The ExecMBA Podcast

ExecMBA Podcast #270: Learning Through the Case Method with Executive MBA Class of 2023

During this episode, we continue our spotlight on learning through the case method with a conversation with three second year students in our Executive MBA Class of 2023 – Allan Barmak, Aly Searles and John Forbes. In this conversation, Allan, Aly and John reflect upon their MBA journeys, the impact of their Darden experience, what a weekend residency is really like, how their approach to case prep has evolved over their time in the program and more. This episode is essential listening

ExecMBA Podcast #269: The Value of an MBA for Journalists | Rachel Smolkin and Matthew Vann

In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Rachel Smolkin and Matthew Vann. Rachel and Matthew are second year students in UVA Darden’s Executive MBA Class of 2025, and they are both journalists. Rachel is Senior Vice President of Global News for CNN Digital and Matthew is a Senior Producer for ABC News. In this conversation, we talk with Rachel and Matthew about how they decided to pursue an MBA, the impact of their time at Darden, their favorite memory from the Executive MBA program, their advice for journalists considering an MBA and more. 

ExecMBA Podcast #268: Part-Time MBA and Executive MBA Career Round-Up | Spring 2023

In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Jeff McNish and Gopika Spaenle to discuss recent career-related updates in our Part-Time MBA and Executive MBA programs. Jeff is the Assistant Dean for UVA Darden’s Career Center and Gopika is the Career Center’s Managing Director for Professional Degree Programs. In this conversation, Jeff and Gopika discuss the recent Employment Report for the Executive MBA Class of 2022, the impending launch of the Professional Advancement Course (PAC) for the Part-Time MBA Class of 2025, early returns on the Executive MBA Class of 2024’s experience in the new Professional Advancement Course (PAC) 2 and more.

ExecMBA Podcast #267: Student Spotlight | Jon Dengel

In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Jon Dengel. Jon is a second year student in UVA Darden’s Executive MBA Class of 2023, and he is based in Michigan, where he works for a healthcare company. We talk with Jon about his MBA journey, what led him to Darden, why he thinks students should do as many global residencies as possible, the impact of his Darden experience and more.

ExecMBA Podcast #266: Office Hours Spotlight | In Conversation with Dean Emeritus Bob Bruner

In this very special edition of the Darden Admissions podcast, we share a recent installment in our ongoing ‘Office Hours’ faculty spotlight series, a conversation with dean emeritus Bob Bruner. As a financial economist, Bruner is best known for his research on mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance and financial panics. He served as dean of the Darden School from 2005 to 2015, and, this May, he will be retiring after 41 years of service and leadership at Darden. 
In this conversation, we talk with Bruner about what led him to Darden, his passion for the case method, his interest in financial crises, what the panic of 1907 can tell us about financial crises generally, his thoughts on the recent Silicon Valley Bank collapse and more.

ExecMBA Podcast #265: Office Hours Spotlight | In Conversation with Professor Anthony Palomba

In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcast, we share a recent installment in our ongoing ‘Office Hours’ faculty spotlight series, a conversation with Professor Anthony Palomba. Palomba is a member of the Communication faculty at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business, and his teaching interests are focused on how business professionals can present data results and actionable insights to key stakeholders through storytelling. In this conversation, we talk with Palomba about his interest in communication and media, his Storytelling Through Data elective, current challenges and opportunities in the streaming video on demand marketplace, what it takes to lead an entertainment company today and more.

ExecMBA Podcast #264: Learning Through the Case Method with the Part-Time MBA Class of 2025

During this episode, we continue our spotlight on learning through the case method with a conversation with three first year students from our Part-Time MBA Class of 2025 - Zoe Chan, Aman Dar and Zach Gore. In this conversation, Zoe, Aman and Zach reflect upon their MBA journeys, what they enjoy about learning through the case method, what it’s like to participate in a case discussion, how they prepare for class, the impact of their Darden experience and more.

ExecMBA Podcast #263: Gerry Yemen, Senior Researcher and Executive Director, Darden Case Writing Research Group

Have you ever wondered how a Darden case comes together? In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Gerry Yemen. Gerry is Senior Research and Executive Director of the Darden Case Writing Research Group at the Darden School of Business, and she has interviewed protagonists and written or co-authored over 400 cases, teaching notes and technical notes featuring leading business executives nationally and internationally since joining Darden in 1998. In this wide-ranging conversation, Gerry discusses her background, what led her to Darden, how a case is developed, what it’s like to see a case you’ve written discussed in class and more.

ExecMBA Podcast #262: Student Spotlight | Hayden Wilson

In this episode of the podcast, we talk with Hayden Wilson. Hayden is a first year student in UVA Darden’s Executive MBA Class of 2024, and in this wide ranging conversation, Hayden reflects upon his decision to pursue an MBA, adjusting to life as an Executive MBA student, the role his Learning Team has played in his learning experience, his favorite memory from the program so far and more. Hayden is also a member of the Executive MBA Running Club, and, as you will learn from this podcast, a Tom Petty fan.

ExecMBA Podcast #261: Highlighting UVA Darden’s PhD Program

In this episode of the podcast, we’re excited to share the audio from a recent webinar all about UVA Darden’s relaunched PhD program. During this conversation, Professor Michael Lenox, Senior Associate Dean and Chief Strategy Officer, and Christian West, Senior Director of Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Recruiting explore the structure and design of the PhD program. Additional topics include research resources for PhD students, admissions insights, and more.

ExecMBA Podcast #260: Student Spotlight | Joy Weber

In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Joy Weber. Joy is a second year student in our Executive MBA Class of 2023, and she is also a lawyer by training. We talk with Joy about her decision to pursue an MBA, what led her to Darden, her efforts to promote wellness and build connection within her class and more. Joy also discusses her global residency in Morocco.

ExecMBA Podcast #259: Student Spotlight | Michael Thorne-Begland

In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Michael Thorne-Begland. Michael is a first year student in UVA Darden’s Executive MBA Class of 2024, and he is Vice President, Chief Inclusion, Diversity and Equity Officer at Altria Client Services. We talk with Michael about his decision to pursue and MBA, what led him to his current role at Altria, the impact of his Darden experience so far, his advice for prospective students and more.

ExecMBA Podcast #258: Amy Jackson, Chief Early Learning Strategy Officer, Primrose Schools

In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Amy Jackson. Amy is a second year student in our Executive MBA Class of 2023, and she recently began a new role as Chief Early Learning Strategy Officer at Primrose Schools, a national system of accredited private preschools that provides premier early education and child care experience for children and families. During this conversation, Amy reflects upon her MBA journey, what led her to Darden, how Darden has helped her navigate her new role and more.

ExecMBA Podcast #257: Student Spotlight | Erika Keough

During this episode, we catch up with Erika Keough. Erika is a second year student in our Executive MBA Class of 2023, and we recently connected with her to talk about her decision to pursue an MBA, what led her to Darden, what she loves about her classmates, as well as how the program pushed her to explore an entrepreneurial path. Erika also discusses her new venture, Le Breton Group, a people and talent advisory and consulting services for Early Stage to Series B startups.  

ExecMBA Podcast #256: Billy Hughes, AVP, Anti-Corruption & Third-Party Risk Management, Victoria’s Secret

In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Billy Hughes. Billy is a GEMBA format graduate in our Executive MBA Class of 2020, and he is currently an AVP for Anti-Corruption and Third-Party Risk Management for Victoria’s Secret. We recorded this episode in Spring 2022 when we first saw Billy’s job update on LinkedIn, and during this wide-ranging conversation, Billy discusses his MBA journey, his passion for ethics and compliance, how the GEMBA format has helped him in his work with Victoria’s Secret and more.

ExecMBA Podcast #255: Office Hours Spotlight | In Conversation with Professor Peter Debaere

In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcast, we share a recent installment in our ongoing ‘Office Hours’ faculty spotlight series, a conversation with Professor Peter Debaere. Debaere is a member of the Global Economies and Markets faculty at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business, and he is an international economist with a focus on international trade, multinationals and trade policy. He is also a water expert. In this conversation, we talk with Debaere about his interest in Economics, what led him to Darden as well as his elective courses – The Economics of Water and Managing International Trade and Investment. He also discusses, To America and Back Again¸ the new book he co-wrote his brother about their grandmother’s exceptional life.

ExecMBA Podcast #254: Spotlight on Learning Team 2

Boldly going where no Darden podcast episode has gone before. Our first podcast conversation with a Learning Team! In this episode, we catch up with five (of seven) second year students in the Executive MBA Class of 2023 who are on Learning Team 2 – Johnny Carpenter, John Grant, Catherine Kenney, Kuleen Mehta and Remington Roth. The students talk about how their team formed, set norms, developed their work approach and most importantly supported each other during the program. As is noted during the conversation, learning at Darden is a team sport. Did you know? All Darden students are assigned a 5-6 person Learning Team, and this team is an important academic resource, particularly during the core curriculum.

ExecMBA Podcast #253: Part-Time MBA Spotlight | Parker Lapeyre and Max Godwin

Big news! Welcome to our first podcast interview with two students from Darden’s newest MBA format – the Part-Time MBA. In this conversation we catch up with Parker Lapeyre and Max Godwin, first year students in UVA Darden’s Part-Time MBA Class of 2025 and co-Presidents of the Part-Time MBA Student Association (PSA). We talk with Parker and Max about their backgrounds, what led them to Darden, how things are going for their class, their goals for the PSA, their advice for prospective students and more. Essential listening!

ExecMBA Podcast #252: Office Hours Spotlight | In Conversation with Professor Luca Cian

In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcast, we share a recent installment in our ongoing ‘Office Hours’ faculty spotlight series, a conversation with Professor Luca Cian. Cian is a member of the Marketing faculty at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business, and his research area is consumer behavior, with a focus on sensory marketing, aesthetics, and human-machine interaction. In this conversation, we talk with Cian about his background, his passion for teaching, his research in artificial intelligence, “word of machine” recommendations and more.

ExecMBA Podcast #251: Women@Darden Spotlight | Professor Mary Margaret Frank

In this special edition of the podcast, we are excited to share another installment from our ongoing Women@Darden event series featuring Professor Mary Margaret Frank. Frank is the Senior Associate Dean for Faculty Development, the John Tyler Professor of Business Administration and the Institute for Business in Society Academic Director at the Darden School of Business. Her expertise is in the integration of business and public policy, including cross-sector collaborations. She is a former board member of Veru Inc., (formerly known as the Female Health Company), which works with public-private partnerships that empower women to fight HIV globally, especially in Africa. She is also an expert in regulated disclosure focusing on tax, financial accounting and patent reporting. During this conversation moderated by Senior Assistant Dean of Admissions Dawna Clarke, Frank reflects upon her background, how she helps prepare faculty to teach at Darden, her passion for her students, her experience leading Darden Worldwide Courses in Africa and more.

ExecMBA Podcast #250: Office Hours Spotlight | In Conversation with Professor Pedro Matos

In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcast, we share a recent installment in our ongoing ‘Office Hours’ faculty spotlight series, a conversation with Professor Pedro Matos. Matos is the academic director of the Richard A. Mayo Center for Asset Management and a member of the Finance faculty at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business. His research focuses on the growing importance of institutional investors in financial markets worldwide, and in this conversation, we talk with Matos about his background, his work with the Mayo Center, his role as advisor to Darden Capital Management, his passion for ESG (Environmental Social Governance) investing and more.

ExecMBA Podcast #249: Office Hours Spotlight | In Conversation with Professor Yo-Jud Cheng

In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcast, we share a recent installment in our ongoing ‘Office Hours’ faculty spotlight series, a conversation with Professor Yo-Jud Cheng. Cheng teaches in the Strategy, Ethics and Entrepreneurship area at Darden, and her research focuses on corporate governance and top executives in public companies. In this wide-ranging conversation, we talk with Cheng about her background, what led her to Darden, and what she enjoys about teaching Strategy in the first year core curriculum. She also shares insights about several recent corporate governance scandals as well as the important role corporate boards play in shaping a company’s strategic direction.

ExecMBA Podcast #248: Student Spotlight | John Grant and Carter Whitelow

In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with John Grant and Carter Whitelow. John is a second year student in our Executive MBA Class of 2023, and Carter is a first year student in our Executive MBA Class of 2024. As you will learn from this conversation, John and Carter are friends outside of Darden, and this relationship played an important role in Carter’s MBA journey. We talk with John and Carter about their decision to pursue an MBA, what led them to Darden, the impact of the Executive MBA program and much more.

ExecMBA Podcast #247: In Conversation | Scott Beardsley, Dean of the Darden School of Business

In this special edition of the podcast, we are excited to share a recent conversation between the Dean of the Darden School of Business Scott Beardsley and Senior Assistant Dean of Admissions Dawna Clarke about why it has never been a better time to be at Darden. Beardsley and Clarke share insights on a number of topics including the importance of financial accessibility and scholarships, Darden’s unique academic environment, updates on School priorities and how students can take a Darden MBA ‘from here to anywhere.’ This conversation was recorded on 2 November.

ExecMBA Podcast #246: Women@Darden Spotlight | Professor Melissa Thomas-Hunt

In this special edition of the podcast, we are excited to share another installment from our ongoing Women@Darden event series featuring Professor Melissa Thomas-Hunt. Thomas-Hunt is the John Forbes Distinguished Professor of Business Administration at the Darden School of Business and Professor of Public Policy at the Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy, and she is also the former Head of Global Diversity and Belonging at Airbnb where she led the strategy and execution of our global internal diversity, inclusion, equity and belonging programs. For 25 years, she has taught MBAs and executives leadership, team dynamics, and negotiations and conducted research on the factors that unleash, leverage, and amplify the contributions made by individuals, particularly women, underrepresented individuals, and numerical minorities. During this wide-ranging conversation moderated by Senior Assistant Dean of Admissions Dawna Clarke, Thomas-Hunt touches upon her professional journey, what led her to Darden, her experience at Airbnb and more.