2018 MBAs To Watch: Gabriel Sinisgalli Reginato, UCLA (Anderson) - Poets&Quants

Gabriel Sinisgalli Reginato

UCLA, Anderson School of Management

“I love listening to people’s stories, paying attention to details and having some good laughs.”

Age: 31

Hometown: Sao Paulo, Brazil

Fun fact about yourself: In the year before business school I almost became a politician.

Undergraduate School and Degree: Mackenzie University, B.B.A. and Fundação Getulio Vergas, Masters of Business Economics.

Where did you work before enrolling in business school? Galeazzi & Associados, a leading turnaround consulting firm in Brazil, as an Engagement Manager. Prior to that, I worked as an associate at one of the first private equity firms in Brazil and as a consultant at Deloitte Financial Advisory.

Where did you intern during the summer of 2017? Angeleno Group, a clean energy private equity firm in Los Angeles.

Where will you be working after graduation? Undecided.

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School:

• VP of Finance of the Class of 2018 – Anderson Student Association
• Admissions Ambassador Committee (Admit Preview Day and Anderson Days)
• Class of 2019 Orientation Leader
• Director of Impact Investing – Net Impact
• Director of Admissions – Latin American Business Association
• VP of Internationals – Section Rep
• Anderson Exceptional Student Fellowship

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? As the VP of Finance of my class, I oversaw the entire budget of all the clubs and associations. During my tenure, I increased our revenues by 39% and developed a new budget formula that I believe was more inclusive towards clubs with less representation in terms of memberships. These changes allowed these clubs to promote activities not possible thus far. As an outcome of this initiative, panels on diversity and sustainability such as “Sustainability and Purpose in Fashion”, “Diversity, Inclusion and Finance at Anderson”, and “The Anderson International Film Festival” were made possible, with the financial support of the Anderson Student Association. In addition, I implemented a reporting process that gave more transparency to all the leaders in our class on how our financial resources were being used. That was the first time that the Anderson Student Council, which comprises all the clubs and associations leaders, analyzed and voted on how our funds should be invested.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? There are a couple achievements I am proud of, such as suddenly taking over a Director’s job in a marketing project for the largest food manufacturer in Brazil and successfully restructuring their portfolio and leading the spin-off of a $1 billion dollar business unit. However, what really gives me joy and the sense of accomplishment is having managed and helped my direct reports to find their ways. There was one colleague, in particular, who asked me for advice. After a couple of discussions, he took my advice to pursue a six months certificate in the US to develop his skills. The impact we can have on the lives of those around us is huge and I am proud to have helped others make difficult but fruitful decisions.

Who was your favorite MBA professor? Eric Sussman. Eric exhibits his passion for teaching during every class in the most vibrant and genuine way.

What was your favorite MBA Course? Negotiations Behavior with Professor Miguel Unzueta. I guess the lesson I incorporated the most was that there is not a single situation in our lives where we can’t improve our stance.

Why did you choose this business school? The day I got accepted at Anderson, I received a personal handwritten note from Alex Lawrence (Dean of Admissions). This personal touch, combined with the diverse career paths that Anderson graduates take, made my decision easy. However, what really caught my attention was one of the school’s principle of Sharing Success. This principle could not have resonated more with my values and when I experienced it during Anderson Days (for admitted students), I decided to accept the offer.

What is your best piece advice to an applicant hoping to get into your school’s MBA program? Talk to as many people (staff, alum or current student) as you can so that you can understand the school’s values and culture. Also, in the essays and interviews, be yourself. There is nothing more convincing than speaking genuinely about your personality and dreams.   

What is the biggest myth about your school? Being located only a few miles from Silicon Beach, applicants could think that Anderson is all about the tech industry. Although we do a phenomenal job recruiting for tech, Anderson does great in several other industries. It is one of the strongest finance schools to the west of the Mississippi, sending several students to investment banking and investment management across the US. Also, UCLA has unparalleled exposure to the entertainment industry, a solid Real Estate department, and a substantial presence in the Healthcare industry. There is nothing you can’t achieve out of UCLA Anderson.

What was your biggest regret in business school? Not having talked with more senior alums before the MBA to learn what really matters out of this experience and where to devote most of my energy.

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? I would like to divide this question in two parts. On a professional side, I have to recognize three people: Katie Donovan, Guilherme Gomes, and Pepe Diaz. I had the pleasure to work with each of them in different settings and their passion for what they do and their power to accomplish things was inspiring. Katie, together with her co-president, led UCLA Anderson to win the Net Impact Graduate Chapter of the Year. Gomes, also with his co-president, took the Latin American Business Association to a different level. And Pepe was a reference for all international students supporting them in all sorts of challenges. On a personal side, Ryan Dumlao and Terence “TJ” Wynn couldn’t be better friends.

Who most influenced your decision to pursue business in college? During undergrad, I had a professor who said that we should never stop learning and the best learning experience would be from a top US MBA.

“If I hadn’t gone to business school, I would be…a politician, which I still think I will end up being at some point in my life.”

If you were a dean for a day, what one thing would you change about the MBA experience? I would create an alumni program where a 5+ alumnus is paired with a current student and follow up with an agreed frequency during their entire MBA.

What are the top two items on your bucket list? Pay my loans and visit Germany to learn more about the country´s unique history

In one sentence, how would you like your peers to remember you? Gabriel strived to build meaningful relationships, help others in the first place and always had a smile on his face.

What is your favorite movie about business? The Pursuit of Happiness. The message of never quitting is very motivating.

What would your theme song be? Anything from Howard Shore or Hans Zimmer.

Favorite vacation spot: Jerusalem was definitely the best vacation spot I have ever been, but I am happy anywhere by the ocean.

Hobbies? Solo backpacking in exotic places, camping and following politics.

What made Gabriel such an invaluable addition to the class of 2018?

“What I love about Gabriel Reginato is that he embraces life and opportunities with open arms, making the most of everything that comes his way. He has done that his whole time here at Anderson, whether it was in being “Rah Rah” about Anderson, participating in student clubs, interacting with fellow Brazilians or welcoming others into their group’s customs and celebrations, or observing interactions in local LA communities.

As his career advisor, I saw Gabriel work extremely hard to be as well-prepared as he possibly could be, so that he could represent himself and the school very well. Gabriel spent his summer at a local private equity firm, a job coveted by many. When he went into that role, they were very clear that this would not become a full-time opportunity. Regardless, he impressed them starting Day 1, and within the first few weeks, they told him that his performance was more like someone who had been there for years, as compared to a summer intern of just a few weeks.  By the end of the summer, the firm said that they would love to find a way to make him a full-time offer. He’s still thinking about that, which brings up another admirable point about Gabriel. He is incredibly thoughtful. He observes situations around him, and he has made many astute comments after processing his observations. He is someone who believes in building relationships as compared to treating interactions transactionally, which has made for some wonderful and cherished conversations between us. He also thinks long and hard about decisions, taking his considerations a few branches out on the decision tree.

Gabriel is doing everything he can to give back to the community whether it’s to fellow classmates or the Anderson of tomorrow. He is active as an Admissions volunteer, again thinking out a few years to make sure we have the best possible future students. He also stepped up to the plate in student government when another student stepped down from the VP of finance role. Gabriel doesn’t hesitate to give back and lend a hand.

Whether Gabriel stays in the US or moves back to Brazil, I envision him being someone who not only carries the Anderson flag in whatever he does, both professionally and personally, but also someone upon whom I will be able to rely if the school or I need something. I am grateful for what Gabriel has given and what I know he will give in the future!”

Regina Regazzi                                
Dean, Parker Career Management Center

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2018 MBAs To Watch: Tazia Middleton, UCLA (Anderson) - Poets&Quants

Tazia Middleton

UCLA, Anderson School of Management

“Outspoken advocate for diversity, inclusion and equity.”

Age: 30

Hometown: Dublin, CA

Fun fact about yourself: I kayaked with my best friend and killer whales off the coast of San Juan Island.

Undergraduate School and Degree: Cornell University – Major: Applied Economics & Management, Minor: Law & Society

Where did you work before enrolling in business school? Wetherby Asset Management – Senior Investment Associate

Where did you intern during the summer of 2017? The Boston Consulting Group – San Francisco

Where will you be working after graduation? The Boston Consulting Group – Consultant

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School: Co-President, Black Business Students Association; VP Diversity, Inclusion & Community, Anderson Student Association; Consortium Liaison

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? I’m most proud of leading a team of my classmates to host Anderson’s Embracing Diversity Conference. Diversity is an issue we consistently try to push forward at Anderson, so it was great to welcome over 100 diverse prospective students campus and show them all of the great things our community has to offer.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? My greatest professional achievement was the relationships I built with my clients. The fact that some of my clients still keep in touch lets me know that I did my job well.

Who was your favorite MBA professor? My favorite Anderson professor is Elisa Long who taught my Data & Decisions (statistics) course. She brought the material to life by sharing how she used statistics to guide her through a personal health issue. Not to mention, she earned major cool points by showing an episode of The Price is Right where we cruised through all the rounds using statistics principles from class.

What was your favorite MBA Course My favorite course was Negotiations Behavior with Professor Miguel Unzueta. The in-class simulations taught me a great deal about my own negotiation style and allowed me the opportunity to test out new techniques.

Why did you choose this business school? I chose Anderson for its best-in-class career services center and the collaborative student culture. I wanted an MBA program that would help me attain my career goals without fostering an overly competitive environment.

What is your best piece advice to an applicant hoping to get into your school’s MBA program? We are very big on cultural fit at Anderson. In your application and interview, make sure to let us know why you are a good fit for Anderson and how you intend to make it a better place during your two years here.

What is the biggest myth about your school? The biggest myth about Anderson is that we are a bunch of laid-back surfers. Although Anderson students definitely give of some chill vibes, they are also some of the hardest working changemakers I have ever encountered.

What was your biggest regret in business school? I don’t have many regrets from business school, but I do wish I got to know more of my classmates sooner. I’m definitely making up for lost time now.

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? I most admire my classmate, Anna Goldberg. She is a fearless leader and fierce advocate who has pushed forward numerous diversity and inclusion efforts at Anderson.

Who most influenced your decision to pursue business in college? No one pushed me in the direction of business, but my mom always encouraged me to advance my career through education.

“If I hadn’t gone to business school, I would be…looking for opportunities to apply my financial services background to a nonprofit role.”

If you were a dean for a day, what one thing would you change about the MBA experience? I would create more opportunities for students to step outside of their MBA bubble to engage with members of the surrounding community.

What are the top two items on your bucket list? 1) Catch salmon in Alaska; and 2) Make fancy cheese somewhere overseas

In one sentence, how would you like your peers to remember you? I want to be known as a person who always brought her best authentic self and fostered an environment for others to do the same.

What is your favorite movie about business? The movie Joy is a great example of the importance of being your own biggest advocate.

What would your theme song be? “Bigger than my Body” – John Mayer

Favorite vacation spot: Anywhere on the ocean

Hobbies? Fishing, whale watching, guitar, bowling

What made Tazia such an invaluable addition to the class of 2018?

“Tazia is not just someone her class knows, she’s someone everyone in her class knows made an impact while at Anderson. I was fortunate to get to know Tazia when she was deciding on where to go for business school and from that first conversation I knew that if we were fortunate enough to have her spend her next two years with us it would be great for her but even better for UCLA Anderson!

The biggest impact that Tazia has had at Anderson is that she made conversations about diversity comfortable and informative. Most schools struggle with breaking the norms of their students of staying in their own social circles. Through fireside chats, a successful conference on diversity, and having everyday conversations with everyone, she has made dialogue universal – regardless of country of origin, ethnicity, race, gender, or sexual orientation. We are a much better connected environment in large part to Tazia.

Professionally, she has also set the bar as a much sought after consultant who has shared what she learned and the secrets of her success with her peers, the 1st year class behind her, and even prospective students as a tireless recruiter for the next crop of Anderson’s Best and Brightest. We look forward to watching Tazia’s career ascend as she re-enters the world of work!”

Gary Fraser                            
Assistant Dean, Full Time Student Affairs

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2018 MBAs To Watch: Dr. Harshita Mishra, UCLA (Anderson) - Poets&Quants

Dr. Harshita Mishra

UCLA, Anderson School of Management

“A doctor by training, a global business leader in making, and a humanitarian by heart.”

Age: 28 years

Hometown: Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India

Fun fact about yourself: There is a funny (and embarrassing) online video of myself somewhere out there, performing a rap song on “why we should save water” in front of 600 plus people. Did I mention that I had myself written that song and that it was my first and last rap performance ever? I leave the rest to the reader’s imagination.

Undergraduate School: Manipal College of Dental Sciences, Manipal University, India.
Degree: Bachelor of Dental Surgery

Where did you work before enrolling in business school?

Order starts from the most recent:

• Pradyumna Bal Hospital – Assistant Marketing Manager
• Institute of Dental Sciences – Faculty, Department of Public Health Dentistry
• The Scientific Foundation for Tribal and Rural Resource Development – Research Assistant and Dental Consultant
• Nanda’s Dental Clinic – Dental Surgeon

Where did you intern during the summer of 2017?

Company: Genentech, a subsidiary of Roche.
Location: San Francisco, USA

Where will you be working after graduation?

Company: Roche
Role: Global Business Perspective.
Highly selective, Roche’s Accelerated Leadership Development Program provides a ‘rapid fire’ induction experience to two hires each year (> 1200 applicants). It includes four different roles in four different countries over two years across any of the six continents – Asia, Europe, the Americas, Australia, and Africa

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School:

• Anderson Exceptional Student Fellowship Award
• President of South Asian Business Association
• Vice President – Education of Healthcare Business Association
• Anderson Career Team Coach for International Students
• Project Echo Mentor
• Junior Achievement Mentor
• Director of Special Olympics for Challenge for Charity
• Director of Marketing and Communications for Challenge for Charity
• Volunteer for other activities such as International Women’s Day Volunteer and Downtown Women’s Center Volunteering

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? For my MBA capstone project, my team and I are working with the Ministry of Guyana and an international non-profit to improve the community development of indigenous communities by leveraging technology. We were stuck at a point because the infrastructure, the willingness to adopt technology, and the technology penetration itself is very poor in these communities.

I undertook an initiative to conduct a primary case study in Odisha, India during winter break to understand how technology and other non-technological measures are leveraged for community development of ‘primary vulnerable tribal groups’ in Odisha. The findings of this case study have now formed the basis of the solution for our client. I am proud of the lasting impact my team and I will create from Los Angeles in the lives of thousands of indigenous people at Guyana through this solution.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? While working as a faculty member in the Institute of Dental Sciences, I proposed an innovative, massive anti-tobacco campaign comprising of plays, health talks, and self-screening oral cancer check-ups in place of the conventional anti-tobacco rallies that had been taking place for the past seven years. Initially, there was resistance to this proposal, as we were a new institution and this campaign could either put us on map or turn out to be a huge public relations disaster for us.

To facilitate the campaign, I persuaded the board of directors for funding, the government for logistics, the media houses for campaign coverage, and the heads of department for manpower through customized presentations and data analyses for each stakeholder group. Winning this huge support, I gained senior leadership buy-in and was handed leadership of the entire campaign. Upon completion of the campaign, attendance at our Anti-Tobacco Counseling Center increased by 100% in one month. The impact did not end there – other departments of my institution and other healthcare institutions also emulated the concept of innovative campaigns to address healthcare issues.

I am proud of this achievement not only because I got to lead such a huge campaign but because of the lasting impact that I was able to create in the healthcare domain of my community.

Who was your favorite MBA professor? My favorite MBA Professor is Elisa Long, who took my first analytical course in MBA – Data and Decisions. She is my most favorite teacher because she brought real world examples to help us understand not only the basics of statistics but how to implement classroom learning in the real world.

I met with her one-on-one a few times during my first quarter at Anderson. We discussed several topics such as statistics in real life world; her noble healthcare research work in India and South Africa related to HIV; her journey from being diagnosed with breast cancer and then emerging as a survivor; and her passion to leverage her expertise in statistics for the betterment of humanity. We found passion for healthcare as a common thread between us.

During the initial days of my MBA life, I was personally facing some transient challenges to fit into business school as I came from a non-traditional business background and psychologically felt, “Maybe I am not as good as everybody else. I am so different.” She instilled confidence in me and encouraged me to be myself and stay close to my roots. I followed her advice and everything fell into place.

What was your favorite MBA Course? My most favorite MBA course is Marketing Strategy and Planning taught by Professor Andres Terech. My biggest business insight was how to merge the quantitative aspect of marketing metrics and qualitative aspect of consumer behavior for developing a go-to-market strategy in alignment with the company’s overall strategy and consumer’s needs.

Why did you choose this business school? While applying to b-schools, I was looking for business schools with a global perspective and a collaborative culture so that I can learn, grow, and develop with a diverse group of future global leaders. UCLA Anderson, as we all know, had two big tick marks for these two attributes like a few other schools.

Then, UCLA Anderson provided me with a third attribute, which made me confident that UCLA Anderson is the right fit for me. My interaction with three Anderson alum in a coffee chat in India, gave me a glimpse of the closely-knit alum base of UCLA Anderson. All the alums were at the peak of their careers. They were smart alpha people yet humble and approachable. That’s when I knew, I want to be like them, when I am at the peak of my career – for me that is the definition of a true leader – highly accomplished yet humble.

After coming to UCLA Anderson, this reason has further solidified as I have witnessed in person the above trait in several accomplished UCLA Anderson alums and faculty members.

What is your best piece advice to an applicant hoping to get into your school’s MBA program?

My best advice to an applicant applying to UCLA Anderson or any business school for that matter is, “Be yourself.” No matter how cliché this advice sounds, I believe the decision to pursue an MBA from a business school is like marrying someone: the decision stays with you and with the school forever.

Anderson is a perfect fit for an applicant, in my opinion, if these words resonate with him/her.

• If you want to grow and develop with a diverse pool of high achievers and innovators who are fun loving and humble, then Anderson is the perfect fit for you.
• If you are vocal about social issues and take constructive actions to change the world around you for the betterment of humanity, then Anderson is the perfect fit for you.
• If you want to be part of a strong and collaborative culture both during and after school, then Anderson is the perfect fit for you because: “Students graduate from UCLA Anderson and leave the campus one day, but no one can ever take away UCLA Anderson out of them.”

What is the biggest myth about your school? That UCLA Anderson is a “party school.”

The myth is indeed a fact. But, there is more to this myth. I would rephrase “party school” as “a school that celebrates you for who you are and what you bring to the Anderson community.” UCLA Anderson is a place where people come together to celebrate you and your successes. It is a place, where people encourage those who have failed to try again and cheer you to motivate you and to help you grow and develop both professionally and personally.

What was your biggest regret in business school? My biggest regret is not taking up any language classes at business school. It was because of my conflicting schedule that this did not work out. Post-MBA, I am joining a full-time company, which will sponsor any relevant language classes that I pursue. I look forward to learning German and Mandarin Chinese.

Ich bin dankbar dafür. (Translation: “I am grateful for this” in German. Apologies, if there are any mistakes in the translation.)

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? The classmate that I most admire is one of my best friends at UCLA Anderson – Yvonne Chan. She worked through a life of hardships to get to UCLA Anderson. You can never know the hardships she went through when you meet her. I myself learned about her hardships after a long time through a random conversation that came up. I would not get into her hardships as few words would not do justice to that. What I learned from her is that with perseverance, grit, and a smile on one’s face, one can achieve any life goal.

Also, I think my entire batch will never forget how Yvonne overcome her fear of heights and successfully completed a leadership task that involved jumping from an extremely high height. This again showed her perseverance and grit. Of course, she smiled!

Who most influenced your decision to pursue business in college? I was influenced by the story of a sex worker to pursue business in college. While working in a sex worker’s camp in Southern India, I came across a woman who had chosen this profession not because it was her choice but because it was her family’s decision as they wanted to fund a cure for an illness with which her brother was suffering. Hearing this broke my heart and I felt helpless.

I realized as a doctor, I can leverage my hands to treat many patients through one on one clinical interactions with them. However, with my mind and brain put together, I can achieve many things and impact thousands and millions of people like Melinda Gates does through her Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Vinita Gupta does through her role as the CEO of Lupin Pharmaceuticals.

The stories of these strong women business leaders and the life changing experience with the sex worker inspired and influenced me to combine my healthcare knowledge with business acumen to emerge as a global healthcare leader in the field of market access of drugs, especially to those who need it the most.

“If I hadn’t gone to business school, I would be…a public healthcare researcher and biostatistician for global healthcare projects especially in BRICS nations.”

If you were a dean for a day, what one thing would you change about the MBA experience?

I would have a grade non-disclosure policy so that if there are any students who aren’t exploring unknown study areas due to fear of bad grades, would now choose to pursue those subjects. This would further strengthen the “knowledge seeking” aspect of the Anderson culture.

What are the top two items on your bucket list?

1. Founding a global non-profit healthcare organization geared towards providing medicines and decreasing healthcare disparities, especially in BRICS nations.
2. Construct my family tree and find my ancestral roots.

In one sentence, how would you like your peers to remember you? Someone who understood people and was always reliable.

What is your favorite movie about business?

Movie name: Moneyball
Reason: This movie taught me how out of the box thinking can help one to win in a scenario where all the odds are stacked against that person.

What would your theme song be?

Song name: “Count On Me”; Artist: Bruno Mars
Reason: It reflects my core values: to be there for others unconditionally, not just when it is convenient

Favorite vacation spot: Goa, India. Hands Down!

Hobbies? Writing short stories; motivational public speaking; cooking; dancing

What made Harshita such an invaluable addition to the class of 2018?

“I met Harshita in our Leadership Development Program—I served as her coach during her first year, so I got to know her well. When we first met, it was clear Harshita hadn’t found her niche. She had a very good general sense of what she wanted to achieve, but wasn’t quite sure how to get there.

I have the opportunity to observe many students, but I rarely see someone undergo such a powerful transformation during their time here! Harshita went from being an unsure (but clearly brilliant and very talented), hesitant new MBA student, with vague ideas about her goals, to a strong, confident leader with clear aspirations. She was so open to suggestions and to gentle nudges, that working with her was a complete joy. Her story about how she secured her full time job with Roche—how she found the opportunity to the multi-day interview process in Switzerland, and how she was chosen from 1,400 applicants is a testament to how she has transformed while here at Anderson.

Although confident in many ways, Harshita is humble and self-deprecating in a way that makes her one of the most approachable people I know. Her ability to disarm people with her subtle sense of humor is a real gift, and one of the many reason she is so well-liked by both her classmates and staff.  Harshi is one of those rare people who makes a place better by simply being there. Her kindness is contagious, and her ability to make others feel special is a gift.

When I look back on how much Harshita has grown and all that she has achieved in such a brief period of time, I am simply blown away. The determination she exhibited to get every last bit out of her MBA experience should serve as a roadmap for all who make the investment in business school!”

Rob Weiler                
Associate Dean, Full-Time MBA Program

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2018 Best MBAs: Abby Williamson, UCLA (Anderson) - Poets&Quants

Abby Williamson

UCLA, Anderson School of Management

“Professional princess turned business boss.”

Age: 27

Hometown: (City and State) Northbrook, IL

Fun fact about yourself: I’ve competed in two team karaoke competitions. My team was called “Taylor Swift’s Starbucks Lovers” and we won both times

Undergraduate School and Degree: Northwestern University, Theatre and Psychology double major

Where did you work before enrolling in business school?

Co-Founder, Storybook Princess Parties

Paralegal, In-House Counsel of Chubb Insurance Company

Where did you intern during the summer of 2017?

Mattel – El Segundo, CA (Summer 2017)

Fox – Century City, CA (Fall 2017)

Where will you be working after graduation?

Mattel – Associate Marketing Manager

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School:

Honors

• Caroline and Richard Nahas Fellowship

Leadership Roles

• Anderson Student Association, Executive Vice President (2017-2018)
• First-Year Section President (2016-2017)
• First-Year Orientation Director (2017)
• Entertainment Management Association (EMA)
  • Vice President of Entertainment Career Night (2017-2018)
  • Director of Entertainment Career Night (2016-2017)
• Women’s Business Connection (WBC)
  • Vice President of Alumnae Relations (2017-2018)
  • Director of Alumnae Relations (2016-2017)
• Admissions Ambassador Corps
  • Interviewer (2017-2018)
  • Group Information Session Leader (2017-2018)
  • Marketing Team (2016-2017)
• Parker Career Management Center
  • Parker First-Year Class Teaching Assistant (2017)
  • Parker Social Media Marketing Team (2016-2017)
• Entertainment Business Models Teaching Assistant (2018)
• Entertainment Marketing “ACT” (Anderson Career Team) Coach for first-years (Fall 2017)

Membership

• Marketing Association, Challenge for Charity, Anderson Creative, Anderson Eats, Anderson Wine Club, Anderson Beer Club, Jewish Business Student Association, Out@Anderson Ally, Black Business Student Association Ally

Volunteer

• Challenge for Charity
  • Project ECHO Business Plan Judge (2017)
  • Volunteer activities include Downtown Women’s Shelter, Special Olympics Bowling, and LA Food Bank
• Riordan Scholars Mentor (2016-2017)
• Skillify Panelist (2016)

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? I’m most proud of my role as Executive Vice President of the Anderson Student Association (“ASA”). The ASA Cabinet is comprised of 13 second year full-time students and our role is to enrich student life at Anderson. Our responsibilities include everything from managing the 40+ clubs and distributing their budgets to organizing school-wide social events like “Anderson Afternoons” every Thursday. I’m incredibly proud of the work we’ve been able to do over the past year. We all set individual goals as well as group goals as a Cabinet and we’ve been able to accomplish many of them in order to help Anderson continue to be the best it can be.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? My most proud moment in my professional career was watching a new performer who I hired and trained perform flawlessly at an event and convince a room of stubborn 5 year olds that she was indeed a real princess. It helped me realize how much I enjoy mentoring and developing other people’s potential, and it was the first time I was so proud of someone else’s work that I saw it as my accomplishment as well.

What was your favorite MBA Course? My favorite course was Entertainment Business Models (I liked taking it so much that I’m currently TAing it). It’s co-taught by one of Anderson’s top entertainment professors, Sanjay Sood, and Harry Sloan, the former CEO of MGM. The speakers that were brought into that class every week ranged from the creator of Marvel to the CEO of Lionsgate and they were all incredible. Sometimes we spend so much time focused on that first post-business school job that we sometimes forget to look further ahead, but seeing speakers at that high of a level in the industry helped me look far ahead and think about where I want to be long-term.

Why did you choose this business school? I chose UCLA Anderson because of the supportive and collaborative culture of “sharing success” and because it has a top entertainment program (plus, I would never have to dig my car out of a snow bank again!).

What is your best piece advice to an applicant hoping to get into your school’s MBA program? Be who you are and tell your story.

What is the biggest myth about your school? The biggest myth about UCLA Anderson is that everyone goes surfing before class. Maybe a handful of people do, but I sadly have yet to find time to do that!

What was your biggest regret in business school? Not taking more classes outside my area of interest.

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? (and why?) I admire my classmate Allie Brodsky. Allie is truly one of the nicest and most hard-working people I know. She befriends everyone she talks to and knows everyone, making her the queen of networking, and she’s always willing to go above and beyond to help connect people she knows. She tirelessly champions gender equity as EVP of the Women’s Business Connection and she inspires me every day to work as hard as she does.

Who most influenced your decision to pursue business in college? One of my best friends from undergrad, Rebecca Munley, most influenced my decision to pursue my MBA. A year before I applied to business school, she moved to LA to attend USC’s prestigious screenwriting master’s program. Watching her move across the country from Chicago to tackle her dreams really inspired me to think deeply about what I was passionate about and what I wanted to do with my career and then pursue it with all my heart when I realized that getting y MBA was the next step for me.

“If I hadn’t gone to business school, I would be…completely lost.”

If you were a dean for a day, what one thing would you change about the MBA experience? I would mandate that all guest speakers have to be 50% women and 50% men.

What are the top two items on your bucket list? Go to Japan and successfully roast a chicken.

In one sentence, how would you like your peers to remember you? Tough and supportive.

What is your favorite movie about business? Singing in the Rain (It’s about the entertainment industry after all!). It taught me to never try to be someone I wasn’t, like Kathy Selden pretending to be the voice of Lina Lamont. In the end Kathy succeeded by being brave and being herself, and I took that message to heart watching this movie on repeat as a kid.

What would your theme song be? “The Climb” by Miley Cyrus

Favorite vacation spot: Holland, Michigan

Hobbies? Watching Riverdale every Wednesday with some of my best friends, reading a good book, and learning to cook.

What made Abby such an invaluable addition to the class of 2018? Abby Williamson is a force! At Anderson, we pride ourselves on our diversity of backgrounds and experiences. Abby is the posterchild for that diversity of pre-MBA life!  A theater major and owner (and performer) of a business whose mission was to fulfill little girls’ princess dreams, Abby was not your typical MBA student. What Abby lacked in typical MBA experiences, she more than made up for in her presence and talent.

As Executive VP of Anderson Student Association (Anderson’s student government), Abby undertook a much–needed project that others before her had avoided—rewriting the ASA by-laws. In record time, Abby undid the result of years of neglect and created an operating document that guides the ASA in every way. Her work didn’t stop there, though. Abby finds new and different ways to give back to the Anderson community and is always in the thick of driving change here. Anderson is the beneficiary of her boundless energy and creative way of looking at long-standing issues. Whether she is serving as an orientation leader or working with students and staff to improve the onboarding experience for incoming students, Abby identifies an opportunity, rallies others to see the importance of that opportunity, and then leads a team to act on it.  While many are good at identifying issues, Abby is also able to do the work to affect change. That rare combination of strategic thinking and problem-solving will serve her well when she joins Mattel after graduation (she couldn’t stray too far from those princess roots!).”

Rob Weiler
Associate Dean, Full Time MBA Program

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2018 Best MBAs: Melody N. Akbari, UCLA (Anderson) - Poets&Quants

Melody N. Akbari

UCLA, Anderson School of Management

“I consider myself an undercover artist and humanities major in the body of a techie.”

Age: 30

Hometown: Los Angeles, CA

Fun fact about yourself: I sell watercolor paintings on Etsy in the shape of famous movie, TV, and story characters.

Undergraduate School and Degree: UC Berkeley, B.A. English Literature (concentration: Shakespearean Literature)

Where did you work before enrolling in business school? TestMax, Inc. – Product Manager; ArborBridge, Co.—Product Marketing Manager

Where did you intern during the summer of 2017 Google, Mountain View, CA

Where will you be working after graduation? Google, Sales Strategy and Operations Manager

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School: VP of Interview Prep Training—Anderson Technology Business Association; Parker Career Series TA; Anderson Ambassador Corp—Student Ambassador; Anderson Career Team Coach for Technology; Recipient of David Vickter Academic Excellence Fellowship

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? It would be between being VP of Interview Prep Training (IPT) and working with an Anderson peer to build a VR-capable computer. As VP of IPT, I was not only given the opportunity to get to know the first year class so much better, but I gained a sense of helping the first years in their stressful journey of recruiting within technology. I organized three main workshops for the first years to help them gain a better high-level understanding of each aspect of the tech interview and then I organized them into small teams with second-year coaches assigned to help gain weekly one-on-one experience and practice. I organized the curriculum and materials for these weekly groups and gauged success through bi-weekly surveys, tweaking the groups every two weeks based off of feedback from the first years and second year coaches. UCLA Anderson’s culture is all about giving back and sharing success. This is something that has become ingrained in me and I look forward to joining similar programs after graduation to continue volunteering my skills and time.

Similarly, during the very first month of being at Anderson, I met Tom Burdakin, a colleague of mine in my cohort who was as interested in VR as I had been for a long time. Neither of us coming from a CS background, we had chips on our shoulders to prove that we, too, could get our hands dirty and do what we had always thought to be the impossible: build a computer from scratch. We set out to learn how to do this, purchased all the requisite parts and successfully built a VR-capable computer and purchased an oculus to go with it. We named out computer, ALAN, after a mutual hero and idol of ours, Alan Turing. Anderson Tech Business Association ended up documenting our journey with ALAN through several blog posts on his creation and we also were lucky enough to be given a booth at UCLA’s annual CES to give our fellow classmates a chance to experience VR firsthand.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? As a Product Manager at TestMax, I managed the LSAT product, LSATMax—a law school prep test iOS and Android app. I was employee #2 at TestMax and helped with the creation of LSATMax from the ground up, working with developers, designers, marketers, and salespeople to build the best LSAT test prep tool on the market. By the time I left the company in 2015, LSATMax was the number one LSAT prep test app on the Apple App Store and the Android App Store. I am so proud of not only all the work I put in on that app, but everything I learned at TestMax through my incredible colleagues, supervisors, and experiences within my role of LSATMax Product Manager.

Who was your favorite MBA professor?  There are many professors at UCLA Anderson that I admire and have had the privilege of taking their courses. If I were to pinpoint one, I’d choose Professor Terry Kramer. I have now taken both of Professor Kramer’s classes: Evolution & Innovation in the Global Mobile Industry, and Technology Management. The breadth and depth of Professor Kramer’s classes are incredible. Not only do we span so many relevant and interesting topics, but Professor Kramer invites amazing speakers to our class to help expand on our cases and discussions. He has taught me to look beyond the mere facts and situation of a case at hand, and instead to dive into contextual analyses surrounding the events and constantly asking myself the “so what” of every point that is brought up. I carried many of the lessons I learned last quarter from his class as tools that helped me immensely during my internship. This quarter I feel so lucky to have another chance to sit in his class and learn from his teaching methodology and the rich discussions he fosters.

Why did you choose this business school? Going to business school was a no-brainer for me. I knew I wanted to gain a formal education in business. I wanted to go to a school that not only had a strong tech program, but also fostered a strong community and network that I could hold on to far beyond graduation. UCLA has so many amazing opportunities for students interested in technology, from the top tech companies coming to campus to recruit, to amazing speakers and events on campus introducing students to innovation and disruptive products. H

However, UCLA’s pillar of sharing success was the icing on the cake. I have yet to meet a UCLA Anderson student who didn’t rave about the lifelong connections and friendships they’d made through Anderson, or who didn’t explain in detail the multitude of ways the students at Anderson had all lent a hand and helped each other at one point or another. This is what truly spoke to me and I’m so happy I made the right decision.

What is your best piece advice to an applicant hoping to get into your school’s MBA program? Be passionate and be giving. Without exception, every student I have met at UCLA has brought something incredible to the table; not just through the amazing and unique experiences that they add to our cohort, but through having so much passion and enthusiasm in their goals and interests that they want to share that knowledge with their peers. I’ve learned so much in the classroom, but it can’t compare to the incredible amount of knowledge I’ve gained outside the classroom through my Anderson peers.

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? This is a really hard one to answer because I carry so much admiration for everyone in my class and for the class of 2019. To narrow it down, I would have to first mention my four Applied Management Research (AMR) teammates. AMR is one of UCLA’s options for a master’s thesis. You spend a lot time your first year considering who you want to be on your team, trying to find the perfect balance of skills and attributes to create the most holistic team moving forward. Each and every member of my AMR team is truly incredible: Varun Chalupadi, Adrienne Chang, Ryan Dumlao, and Blake Rauba. Do yourself a favor and LinkedIn stalk any of them to meet a professional I guarantee will be changing the world in a few years.

However, if I had to choose just one MBA classmate, I would choose Shu He. From the very first moment I met her, which was surreptitiously in the shared hallway of our building, I knew she was a force to be reckoned with. Shu is one of those special individuals who can somehow ace all her classes—always offering her help and time to classmates to make sure they understood the lecture, participate in every event—whether as a member or as a leader (most often the latter), initiate and organize new programs, and volunteer her time to first and second years to help with anything else they might need, all with a smile on her face—despite how tired or stressed she may be on the inside. She is a professional and a friend whom I have looked up to for a very long time. I can’t begin to explain how much she has helped me in my MBA journey and I’m so lucky to be able to call her my friend and colleague.

Who most influenced your decision to pursue business in college? My grandmother. My grandmother, Iran Seifi, is the most inspirational person in my life. She is a feminist and a boss through and through. She was born in the late 1930s in Iran, was forced to leave school before she finished elementary—her father deciding that was enough education for a girl—and was married off to husband over twice her age when she was barely 12.

Despite all this hardship, she never gave up in the face of adversity. The moment she moved out of her parents’ house and into my grandfather’s, she demanded that she be allowed to go back to school, knowing that education would be her ticket to freedom. My grandfather was an enlightened man and allowed her to return to school. Despite having my mother when she was 14 and then my Aunt when she was 16, my grandmother not only finished elementary and high school, but she demanded to be allowed to apply to college. My grandmother raised my mother and Aunt while she went to college in her mid-twenties, and she went on to gain her Master’s so she could teach. She dedicated her life to teach young women in Iran that they could be so much more than any of the arbitrary limitations placed upon them.

Often, I have faced my own adversity as a woman in business and in technology. But, my grandmother, to this day, has given me the strength and courage to face any obstacle in my path. She has always told me, ‘If you are passionate about something, then ignore the challenges and just work hard towards accomplishing your dream.’ I had always wanted to pursue business, especially in the realm of technology, but my humanities background made me nervous that I wouldn’t be able to succeed in such a quant heavy world. I wasn’t as lucky as many of my cousins who live in Iran and got to spend time with my grandmother every day. But, I’ve held onto the lessons she’s taught me throughout my MBA journey and I attribute so much of my strength and success to her.

“If I hadn’t gone to business school, I would be…less equipped to gain the amazing career opportunities I feel so fortunate to have today.”

If you were a dean for a day, what one thing would you change about the MBA experience? I would love to create a program that reached out to many of the less traditional pre-MBA undergraduate degrees, e.g. English Literature, History, Biology, Rhetoric, etc. and shared the myriad of ways an MBA could help them reach career paths they never considered.

What are the top two items on your bucket list? Publish a novel and travel around the world.

In one sentence, how would you like your peers to remember you? I’d like to be remembered as someone who was always available to help, had a great sense of humor, and was always someone they could rely on.

What is your favorite movie about business? Jiro Dreams of Sushi. Lesson: Many businesses can be good, but to be great requires passion. It is the irreplaceable and necessary trait to create an extraordinary product or service.

What would your theme song be? “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen

Favorite vacation spot: Paris, France

Hobbies? Reading fiction, learning about one new concept every week, baking, cooking, hiking with my Dad, painting with watercolors, exploring new cultures through world travel

What made Melody such an invaluable addition to the class of 2018?”

“If I had to use a word to describe Melody, that word would be “fearless.” Despite the fact that she was an English Literature major in undergrad, she went after the technology industry, and she did not let anything hold her back. If she felt like she was missing something skills-wise, she’d go out and take a course. If she felt like wearing purple hair in her first few months here, she did that too. When choosing which business school to attend, even though she was accepted into a higher-ranked school, she knew that between Anderson’s resources and her own skills and experience (and through concerted effort), she could get exactly where she wanted to go…which is precisely what she did.

Not only did Melody receive a few job offers, including Google, which had been a dream of hers since undergrad, she started to emerge as a real leader among her peers. In the Parker Career Management Center, Melody became our default first choice whenever we needed a “face and voice” of Parker or UCLA Anderson. We knew we could count on her to represent us incredibly well. We chose her to be one of the TAs for our career series as well as a second year coach because she had been so successful in tech recruiting. Just a few weeks ago, Melody and I met, and she said/asked “I really want the first years I am training to be successful. What else can I do to make that happen?” She explained what she had done as a TA and coach on both a Parker team as well as a tech club prep team. She had gone above and beyond what most in similar roles had done. What I loved most though was that she genuinely displayed one of our tenets here at Anderson “Shared Success.” She measured her success by the success of the people she coached.

Melody is someone I am going to be so proud to call a fellow alumna of UCLA Anderson, and I know she will transition from student to friend!!! I look forward to that as well as what I know she will give back to Anderson when she becomes and alumna!!!”

Regina Regazzi 
Assistant Dean, Parker Career Management Center

 

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