Wharton Stories

Finding Lifelong Community in Wharton’s MBA Program for Executives

Image: The Colombia GMC class visiting a coffee plantation in the Colombian countryside. (Neha Rastogi)
“As a Wharton grad, I feel prepared for any challenge because I have this community of people standing by me for life.” – Neha Rastogi, WG’24

Behind every successful Wharton MBA Program for Executives student is a supportive personal network. Partners, friends, and family become invaluable champions for students as they navigate the highs and lows of their two years with Wharton. Neha Rastogi, WG’24, knows the importance of a fully supportive community while pursuing an executive MBA. She shares her experience applying and getting accepted to the program twice, at two vastly different junctures in her life.

Balancing Personal Life and Academic Dreams

A seasoned technology product leader with 20+ years of experience, Neha initially applied to Wharton’s EMBA program in 2014. Her life may have looked perfect from the outside; as a Product and Engineering Manager at Apple, she developed iconic technologies such as Siri, FaceTime, and iMessage, and had just been accepted to one of the world’s top business schools.

“I was over the moon to be admitted,” recalls Neha. “I grew up in a small town in India and never thought I would pursue an education at a school like Wharton. But at the time I was admitted to the program, I was in a very unsupportive personal relationship. Unfortunately, that situation resulted in me declining the offer of admission which I had worked so hard for. It broke me in a way because I felt I had to give up not only that dream but also the part of me who is a dreamer.”  

After a few years of self-discovery and healing, Neha was back on her feet and living a more peaceful life. Moving on both professionally and personally, she landed a new position as Mobile Tech Lead at Walmart Global Tech and decided to end her previous relationship. While grateful for her ability to get out of a difficult situation, she notes that her experience of persistence, survival, and resilience is not unique.

“This is my story, but I can appreciate that many of us in the WEMBA program have experiences of overcoming adversity through resilience and determination and coming out stronger.”

The Journey to an MBA

In a surprising shift of destiny, Neha went on to meet and marry Wharton MBA Program for Executives graduate Pranav Sharma, WG’16.

“It is a wild coincidence,” admits Neha, who met Pranav through a mutual friend after her divorce. “He graduated from the same WEMBA class I would have graduated from had I accepted the admission offer back in 2014.”

Heeding encouragement from her husband and his Wharton alumni friends, Neha began looking into Wharton’s EMBA program again when she moved into a Director of Product role at Mozilla.

 “Up until that point, I had developed my abilities organically on the job,” she says. “But as the scale of my position grew and the reach of my products increased, I realized I needed a formal business education to help me round out my skills.”

Enjoying the Uninorte hospitality, Carnival style, during a Global Modular Course in Colombia this year. (Image: Neha Rastogi)

With the Wharton community already rallying around her, Neha applied and was accepted again for the Executive MBA class of 2024.

“I was shocked when I got the congratulations call from Director of Admissions, Barbara Craft,” recalls Neha. “It was an emotional moment for me. Part of me didn’t want to apply again because of the fear of rejection. But my husband and his WEMBA buddies reassured me, championed me, and convinced me that I could do it. There were voices in my head telling me I couldn’t do it, but more voices told me I could.”

Finding a Supportive Community at Wharton

Once at Wharton, Neha found strong support in a community of her own. In her first year of the program, she enrolled in the McNulty Leadership Program’s Women’s Leadership Roundtables. In this six-week program, small groups of full-time and Executive Wharton MBA students participate in conversations around bias, gender equity, and frameworks for self-reflection.

“The Women’s Leadership Roundtable was my very first close-knit, safe network experience in the program,” recalls Neha. “This was a group of six women, three in the first year and three in the second year of the MBA program. We shared our most hidden vulnerabilities, fears, and passions and celebrated them. The support we got from each other and the commonalities in our experiences were eye-opening.”

Neha also sought out mentorship opportunities throughout the program to ensure she made the most of her experience.

“In one of Professor Michael Useem’s courses, we were introduced to Maggie Wilderotter, former CEO of Frontier Communications. She gave a talk about her experience on the Board of Directors at DocuSign, and I connected with her after the session to learn more about her role. She’s become a mentor to me, and recently hosted a Boot Camp for Wharton women and allies which coached us on board service. I would never have gotten connected with Maggie on my own. Wharton opens those doors and connects students to incredible people.”

A trip to Plaza Bolívar with friends. (Image: Neha Rastogi)

In addition, Neha embarked on a Global Modular Course (GMC) this spring, studying emerging economies in Bogota, Medellin, and Barranquilla, Colombia. These international study opportunities provide students with the opportunity to immerse themselves in another culture while networking with students from other cohorts and the full-time MBA program. Neha looks forward to traveling to Rwanda for another GMC later this term, focused on conflict, leadership, and change.

– Kendra King

Posted: March 29, 2024

EMBA Program

Wharton MBA Program for Executives

(Image: Neha Rastogi)

Based in: San Francisco, CA.

EMBA Cohort: San Francisco

Previous Education: Bachelor of Science, Computer Science, Jamia Hamdard University.

Neha, center, pictured with the women leaders of Uninorte in Baranquilla, Colombia, along with the CEO of Oleofresh, a palm oil production company creating positive social impact in the region. (Image: Neha Rastogi)

Wharton Stories

Wharton’s EMBA Program Gains Two New Concentrations in Healthcare, Business Analytics

Image: MBA Program for Executives
“These new concentrations allow students to further demonstrate their aptitude in multiple disciplines of business.” – Dr. Richard Waterman, Deputy Vice Dean for Wharton’s EMBA Program

The Wharton School is committed to providing students with the knowledge and skills needed to excel in today’s competitive environment. To remain at the forefront of business education, the Wharton MBA Program for Executives is proud to announce two new concentrations: Healthcare Management and Business Analytics (BUAN). These concentrations were meticulously designed to guarantee students the ability to specialize in these areas beginning with the class of 2025.

Healthcare Management

The Healthcare Management concentration addresses the growing need for leaders who can navigate the complexities of the healthcare industry. With healthcare being one of the largest and most rapidly evolving sectors globally, there is an increasing demand for professionals with both business acumen and a deep understanding of healthcare systems and policies. Dr. Richard Waterman, Deputy Vice Dean for Academic Affairs in the Wharton Executive MBA Program, notes that this concentration is particularly beneficial for students with a background in healthcare or those looking to transition into the industry.

“We have a lot of physicians in this program who are interested in focusing on healthcare business,” he explains, “But historically, it has been hard for us to allocate enough credit units for them to obtain a major in this area. The Healthcare Management concentration addresses this challenge by requiring three additional credit units beyond the core curriculum, making it more accessible to students with niche interests.”

Courses in the concentration will be taught by members of the renowned Wharton Health Care Management Department.

Ezekiel J. Emanuel is a Professor of Health Care Management at The Wharton School and Professor of Medical Ethics and Health Policy in the Perelman School of Medicine. (Image: MBA Program for Executives)

Business Analytics (BUAN)

Wharton’s Business Analytics concentration responds to the increasing importance of data-driven decision-making in today’s business world. With vast amounts of data being generated daily, organizations require leaders who can effectively analyze and interpret this information to drive strategic initiatives and gain a competitive edge.

“Business analytics is one of the more popular majors in the full-time MBA program,” shares Dr. Waterman. “This concentration will provide Executive MBA students with the opportunity to develop a strong expertise in business analytics, a rapidly evolving skill set and one of Wharton’s core strengths.”  

In addition, the curriculum for the BUAN concentration draws from a diverse range of disciplines, including accounting, finance, management, marketing, operations, and statistics. This interdisciplinary approach ensures that students receive a well-rounded education that prepares them to tackle the complex challenges of their chosen field.

Students in the program attend class every other weekend while working full-time. (Image: MBA Program for Executives)

Benefits of Concentrations

Concentrations offer several advantages over traditional majors. While majors typically require four additional credit units beyond the core curriculum, concentrations require three, making them more feasible for students with specific interests or career goals. Concentrations also appear on official transcripts, enabling students to signal their expertise in a particular area without committing as much time and resources as a major would require.

“About 70% of Executive MBA students pursue a major,” notes Dr. Waterman. “Some choose to obtain more than one major. These new concentrations allow students to further demonstrate their aptitude in multiple disciplines of business.”

In addition, many existing courses, even Global Modular Courses such as “Customer Centricity in Sweden” and “Health Systems of Ghana and Romania,” can count toward the requirements of the concentrations, providing students with flexibility and customization in their academic journey. Students also have the option of substituting a 0.5 credit unit Independent Study Project towards the concentration.

– Kendra King

Posted: March 28, 2024

EMBA Program

Wharton MBA Program for Executives

(Image: MBA Program for Executives)

Dr. Richard Waterman is Wharton’s Practice Professor of Statistics and Data Science and Deputy Vice Dean for Academic Affairs for the Wharton MBA Program for Executives.

Wharton Stories

Advancing Healthcare Leadership in Wharton’s EMBA Program

Image: Dr. Day, WG'24, at dinner with program classmates in San Francisco. (Image: Dr. Luke Day, WG'24)
“I was looking for a solid, rigorous foundation in management, strategy, operations, and finance to help me make a larger impact in healthcare.” – Dr. Luke Day, WG’24

Physicians undergo years of rigorous and comprehensive medical education and training, equipping them with the knowledge, skills, and expertise required to practice medicine.

“But as clinicians advance to higher levels of leadership, they typically don’t receive formal management training,” says Dr. Lukejohn (Luke) Day, Wharton MBA Program for Executives student. Luke learned the basics of healthcare management in his first job out of residency as Medical Director of the Gastroenterology Unit at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center. His clinical expertise, natural leadership abilities, and strategic thinking skills earned him a quick promotion to Chief Medical Officer of the entire facility.

“As I gained more responsibilities at work, I started looking for a solid, rigorous foundation in management, strategy, operations, and finance to help me make a larger impact in healthcare,” says Luke. “The Wharton Executive MBA has given me that, plus the ability to maintain my full-time job and gain a huge professional and personal network.” Luke shares how the Wharton EMBA program transformed his daily routine as a physician and equipped him with the knowledge and confidence to make a more expansive impact in healthcare.

Immediate Career Impact

 Students in the Wharton MBA Program for Executives work full-time during the week and attend class every other weekend, seamlessly integrating classroom teachings into their daily work routine.

“It’s been a radical transformation as far as how I approach my job,” explains Luke. “Every week I’m applying what I’m learning in class, whether it’s conflict negotiation, metrics efficiency within clinics, proven practices to improve operations, building strong teams…these are things I’ve had to do before, but never had the formal training on. Wharton puts these concepts into an evidence-based framework and allows me to test theories both in class and at work. Oftentimes I will share knowledge I’ve gained from the program with my team so they can implement it within their daily practice, too.”

After completing the first year of the program, Luke leveraged his newfound business savvy and applied for a higher-level role that would amplify his impact: System-Wide Chief Medical Officer at University of California San Francisco Health (UCSF). He credits Wharton with giving him the foundational knowledge and executive presence required to land the position earlier this year.

“Wharton played a significant role in helping me apply for this larger role,” he says. “I loved my work at Zuckerberg, but I wanted to expand that experience to a more integrated healthcare system. This program helped me feel more confident in my unique skill set and refined my vision and long-term goals. Many times, you think the career impact will happen after the program is over, but it happens before you even graduate.”   

After a long day of class, Dr. Day (pictured front left, at the head of the table) enjoys an evening out with classmates in San Francisco. (Image: Dr. Luke Day)

Global Learning Opportunities

 First-hand exposure to international healthcare systems is essential for physicians to broaden their understanding of diverse medical practices, cultural nuances, and resource disparities. The Wharton Executive MBA program offers unparalleled global learning opportunities, exposing students to cutting-edge business and social issues in dozens of locations worldwide. Luke elected to participate in two Global Modular Courses (GMCs) which provided unique insights into the healthcare and business sectors of Ghana and Rwanda.

“One of the things that attracted me to Wharton’s Executive MBA program was being able to do an immersive week or two somewhere in the world on a specific topic,” he says. “The Ghana GMC resonated with me because of its focus on healthcare innovation. When you have a healthcare system in a country like Ghana where people are so spread out geographically, you have to be very creative when it comes to access. My classmates and I met with senior leaders in the political, business, and health sectors to learn more about the country’s innovations in healthcare delivery, telemedicine, community outreach programs, sustainable infrastructure, and other topics. Gaining exposure to international healthcare systems allows physicians to witness diverse approaches to healthcare delivery, innovation, and best practices. Global Modular Courses were life-changing experiences for me professionally and personally.”

Future Healthcare Leadership

 Set to graduate with his Wharton MBA this spring, Luke is well prepared to excel in his new role at UCSF Health, a nationally recognized major provider of patient care services in the San Francisco Bay Area.

“I’m honored and humbled to be in this new role,” shares Luke. “This is a new position within UCSF due to the rapid growth within the system. We’re transitioning to thinking of ourselves as an entire fully integrated system and scaling ourselves to prepare for future growth. I’ll be working closely with other physicians, nurses, and clinicians to onboard, develop, coach, and mentor leaders throughout the entire system as we provide the best, most optimal, highest quality of care to our patients.”

Looking to the future, Luke will play a pivotal role in shaping the clinical direction of UCSF Health, ensuring that the organization provides excellent patient care while aligning with broader strategic goals and industry best practices.

 

— Kendra King

Posted: February 23, 2024

EMBA Program

Wharton MBA Program for Executives

Dr. Lukejohn Day, WG’24

(Image: Dr. Luke Day)

Currently: System Wide Chief Medical Officer, University of California San Francisco Health

Based in: San Francisco

Wharton Cohort: San Francisco

Previous Education: Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Chemistry, Yale University, Doctor of Medicine (M.D.), Stanford University School of Medicine

About the Association of American Indian Physicians:

Dr. Day is a member of the Oglala Lakota Nation in South Dakota. He is serving a two-year term as the President of the Association of American Indian Physicians (AAIP) and has been an AAIP governing board member for over a decade. Dr. Day has published extensively on colorectal cancer screening disparities that exist for American Indians/Alaskan Natives, as well as on strategies for how to increase the representation of American Indian/Alaskan Native physicians in healthcare, especially within gastroenterology.

Wharton Stories

Why Prof. Peter Fader Loves Teaching Executive MBA Students

Image: Professor Fader in the classroom with students from the class of 2024, also known as WEMBA 48s. (Image credit: Peter Fader)
“These are people with families, jobs, and lives, and they’re doing this program for the right reasons. They take the course content and immediately weave it into their professional and even personal lives – that’s what it’s all about.” – Professor Peter Fader

The Wharton School takes pride in its world-class faculty, who actively contribute to cutting-edge research, practice innovative teaching methods, and develop new coursework that reflects the evolving business world. These renowned educators set the standard of academic excellence in Wharton’s MBA Program for Executives (WEMBA). We asked Professor Peter Fader, Wharton’s Frances and Pei-Yuan Chia Professor of Marketing, to share his experience teaching in the program.

Why do you love teaching Executive MBA students?

The main course that I teach to undergraduate, full-time MBA, and Executive MBA students is Applied Probability Models in Marketing. I teach the course the same way for all three groups. I change almost nothing because I don’t like pigeonholing the students; they’re smart, they can handle it all. Here’s where the WEMBA students are unique: When the undergraduate students come up to me after class, they ask “Is this gonna be on the test?” When the full-time MBA students come up to me after class, they ask, “Is this gonna help me land my dream job?”

But when the WEMBA students come up to me after class, they ask, “Where can I read more about this?” And that’s it. They’ve stolen my heart.

Prof. Fader with a copy of “The Customer Base Audit,” published by Wharton School Press in 2022. (Image: Peter Fader)

These are people with families, jobs, and lives, and they’re taking this course for the right reasons. They take the course content and immediately weave it into their professional and even personal lives – that’s what it’s all about. I’ll keep taking that red eye to and from San Francisco as long as they’ll have me to teach such an extraordinary and unique group.  

Share some insights you’ve picked up through your involvement with WEMBA’s Global Business Week.

I’ve been teaching a course on Customer Centricity in Sweden for Global Business Week since 2018. One of the reasons I teach in the WEMBA program is because I really like to learn from them, as corny as that sounds. However, most of the time there’s still a barrier; I’m at the front of the class and they’re at the back of the class. Global Business Week breaks down that barrier and allows us to mix it up with more unstructured conversations and deeper thinking.

I’ve done this trip a half dozen times now and I hope I can do it forever. It’s a lot of work, because I want to make sure I put my best foot forward as a professor and that we put our best forward as representatives of the Wharton School and the University of Pennsylvania. It’s a true labor of love.

Was there one corporate visit that most resonated with you from this year’s trip? How did WEMBA students respond to that visit?

It’s one thing to talk about customer centricity in the classroom, but to see it in real-time at real companies is incredibly valuable. It gives students a chance to see the way this stuff happens in practice, probe and ask questions, and potentially even teach some of these companies how they could do things more effectively. SAS Airlines was a crowd favorite. Airlines are interesting, because on the one hand, they initiated some of the main building blocks of customer centricity. Every loyalty program we know today, dynamic pricing, sophisticated data analytics – those all go back to airlines. 

Professor Fader with Daniel Ek, CEO of Spotify (center), and Kyle Altshuler, WG’22 (right). (Image: Peter Fader)

On the other hand, strategically for them, the focus has always been on operational efficiency. SAS is right in the crosshairs of that because they’re going through bankruptcy. Anko van der Werff, the CEO, talked incredibly candidly with us about their reasons for doing it, the journey through it, and their vision for the future. No slides, no script, just complete transparency. And the WEMBA students came well-prepared; they knew the issues because they’d done their homework, and he appreciated that. I can’t tell you how much these candid conversations mean to the class. 

What cultural differences do you see between the U.S. and Sweden as it relates to the way we do business?

If you think stereotypically, it’s a more collectivist culture, so you may expect the Swedish people to be a bit more open, honest, and collaborative. But there are more subtle cultural differences in Sweden that students may not even notice. For instance, when you land at the airport in Stockholm, you may notice that unlike at most airline terminals, there’s a lot of wood. Lots of light-colored wood and Nordic architecture and design. At first, you might write it off as an aesthetic choice.

The Ericsson corporate visit during a Global Business Week trip in Sweden. (Image: Peter Fader)

But in doing research for a book I’m writing, I learned from cultural experts that the Nordic people have a deep affinity for trees. The cultural significance of trees in Nordic countries is deeply rooted in their history, mythology, and everyday life. Trees are very long-lived, and Nordics weave trees and wood into their lives in a much deeper way than we do here in the U.S. The more I thought about this, I realized this is one reason I respect and admire Sweden and its people so much. My whole thing is customer lifetime value, building lifelong relationships with your best customers. There’s a real analogy between how a company should be building relationships with customers and the way the Swedish culture values trees. I just love that metaphor. These types of visits make you start thinking much more deeply. When you’re immersed in the culture it hits you in a different way.

— Kendra King

Posted: January 25, 2024

EMBA Program

Wharton MBA Program for Executives

Prof. Fader is Wharton’s Frances and Pei-Yuan Chia Professor of Marketing. (Image: Peter Fader)

Campuses: Philadelphia and San Francisco

Prior Education: MIT Sloan School of Management, SM and PhD; MIT, SB in Mathematics

Recent Publications:

Wharton Stories

Navigating Tall Ships, Entrepreneurship in Wharton’s EMBA Program

Image: Claudia sails with her group through warm Caribbean waters. (Claudia Olsson)
“Most people on the venture had never been onboard a tall ship, much less navigated one. I wanted to challenge myself to work with a new group of people under conditions I have never encountered before.” – Claudia Olsson, WG’24

For students in the Wharton MBA Program for Executives, learning extends far beyond the classroom. Wharton’s McNulty Leadership Program exposes students to exhilarating, hands-on learning experiences that further enhance their leadership and teamwork skills. Whether it’s training with the U.S. Marines in Quantico or learning firefighting essentials from the Fire Department of New York, the opportunities offered through McNulty Leadership Ventures are designed to break students out of their comfort zones. Claudia Olsson, WG’24, shares her experience as a crew member aboard the famed Robert C. Seaman’s marine vessel as part of the McNulty Leadership Tall Ships Sailing Venture.  

Tall Ships Sailing Venture

The Tall Ships Sailing Venture is designed to build teamwork, decision-making, and leadership skills. Over a continuous eight-day period in St. Croix, USVI, participants manage and operate the 161-foot ship in deep ocean waters through a partnership with the Sea Education Association (SEA).

“Most people on the venture had never been onboard a tall ship, much less navigated one,” says Claudia. “I wanted to challenge myself to work with a new group of people under conditions I have never encountered before.”

Each student has the opportunity to lead the Tall Ship during the McNulty Leadership Venture. (Image: Claudia Olsson)

Operating a tall ship involves a range of responsibilities to ensure the safety of the vessel and crew, as well as the successful execution of the sailing voyage. Claudia and 20 Wharton classmates from both the full-time and Executive MBA shared the responsibility of maintaining and steering the ship 24 hours a day. Operating in shifts, they took turns raising and lowering sails, monitoring radio and navigation equipment, conducting routine maintenance and inspections of the vessel’s equipment, and more. When it was her turn to run the ship for the day, Claudia gained a deeper understanding of how to lead a team under pressure.

“A lot of leadership skills transfer from one area to another,” she says. “When leading the ship, I was the decision-maker regarding navigation, crew management, safety, and communication with shore-based authorities and other ships. I’ve been sailing before, but never on a big ship like this. Because this experience was so far removed from my everyday life, it allowed me to gain perspective on how to manage unfamiliar, stressful situations. Being able to test my skills in a safe but unknown and challenging context helped me develop my confidence as a leader.”

Claudia notes that while strong leadership skills are crucial when operating a Tall Ship, knowing when to follow and let others lead is many times just as important. “To become an effective leader, you need to know how to play both roles,” she says. “When you are part of a strong team, no single individual is solely responsible for every aspect of the ship’s operation. Each crew member contributes to the collective effort, sharing the responsibility for the voyage’s safety and success. Knowing when to follow means recognizing when others are better suited to take the lead on specific tasks or decisions, which is hugely important whether you are running a ship or running a company. This venture helped us all become better leaders and team members in our everyday lives.”

Global Education Entrepreneur

Equipped with over 15 years of experience guiding organizations through digital transformation, Claudia was already an active entrepreneur in the education space when she enrolled at Wharton. One of the companies she founded, Stellar Capacity, focuses on developing digital skills and future-oriented leadership for individuals and organizations. Drawing from her experiences working in both emerging markets and high-tech areas of the world, Claudia believes that today’s rapid global and digital change will require a restructuring of leadership and the development of new skills better suited for a technologically advanced world. 

“My companies are in a very active scale-up phase,” she explains. “We’re starting to have a larger international impact and I felt this was a good time for me to enhance my strategic leadership skills. I chose Wharton specifically for its focus on providing very relevant knowledge related to the changing landscape and future of business. For example, learning from Professors Ethan Mollick or Christian Terwiesch about how artificial intelligence, large language models, and machine learning will impact businesses is incredibly compelling.”

 

Appointed a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader, Claudia has served in the World Economic Forum Europe Policy Group and in the World Economic Forum Future Council on Values, Ethics and Innovation. (Image: Claudia Olsson)

Frequently recognized as one of Sweden’s top business talents, Claudia has been appointed a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum. As she continues to shape the future of digital education and leadership, her Wharton MBA stands to her commitment to excellence and her dedication to leveraging top-tier education for the betterment of industries worldwide.

Benefits of a Bicoastal Program

Students in the Philadelphia and San Francisco cohorts benefit from the option to study on both campuses. In the second year of the program, students can opt to take one course, one term, or even the whole second year on the opposite coast.

“I definitely want to make the most of my time at Wharton,” says Claudia.  “On the West Coast, there’s a greater concentration of companies in the technology space, whereas on the East Coast, there is a more robust healthcare and finance industry. I’ve met several classmates during my time in San Francisco  who work at Meta, Google, and Amazon, so the connection to the tech industry has been really beneficial for me. The best aspect of taking classes on both coasts is getting to know students from another cohort on a deeper level.”

WEMBA students often organize group trips and social outings during their time in the program and beyond. Here, Claudia poses with classmates on a group trip to the Grand Canyon. (Image: Claudia Olsson)

Tight-Knit Community

On the first day of Orientation, EMBA students are assigned to a learning team, which is a small group of students from diverse industries, backgrounds, and career goals.

“Going through the first-year curriculum with a learning team is important because we all have different strengths,” she explains. “If someone is unfamiliar with a concept in class, they just might have a member on their learning team who is an expert on the topic. I really enjoyed that my team members were focused on how we can grow to our full potential together.”

As she reflects on her time in the program so far, Claudia feels grateful to be a member of the Wharton community, especially in today’s uncertain times. “There is a lot happening in the world now, with geopolitical tensions, climate change, economic uncertainty…” she says. “Being able to discuss and analyze current events in real-time with faculty and classmates is invaluable because it provides a different lens on global developments. Ultimately, this enables us to have better foresight in our businesses. Especially now, operating on an international level, this program is giving me the frameworks and tools to make more informed business and investment decisions.”

— Kendra King

Posted: January 9, 2024

EMBA Program

Wharton MBA Program for Executives

Meet Claudia Olsson, WG’24

Currently: Founder and CEO, Stellar Capacity
 Based in: Stockholm, Sweden
 Wharton EMBA Cohort: Philadelphia
 Prior Education: MS, International Business, Stockholm School of Economics; MS, Industrial Engineering KTH Royal Institute of Technology

 

Claudia with Stellar Capacity colleagues Peng Wu, Research Director, and Anna Ljunglöf, Director of Strategic Partnerships and Growth.

Wharton Stories

Meet Wharton EMBA Class Manager Jennifer Craig

Image: Class Manager Jennifer Craig twirls her girls one afternoon in Philadelphia. (Jennifer Craig)
“I’ve seen students evolve and gain so much confidence throughout their two years with us. It’s more than just the coursework at Wharton; students gain a huge professional network, a group of lifelong friends, and exposure to many different types of industries and professionals.” – Jennifer Craig, Philadelphia Class Manager

Students in the Wharton MBA Program for Executives embrace the challenge of balancing coursework, personal responsibilities, and full-time jobs during the two-year program. Working hard behind the scenes are Wharton’s class managers, dedicated staff members who manage the program logistics so students can focus on their studies. From ordering textbooks and booking hotel reservations to arranging travel accommodations for Global Business Week, class managers ensure EMBA students stay organized and on track for graduation. We asked Jennifer Craig, one of Wharton’s class managers for the Philadelphia cohort, to share more about her role. 

What brought you to Wharton’s MBA Program for Executives?

After college, I started working in hospitality services at the Steinberg Conference Center (SCC) on Penn’s campus. During my time managing the front desk, I got to know the Wharton EMBA students fairly well because they stayed at the SCC for their class weekends. The first and second-year students have alternating class weekends, so there was a class checking in every Friday. When one of the Philadelphia cohort class managers at the time was getting ready to retire, she encouraged me to apply for the class manager position. 

What does your role involve?

 At EMBA, there are dedicated class managers responsible for each class in the San Francisco, Philadelphia, and Global cohorts. We manage all the logistics, from orientation week through graduation, so that the students can focus on their coursework while managing their full-time jobs. Class managers work with faculty and staff to create the course calendar, book hotel room reservations, order textbooks and course materials, help plan social and academic events, and handle day-to-day program operations. We also act as academic advisors to assist students with course selection, especially if they decide to pursue a major. Basically, we are their “go-to” person throughout their two years here.

Jenn and her first class, the “45s,” AKA the 45th class to graduate from Wharton’s MBA Program for Executives. (Image: Wharton MBA Program for Executives)

What are some of your fondest memories with Wharton EMBA students?

 There are a lot! My first class was the 45th Wharton EMBA class, fondly called the 45s. COVID hit right before the start of their second year, so the first term of their second year was online. It was an adjustment for all of us, and we missed seeing each other in person every other week. When things started to open back up, we hosted a “Best of Weekend” to welcome students back to campus, packed with fun activities and events for faculty, staff, and students to reconnect.

Some of my favorite memories are the surprise baby showers the students threw for me before I had each of my daughters. It really did feel like a family event. I know they do the same thing for each other when someone in the program goes through a major milestone. They’re so generous and genuinely care. Not everyone can say they had over 100 people attend their first baby shower! It was really special.

Jennifer, center, smiles at the surprise baby shower thrown by her Wharton friends and family. (Image: Jennifer Craig)

How do you balance working full-time while raising a family?

 Working full-time while raising a family can be hectic! I really empathize with our students, because many of them have children and are already balancing family and work when they come to WEMBA. Adding school on top of that is a unique challenge and it definitely puts things into perspective for me when I get overwhelmed in my daily life. As a parent, it’s incredible to watch my three daughters grow, develop their own personalities, and learn about the world. It’s also completely life-changing and can be difficult at times. It’s nice to be able to relate to our students on that level and understand what they may be going through at home in addition to their other responsibilities.

Can you tell us something about you that may surprise us?

 I love to travel, but never got a chance to study abroad in college. After graduating, I completed my Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) certification and got a job teaching English in Seoul, South Korea. I spent two years teaching schoolchildren how to read, write, and speak English and it was amazing how quickly they learned and mastered the language. That experience opened my eyes to understanding different cultures and ways of living, which I found fascinating. I went on to backpack for a month through Vietnam, Thailand, and Nepal with a fellow English teacher I met in Korea. Following that adventure, I completed a yoga teaching certification course in India. When my visa expired, I came back to the US and began my career at Penn.

Jenn and her fellow English teacher trekking through Asia.

What do you want prospective EMBA students to know about this program?

 This program can be transformational. I’ve seen students evolve and gain so much confidence throughout their two years with us. It’s more than just the coursework at Wharton; students gain a huge professional network, a group of lifelong friends, and exposure to so many different types of industries and professionals. A lot of close friendships are formed during Orientation week. You’ll hear students telling each other they love each other as they leave campus to go back home after that first week of classes. I don’t know where else you find that kind of friendship at this stage in life and it’s amazing to watch the relationships deepen over the course of the program.

— Kendra King

Posted: December 5, 2023

EMBA Program

Wharton MBA Program for Executives

Meet Jennifer Craig, Philadelphia Cohort Class Manager

Based in: Philadelphia
Works with: Current students in the Philadelphia cohort
Prior Education: BA, Drexel University

(Image: Jennifer Craig)

Jenn with her very first group of students. to whom she taught English to children in Seoul, South Korea after graduating college.

(Image: Jennifer Craig)

Jenn and Class of 2023 WEMBA alumna pose for a photo on the steps of Steinberg Dietrich Hall.

Wharton Stories

From Creative to CEO: How Wharton Unlocks the Business of Entertainment

Image: Abby Greensfelder promotes Everywoman Studios' new film, Uncharted, with Alicia Keys. (Abby Greensfelder)
“So much of being an entrepreneur is being scrappy, learning off the cuff, and making it work, which is hard to teach in a classroom. But at Wharton, I became fluent in the language of business.” – Abby Greensfelder, WG’02

Students in the Wharton MBA Program for Executives represent a wide range of industries, including the arts, media, and entertainment business. In the rapidly evolving world of television and film, business skills are becoming increasingly valuable, empowering professionals to navigate the complex landscape of content creation and monetization. Abby Greensfelder, WG02, shares more about how Wharton equipped her with the confidence, strategic thinking, and financial skills to launch her own women-focused media company, Everywoman Studios.

Poets and Quants

Abby’s professional journey is steeped in a deep appreciation for the arts. After graduating from Yale University with a bachelor’s degree in humanities, she embarked on a career that initially seemed a world away from Wharton.

“I joined The Discovery Channel right out of college as an intern and worked there for a decade,” says Abby. “While I joined as a creative, my career goal was to eventually transition into a business management role and run one of the channels. As I worked my way up to a director-level executive position, one observation I made was that most of my colleagues in higher-level management roles had come up through finance or legal. I wanted to round out my skills with an MBA to be seen not just as a creative, but as someone with strong analytical and leadership skills.”

Heeding encouragement from her mentor at Discovery, Abby applied to Wharton’s EMBA program as a definitive “poet.”

“I think the highest-level math course I took in college was pre-calculus,” she recalls. “Wharton’s strong quantitative curriculum was attractive to me because I knew it would provide me with the financial skills I needed to advance to the next level in my career.”  

Abby and colleagues pose at the Tribeca Film Festival. (Image: Abby Greensfelder)

Immediate Career Impact

Shortly after Abby enrolled in the Wharton MBA Program for Executives, her colleagues noticed her burgeoning business skills. 

“I worked on a few projects at Wharton which were sponsored by higher-level executives at Discovery,” she said. “For example, I performed a programming profitability analysis which provided insights into which programming strategies and content investments were most financially rewarding for Discovery. This helped the network make informed decisions about its programming lineup, marketing strategies, and revenue-generation efforts to ensure long-term sustainability and profitability. It was great because the higher-ups were aware I was doing this, and it shifted their view of me not just as a successful creative executive, but as someone who had the chops and interest in doing more.”

After graduating with her Wharton MBA, Abby was promoted to a position that managed content, production, and finances for the Discovery Channel and several of its sister networks.

Incidental Entrepreneurship

Like many graduates of the Wharton MBA Program for Executives, Abby gained a significant amount of professional confidence during her time in the program. A self-described “incidental entrepreneur”, Abby didn’t have concrete goals to start her own business when she applied to Wharton.

“I wouldn’t have had the confidence to strike out on my own if not for WEMBA,” she says. “I didn’t find the corporate pathway appealing anymore. So much of being an entrepreneur is being scrappy, learning off the cuff, and making it work, which is hard to teach in a classroom. But at Wharton, I became fluent in the language of business. It gave me a more developed sense of self-confidence and helped me see the bigger picture when it comes to valuing a business and thinking about how outsiders would see our business plan.”

Abby and her business partner, Andrea Nix Fine. (Image: Abby Greensfelder)

With her creative partner at Discovery, Abby founded Half Yard Productions, a production company which creates innovative unscripted and formatted content for a wide range of broadcasters, streamers, and digital platforms. One of their most well-known programs, Say Yes to The Dress, has become a household name and served as the financial foundation for their success.

“Eventually we grew to a pretty large size, with offices in Bethesda and New York City and fifteen series running for various cable networks,” she says. “During that time, there was a lot of change within the media industry with streaming, like Netflix coming online, which created an upheaval in the business. We decided to go through the sale process and sold a majority stake in 2014, staying on as CEOs for a period of time.”

Wharton’s Long Term Career Impact 

After almost two decades of running their own business, Abby and her business partner felt the urge to do something more impact driven.

In 2020, Abby founded a new company, Everywoman Studios, with the aim to tell stories by and about women. Everywoman Studios partners with key organizations to create content that raises awareness for issues like equal pay, gender parity in STEM, domestic violence, reproductive health, and more.

“These issues impact every woman, every day in every community. What I do now is support both female creators in the business and also help elevate stories by and about women.”

Their first feature documentary, LFG, told the story of the U.S. Women’s soccer team’s last World Cup Win and their equal pay lawsuit, which they eventually won. The film had its world premiere in 2021 at Tribeca Film Festival before launching on HBO Max.

Abby with U.S. Women’s soccer star Megan Rapinoe at the Tribeca Film Festival world premiere for LFG in 2021. (Image: Abby Greensfelder)

Their latest project, Uncharted, follows twelve women artists of color selected to attend a songwriting camp co-founded by Alicia Keys and the non-profit organization She is the Music. Produced by Everywoman Studios and Executive Produced by Abby,  Katie Couric, and Alicia Keys, the film premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival this summer with the aim to advance underrepresented women in the music industry.

“We also run an accelerator program, Propelle, to help other women who are creators in the business to help their projects,” she says. “We pair up-and-comers with established producers to help them work on projects and get in front of buyers.”

Looking to the future, Abby is eager to continue to tell female-focused, female-driven stories that have a positive cultural impact.

Fostering Human Connection

One of the most significant benefits Abby derived from her time at Wharton was the sense of community and camaraderie that she fostered within her cohort.

“What was great for me about it was number one, we had a great group of folks from the DC area that took the train together to and from class weekends,” Abby reflects. “Secondly, the residential requirement for students to stay overnight on Friday ensured that we all got to know each other very well.”

To accommodate students’ full-time work schedules, the Wharton MBA Program for Executives holds class sessions every other weekend. The Philadelphia and San Francisco cohorts’ unique residency requirement creates a focused living-and-learning environment on program weekends.

“Spending time together outside of the classroom was incredibly important when it came to solidifying those friendships and getting to know each other on a more human level,” says Abby.

Abby also notes that the Wharton alumni network was particularly valuable when she was starting her business.

“Two of my friends from the program had started their own businesses since graduating. One gave me a spreadsheet with a to-do list of all the essential action items needed to launch the company. The other gave me the name of a lawyer who specialized in corporate law to help us navigate the legal landscape. The Wharton alumni network is a group that you rely on and give back to continuously, and I feel lucky to have that level of professional and personal support.”

–Kendra King

Posted: October 25, 2023

EMBA Program

Wharton MBA Program for Executives

Meet Abby Greensfelder, WG’02

(Image: Abby Greensfelder)

Currently: Founder & CEO at Everywoman Studios
Based in: Washington, D.C.
Wharton EMBA Cohort: Philadelphia
Prior Education: BA, Humanities, Yale University

Abby with Katie Couric and Alicia Keys at the Uncharted premiere. (Image: Abby Greensfelder)

 

Wharton Stories

DEI Leadership: Results from Wharton’s EMBA Program

“The diversity of experiences and viewpoints within the class has been a driving point in my personal growth. Even beyond work, this is the most diverse environment I’ve been in.” – Kyle McGrory, WG’24

Wharton EMBA students are high-impact professionals from a diversity of industries who embrace the challenge of earning their MBA while continuing to work full-time. Kyle McGrory, WG24, a second-year Wharton MBA Program for Executives student, brings a unique blend of professional experience and ambition to his academic pursuits. With a background in human resources and a deep commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), Kyle shares more about how he is leveraging the Wharton program to hone his leadership skills and one day serve as a Chief People Officer at a Fortune 100 company.

Passion for DEI and Lifelong Learning

Kyle’s passion for working in the DEI space became clear to him while working for both the Human Rights Campaign and AmeriCorps after graduating from Southern Methodist University.

 “I helped run an after-school program for seventh and eighth graders in south Milwaukee,” says Kyle. “That experience really opened my eyes to the racial disparities that exist in the U.S. Prior to that, I had a privileged upbringing and was sheltered from certain things. My experience working in Milwaukee made me deeply passionate about DEI because I witnessed firsthand the impact that an inclusive and diverse environment had on students’ personal growth, sense of belonging, and overall well-being.”

After gaining industry experience through entry-level human resources roles, Kyle felt the urge to make a stronger impact in the DEI space. With the goal of obtaining an HR leadership position, he earned a Master’s degree in Industrial Labor Relations from Cornell University, a prestigious graduate program that delves into the intricate dynamics of labor relations, human resources, and employment policy.

Kyle saw the return on his advanced degree almost immediately when he was recruited by Microsoft after graduation to serve as an HR Business Partner for roughly 1,100 employees in the Office Product Group. As Kyle engaged with his Microsoft clients, it became evident to him that he needed more financial expertise and formal business education to make a stronger impact in the company.

 “One of my clients who led Microsoft’s Windows engineering division recommended that I look into MBA programs to gain more advanced management, finance, and strategy skills. I started researching programs that offered a top-tier education while still allowing me to retain my full-time job, which I was passionate about and didn’t want to step away from. Wharton stood out to me for its global reputation, diverse student body, and focus on finance. When I was lucky enough to get into Wharton, it was a no-brainer for me.”

Kyle and his EMBA classmates bond over basketball at a Philadelphia 76ers game. (Image: Kyle McGrory)

Immediate Career Impact

After just a few months into the Wharton MBA Program for Executives, Kyle was promoted within Microsoft to a Chief of Staff/Director of Business Management position.

“Part of my goal for earning my MBA was to eventually transition into business management and learn a discipline beyond HR. I assumed that would happen after graduation, but in my second term of the program, I was offered a promotion. I was able to apply a lot of what I learned in our core curriculum to work in real-time to build upon my executive presence and management capabilities. I would come to class every other weekend, learn new skills, and bounce ideas off classmates who have been in similar positions but in different industries. I’d apply that on Monday at work, and it contributed directly to the opportunity for my new role.”

Global Perspectives on Business

The required Global Business Week (GBW) was also noted as a key component of Kyle’s experience in the program. Every year, second year students from all three cohorts choose from several GBW courses, meaning each trip will have a mix of Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Global students. This year, students studied ESG in Australia, Customer Centricity in Sweden, blockchain in Switzerland, and innovation in Argentina. 

“I chose Buenos Aires, Argentina as the location for my GBW experience; I wanted to visit a region of the world that I have had the least amount of exposure to in my personal and professional life. I walked away from that week having learned much more about the Argentinian economy and political landscape than I ever could have hoped for. From our service project, to meeting with start up business leaders, to the SVP and General Counsel of Mercado Libre, my classmates and I were exposed to all aspects of life in Argentina.”

Kyle and his EMBA classmates enjoying local Argentinian cuisine during Global Business Week. (Image: Kyle McGrory)

Inclusive Learning Environment

The Wharton MBA Program for Executives has been instrumental in broadening Kyle’s perspective and horizons. “I’ve learned just as much from my classmates as I have from the curriculum and faculty,” he shares. “The diversity of experiences and viewpoints within the class has been a driving point in my personal growth. Even beyond work, this has been the most diverse environment I’ve been in. And it’s not just in terms of the identities of my classmates, but the wide array of experiences that each person brings to the program.”

Kyle admits that pursuing the rigorous Wharton MBA degree every other weekend while balancing his full-time job was intimidating at first.

“My expectations weren’t very high around the social aspect of the program,” he explains. “Because it was every other weekend, I assumed it would be more transactional, even though throughout the application and interview process it was clear to me that Wharton’s tight-knit community stood out. The residency requirement was important to me because it ensured that I would form tight connections with my classmates. Those Friday nights spent blowing off steam, exploring the city, or studying with friends solidify the bonds we form in class.”

Kyle and his husband, Matt, on their wedding day. (Image: Kyle McGrory)

Kyle, who met his husband in Seattle after accepting his first role at Microsoft, was pleasantly surprised by Wharton’s open and accepting culture. “I was shockingly overwhelmed by how supportive people are. I’ve brought my husband Matt down to campus several times and everyone, regardless of where they’re from, their background, or their political leanings, has fully embraced him as a member of the community. I’ve never felt like I’ve been treated differently than anyone else in this program because of my identity. We all have a commonality here; we want to improve ourselves and reach our full potential, and that goal bonds us together.”

— Kendra King

Posted: October 10, 2023

EMBA Program

Wharton MBA Program for Executives

Meet Kyle McGrory, WG’24

(Image: Kyle McGrory)

Currently: Director of Business Management, Microsoft

Based in: New York

Wharton EMBA Cohort: Philadelphia

Previous Education: Bachelor’s degree, Sociology, Southern Methodist University; Master of Industrial and Labor Relations, Human Resources and Organizations, Cornell University

Wharton Stories

From Engineer to Entrepreneur: Wharton’s Powerful Career Impact 

Image: Anand and his Armorblox co-founders after launching the company. (Anand Raghavan)
“My advice for prospective EMBA students is to focus on relationship-building as opposed to grades. When you go to your ten-year Wharton reunion, people remember the time you spent together and what you gave back to your network.” – Anand Raghavan, WG’13

For over twenty years, Wharton San Francisco has offered an elite, executive MBA program to seasoned professionals who are interested in top-tier business education on the West Coast. Anand Raghavan, WG’13, enrolled in the Wharton MBA Program for Executives to gain a better understanding of business while maintaining his full-time job as Blue Jeans Network’s first engineer. Ten years later, he shares the story of how he leveraged his Wharton MBA to found Armorblox, an innovative cybersecurity company that was acquired by global tech leader Cisco in July 2023.

In addition to his full-time role as a founding member of Blue Jeans Network, Anand was also involved in Asha for Education, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing education to children in underserved areas of India. 

“I loved being part of a small, mission-driven organization and making a social impact,” Anand says. “I wanted to explore ways to bring more of that impact and growth into my daily life, so I reached out to mentors of mine in the VC/startup space. They connected me with a current student in the Wharton EMBA program who recommended that I look into the program to help me broaden my skills. I’m still in touch with them to this day.”

After researching EMBA programs and attending an admissions event on Wharton’s San Francisco campus, Anand felt confident that the executive MBA program would provide him with the strongest business foundation to achieve his goal of one day leading his own company.

“I only applied to Wharton,” says Anand. “For me, it was about pursuing an MBA for the right reasons. I wanted a program that would give me the best business education possible.”   

Anand and his Wharton EMBA classmates out on the town in San Francisco during a class weekend. (Image: Anand Raghavan)

Impacting Social Change
In year two of the Wharton EMBA program, students choose from over 200 electives to tailor the curriculum to their interests. Anand enrolled in Social Impact and Responsibility, a course which explores how businesses can play a role in meeting societal needs by protecting the environment, improving health, or eradicating poverty. His previous experience with nonprofit organizations and passion for social change inspired him to collaborate with Wharton faculty and students to put theory into practice.

“Professor Kent Smetters connected us with Dr. Harvey Rubin, a physician and professor at Penn’s medical school,” recalls Anand. “Dr. Rubin was developing his idea for a nonprofit organization focused on improving the availability of vaccines in underserved areas. This was exactly the kind of hands-on, social-impact work that I was passionate about.”

Working as a team, Anand and his classmates helped Dr. Rubin launch Energize the Chain, a non-profit organization which co-locates vaccine refrigerators at cell tower base stations to provide guaranteed power needed to store vaccines at the required temperatures. In many developing regions, especially in rural and off-grid areas, access to electricity can be unreliable or non-existent, posing a significant challenge for storing vaccines that require refrigeration. By providing sustainable and reliable cold chain infrastructure, Energize the Chain aims to ensure that vaccines can be safely stored and transported to remote and resource-constrained regions.

Anand with colleagues and friends at an Armorblox company event in the Bay area. (Image: Anand Raghavan)

Wharton’s Immediate Career Impact

Students in the Wharton EMBA program receive individualized career coaching from the Career Management office, which also facilitates 100+ career programs, workshops, and speaker events throughout the two-year program.

“In one of my counseling sessions, the Director of Career Management asked me if I had ever considered exploring a career in marketing. I said, ‘What? No! I’m an engineer.’ They pointed out my strengths with communication and creative thinking, which infused confidence in me and led to an exciting new career opportunity.”

Despite lacking professional marketing experience, Anand landed a senior-level marketing role with data analytics company ThoughtSpot after graduation. 

“I attended a Career Management speaker event which featured a lecture by Wharton alum Arif Janmohamed, a board member of ThoughtSpot”, says Anand. “I connected with him after the session and as it turned out, they were hiring.”

Heeding encouragement from Wharton’s Career Management team, Anand leaned into his potential, leveraging his Wharton MBA to position himself as an asset to the company. The CEO of ThoughtSpot saw beyond Anand’s lack of marketing experience, recognizing his diverse skill set and ability to bring analytical thinking and effective communication to the table. Equipped with his Wharton MBA, Anand took on the role of Director of Product Marketing, defying traditional boundaries and propelling both himself and ThoughtSpot forward.

Anand with Armorblox India coworkers at the Cisco Bangalore office during the acquisition process. (Image: Anand Raghavan)

Entrepreneurial Edge   

Drawing upon his extensive network, the insights gained from his diverse career, and the knowledge he gained at Wharton, Anand co-founded cybersecurity company Armorblox in 2017. He served as the Chief Product Officer, working with design, marketing, and sales engineering teams.

“The entrepreneurship courses I took helped shape our path and build a strong foundation for the company. Wharton turned me into the ‘spreadsheet guy,’ because I had a strong understanding of the financial aspects of starting a business. Even things like reading term sheets, deal-making, relationship-building- I learned much of it during the program.”

Armorblox gained recognition in the industry for its use of artificial intelligence (AI) and large language models like ChatGPT to stop targeted email attacks in real-time. Over the years, Anand and his team continued to evolve the platform, incorporating new AI advancements and expanding its capabilities. In July 2023, Armorblox achieved a significant milestone when it was acquired by global tech leader Cisco to further its plans for an AI-first Security Cloud. Using generative AI, the cloud will deliver intelligent, adaptive, and automated security capabilities. This acquisition allows Cisco to integrate Armorblox’s advanced AI-driven security capabilities into its portfolio, further strengthening its commitment to providing cutting-edge cybersecurity solutions to businesses worldwide.

“Everything comes full circle – I’m going to be in engineering again,” shares Anand, who recently began his new role as Cisco’s Senior Director of Engineering, AI. 

“My advice for prospective EMBA students is to focus on relationship-building as opposed to grades. When you go to your ten-year Wharton reunion, people remember the time you spent together and what you gave back to your network – not who was a Palmer Scholar [Note: Palmer Scholars represent the top 5% of their class]. The Wharton alumni network is what you put into it, so be sure to cherish the personal connections you make during your time in the program.” 

In the end, Anand’s journey from Wharton to co-founding Armorblox and now driving innovation at Cisco underscores the enduring value of Wharton’s network and the transformative power of the School’s EMBA experience.

— Kendra King

Posted: September 19, 2023

EMBA Program

Wharton MBA Program for Executives

Meet Anand Raghavan, WG’13

Currently:
Based in: San Francisco, CA
Wharton EMBA Cohort: San Francisco
Prior Education: B. Tech., Electrical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Madras; MS, Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Wharton Stories

How Two Wharton EMBA Alums Constructed New Business

Image: Eric Sucar, University Communications
“The faculty are not just experts in their fields; they’re also mentors who want to see their students succeed.” – Brandon Cohen, WG’18

In the Wharton MBA Program for Executives, students build strong relationships with their classmates across cohorts. Known for its diverse community of professionals from all over the world, Wharton cultivates an environment which sparks innovation, supports budding entrepreneurs, and fosters collaboration. We ask Josh Mackanic, WG’18, and Brandon Cohen, WG’18, to share how they reconnected post-graduation to launch CivilGrid, a promising start-up in the construction and utilities industry.

Brandon Cohen, WG’18, is pictured to the right of fellow CivilGrid founder and EMBA alumnus Jack Mackanic, WG’18. (Image: Brandon Cohen)

A Startup is Born

Josh Mackanic was steadily advancing through the ranks at Pacific Gas & Electric Company when he enrolled in the Wharton MBA Program for Executives.

“I applied to the San Francisco cohort with a few different career aspirations in mind, and ultimately decided to put my energy into starting a company,” says Josh. “In the second year of the program, our class chooses from hundreds of elective courses to tailor the curriculum to our own interests. I chose to enroll in elective courses like Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Strategy, and Competitive Advantage, which provided me with the opportunity to experiment with different business concepts.”

After exploring dozens of startup ideas, Josh drew from his 10+ years of experience in the construction industry to develop the business plan for CivilGrid.

“When developers decide where to build, there are so many factors to assess,” Josh explains. “Will they need to replace a transformer to build on a certain street corner? Will they have to run a new water main down five blocks to make a location work? CivilGrid consolidates all the data that civil engineers and project teams need to plan construction projects into one single platform. Think of it as Google Maps for construction.”

A few years after graduating with highest honors as a Palmer Scholar, Josh leveraged his entrepreneurial skill set, launching CivilGrid while maintaining a full-time job. When he reached out to the Wharton alumni network for help with developing a prototype, several classmates referred him to fellow engineer and Wharton grad Brandon Cohen.

Josh sits with Brandon’s daughter, Emma, as the partners work from Josh’s dining room table. (Image: Brandon Cohen)

Building Lasting Connections

A civil engineering project manager by trade, Brandon Cohen enrolled in Wharton’s EMBA program to gain a more holistic lens on business.

“A few years after I earned my degree, I started doing a lot of side projects; tinkering with electronics, learning how to code… it was then that I started thinking about entrepreneurship. I was kicking around ideas with friends when a few of them said, ‘You gotta talk to Josh.”

Although they enrolled in different cohorts and lived on opposite sides of the country, the Wharton grads had met before. Beginning with orientation week on the Philadelphia campus, students from the Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Global cohorts meet in person several times and get to know each other throughout the two-year program.

“Brandon loves technology,” Josh says. “He’s not a traditionally trained coder, but he built our first few demo beta products and can code exceptionally well. After about six months working together part-time, we decided to take the plunge and go full-time with CivilGrid.”

It became clear quickly that the two worked well together. While Brandon took the lead on software engineering and product development, Josh handled raising capital and recruiting a diverse team.

“Josh led all the fundraising, and he has done an incredible job,” says Brandon. “We raised a pre-seed round of $2.2 million in institutional capital which carried us through to today and allowed us to fine-tune our technology further. Now we have a strong, viable product which is gaining traction with our customers in the construction and utilities space. Moving forward, my biggest focus is data; sourcing, storing, analyzing, and managing all the data.”

Looking to the future, the Wharton grads plan to raise more funding, build additional features and functionality, and implement a proactive sales campaign for CivilGrid.

“As we expand the CivilGrid team, our focus is to accelerate our scale of motion and start driving toward the kind of metrics we need to raise the next round of funding,” Josh says. “Ultimately, we aim to expand beyond California and provide CivilGrid to more civil engineers, developers, and construction firms across the country.”

Brandon and Josh, out on the town with the CivilGrid Team. (Image: Brandon Cohen)

Advice for Prospective Wharton EMBA Students

As they reflect on how the Wharton EMBA program impacted their careers, Brandon and Josh encourage future students to embrace the personal connections they make while at Wharton.

“My advice for future Wharton EMBA students is to take the coursework seriously, but also take every opportunity to get to know your professors and classmates on a deeper level,” says Brandon. “The faculty are not just experts in their fields; they’re also mentors who want to see their students succeed. Similarly, your classmates represent some of the best and brightest minds from all over the world. Embrace the diversity of thought and backgrounds within your cohort and learn from as many people as you can.”

— Kendra King

Posted: August 31, 2023

EMBA Program

Wharton MBA Program for Executives

Josh Mackanic, WG’18

Currently: Founder & CEO, CivilGrid
Based in: San Francisco, CA
Wharton Cohort: San Francisco
Prior Education: BS, Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, MS, Mechanical Engineering, UC Berkeley

Brandon Cohen, WG’18

Currently: Co-Founder, Head of Data and Operations, CivilGrid
Based in: Philadelphia, PA
Wharton Cohort: Philadelphia
Prior Education: BA, Engineering Sciences, Dartmouth College

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