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Anika Sharin (’20) has commuted from the Bay Area to L.A. for three years because she chose UCLA Anderson over UC Berkeley. She keeps her base up north because she was hired by fellow alumnus Paul Badawi (’00), who founded the Silicon Valley-based company Sight Sciences. “The way we talk about sharing success at Anderson,” says Sharin, “he is really doing that.” Now, as she prepares to graduate, Sharin reflects on her Anderson SuperSaturday admission interview experience, launching her own health care startup, being a powerful woman in tech and FEMBA puppies (of course). Featuring: Anika Sharin (’20), Senior Partnership Development Program Management, Sight Sciences Inc.   Hosted by Dylan Stafford, assistant dean and director of admissions of UCLA Anderson's Fully Employed MBA program (FEMBA), the Drive Time podcast features interviews with FEMBA alumni, current students, faculty and administrators who discuss leadership, work-life balance, entrepreneurship, career development and more. More episodes here anderson.ucla.edu/degrees/fully-employed-mba/culture/femba-drive-time-podcast

Even the assistant dean and CFO of the UCLA School of Law had to overcome his fear of public speaking. Double Bruin and alumni board member Steve Yu is an active mentor and tireless advocate of higher education, yet he says doing the dishes is crucial to staying productive. The winner of the UCLA alumni network’s 2017 Volunteer of the Year Award proves he’s just like us.   Hosted by Dylan Stafford, assistant dean and director of admissions of UCLA Anderson's Fully Employed MBA program (FEMBA), the Drive Time podcast features interviews with FEMBA alumni, current students, faculty and administrators who discuss leadership, work-life balance, entrepreneurship, career development and more. More episodes here: https://www.anderson.ucla.edu/degrees/fully-employed-mba/admissions/assistant-deans-advice/drive-time-podcasts

Get to know Brent Pressentin and, 30 minutes later, you might be managing your money better than you were before. Despite the peripatetic nature of his early career, the self-described Cheese Head says, “Planning is a consistent theme in my life,” something he learned to value at 23 working for E&J Gallo. Post-college, he test-drove the carbon-fiber Trek bike Lance Armstrong rode in his fifth Tour de France, got his feet wet in internet security and chased the girl of his dreams to Washington, D.C. But He found his “why” in wealth management when he earned his MBA from UCLA Anderson — which he is not above rubbing in his siblings’ faces.   Hosted by Dylan Stafford, assistant dean and director of admissions of UCLA Anderson's Fully Employed MBA program (FEMBA), the Drive Time podcast features interviews with FEMBA alumni, current students, faculty and administrators who discuss leadership, work-life balance, entrepreneurship, career development and more. FEMBA Drive Time post-production by Samantha Hollon (’20) More episodes here: anderson.ucla.edu/degrees/fully-employed-mba/culture/femba-drive-time-podcast

Ashley Merrill (’15) launched her sleepwear business, Lunya, one month after starting business school in Anderson’s FEMBA Flex program — and a few weeks after finding out she was pregnant. She initially couldn’t picture how she’d manage all of it at once. “Confidence was one of the gifts of business school,” she says. “It wasn’t like I went to accounting class and that was the gift, it was feeling like I could wrap my head around business terminology, basic structures of business and leadership.” Now she is “reinventing sleepwear for the modern woman,” including some very recognizable figures.   Hosted by Dylan Stafford, assistant dean and director of admissions of UCLA Anderson's Fully Employed MBA program (FEMBA), the Drive Time podcast features interviews with FEMBA alumni, current students, faculty and administrators who discuss leadership, work-life balance, entrepreneurship, career development and more. More episodes here anderson.ucla.edu/degrees/fully-employed-mba/culture/femba-drive-time-podcast

Located in San Diego and a two-time Olympic Gold Medalist in rowing, Susan now works for a medical research company that is working on a coronavirus vaccine.   Hosted by Dylan Stafford, Assistant Dean of Admissions of the Fully-Employed MBA (FEMBA) program, the Drive Time Podcast features interviews with current students, faculty, and administrators from the UCLA Anderson as they discuss leadership, work-life balance, entrepreneurship, career development, and more. More episodes here: https://www.anderson.ucla.edu/degrees/fully-employed-mba/admissions/assistant-deans-advice/drive-time-podcasts

Why does a U.S. Marine Corps veteran earn an MBA from UCLA Anderson? And what can his military training teach the rest of us about dealing with COVID-19? Joel Searls reflects on these topics as well as his decision to reinvent himself as an associate producer of a feature-length Hollywood movie, Running with the Devil (2019), starring Nicholas Cage and Laurence Fishburne.   Featuring: Joel Searls (’17), Investment Banking Associate, McCafferty & Company   Hosted by Dylan Stafford, assistant dean and director of admissions of UCLA Anderson's Fully Employed MBA program (FEMBA), the Drive Time podcast features interviews with FEMBA alumni, current students, faculty and administrators who discuss leadership, work-life balance, entrepreneurship, career development and more.   More episodes here: https://www.anderson.ucla.edu/degrees/fully-employed-mba/admissions/assistant-deans-advice/drive-time-podcasts

Growing up in China, Sophie Gao dreamed of an American experience. Her father made sacrifices to pursue becoming a medical doctor, and Sophie followed his work-hard example to get herself to the U.S. for college and career. She completed her Anderson MBA while living and working in Arizona and, distance notwithstanding, served as a FEMBA Council member and tutor. She was an Equity, Diversity and Inclusion student representative and, in 2020, she co-founded the nonprofit Humans of Wuhan to educate people and diminish racism. Through on-campus recruiting, she landed a new job at Amazon she’ll start right after graduation. Her advice for incoming FEMBA students? “Be ready to have fun. Be ready to be open-minded.”   0:00​ – Intro 7:55​ – My American Dream 13:53​ – Network, Chris Thompson, Director of Admissions Operations, UCLA Anderson culture 18:51​ – My OG Flex (Hybrid) section (commute from AZ) 20:21​ – Anderson Halloween 21:53​ – Dodgers game and Global Access Program Company Launch 25:55​ – FEMBA takes over Las Vegas 41:42​ – Career: two new companies, Shutterfly and Amazon; Support from FEMBA Career Services (Pam, Susan, Jackee and the team) 51:32​ – Final thoughts for entering and graduating FEMBA classes   Hosted by Dylan Stafford, assistant dean and director of admissions of UCLA Anderson’s Fully Employed MBA program (FEMBA), the Drive Time podcast features interviews with FEMBA alumni, current students, faculty and administrators who discuss leadership, work-life balance, entrepreneurship, career development and more. More episodes here anderson.ucla.edu/degrees/fully-employed-mba/culture/femba-drive-time-podcast #Finance​ #MBA​ #CareerDevelopment

Recent graduate of the class of 2020 Rob Busalacchi, Investment Banking Associate at Barclays talks about his experience going through the Fully-Employed MBA (FEMBA) program as a former Marine.   00:00​ Intro 03:15​ Family Background 09:05​ Undergrad Experience at Marquette University 11:00​ Becoming a Marine/Military Experience 19:35​ Deciding on an MBA & Grad School 26:00​ Choosing Anderson 30:00​ Being “Rough around the Edges” 33:10​ Focusing on Finance 36:35​ Anderson Student Clubs Highlight 43:50​ Adjusting Study Habits 45:05​ Finance Academic Internship 50:40​ Barclays IB Internship 56:00​ IB Preparation & Mentorship 59:07​ Global Immersions & GAP Experience 01:04:05​ Balancing Everything 01:11:52​ Happy Hours Highlight 01:13:30​ Spring Quarter 2020 & Covid-19 01:18:00​ Ally Opportunities 01:25:15​ Picture Slides – Family, Military Experience, John Wooden, Anderson Experience 01:34:18​ John Wooden Award – applying and being chosen 01:36:00​ Final Thoughts 01:38:45​ John Wooden Awards Video   Hosted by Dylan Stafford, assistant dean and director of admissions of UCLA Anderson’s Fully Employed MBA program (FEMBA), the Drive Time podcast features interviews with FEMBA alumni, current students, faculty and administrators who discuss leadership, work-life balance, entrepreneurship, career development and more. More episodes here anderson.ucla.edu/degrees/fully-employed-mba/culture/femba-drive-time-podcast #Finance​ #MBA​ #CareerDevelopment

A decade after earning her Anderson MBA, double Bruin Kate Greenberg (B.A. ’04, ’10) has led a remarkable career. When she was an undergraduate, the communications job she does now for the Washington Nationals’ charitable arm didn’t exist. She’s gone from managing PR for high-profile companies like Disney to shaping the communication strategies of nonprofit and philanthropic organizations, and she is now immersed in the #NATS4GOOD​ community response fund. Perks along the way have included seeing her name inscribed on a Nationals 2019 World Series championship ring and meeting President Barack Obama.   00:00​ Intro 09:14​ Choosing Anderson, FEMBA experience, & Disney! 20:28​ Moving Across the Country 29:39​ PR & Sports Marketing experience 39:49​ Beijing Global Immersion, ‘Stay at Home’ experience, transition to DC 47:45​ Joining the Washington Nationals, nonprofit work, and Covid-19 01:12:20​ Photos from Disney, the Nationals Championship, and – Obama?! 01:37:44​ THE CHAMPIONSHIP RING! 01:40:22​ Closing Remarks   Hosted by Dylan Stafford, assistant dean and director of admissions of UCLA Anderson's Fully Employed MBA program (FEMBA), the Drive Time podcast features interviews with FEMBA alumni, current students, faculty and administrators who discuss leadership, work-life balance, entrepreneurship, career development and more. More episodes here: anderson.ucla.edu/degrees/fully-employed-mba/culture/femba-drive-time-podcast #SportsMarketing​ #CareerDevelopment​ #MBA

Recent graduate of the class of 2020 Dominique Kagele, Global Product Strategy— Heme/Onc, Integrated Insights Leader talks about her experience going through the Fully-Employed MBA (FEMBA) program as a working mother.   00:00​ – Intro 05:35​ – Family and Growing Up in Reno, Nevada 08:15​ – Undergraduate Experience at University of Nevada-Reno 10:00​ – The Road to a Ph.D. 12:23​ – Post-Doc Experience 12:45​ – Choosing Between Academia & Industry 13:35​ – Working at Pharmaceutical company GSK Deciding to get an MBA for a better understanding of how a business works. 14:01​ – Choosing UCLA Anderson 17:22​ – The Career Enhancing Experience 18:43​ – Spring Quarter 2020 Experience as a Working Mom 27:45​ – Family Role Models and Advice for Her Children 34:27​ – Most Memorable FEMBA Experiences 35:37​ – Trade-Offs During FEMBA 37:12​ – Diversity of Experiences/Backgrounds in FEMBA 39:00​ – Impromptu Trips Around the Country with Classmates 44:05​ – Women Worth Watching Recipient 45:14​ – Global Access Program (GAP) Experience 52:17​ – Planning for an Academic Rainy Day 01:03:37​ – Measuring Return on Investment 01:08:05​ – Post-Anderson 01:11:19​ – Career Steps During FEMBA 01:26:14​ – Final Thoughts & Shout-Outs   Hosted by Dylan Stafford, assistant dean and director of admissions of UCLA Anderson’s Fully Employed MBA program (FEMBA), the Drive Time podcast features interviews with FEMBA alumni, current students, faculty and administrators who discuss leadership, work-life balance, entrepreneurship, career development and more. More episodes here anderson.ucla.edu/degrees/fully-employed-mba/culture/femba-drive-time-podcast #Healthcare​ #MBA​ #CareerDevelopment

Brittany Blackamore (FEMBA '16) discusses her successful career transition to Boston Consulting Group and her nonprofit organization, Suitcase of Joy.   0:00​ – Intro 2:50​ – Founding a non-profit, Suitcase of Joy (inspired by going on 7 Global Immersions!) 7:00​ – Two themes she lives her life by – “I don’t have to know how to do something before I can begin how to do it” and “do something now” 8:25​ – Goal-oriented – determine what I want to do and then work backward and break it into manageable steps and create a framework 10:20​ – Changing the world is a big task and too big for one person – realized she could do something now 11:35​ – What goes in a suitcase and donations begin 13:20​ – Started small with self-funded trips and two suitcases with the ultimate goal of building schools 14:41​ – Mission is to bring joy and education to children around the world 16:53​ – Education can break the cycle of poverty (even in one generation) 17:40​ – First trips in Zimbabwe, Kenya, and South Africa 19:03​ – Inspired by experience in Argentina, Brazil and South Africa Global Immersions 19:30​ – First generation college graduate (parents were first generation high school graduates) 22:15​ – The problem is much bigger than all the people trying to help it (wanted to do what she could to help) 22:40​ – Traveling alone and maintaining personal safety 25:00​ – Showcasing Suitcase of Joy (pictures) 30:20​ – FEMBA experience – career explorer (from leadership development program at Experian to private equity/M&A at Boston Consulting Group) 34:12​ – Goal is to start an investment fund for private equity/venture capital that invests in entrepreneurs/businesses in emerging economies 37:00​ – From an undergrad French major to FEMBA 40:00​ – Building on strengths and areas for development: Venn diagram of things that I like, that I’m good at, and where I can make a difference 42:00​ – Becoming a professional Googler 43:36​ – Get the biggest MBA outcome 45:53​ – MBA as the launching pad and foundation – don’t be afraid to explore 47:20​ – Strategy isn’t just figuring out what you’re going to do, but also what you’re not going to do 50:25​ – ROI on MBA and investment in self – financial, opportunities an Anderson MBA provides, gained confidence 56:40​ – Dramatic shift in thinking at Anderson: from imposter syndrome to telling herself things that she wanted to be true that weren’t yet (words of affirmation) 59:33​ – Be bold and let go of pre-MBA mindset: taking the limits off what she thought she could do 1:04:30​ – Humbition (be humble but ambitious) 1:05:33​ – Productivity hacks: write down what she needs to accomplish, then determine priorities 1:09:41​ – Wrap-up and thank yous 1:12:30​ – Life is a journey and you continue to learn   Brittany's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittany-...​ https://www.suitcaseofjoy.org/​ Hosted by Dylan Stafford, assistant dean and director of admissions of UCLA Anderson’s Fully Employed MBA program (FEMBA), the Drive Time podcast features interviews with FEMBA alumni, current students, faculty and administrators who discuss leadership, work-life balance, entrepreneurship, career development and more. More episodes here anderson.ucla.edu/degrees/fully-employed-mba/culture/femba-drive-time-podcast #BostonConsultingGroup​ #MBA​ #CareerDevelopment​ #nonprofit

Recent graduate of the class of 2020 Tarang Lal, M&A Advisory— PwC, talks about his experience going through the Fully-Employed MBA (FEMBA)program and how he made the career transition from Petroleum engineering to an M&A Consultant at PwC.   00:00​ Intro 03:50​ Personal Background 07:50​ Typical Day at PwC 09:30​ Career Enhancer v. Career Switcher 11:20​ On-Campus Recruiting & PwC Internship 18:10​ Why Consulting? 20:16​ Transition to Los Angeles 23:08​ FEMBA Program Experience 30:10​ “Journey of Impact” & Self Reflection 36:47​ Takeaways from the Pandemic Spring Quarter 2020 39:35​ South Africa Global Immersion 43:38​ Working with Dean Freixes & France Global Immersion 46:03​ Global Access Program 50:58​ Serving as a Board Member – Reflection & Advice 56:28​ Balancing FEMBA and Personal Life 01:01:15​ The ROI of FEMBA 01:07:45​ Double Bruin Pride 01:10:06​ John Wooden & FEMBA Slide Show! 01:17:24​ Productivity Hack 01:19:29​ Closing Remarks

Recent graduate of the class of 2020 Tina Pham, Category Manager at Amazon Go Grocery talks about her experience going through the Fully-Employed MBA (FEMBA) program as a career enhancer in the retail industry before becoming a career switcher and getting a new job at Amazon.   0:00​ – Intro 2:35​ – Family & Early Years – Born and Raised in Seattle 4:19​ – Undergrad Life at the University of Washington Going from Pre-Med to Art 5:55​ – Early Career in Graphic Design 6:20​ – First Master’s in Fashion Management Studying Luxury Brands in Milan at University of Whales 8:25​ – First Job Post-Masters in Buying 9:25​ – Career at Nordstrom – Planning, Merchandising, Product Development 11:15​ – Post-Admission/Pre-MBA Promotion at Nordstrom 17:00​ – FEMBA Admission Excitement – Career Enhancer 19:15​ – Year 1 Memories Imposter Syndrome, Traveling from Seattle, and Learning Team Support 25:54​ – Transition to Year 2 Summer Break and Social Events 27:11​ – Study Habits in Hybrid Program 29:25​ – Navigating FEMBA with a Husband 31:50​ – Focusing on End Goal and Selecting Electives 33:30​ – Global Management Focus and Global Exchange Program (Japan) 39:20​ – Serving as a FEMBAssador and Coffee Chats in Seattle 41:35​ – Global Access Program (GAP) and Working With a Swedish Company 52:10​ – FEMBA Experience Photos GAP Launch and Travel, Interviewing Prospective Students, Halloween Party 55:48​ – From a Career Enhancer to a Career Switcher and New Role at Amazon Grocery 1:06:13​ – Doubts, Encouragement, and Building Confidence 1:13:00​ – Highs/Lows from COVID/Virtual Spring Quarter 1:16:30​ – Productivity Hacks and What I Wish I’d Known Before Starting FEMBA 1:20:00​ – Vulnerability, Communication, and Listening to Understand 1:24:19​ – Final Thoughts   Hosted by Dylan Stafford, assistant dean and director of admissions of UCLA Anderson’s Fully Employed MBA program (FEMBA), the Drive Time podcast features interviews with FEMBA alumni, current students, faculty and administrators who discuss leadership, work-life balance, entrepreneurship, career development and more. More episodes here anderson.ucla.edu/degrees/fully-employed-mba/culture/femba-drive-time-podcast #Amazon​ #MBA​ #CareerDevelopment

Barry Ripley switched careers from engineering to finance, and as an Anderson FEMBA secured a prestigious internship in investment banking (twice!). While he was a student, he also led a FEMBA Anderson Career Team with stellar results, helped to bring microfinance to farmers in the Andes and learned to love speaking up in class. Featuring: Barry Ripley (M.S. ’11, ’16), Technology M&A, Qatalyst Partners

Professor Corinne Bendersky teaches FEMBAs in the Leadership Foundations and Organizational Behaviors courses and is faculty chair of the Human Resources Roundtable (HARRT). She studies female firefighters, who typically make up no more than 4% of their field, and what they can teach us about diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace. In this podcast, Bendersky discusses developing one’s own self-awareness to become a leader who consciously constructs a context for accurate evaluation that allows others to live up to their untapped potential. Featuring: Corinne Bendersky, Professor of Management and Organizations, UCLA Anderson School of Management

Born in New Delhi, India, Akshay Grover moved 8,000 miles to attend UCLA Anderson. He earned his engineering degree in Dubai, and an internship with Siemens got him to California. Here he worked on a sustainability project for San Bernardino County that resulted in more than $400,000 in energy and cost savings for America’s largest county (covering some 20,000 square miles). This project caught the attention of Time Magazine’s “American Genius” segment, for which Akshay and his team were interviewed.   Featuring: Akshay Grover (’18), General Manager, Siemens

John Wooden Global Leadership Fellow Sana Rahim says her native Laramie, Wyoming, “was a totally random place to grow up” for a Muslim of Pakistani heritage. She knew from an early age she wanted to achieve a global perspective, whatever her career path — which has included working in Turkey with victims of domestic violence, diversity and inclusion consulting, and five years with logistics and supply chain giant McMaster-Carr. As a UCLA Anderson student, she founded Emerge Consulting, a management practice with a social justice mission that builds the capacity of nonprofit organizations. Featuring: Sana Rahim (’19), Senior People Operations Manager, Freckle; Founder and CEO, Emerge Consulting

What’s it like to come to the United States with no undergraduate degree, earn a Ph.D. in chemistry from Caltech, publish more than 45 peer-reviewed articles, pivot to brewing beer and then embark on your MBA? With credit for contributing to prize-winning research by two Nobel laureates, alumnus Diego Benitez founded Progress Brewing in South El Monte, California, in 2012. The former academic, now a successful full-time businessman, said as an Anderson student, “FEMBA is one of the best decisions of my life.” Featuring: Diego Benitez (’19), Founder, Owner and Brewer, Progress Brewing

Alumnus Brian Thomas recalls the journey of Clutter, a full-service moving, storage and logistics company that started as an idea he had as a FEMBA student. Brian went from driving the truck and making pick-ups himself to expanding Clutter into a nationwide business with $300 million in funding. He pays tribute to Anderson faculty, his fellow students and the FEMBA program for helping to drive his entrepreneurial success. Featuring: Brian Thomas (’14), Co-Founder, Clutter; Venture Partner, Resolute Ventures