The ExecMBA Podcast

In this episode of the ExecMBA podcast, we catch up with Savannah Guernsey. Savannah is an EMBA format student in our Class of 2019, and we sat down to talk about why she decided to pursue an MBA, how her career plans evolved over her time in the program and her advice for prospective students.

In this episode of the ExecMBA Podcast, we catch up with Connor Lott, an EMBA format student in our Class of 2020. Connor is also a veteran, and we sat down to talk with him about his MBA journey, his recent participation in Darden’s Venture Capital Bootcamp and his advice for military service members considering an MBA.

Natalie is an Executive MBA (EMBA) format student in our Class of 2020, and we recently caught up with her to talk with her decision, as a journalist, to pursue an MBA, what she’s enjoyed about the experience so far and her recent global residency in China.

In this episode of the ExecMBA Podcast, we catch up with Mike Doerr. Mike is an Executive MBA (EMBA) format student in our Class of 2020, and he comes from a political and, most recently, tech start-up background. We sat down to talk about how he decided to pursue an MBA, what he’s enjoyed about his experience so far and his advice for prospective students.

In this episode, we catch up with GEMBA format student, Shristi Kauffman (Class of 2019). We sat down with Shristi to talk about her MBA journey, what led her to Darden, her role as a leader in our Executive Student Investment Fund (ESIF) student organization and how her experience as a GEMBA format student has shaped her outlook on business.

In this episode, we welcome back to the pod, Associate Director of Career Education and Advising, Jim Collins. In this conversation, Jim shares his insights for military candidates seeking to leverage an MBA to facilitate a career transition. And be sure to check out Jim’s previous episodes on networking and climbing within an organization.

In this episode, we catch up with Eiman Behzadi, an EMBA format student in our Class of 2019. Eiman is also President of the Executive MBA Entrepreneurship Club (EMBEC), and we sat down with him to talk more about EMBEC, what led him to Darden and what he’s enjoyed about the program so far.

In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Jessica Hehman. Jessica is an EMBA format student in our Class of 2019, and we sat down with her to talk more about how she decided to pursue an MBA, how she balances the time demands of school, work and a busy personal life and how her learning teams have shaped her program experience.

In this episode of the podcast, we continue our conversation with Jonas Porcar Ferrer and Bhavin Patel, two students in our Class of 2020. Jonas and Bhavin now have a few months under their belts, and we sat down with them to talk more about how their managing the program, and what they enjoyed about their recent global quarter. And be sure to check out Episode 48, our first conversation with Jonas and Bhavin!

In this episode of the ExecMBA Podcast, we catch up with Ron Cook, a GEMBA format student in our Class of 2020. We sat down with Ron to talk about his decision to pursue an MBA, what attracted him to our Global Executive MBA (GEMBA) format, and his entrepreneurial venture in Kenya.

In this episode of the ExecMBA Podcast, we talk with Priyanka Rattana, an EMBA format student in our Class of 2019. This conversation touches upon a variety of topics including how Priyanka chose to pursue an MBA, how her Darden experience has complimented our her technical background and how she balances the many demands on her time.

In this episode of the ExecMBA Podcast, we catch up with Brian Larsen, a GEMBA format student in our Class of 2020. Brian founded and currently runs a business, RestoraPet, and we recently sat down to talk more about his decision to pursue an MBA, his experience on the recent Brazil global residency and his advice for prospective students.

In the episode of the ExecMBA Podcast, we continue our exploration of entrepreneurship and the executive formats with a conversation with Terrell Fuller. Terrell is an EMBA format student in our Class of 2019, and we recently caught up with her about how she decided to pursue an MBA and her experience launching her own business.

In this episode of the ExecMBA Podcast, we catch up with Melinda Woods, an EMBA format student in our Class of 2019. We sat down with Melinda to talk more about how she decided to pursue an MBA, what led her to Darden, and how she juggles life and the demands of work and school.

In this episode of the ExecMBA Podcast, we catch up with Manish Dharia of the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC). Manish is Director of Product Development at GMAC, and we recently sat down to talk more about the Executive Assessment (EA). The EA is 40-question, 90-minute test that requires on average 15 to 20 hours of preparation, and it was designed with executive format applicants and their busy schedules in mind. Check it out!

In this episode of the ExecMBA Podcast, we continue our exploration of entrepreneurship and the executive formats with a conversation with Jason Brewster, Director of the UVA i.Lab’s summer incubator program. Listen and learn more about Jason’s background, what he enjoys about working with start-ups and how the i.Lab’s effectuation-based approach helps new businesses ask critical questions and quickly assess what their customers actually want.

In this episode of the ExecMBA Podcast, we catch up with Erin Tollini, an EMBA format student in our Class of 2020. Erin is a lawyer by training as well as a former mayor of Tiburon, California, and she is currently pursuing an entrepreneurial path. We caught up with Erin to talk about her decision to pursue an MBA, what led her to Darden and how she balances school, work and life.

In this episode of the ExecMBA Podcast, we catch up with Ron Wilcox, Senior Associate Dean for Degree Programs. Ron is also a Marketing professor and a former Dean of the Executive MBA Program, and we discuss what led him to Darden, how he approaches case writing and what he enjoys about teaching executive format students.

In March of 2018, Darden opened a beautiful new space in the Washington, DC area, the Sands Family Grounds. In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Mike Stroud, Executive Director of Facilities and Operations, about the new facility in DC, as well as the overall plans for Darden’s building and grounds in the years ahead.

In this episode of the ExecMBA podcast, we catch up with Katherine Alford! Katherine has been leading a number of our women’s recruitment initiatives in the DC area, and we talk with her about those efforts, as well as what she enjoys about recruiting executive format students.

Did you know Darden graduates have access to career services for life? True story! In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Jen Coleman, Executive Director, Alumni Career Services. In this conversation, Jen discusses what drew her to Darden and her current work as well as how she and her team support Darden graduates. And be sure to check out our other career conversations with Jim Collins, Connie Dunlop, Casey Floyd, Kellogg Leliveld and Sarita Soldz!

Episode 50! A milestone! It’s been quite a run for the ExecMBA Podcast, and in this episode, friend of the pod, Whitney Kestner, turns the tables and interviews Brett Twitty. In a conversation that touches on everything from Darden’s efforts in the DC area to The Smiths, Whitney and Brett chat about music, movies and, of course, all things Executive MBA. And be sure to check out Brett and Whitney’s prior episodeall about the Executive MBA application process.

In this episode, Director of Admissions, Brett Twitty, answers the questions we most frequently receive from applicants. Curious about how our deadlines work? Want to learn more about our test requirement? Have questions about what materials are required for our application process? Check out this episode and then head over to the Exec Video Blog for even more answers!

In this episode, we catch up with two students in our Class of 2020, Jonas Porcar Ferrer and Bhavin Patel, during a busy first quarter of the program. In this wide-ranging conversation, we chat with Jonas and Bhavin about why they chose Darden, what they enjoy about learning through the case method, how they are juggling school and their many other commitments, and their advice for prospective students. Stay tuned for additional interviews with Jonas and Bhavin throughout the coming months!

In this episode, we catch up with Kellogg Leliveld! Kellogg is one of the career advisors who work with our executive format students, and we chat with her about her background, what she enjoys about working with Darden students, her advice for students considering an MBA and her approach to career advising. If you’re interested in learning more about career resources for executive format students, be sure to also check out our conversations with Sarita Soldz and Jim Collins.

In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Ladi Carr! Ladi is a member of Darden’s Center for Global Initiatives (CGI) team, and she helps lead the global residencies for our Executive MBA Program. This episode is essential listening for anyone seeking to learn more about our Global Executive MBA (GEMBA) format, our week-long global residencies or additional global opportunities available to executive format students at Darden.

In this episode, we catch up with Jim Collins. Jim is one of the career advisers who support our executive format students, and he returns to the podcast to talk about networking tactics for job seekers. He also shares highlights from our recent virtual job fair. And while you’re streaming, be sure to check out his previous interview exploring strategies for individuals who wish to climb within their current companies.

In this episode of the ExecMBA Podcast, we catch up with David Touve, Senior Director of the i.Lab at UVA. David brings a wealth of experience to his work, and we sat down to talk with him about his background, as well as the wide range of resources available to entrepreneurs at the University of Virginia. One of our favorite interviews, this conversation is an essential listen for anyone interested in entrepreneurship and the executive formats of the Darden MBA.

In this episode of the ExecMBA Podcast, we catch up with Associate Dean for Executive Degree Programs, Jim Detert. We recently announced several innovations to our Executive MBA Program, and we chat with Jim about moving both sections of the Executive MBA Program to Rosslyn, the Explorations in Enterprise Leadership course, the career-related modules that are currently in development, and the impact of these updates for students.

In this episode of the ExecMBA Podcast, we catch up with Camille Smith. Camille is a GEMBA format student in our Class of 2019 as well as co-President of our Black Executive MBA (BEMBA) student organization. We chat with her about how she chose Darden, her experiences as a Global Executive MBA (GEMBA) format student, and what BEMBA has planned for the coming months.

In this episode of the ExecMBA Podcast, we talk with Casey Floyd. Casey is a 2017 GEMBA format graduate, and she is also Director of Employer Engagement and Recruiting at Darden. We recently caught up with her to talk about her decision to pursue a Darden MBA, what she enjoyed our Global Executive MBA (GEMBA) format, and the work she does building relationships with employers on behalf of Darden students. NOTE: During this conversation, Casey references having an MBA prior to matriculating at Darden. Applicants who have an MBA from an AACSB-accredited institution are not eligible to apply to Darden.

In this episode of the ExecMBA Podcast, we talk with Kathy Masloff, a member of our Executive MBA Program Team. Kathy helps manage many of the program logistics while our students are in Charlottesville, and we sat down with her to debrief Orientation and Leadership Residency 1, but to also talk about what she and her colleagues enjoy about working with our students and everything they do to make our students’ experience truly seamless.

In this episode of the ExecMBA Podcast, we catch up with Amanda Richardson, a 2019 EMBA format student in our Rosslyn section. Amanda is the President of our Network of Executive Women (NEW) student organization, and in this wide-ranging conversation, we talk about her decision to pursue an MBA, what led her to Darden, NEW’s plans for the upcoming year, and how she balances the demands of work, school and being a mom.

Hard to believe it took this long, but the ExecMBA podcast is back with our first Admissions-related episode! And, with our 2019 cycle ramping up, not a moment too soon. In this installment of the podcast, Whitney Kestner and I chat about our application process, the various components of our application, and our favorite tips for executive format applicants.

In this Episode of the ExecMBA Podcast, we talk with Connie Dunlop, Darden’s Executive Director for Professional Advancement and a Darden alumna! In this wide-ranging conversation, we chat with Connie about what she enjoys about working with students on their career plans, her goals her Professional Advancement course, why she thinks we’re seeing more interest in entrepreneurship in our Executive MBA Program, and her advice for students considering Darden’s executive formats.

In this episode of the ExecMBA Podcast, we talk with MJ Toms, Director of Education and Experiential Learning for Darden’s Batten Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. In this broad-ranging conversation, MJ highlights the various entrepreneurship resources available to students at Darden through the Batten Institute and UVA, including the iLab, Start-Up Academy, Venture Capital Bootcamp, UVA’s Entrepreneurship Cup, Coursera Courses, and much more.

In this episode of the ExecMBA Podcast, we continue our ongoing series about entrepreneurship with a conversation with Ruchir Ghildiyal and Dan Fitzhenry, two EMBA format students in our Class of 2018. We talk with Ruchir and Dan about some of the recent student-led initiatives around entrepreneurship in our Executive MBA Program and how their Darden experience has shaped their approach to and thoughts on entrepreneurship.

In this episode of the ExecMBA Podcast, we talk with a few of our Executive MBA students who work in politics – Julie Lasseter (EMBA ’18), Steve Gilleland (EMBA ’19), and Freddy Barnes (GEMBA ’19). We ask Julie, Steve and Freddy how and why they decided to pursue an MBA, what drew them to Darden, what they’ve enjoyed about the program, and their advice for politicos considering advanced education and weighing an MBA.

In this wide-ranging episode, we chat with Jim Detert. In addition to teaching Leadership and Organizational Beavior, Jim is the new faculty lead and Associate Dean for the Executive MBA Program, and we caught up with him to discuss what drew him to Darden, his goals for the Executive MBA Program, what he loves about teaching in the case method, and his plans for LR1.

In this episode, we continue our spotlight on the start of school with an interview with Callie Thompson. Callie is Director of Executive Degree Programs and leads the team of staff members who support our executive format students. We sat down with Callie to talk with her about the first Leadership Residency, LR1, and her advice for students as they navigate the first weeks of the program.

In this episode of the ExecMBA Podcast, we talk with Colin Hood and Teeja Boye, members of our Class of 2019 and two of the leaders of our Executive Student Investment Fund (ESIF). ESIF is one of six student organizations in our Executive MBA Program, and we spoke with Colin and Teeja about their goals and plans for ESIF in the coming months, and their experience as executive format students, as they enter their second year in the program.

In this episode of the ExecMBA podcast, with the start of school just a few weeks away, we talk with Barbara Millar, Assistant Dean for the Executive MBA Program. Barbara has worked with executive format students at Darden for over a decade, and we asked her advice for students starting the program. Hear Barbara's previous podcast interviews at the links below: https://listen.darden.virginia.edu/e/the-execmba-podcast-episode-4-an-interview-with-executive-mba-assistant-dean-barbara-millar-part-1/ https://listen.darden.virginia.edu/e/the-execmba-podcast-episode-8-an-interview-with-executive-mba-assistant-dean-barbara-millar-part-2/

In this episode of the ExecMBA podcast, we talk with Melissa Stefaniak, a 2019 EMBA format student, about her business start-up, Single Baked Sweets. Melissa is spending the summer as part of Darden’s iLab incubator, and we recently sat down to discuss her venture, how her classmates have helped her as she launches her business, and how the case method has pushed her to grow as a leader.

In this episode of the ExecMBA Podcast, we catch up with Charlotte Robertson, an EMBA format student in our Class of 2018 and a recent Poets and Quants Best & Brightest selection. We talk with Charlotte about her decision to pursue an MBA, how her experiences in the program shaped her work as Director of Restaurants, Las Vegas for ThinkFoodGroup by Jose Andres, and how she used her Innovation and Design Thinking elective to help solve a challenge at one of her restaurants.

With our last deadline of the 2018 admissions cycle – 25 June – just a few days away, we sit down with Elan Freedy, a 2019 EMBA format in our Charlottesville section. We talk with Elan about how he chose Darden, what drew him to the Charlottesville section, what he enjoys most about being an executive format student, and his goals for his remaining time in the program.

In this episode of the ExecMBA Podcast, we talk with Jim Collins, one of two career advisors who support our executive format students. In this conversation, we explore how Jim and his colleague, Sarita Soldz, work with “climbers,” those students who wish to move up within their organization. We also touch upon what Jim loves about working with executive format students and how Darden’s career team supports students across the life cycle of the career development process.

In this episode of the ExecMBA podcast, we talk with Hans Lauzen, an EMBA format student in our Class of 2019, about what he enjoys about being a member of the Charlottesville section and a student in the Executive MBA Program, what attracted him to Darden, and his advice for prospective students.

In this episode, we continue our exploration of our Charlottesville section experience with an interview with Christie May, an EMBA format student in our Class of 2019. We talk with Christie about her decision to pursue an MBA, her experience on the South Africa and China global residencies, what she enjoys about Charlottesville and the Charlottesville section, and what she loves about the program.

This episode of the ExecMBA podcast marks the first installment in a short series on our Charlottesville section experience. In this interview, we talk with Nii-Lante Lamptey, an EMBA format student in our Class of 2019, about why he decided to pursue his MBA and what he loves about learning in Charlottesville.

In this episode of the ExecMBA Podcast, we talk with Mariana Santos and Marco Mendoza about their experience as international students in Darden’s Executive MBA Program. Mariana is a 2018 EMBA format student (Charlottesville section) and originally from Brazil. Marco is a 2018 GEMBA format student (Charlottesville section) and based in Peru. We spoke with Mariana and Marco about why they chose Darden, what they like about learning in the case method, and their advice for international students considering the executive formats of the Darden MBA.