The ExecMBA Podcast

The ExecMBA Podcast #203: Michelle Amato and Michelle Cobb | The Power of the Darden Executive MBA Community

In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with two second year students in our Executive MBA Class of 2022, Michelle Amato and Michelle Cobb. Amato and Cobb are entering their last quarter as Executive MBA students, and we connected with them via Zoom to talk about their decision to pursue an MBA, what led them to Darden, and how the program has helped them grow both personally and professionally. They also reflect upon the tight-knit nature of their cohort, the profound impact their classmates have had upon their MBA journeys and what makes the Darden community unique. Fun fact: Michelle Amato recently recruited Michelle Cobb to join her as a co-worker at her company, Workiva.

The ExecMBA Podcast #202: Ann Lowe | Launching Your Own Consulting Venture

In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Second Year Executive MBA student Ann Lowe (Class of 2022). Ann shares insights about her decision an MBA, what led her to Darden, and her advice for students trying to determine the right time to do an Executive MBA program. We also talk with Ann about her career journey, the recent launch of her own consulting company, and her experience working with her classmates on an entrepreneurial venture and participating in the UVA E-Cup.

The ExecMBA Podcast #201: Office Hours Spotlight | In Conversation with Professor Toni Irving

In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcasts, we share the 11th installment in our ongoing ‘Office Hours’ faculty spotlight series, a conversation with Professor Toni Irving. Irving is a Professor of Practice at the Darden School, and she teaches several courses in the Strategy, Ethics and Entrepreneurship area, including “Getting in the Room Where It Happens: How to Successfully Navigate the Workplace and Get Things Done”, “Business Ethics Through Literature”, Whose Streets?!: ESG Strategies to Create Competitive Advantage from Wall Street to Main Street” and “Thinking of a Master Plan: Non-Profit Management, Metrics & Impact Making in the Field.” In this wide-ranging conversation, we talk with Irving about her journey from UVA grad to English and American Literature PhD to English professor to Deputy Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor for the Governor State of Illinois to founding and launching a social impact fund and now her work at Darden. She also shares insights about her courses and reflects upon what she enjoys about teaching both Full-Time MBA and Executive MBA students.

The ExecMBA Podcast #200: Office Hours Spotlight | Professor Marc Lipson on the Power of the Darden Learning Experience

In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcasts, we share the 10th installment in our ongoing ‘Office Hours’ faculty spotlight series, a conversation with Professor Marc Lipson. Lipson is a member of the Finance faculty, and he teaches a wide range of courses at the Darden School, including First Year Finance, International Corporate Finance, and Innovators, Designers, and Entrepreneurs in Action. He also recently served as the Associate Dean for the Full-Time MBA program. Lipson’s principal area of research is market microstructure — the study of how market design and organization affects price formation and liquidity. We talk with Lipson about what led him to Darden, what he loves about the Darden classroom, his time as a visiting scholar at the New York Stock Exchange, as well as his passion for art and culture and how these interests inform his work.

The ExecMBA Podcast #199: In Conversation with Dr. Luq Dad (Class of 2022)

In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Dr. Luqman “Luq” Dad (Class of 2022). Luq is a Radiation Oncologist in the Washington, DC area, and he is a second-year student in our Executive MBA Class of 2022. During this wide-ranging conversation, Luq shares insights about what led him to a general management MBA program, why Darden appealed to him and what the impact of the program has been for him so far. Luq was also instrumental in the founding of the Executive Healthcare Alliance student group as well as the planning of the Executive MBA program’s first annual Global Diversity Event. We talk with Luq about both of these initiatives and how extracurricular engagement has enhanced his Darden experience.  

The ExecMBA Podcast #198: In Conversation | Kate deLacy (Class of 2022)

In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Kate deLacy. Kate is a second year in our Executive MBA Class of 2022, and we recently connected with her via Zoom to talk about her MBA journey, what led her to Darden and much more. During this wide-ranging conversation, Kate reflects on moving from the restaurant world to the investment industry. She also shares insights about how her time in the Executive MBA program has shaped and expanded her career interests.

The ExecMBA Podcast #197: In Conversation | Casey Lichtendahl, Co-Academic Director of the MSBA Program

In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcasts, we share the ninth installment in our ongoing ‘Office Hours’ faculty spotlight series, a conversation with Professor Casey Lichtendahl. Lichtendahl is a member of the Quantitative Analysis faculty and Co-Academic Director for the MS in Business Analytics program. He is also a Darden alumnus, and in this wide-ranging conversation, we talk with Lichtendahl about his background in the beverage industry, how a Quantitative Analysis course with Robert Carraway sparked his passion for data and changed his life, his recent work forecasting for Google, what it’s like to teach at Darden as an alumnus, why he feels the Darden learning environment is truly special and much more. Essential listening.

The ExecMBA Podcast #196: Efficiency and Equity: In Conversation with Professor Dan Murphy

In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcasts, we share the seventh installment in our ongoing ‘Office Hours’ faculty spotlight series, a conversation with Professor Dan Murphy. Murphy is a member of the Global Economies and Market, and during this wide-ranging conversation, he touches upon everything from growing up in Denver and his twin passions for policy and economics to affordable housing and his favorite book of all-time.

The ExecMBA Podcast #195: Jonathan Vassil (EMBA ’18) | Helping Toast Grow from Early Stage Venture to IPO

In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Jonathan Vassil (EMBA ’18). During this conversation, Jonathan reflects upon his MBA journey, including why he was drawn to the case method and the educational experience at Darden. He also shares insights from his career, including his recent work as a SVP/GM at Toast, Inc.. Toast, a Software as a Service company focused on the restaurant industry, recently conducted an IPO at a $20 billion valuation. 

The ExecMBA Podcast #194: Recapping This Year’s Darden Diversity Conference

In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcasts, we recap the recent Darden Diversity Conference! This year’s conference was hosted virtually, and it marked the fourth occasion of this annual event. We catch up with two students who served on the Diversity Conference planning committee – Full-Time MBA student Khaliyah Legette (Class of 2022) and Executive MBA student Chi Lo (Class of 2022) – to talk about this year’s conference, the planning and preparation that went into the two-day affair, why diversity matters at Darden and more.

The ExecMBA Podcast #193: Celebrating this Weekend’s Diversity Conference

This weekend marks the occasion of Darden’s annual Diversity Conference! In this special episode of the ExecMBA Podcast, we share excerpts from some of our favorite conversations with Executive MBA student leaders from the past couple years. Featured organizations include the Network of Executive Women (NEW), the Black Executive MBA (BEMBA) student organization and the Executive MBA Diversity & Inclusion Committee. This episode also features interviews with two panelists from this weekend’s conference – Ron Cook (EMBA ’20) and Nicole Reyna (Class of 2022).

The ExecMBA Podcast #192: Real Estate Entrepreneur Reflects on Real-Time ROI

In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Second Year Executive MBA student Colin Thomas (Class of 2022). During this conversation, Colin, a real estate entrepreneur, discusses his decision to pursue an MBA and how Darden, including his classmates, faculty, and coursework, have helped him as he has worked to launch and grow his venture.

The ExecMBA Podcast #191: In Conversation | Venture Capital Club

In this episode of the podcast, we continue our spotlight on life outside the classroom in the Executive MBA program with a conversation all about the Executive MBA Venture Capital Club. A few months ago, we caught up with Barry Hartzberg (EMBA ’21) and Greg Benante (Class of 2022) to talk more about the Venture Capital Club – the club’s origins, the response from their classmates and the organization’s plans for the months ahead. Barry and Greg also discuss their respective backgrounds, how they decided to pursue an MBA, what led them to Darden and more.

The ExecMBA Podcast #190: Creating a New Story For Business | A Conversation with Professor Ed Freeman

In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcasts, we share the seventh installment in our ongoing ‘Office Hours’ faculty spotlight series, a conversation with Professor Ed Freeman. Freeman is a member of the Strategy, Ethics and Entrepreneurship faculty, and an academic director for UVA Darden’s Institute for Business in Society. We talk with Freeman and his background in philosophy, his work on stakeholder theory, and why we need a new story about business. Freeman also discusses his recent documentary, Fishing With Dynamite, as well as his new podcast, The Stakeholder Podcast. He also shares his top five “desert island” albums. Essential listening.

The ExecMBA Podcast #189: In Conversation | Executive MBA Consulting Club

In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Andrew McCormack and John Schwartz, two second year students in our Executive MBA Class of 2022. Andrew and John are leaders of the Executive MBA Consulting Club, one of seven official Executive MBA student organizations. We talk with Andrew and John about their MBA journeys, what led them to Darden and what the Consulting Club has planned for the months ahead.

The ExecMBA Podcast #188: Highlighting the Breakthrough Scholars Program with Professor Greg Fairchild

In this special edition of the Admissions podcast, we welcome back Darden faculty member and friend of the pod Greg Fairchild. In this wide-ranging conversation, Fairchild shares insights about one of Darden’s newest scholarship initiatives – the Breakthrough Scholars Program – a scholarship offering focused on creating new opportunities for diverse candidates to thrive in fields of asset management. Fairchild also talks about his new role as CEO and Dean for UVA’s Northern Virginia initiatives as well as a number of Darden-related DC area projects – including the DC Dean’s Fellows, his latest Executive MBA elective and more.

The ExecMBA Podcast #187: Creating a Community for Entrepreneurs

In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with two second year students in our Executive MBA Class of 2022, Will Payne and Charlie O’Ferrall. Will and Charlie are leaders of the Executive MBA Entrepreneurship Club (EMBEC), and we chat with them about what attracted them to club leadership and the ways in which EMBEC is creating community and building connections for Executive MBA students with a passion for entrepreneurship.

The ExecMBA Podcast #186: Nicole Reyna - Leading DEI Efforts at School and at Work

In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Nicole Reyna (Class of 2022). Nicole is a Human Resources professional based in the Washington, DC area, and in this wide-ranging conversation we talk with her about her MBA journey and what led her to Darden. We also talk with her about her role on the Executive MBA Program’s Diversity Committee and her new role at work leading her company’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Initiative.

The ExecMBA Podcast #185: Special Episode | Engaging Virtually with Your Target MBA Programs

In this special episode of the podcast, members of Darden’s Admissions Committee’s and longtime friends of the podcast, Whitney Kestner, Catie Yeilding and Christian West, share tips for researching your target MBA programs. They offer insights and strategies for leveraging virtual events, social media, current students, alumni and more to learn about the people and the communities that will shape your MBA experience. With the COVID-19 pandemic shifting most Admissions events to virtual delivery for the foreseeable future, this episode is essential listening for any prospective student considering any of UVA Darden’s MBA formats.

The ExecMBA Podcast #184: Serving as a Second Year Tutor

In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with four recent graduates from the Executive MBA Class of 2021 – Justin Aydelotte (EMBA ’21), Matt Duffy (EMBA ’21), Peter Frieslander (EMBA ’21) and Barry Hartzberg (EMBA ’21). Justin, Matt, Peter and Barry recently served as second year tutors – a new initiative for the Executive MBA program – providing academic support for first year students in the Executive MBA Class of 2022 across several core quantitative areas including Decision Analysis, Finance and Global Economies and Markets. 

The ExecMBA Podcast #183: Living a Passion for Diversity | Briana Apgar (Class of 2022)

In this episode of the podcast, we chat with Briana Apgar (Class of 2022). Briana is a second year student in our Executive MBA Class of 2022, and she is also one of the members of the Executive MBA program’s newly formed Diversity Committee. We talk with Briana about how she decided to pursue an MBA, how servant leadership has informed her career approach, why she is so passionate about diversity, and how her time at Darden has challenged to embrace the idea of “good enough.”

The ExecMBA Podcast #182: Chi Lo - Leading the Executive MBA Program’s Diversity Committee

In this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Chi Lo (Class of 2022), a second year student in the Executive MBA program. Chi is based in the San Francisco Bay Area, and he recently started a new position at Tesla. He is also a founding member of the Executive MBA program’s Diversity Committee. We talk with Chi about his background, his decision to pursue an MBA, what led him to Darden, and the goals for the Diversity Committee in the year ahead.

The ExecMBA Podcast #181: Senior Associate Dean Yael Grushka-Cockayne | Announcing UVA Darden’s Part-Time MBA

In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcasts, we welcome back friend of the pod, Senior Associate Dean Yael Grushka-Cockayne, to talk about UVA Darden’s newest MBA format, the Part-Time MBA. We also take time to check in with Yael about her first year leading the Executive MBA program, what she’s currently researching, why she’s so passionate about project management and how she’s processing England’s recent loss to Italy in the European Championship final.

The ExecMBA Podcast #180: Leading Mindfully and Building Resilience | A Conversation with Professor Lili Powell

In this special edition of the Darden Admissions podcasts, we share the sixth installment in our ongoing ‘Office Hours’ faculty spotlight series, a conversation with Professor Lili Powell. Powell is a member of the Communication faculty, and she also has a joint appointment with the UVA School of Nursing. We talk with her about her interest in mindfulness and resilience, as well as what she has learned from her work with healthcare providers. Powell also shares insights about how the COVID-19 pandemic has shaped and redefined the ways we communicate with one another.

The ExecMBA Podcast #179: In Conversation | Senior Director of Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Christian West

Senior Director of Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Christian West joins us for a wide-ranging conversation about his background, what led him to Darden, why he’s passionate about diversity, equity and inclusion and what he’s looking forward to in the months ahead. We even find time to discuss Christian’s preferred coffee orders and his status as an undefeated southern California karaoke champion.