management Association. You can bet she’ll achieve both.
In the meantime, Allen encourages future applicants to set aside the distractions and listen to their inner voice. “The business school application process is extremely taxing and it’s very easy to get wooed or discouraged by a school’s ranking or reputation,” she observes. “The opinions of others – whether it be family, friends or peers – can also be hidden influences. However, all applicants should really take the time to visit and explore each school to determine the best fit for them. The school community you choose should not only enhance your overall experience, but also challenge you and help you grow. Be sure you choose a school based on your own goals and personality – not the ideas or wants of others.”
Steffi Rebello / University of Toronto (Rotman): Picture this. You’re 22 years-old and you’ve just earned your bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering. Better yet, you land a job with a dream company like General Electric. There’s just one hitch. GE isn’t going to bring you along slowly. Instead, they’re giving you the proverbial baptism of fire. You’re going to manage a team of 50 people…in a foreign country where you don’t speak the language. One more thing: You’re a woman and most of your reports are men who are older than you are.
No problem, right?
That’s Steffi Rebello’s story. In her first job, she was shipped off to Germany to manage a newly-acquired, highly unionized site. The transition may seem daunting on the surface, but Rebello had always welcomed the opportunity to become a leader. Turns out, this fish-out-of-water tale has a happy ending too. “I focused on my targets and did not give up. Within six months, I was able to deliver and change the perspective my team and manager had of me,” she recalls. “Additionally, I set up the Women’s Network to help women (and men) to network and take on leadership positions.”
Indeed, this Abu Dhabi native plans to continue stepping out of her comfort zone at Rotman, a cosmopolitan program renowned for using design thinking to craft innovative solutions. Not surprisingly, this doer hopes to put what she learns there to work…immediately. “After my first year of business school, I would like to look back on the new topics I learned through class, the wide variety of clubs, and my cohort and be able to say I used those topics to tackle real world problems,” she says.
Adi Rajapuram / UCLA (Anderson): Most first-years come to business school hoping to build a network. Adi Rajapuram had something more profound in mind. “I was looking for a class of individuals with whom I could form my own company.”
Rajapuram is a natural entrepreneur, someone who describes herself as a “philosophical daydreamer navigating a pragmatic world, working to turn her passions into reality.” A master of seven languages, she takes her greatest pride in the act of creation – which is often coupled with an act of service. Her volunteer work with the Rape Crisis Center of San Antonio, where she designed a “Start by Believing” campaign to encourage victims to come forward, is an example of that.
“From designing the social media campaign to representing the organization at local health fairs, I saw the direct impact my words and actions had,” she says. ”I am able to educate others, inspiring hundreds of people to pledge their support in believing sexual assault survivors.”
What is Rajapuram’s secret to getting into a selective MBA program like Anderson? Do your homework. “Get to know the programs front-to-back,” she advises. “By the time my interviews rolled around, I could tell my interviewer so much about the school’s unique programs, its resources through special on-campus academic centers, and what I would change about an on-campus club that it felt I could have been representing the school myself!”
DON’T MISS: 10 Women From the Class of 2018 To Watch or The Pioneering MBAs in the Class of 2019
Here is a sample of other women from the Class of 2019 who are poised to make a big difference after earning their MBAs (if not before):
| Name | MBA Program | Hometown | Employer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dolapo Adeyemi | London Business School | Irawo, Nigeria | Grolightly Ltd. |
| Tanja Alsheimer | Warwick Business School | Helsinki, Finland | Kings Valley Project |
| Winny Arindrani | Duke University (Fuqua) | Jakarta, Indonesia | Tatoen |
| Tiana Birawer | University of Minnesota (Carlson) | Cape Coral, FL | Ryan Companies US |
| Aditi Bhatia | Columbia Business School | Mumbai, India | Temasek Holdings |
| Clarysse Blanchard | USC (Marshall) | Paris, France | EDF |
| Julia Brown | Vanderbilt University (Owen) | DeRidder, LA | Aon |
| Shannon Boyle | Cornell University (Johnson) | Vernon, VT | U.S. Army |
| Kaavya Gupta | MIT (Sloan) | New Delhi, India | Alterbeat.com |
| Kettianne Cadet | University of Michigan (Ross) | Sharon, MA | Edelman |
| Faith Davis | Wharton School | Mitchellville, MD | DAF Technologies |
| Kristen Diaz | University of Texas (McCombs) | Miami Springs, FL | General Mills Latin America |
| Clare Bridget Dussman | Cambridge University (Judge) | Arlington Heights, IL | The Marketing Arm |
| Rachel Cohen | Wharton School | Abington, PA | Prudential Financial |
| Tam Emerson | U.C.-Berkeley (Haas) | Boston, MA | Eli J. & Phyllis N. Segal Citizen Leadership Program |
| Nourhan Farhat | INSEAD | Beirut, Lebanon | Roland Berger Strategy Consultants |
| Ryanne Fenimore | Emory University (Goizueta) | Brownsburg, IN | Cummins, Inc. |
| Alyssa Forman | Northwestern University (Kellogg) | Cleveland, OH | Kaiser Associates |
| Lauren Gage | Duke University (Fuqua) | Dallas, TX | Goldman Sachs |
| Andi Garavaglia | University of Oxford (Saïd) | St. Louis, MO | National Hockey League |
| Rosa Glenn | MIT (Sloan) | Dublin, Irenland | Anthropologie |
| America Gonzalez | U.C.-Berkeley (Haas) | Monterrey, Mexico | Bain & Company |
| Lauren Hasek | IMD Business School | Cleveland, OH | Clinton Health Access Initiative |
| Dayne Hine | University of Michigan (Ross) | Southbury, CT | Girls Who Code |
| Christine Hu | University of North Carolina (Kenan-Flagler) | Union City, CA | Teach for America |
| Suyun Huang | IMD Business School | Beijing, China | Yunding |
| Vishruti Jakhar | Rice University (Jones) | Jaipur, India | Pacific Drilling |
| Stephanie Jordan | Indiana University (Kelley) | Clarendon Hills, IL | Revenade |
| Kirsta Kellin | University of Chicago (Booth) | Carefree, AZ | Goldman Sachs |
| Nivedita Kohli | Columbia Business School | New Delhi, India | Ralph Lauren |
| Swellen T. Macieira | Dartmouth College (Tuck) | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | Mason Square Capital |
| Barati Mahloele | University of Oxford (Saïd) | Polokwane, South Africa | CDC Group PLC |
| Vanessa Matos Tudela | University of Toronto (Rotman) | Caracas, Venezuela | The Inter-American Investment Corporation |
| Jennifer McAlpine | Arizona State (W. P. Carey) | Woodbury, MN | U.S. Department of State |
| Megan McGee | Duke University (Fuqua) | Olympia, WA | U.S. Army |
| Faith Miller | Notre Dame (Mendoza) | Northville, MI | WILX-TV |
| Griffin Mueller | Duke University (Fuqua) | Durham, NC | Cisco Systems |
| Jennifer Ojeh | UCLA (Anderson) | Richmond, CA | WePay |
| Cecily Sackey | University of Virginia (Darden) | Hamilton, NJ | |
| Jennifer Rose Schwartz | Georgetown (McDonough) | New York City, NY | Finn Partners |
| Taylor Sheppard | University of Virginia (Darden) | Wailea, HI | U.S. Navy |
| Katie Sierks | Yale SOM | Minneapolis, MN | Cargill, Inc. |
| Jen Stutsman | University of North Carolina (Kenan-Flagler) | Boulder, CO | Maisha Meds |
| Katie Sweeney | Emory University (Goizueta) | Cincinnati, OH | U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |
| Celine Tarrant | Columbia Business School | Toronto, Canada | Walmart Canada |
| Katie Tinker-Langenfeld | University of Washington (Fisher) | Fayetteville, AR | Walmart Stores, Inc. |
| Kimberly Turner | Carnegie Mellon (Tepper) | Grand Blanc, MI | Child Trends |
| Marta Valcarcel Fernandez | IESE Business School | Lugo, Spain | KPMG |
| Dr. Claire Vassie | London Business School | Fleet, UK | Guy’s and St Thomas NHS Trust |
| Linsha Yao | Carnegie Mellon (Tepper) | Beijing, China | SmartConn |
| Josie Yin | New York University (Stern) | Jilin, China | Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation |
The post 10 Women To Watch From The MBA Class Of 2019 appeared first on Poets&Quants.
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