Wharton Stories

Inside Wharton’s AI Block Week in Seattle

Image: Wharton EMBA students during the AI Block Week in Seattle. (Image Credit: Diane Sharp)
“I came in thinking AI was a skill to learn, like Excel. But what I realized is that AI adoption is really a leadership mindset and challenge,” says Fei Fei Wang, WG’26.

For students in Wharton’s MBA Program for Executives, learning extends far beyond the classroom. Nowhere is that more evident than with Block Weeks, which are immersive academic experiences combining rigorous coursework, real-world exposure, and unparalleled access to industry leaders.

This spring, students from the Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Global cohorts taking the Block Week on Artificial Intelligence traveled to Seattle to explore how organizations are adopting and scaling AI across industries. Through sessions led by Senior Vice Dean for Innovation and Global Initiatives Serguei Netessine, company visits, and candid conversations with executives, students gained a firsthand look at how AI is reshaping business and leadership.

We asked a student from each of the three EMBA cohorts to tell us about the week. Here’s what they had to say about their experience.

Wharton EMBA students at an Amazon fulfilment center during AI Block Week in Seattle. (Image Credit: Diane Sharp)
Wharton EMBA students at an Amazon fulfillment center during AI Block Week in Seattle. (Image Credit: Diane Sharp)

Marcello Gracietti, WG’27

San Francisco Cohort

A Global Perspective on Technology and Growth

Marcello Gracietti, WG’27, brings a deeply international background to Wharton, having grown up in Brazil and attended college and graduate school in Italy and France. Today, he leads a San Francisco-based software consultancy that helps organizations modernize their systems.

Gracietti enrolled in Wharton’s EMBA program to learn how to scale his business, and saw this course on AI in Seattle as a critical part of that journey.

“I wanted to consolidate my understanding of the real potential of AI — what’s noise versus what’s actually transformative — and how to apply it, both to modernize my own company and to help our clients innovate and find real efficiency,” he explains.

Learning From the Front Lines of AI

For Gracietti, the highlight of the week was the direct exposure to companies actively implementing AI at scale.

“We weren’t hearing from startups experimenting with AI,” he says. “We were talking to CIOs and senior leaders at companies like Amazon, Microsoft, Blue Origin, and T-Mobile — organizations that are fundamentally transforming their strategies with AI.”

“That level of access and depth is something you just can’t find anywhere else,” adds Gracietti.

Turning Insight Into Action

Gracietti didn’t wait to apply what he learned.

“After the week, I organized sessions with my team to translate these insights into our business context,” he says. “We’re launching a new service to help clients navigate AI transformation — grounded in this field research, our own experience, and what we’ve seen working with other companies going through the same shift.”

The Power of the Block Week Format

Gracietti emphasizes that Block Weeks go far beyond traditional lectures.

“This wasn’t just about sitting in a classroom,” he says. “We were visiting companies, engaging with leaders, and learning from both Prof. Nettesine and practitioners at the highest level as well as from our classmates.”

He also values the flexibility that Block Weeks provide.

“They allow you to explore topics you care about and learn in different locations,” he says. “If I could, I’d take this class again, and I definitely plan to take more Block Weeks.”

Fei Fei Wang, WG’26 (second from left), with EMBA classmates in Seattle. (Image Credit: Courtesy of Fei Fei Wang)
Fei Fei Wang, WG’26 (second from left), with EMBA classmates in Seattle. (Image Credit: Courtesy of Fei Fei Wang)

Fei Fei Wang, WG’26

Philadelphia Cohort

Expanding Leadership Through New Perspectives

Fei Fei Wang, W’26, built her career in hospitality and real estate investment management, but as she stepped into more senior leadership roles, she recognized the need to broaden her perspective. Wang came to Wharton with that goal in mind and, in her second year, she’s been intentional about choosing courses outside her core areas of expertise.

The AI Block Week in Seattle was a natural extension of that approach. At first glance, it felt far removed from her day-to-day work, making it the perfect opportunity to stretch into something new.

“In hospitality, we’re often late adopters of technology because we are so focused on people,” explains Wang. “But I knew AI would eventually impact us, so I wanted to understand it before it becomes unavoidable.”

That decision quickly proved worthwhile.

“This ended up being one of the most impactful electives I’ve taken,” she says.

AI as a Leadership Challenge

One of Wang’s biggest takeaways was a shift in how she views AI.

“I came in thinking AI was a skill to learn, like Excel,” she says. “But what I realized is that AI adoption is really a leadership mindset and challenge.”

Through conversations with executives and practitioners, a consistent message emerged: Successful organizations treat AI as an opportunity for experimentation. “The companies leading in AI create environments where employees can test, fail, and learn,” she says. “A big theme of the week was that, if you know an experiment will succeed, it’s not really an experiment.”

Real-World Insights From Industry Leaders

Company visits brought these ideas to life.

“I was impressed by how companies like T-Mobile approach AI not just from a technology standpoint, but as part of their culture,” says Wang.

At the site visits, students also saw the challenges of adopting AI, including gaps between executive vision and day-to-day implementation.

“Hearing both leadership and employee perspectives gave us a full picture of what AI adoption actually looks like, and reinforced the importance of a culture supporting experimentation,” she adds.

Building Connections Across Cohorts

Beyond the academic experience, Block Week fostered meaningful connections.

“Every night, we organized dinners and explored Seattle together,” says Wang. “I made a point to meet different classmates each day, and even connected with local Wharton students who weren’t in the class but live in the area.”

Working alongside peers from diverse industries added another layer of learning.

“My team included professionals from law, marketing, and tech,” she says. “That diversity made the experience even richer.”

EMBA students in a classroom during AI Block Week in Seattle. (Image Credit: Diane Sharp)
EMBA students in a classroom during AI Block Week in Seattle. (Image Credit: Diane Sharp)

Adam Tohn, WG’26

Global Cohort

Exploring AI at a Critical Moment

For Adam Tohn, W’26, the AI Block Week offered a chance to grapple with one of “the most transformative and complex technologies shaping the future of work.”

Tohn entered the week with “equal amounts of optimism and pessimism,” eager to learn from the companies and leaders shaping AI at the forefront of American enterprise and also cautious about AI’s risks.

“This was an opportunity to interact with people who are actively building the systems that will shape how we solve problems in the future,” he says.

Seeing AI’s Human Impact

One of Tohn’s most memorable takeaways from the week was how thoughtfully many organizations are approaching the human side of AI adoption. “People are really thinking about what it means for human beings to navigate this kind of technological change,” he says.

He points to one example discussed during the week: the Gates Foundation’s use of AI to rapidly identify mosquito species responsible for spreading malaria.

“AI can enable people to essentially become entomologists because they take a photo of a mosquito on their phone to immediately identify its species,” Tohn explains. “That information helps determine the most effective prevention strategy, whether that’s mosquito nets or spraying. It’s a practical example of how AI, if widely available, can save lives.”

At the same time, he acknowledges that the technology brings real risks that must be addressed carefully.

“We’re at a point where the choices leading institutions make about AI, governance, and design shape the trajectory for human living and working conditions generally,” says Tohn. “Done thoughtfully, this technology can free people to create and focus on higher-judgment, pro-social work.”

Applying the Lessons Immediately

The insights Tohn gained during the week didn’t just stay in the classroom.

“My team is evolving the AI strategy at our firm, including rethinking how AI fits into our governance and decision-making architecture — not just which tools to adopt, but how to structure the human oversight around them,” he says. “I got on the plane home and immediately started applying what I learned.”

The Power of Block Week Learning

For Tohn, the Block Week format creates a uniquely immersive experience.

“There’s real value in dedicating your full attention to a topic for an entire week,” he says.

Equally important is the opportunity to connect with classmates across cohorts, something that he says is especially meaningful for Global cohort students who are based across time zones.

“We spent evenings together discussing what we were learning in real time,” he says. “That concentrated time together is special.”

Tohn adds that Block Weeks capture one of the most distinctive aspects of the Wharton EMBA experience.

“They allow you to engage with industry, theory, and classmates all at once and in a place where the context makes the learning real,” he says. “I can’t overstate how valuable that is.”

By Meghan Laska

Posted: April 13, 2026

EMBA Program

Wharton MBA Program for Executives

Image Credit: Courtesy of Marcello Gracietti
Image Credit: Courtesy of Marcello Gracietti

Marcello Gracietti, WG’27

Cohort: San Francisco

Based in: San Francisco

Current Position: CEO, Cheesecake Labs

Previous Education: Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, B.S. Control & Automation; Alma Mater Studiorum – Universita di Bologna and Grenoble INP – Ense3, Master’s in Control & Automation Engineering

Image Credit: Fiona Photo Studio
Image Credit: Fiona Photo Studio

Fei Fei Wang, WG’26

Cohort: Philadelphia Cohort

Based in: Plano, Texas

Current Position: Feasibility and Development Americas, Mandarin Oriental

Previous Education: Michigan State University, B.A. Hospitality Administration/Management

Image Credit: Dan
Image Credit: Dan

Adam Tohn, WG’26

Cohort: Global

Based in: Washington, D.C.

Current Position: VP of Corporate Strategy, Link Logistics

Previous Education: George Washington University, B.A. International Affairs, International Economics, Mathematics

Wharton Stories

Meet the Knighted Professor Shaping Global Business Education

Image: Vice Dean of Wharton’s MBA for Executives (EMBA) program Mauro Guillén at the Wharton Global Forum in London. (Image Credit: Courtesy of the Wharton School)
“Much of my work has focused on understanding how countries, institutions, and businesses interact across borders, so receiving this recognition from the King of Spain is very special to me,” says Vice Dean of the MBA Program for Executives Mauro Guillén.

When Vice Dean of the MBA Program for Executives Mauro F. Guillén received word that he would be knighted by King Felipe VI of Spain, the honor carried both personal meaning and professional recognition. Named a Commander of the Royal Order of Civil Merit — one of Spain’s highest distinctions — Guillén joined a small group of individuals recognized for “extraordinary services” to the nation.

Guillén’s selection reflects decades of scholarship, global engagement, and his longstanding relationship with organizations that strengthen ties between Spain and the United States He has been a trustee of the Princess of Asturias Foundation and engaged with the Spain-U.S. Chamber of Commerce, regularly participating in gatherings that bring together leaders from business, government, and academia.

“It’s a meaningful honor, especially because it recognizes contributions to strengthening connections between Spain and the broader global community,” says Guillén. “Much of my work has focused on understanding how countries, institutions, and businesses interact across borders, so receiving this recognition from the King of Spain is very special to me.”

The ceremony took place at the Spanish consulate in New York, and Guillén will later attend a reception with the King in Spain. 

Caption: Mauro Guillén (center) during the ceremony at the Spanish Consulate in New York, where he was named a Commander of the Royal Order of Civil Merit. (Image Credit: Courtesy of Mauro Guillén)
Mauro Guillén (center) during the ceremony at the Spanish Consulate in New York, where he was named a Commander of the Royal Order of Civil Merit. (Image Credit: Courtesy of Mauro Guillén)

From Spain to a Global Academic Career

Guillén grew up in Spain and attended college there, initially unsure about his professional future. During his third year as an undergraduate studying political economy and business management, he met a professor who had earned a Ph.D. in the United States. The encounter sparked a realization: Academia could be his calling.

That discovery set him on an international academic journey. Guillén went on to earn a Ph.D. in sociology from Yale University, while also completing a doctorate in political economy and business management at the University of Oviedo in Spain.

He began his academic career at MIT’s Sloan School of Management before joining Wharton in 1996. Since then, Guillén has become one of the school’s leading voices on global business trends and strategy.

His scholarship blends sociology, political economy, and business analysis to help organizations understand how demographic shifts, economic patterns, and technological innovation shape future opportunities.

“By systematically analyzing demographic and economic data, you can anticipate major changes before they happen,” explains Guillén.

His research and commentary have appeared in outlets such as The Wall Street Journal and the Financial Times, and he has shared insights on programs including “Fareed Zakaria GPS” on CNN and “Marketplace” on NPR. His book “2030: How Today’s Biggest Trends Will Collide and Reshape the Future of Everything” became an instant Wall Street Journal bestseller, and was named a Financial Times Book of the Year.

Guillén has also reached learners worldwide through digital education platforms like Coursera and edX, where more than 100,000 participants have taken his online courses.

Caption: Decree and medal naming Mauro Guillén as a Commander of the Royal Order of Civil Merit. (Image Credit: Courtesy of Mauro Guillén)
Decree naming Mauro Guillén as a Commander of the Royal Order of Civil Merit. (Image Credit: Courtesy of Mauro Guillén)

Leadership and Innovation

In 2023, Guillén stepped into a new role as Vice Dean of Wharton’s EMBA program. His appointment came after serving as dean of Cambridge Judge Business School and previously leading the Joseph H. Lauder Institute of Management & International Studies at Wharton.

He took on the EMBA vice dean role at a pivotal moment for the program.

One of the most significant developments under his leadership has been the launch of the EMBA program’s Global Cohort, a hybrid format that delivers approximately 70% of the program online while bringing students together for in-person experiences. The initiative marked the first time Wharton offered a degree program in such a format.

“It was a bold step,” notes Guillén. “Wharton had offered executive education online, but not a degree program. This allowed us to expand access to more people around the world and provide flexibility for working professionals.”

The program has also increased its offerings of immersive Block Weeks, which bring students together for intensive learning experiences. In addition, the program introduced some new academic offerings such as a Healthcare Management and Business Analytics (BUAN) concentration and a major or concentration in Artificial Intelligence for Business.

Vice Dean Mauro Guillen teaching EMBA students. (Image Credit: Courtesy of the Wharton School)
Vice Dean Mauro Guillén teaching EMBA students. (Image Credit: Courtesy of the Wharton School)

Teaching WEMBA Students

Although Guillén has taught extensively across Wharton programs, teaching EMBA students brings a unique energy to the classroom.

“These students are very accomplished,” he says. “Approximately 40% already have graduate degrees, and some even have Ph.D.s. They’re working full-time and making a big sacrifice to be here, so they come incredibly prepared and engaged.”

Guillén currently teaches a course on Global Management of Digital Platforms in the EMBA program, building on years of experience with global strategy and international business topics.

The Wharton Spirit

As Wharton prepares to celebrate the 50th anniversary of its MBA for Executives program in 2026, Guillén is focused on ensuring that the program continues evolving for future leaders.

Ultimately, he hopes every graduate leaves with more than new skills or professional connections.

“The most important thing is the Wharton spirit,” he says. “It’s about making business better, but also about doing good in the world.”

By Meghan Laska

Posted: April 6, 2026

EMBA Program

Wharton MBA Program for Executives

Image Credit: Courtesy of the Wharton School
Image Credit: Courtesy of the Wharton School

Mauro F. Guillén

Cohorts: East, West, Global

Current Position: Vice Dean, MBA Program for Executives (EMBA); William H. Wurster Professor of Multinational Management

Previous Education: Universidad de Oviedo, Spain: B.A., Political Economy and Business Management; Ph.D., Political Economy and Business Management; Yale University: M.A., Sociology; Ph.D., Sociology

Book: “2030: How Today’s Biggest Trends Will Collide and Reshape the Future of Everything” 

Wharton Stories

From the Dugout to the C-Suite: How This Student Expanded His Playbook at Wharton

Image: Philadelphia Phillies President of Business Operations Sam Fuld, WG'26 (Image Credit: Miles Kennedy)
“If you want to ascend in a sports organization, broad business knowledge is essential,” says Sam Fuld, WG’26, who was promoted from Phillies general manager to president of business operations.

When Sam Fuld, WG’26, was growing up, education and baseball were never competing priorities. They were both passions.

“I had this burning love for baseball,” he says. “But I also knew there weren’t a whole lot of 5-foot-9-inch players from New Hampshire in professional baseball. Having a strong academic foundation was always going to matter.”

That dual focus shaped Fuld’s path at Stanford University, where he earned a degree in economics while competing at the highest level of college baseball. As playing professionally became a real possibility, his attention shifted to how far the game might take him.

It took him far. Over 13 years, Fuld played for teams including the Oakland Athletics, Minnesota Twins, Tampa Bay Rays, and Chicago Cubs. Along the way, he continued to prepare for life after baseball by completing internships during off-seasons and beginning a master’s program in statistics.

“I was able to do one term of the master’s because it aligned with the minor league schedule, but the next year I was in the major leagues and couldn’t continue. It was a good problem to have,” he says. “But I always had in the back of my mind what life would look like after playing because I knew it could end at any time.”

Sam Fuld, WG'26 (Image Credit: Miles Kennedy)
Sam Fuld, WG’26 (Image Credit: Miles Kennedy)

Becoming General Manager

When he retired in 2017, Fuld knew he wanted to stay in the game. That opportunity came with the Philadelphia Phillies.

Fuld’s first role in Philadelphia brought together two long-standing interests: data and performance. As player information coordinator, he helped bridge analytics and on-field strategy, connecting data insights to players and coaches.

He then launched the Phillies’ Integrative Baseball Department, aligning strength and conditioning, mental performance, medical staff, and coaching into a more holistic system.

Just 11 months into that role, during the uncertainty of COVID, Fuld was promoted to general manager. “It was a huge leap,” he says. “My scope went from fairly narrow to immensely wide overnight.”

As GM, Fuld oversaw a massive baseball operations enterprise that included hundreds of employees across the major league club, five minor league affiliates, and an academy in the Dominican Republic.

Sam Fuld playing for the Athletics (Image Credit: Thearon W. Henderson via Getty Images)
Sam Fuld playing for the Oakland Athletics. (Image Credit: Thearon W. Henderson via Getty Images)

Listen to an interview with Sam Fuld on the Wharton Moneyball podcast.

Moving to the C-Suite

Like most professional sports organizations, the Phillies operate with two distinct arms: Baseball Operations and Business Operations. Two years ago, Fuld was presented with another leap: the opportunity to become president of business operations, overseeing everything fan-facing from marketing and finance to ballpark operations and communications.

He was excited to move into the C-suite, but the transition required a vastly new set of tools. “It became apparent that an MBA would be incredibly valuable, if not necessary,” he says.

A large group of people wearing Philadelphia Phillies apparel at a baseball game, gathered together in a suite overlooking the field.
Sam Fuld, WG’26 (middle), with classmates and family members at a Phillies game. (Image Credit: Kartik Das)

Why Wharton

For Fuld, the decision to pursue Wharton’s EMBA program came down to people and rigor.

“I knew I’d be surrounded by some of the best professors in the world and incredibly talented classmates from a wide range of industries,” he explains. “Despite having limited experience in a business capacity, I felt like I was up for the challenge.”

Wharton’s MBA Program for Executives delivered immediate returns. “I was starting from scratch, so every class provided meaningful value to my workplace,” says Fuld.

In Corporate Finance, he learned how to evaluate capital projects, a skill directly applicable to ballpark investments and long-term planning. Venture Capital coursework deepened his understanding of ownership structures and financial scenarios. In People Analytics, he learned new ways to leverage internal data to strengthen hiring, engagement, and culture.

“There are countless examples of things I learned in class and took the next day to the ballpark,” he says.

Just as impactful are the informal lessons from classmates.

“It’s amazing what you can learn on a five-minute walk across campus,” he says. “I wish there were more hours in the day to talk to classmates.”

Coming from sports, Fuld has found enormous value in understanding how leaders in marketing, finance, HR, and more approach decision making. “There’s a level of comfort that comes from understanding how their worlds work,” he says. “It gives me the confidence to engage more meaningfully across all aspects of business, and provides an incredible network.”

He still remembers the vulnerability of the program’s first week. “We all felt like fish out of water,” says Fuld. “But I immediately felt supported by my learning team, the faculty, and the administration. Knowing I had that support system allowed me to breathe easier.”

Today, he describes his classmates as a personal advisory board — people he can call for advice as he navigates new responsibilities and challenges.

Sam Fuld, WG'26, on first day of school. (Image Credit: Kartik Das)
Sam Fuld, WG’26, on his first day with Wharton’s EMBA program. (Image Credit: Kartik Das)

Broadening the Game

As the sports field increasingly intersects with private equity, real estate development, evolving media models, and institutional investment, Fuld says his business education is more relevant than ever.

“You’re seeing sports impact spaces in the business world in ways it hasn’t before,” he says. “Having frameworks and tools to navigate media shifts or large-scale development projects is critical.”

For professionals in sports considering Wharton’s EMBA, his advice is direct: “If you want to ascend in an organization, broad business knowledge is essential.”

He adds, “I can’t imagine stepping into this new role without this education. You could try to learn it on your own through trial by fire but acquiring this much knowledge in a short period of time, surrounded by world-class professors and classmates, is unmatched.”

By Meghan Laska

Posted: March 23, 2026

EMBA Program

Wharton MBA Program for Executives

Sam Fuld, WG'27 ( (Image Credit: Philadelphia Phillies)
Image Credit: Philadelphia Phillies

Sam Fuld, WG’26

Cohort: Philadelphia

Current Location: Philadelphia, PA and Clearwater, FL

Current Position: President of Business Operations, Philadelphia Phillies

Prior Position: General Manager, Philadelphia Phillies

Previous Education: Stanford University, BA Economics

Wharton Stories

How Wharton Is Helping This Founder Scale and Lead a Childcare Brand

Image: Kristen Denzer, WG’26 (middle), in front of a Tierra Encantada location. (Image Credit: Robert Thesing)
“I’m leaving Wharton a stronger operator, leader, and decision maker thanks to what I learned here,” says Kristen Denzer, WG’26.

Kristen Denzer, WG’26, has never been one to follow a conventional path. Long before she enrolled at the Wharton School’s MBA Program for Executives (EMBA), she had already built multiple businesses, invested in commercial real estate, and launched a fast-growing childcare company — all driven by a lifelong instinct for entrepreneurship that began in childhood.

Growing up, Denzer spent time with her grandfather, an entrepreneur who owned a gas station, real estate ventures, and a recreational vehicle business. One of her earliest memories is emptying quarters from vending machines at his gas station. That hands-on exposure left an impression. “It made me understand what it means to build something of your own,” she says.

From Early Ventures to a Purpose-Driven Business

After college, Denzer worked briefly in a traditional role before launching a series of ventures from event rentals to dog daycare while also investing in commercial real estate. Eventually, she was running four businesses simultaneously. But it was motherhood, not ambition alone, that sparked her most meaningful venture.

When she began her search for childcare, she encountered long waitlists and programs that didn’t have everything that she was looking for. Rather than compromise, she decided to build what she couldn’t find.

The result was Tierra Encantada, a Spanish-immersion childcare program blending play-based learning, global cuisine, and holistic development. Today, the company has 17 locations across six states and has begun franchising.

It was the growth of her business that prompted Denzer to think carefully about her own evolution as a leader. She explains, “I’m a firm believer that just because I founded something doesn’t mean that I’m the best person to lead it at every stage. Before Wharton, I had never taken a business class. So to continue being the best leader to continue scaling the company, I decided to go back to school for my MBA.”

Why Wharton EMBA?

The decision to enroll in an EMBA program was deliberate. Denzer needed a program that would allow her to keep running a company with more than 300 employees while gaining rigorous training. As for coming to Wharton, she says, “If I was going to invest the time, I wanted to go to the best school. And although commuting to the Philadelphia campus from Minneapolis required an investment of time, it was doable.”

At Wharton, she found immediate practical value. Denzer says, “The faculty, curriculum, and overall experience have expanded my thinking and given me frameworks that I’ve been able to apply immediately inside my company. That’s rare.”

She points to her Real Estate Finance course with Prof. Todd Sinai (David B. Ford Professor; Professor of Real Estate and Business Economics and Public Policy) as an example. In that class, Denzer learned how to build a new pro forma model to evaluate property acquisitions. She applied the model right away, purchasing two new properties during the class.

And in her People Analytics course with Prof. Matthew Bidwell (Xingmei Zhang and Yongge Dai Professor; Professor of Management), Denzer learned a statistical method called Survival Analysis that helped solve a problem she had wrestled with for more than a year: accurately calculating customer lifetime value in a childcare model where students eventually age out.

Kristen Denzer, WG’26 (left, center), with classmates on a Global Modular Course in Brazil. (Image Credit: Kristen Denzer, timer)
Kristen Denzer, WG’26 (left, center), with classmates on a Global Modular Course in Brazil. (Image Credit: Kristen Denzer)

Global Modular Courses have also broadened her perspective. During a Global Supply Chain Management course in Mexico, she saw global production systems firsthand. Her discussions about tariffs, logistics, and supply chain strategy with business leaders gave her unique insights she could translate to scaling her own businesses.

Equally transformative has been the network. Denzer regularly exchanges advice with classmates, from CFOs who helped her refine a finance leadership job description to peers seeking guidance on acquisitions or franchising. “Having people in the trenches with you, but with different expertise, makes every decision better,” she says. “And as an adult, you don’t get many opportunities to build friendships like this.”

Reflection, Acceleration, and Growth

For Denzer, Wharton has provided both reflection and acceleration. She believes that combination is especially valuable for entrepreneurs. “One of the best things you can do is keep learning — from professors, from classmates, from every experience. This program gives you a foundation and then goes deep in areas you never had time for before, in ways that are tactical, not just theoretical.”

As Tierra Encantada continues to expand, Denzer credits Wharton with sharpening her instincts and strengthening her management expertise. “I’m leaving Wharton a stronger operator, leader, and decision maker thanks to what I learned here,” she says. “That’s something that has been well worth the investment.”

By Meghan Laska

Posted: March 16, 2026

EMBA Program

Wharton MBA Program for Executives

Kristen Denzer, WG'26, (Image Credit: Steffen Studios)
(Image Credit: Steffen Studios)

Kristen Denzer, WG’26 

Cohort: Philadelphia

Current Location: Minneapolis, MN

Current Position: CEO and Founder, Tierra Encantada

Previous Education: University of Minnesota, BA Psychology and Political Science; University of Minnesota Duluth, MA Advocacy and Leadership

Wharton Stories

How Students in Wharton’s EMBA Global Cohort Build Community

Image: Mrugesh Desai, WG’25 (third from right), with Global cohort students during a Block Week in Seoul, Korea. (Image Credit: Erica Laycock)
“Whether virtual or in person, networking is proactive,” says Mrugesh Desai, WG’25. “You need to make the effort, but the effort always pays off.”

When Mrugesh Desai, WG’25, reflects on his experience in Wharton’s MBA Program for Executives (EMBA), one word comes up again and again: community. A student in the Global cohort, he says the program wasn’t just about sharpening business skills. It was about building deep, lasting relationships across continents.

Desai’s global mindset was shaped early. Born in Zimbabwe and raised in Zambia, he attended an international school with classmates from all over the world. “From a young age, I learned to appreciate different cultures and points of view,” he says. “That global exposure stayed with me.”

After attending college in Canada, Desai began his career at BlackBerry during its peak years, eventually managing a software product line. Later, he joined an early-stage media and technology startup that was ultimately acquired by Accedo, where he is now vice president for North America.

Mrugesh Desai, WG’25, on the San Francisco campus. (Image Credit: Mrugesh Desai)
Mrugesh Desai, WG’25, on the San Francisco campus. (Image Credit: Mrugesh Desai)

When Desai moved to Seattle for that role in 2021, a long-standing interest in pursuing an MBA resurfaced. However, with Accedo headquartered in Sweden and his work spanning travel across North America and Europe, his heavy travel schedule made attending traditional executive MBA formats impossible.

Then Wharton introduced the Global cohort. “The hybrid format was a perfect fit,” Desai says. “Wharton was the only place I applied.”

Like many prospective students, Desai wondered how a globally distributed program could foster connections. As a member of the inaugural Global cohort, he quickly learned that community at Wharton is built intentionally. “Whether virtual or in person, networking is proactive,” he says. “You need to make the effort, but the effort always pays off.”

Mrugesh Desai, WG’25 (second from right), with classmates during a Global Modular Course in New Delhi, India. (Image Credit: Ankit Nagar)
Mrugesh Desai, WG’25 (second from right), with classmates during a Global Modular Course in New Delhi, India. (Image Credit: Ankit Nagar)

Desai embraced every opportunity to connect with Global Modular Courses, Global Business Week, and Block Weeks. These became moments not only for learning, but for bonding. He made a point of sitting next to new classmates, branching out beyond his learning group, and meeting peers from the Philadelphia and San Francisco cohorts.

Within his own cohort, relationships extended well beyond the classroom. When Desai traveled for work, he reached out to contacts nearby, meeting classmates across Europe and Asia. A WhatsApp group also keeps the cohort close, with photos and updates reinforcing a sense of continuity. “Any time our cohort meets up, we make a point to share it,” he says. “It keeps the bond alive.”

In his second year, Desai looked for ways to give back. As a member of the Student Leadership Committee, he launched a virtual Global Leadership Speaker Series for his classmates. The idea was simple: leverage the cohort’s collective network to learn from leaders across regions and industries. Over time, the series featured founders of unicorn startups, CEOs, CFOs, and executives from pharmaceuticals and technology, spanning time zones and perspectives.

“It was another way to build relationships,” he says. “Not just with the speakers, but with classmates who were curious, engaged, and asking great questions.”

For Desai, the value of the Wharton EMBA goes far beyond academics. After more than 15 years in the same industry, the program pushed him intellectually and broadened his perspective. “Being around smart, driven people from different industries validates your own growth and challenges you to keep raising the bar,” he says.

Just as important was the global network Desai gained. “It’s the first time since high school that I was again surrounded by people from all over the world in an academic setting, working toward a common goal,” he says. “It feels like a Wharton family. If someone is in your city, you get together. Those relationships are authentic, and they last.”

By Meghan Laska

Posted: March 2, 2026

EMBA Program

Wharton MBA Program for Executives

Image Credit: Erica Laycock
Image Credit: Erica Laycock

Mrugesh Desai, WG’25

Cohort: Global

Originally From: Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Canada

Current Location: Seattle, WA

Current Position: Vice President, North America, Accedo.tv

Prior Education: University of Waterloo, B.A.Sc. Systems Design Engineering

Wharton Stories

Sharing the Journey: Why This Couple Chose Wharton’s EMBA Together

Image: (Left) The iconic "LOVE" sculpture in Philadelphia's LOVE Park. (Image Credit: Canva) / (Right) Rohit Chawla, WG’27, and Ananya Gutta, WG’27. (Image Credit: Dave Coles) 
“Doing this program together elevates the entire experience and the value we take away,” says Rohit Chawla, WG’27.

For married couple Ananya Gutta, WG’27, and Rohit Chawla, WG’27, pursuing an Executive MBA wasn’t just a career decision. It was a shared life choice.

“We knew an MBA was something we both wanted,” Ananya says. “The question was whether we would do it separately or together.” They chose together.

Rohit Chawla, WG’27, and Ananya Gutta, WG’27, with classmates during a Global Modular Course in Brazil. (Image Credit: James Brown III)
Rohit Chawla, WG’27, and Ananya Gutta, WG’27, with classmates during a Global Modular Course in Brazil. (Image Credit: James Brown III)

Parallel Paths, Shared Ambition

Ananya and Rohit grew up in New Jersey, and met during their undergraduate years at Rutgers University where they pursued engineering and economics degrees. Their careers followed parallel paths into the medical device and life sciences industries, each moving from technical engineering roles into product management and increasingly strategic leadership positions.

Rohit began his career at a startup, wearing multiple hats across R&D, product development, and venture funding before joining larger organizations including Stryker and Smith+Nephew. Today, he is the global director of product management and innovation at Alcon, where he defines portfolio strategies and drives growth.

Ananya’s path took her through Thermo Fisher Scientific, where she rotated through their operations leadership development program before transitioning into product management and the medical devices space at Medtronic and then Alcon. Now as a global director of product management, Ananya leads the upstream strategy for IOL delivery systems used in cataract surgery.

As they both aspire to be in global general management roles, the need for broader business knowledge became clear, and they began looking at EMBA programs.

Wharton stood out immediately.

For Ananya, Wharton’s strength in healthcare management and the depth of its alumni network were major draws. “You’re learning alongside people from every industry with incredible experience,” she says. “And Wharton doesn’t dilute the EMBA experience; you still experience Wharton’s rigorous curriculum and high standards of the full-time MBA.””

Rohit saw Wharton as a long-term investment. “This is a huge time and financial commitment,” he says. “If we were going to do it, we wanted to do it at a top school. Wharton’s world-renowned faculty, global brand, and access to an incredible network made it the clear choice.”

Ananya Gutta, WG'26, with her learning team. (Image Credit: Jon Wong) 
Ananya Gutta, WG’26, with her learning team. (Image Credit: Jon Wong)

Timing It Together

For the couple, doing the program together was about alignment.

“An EMBA is incredibly time consuming,” Ananya says. “If one of us did it first, that person would be completely absorbed, and then we’d switch. Doing it together meant we were busy —  but busy together.”

They study together, commute from Texas to Wharton’s Philadelphia campus together, and take classes together. “After school started, we also started working at the same company. Our lives were becoming increasingly intertwined,” Rohit says. “It feels like we’re walking in stride.”

Ananya Gutta, WG’27, and Rohit Chawla, WG’27 with classmates. (Image Credit: Amanda Allen)
Ananya Gutta, WG’27, and Rohit Chawla, WG’27 with classmates. (Image Credit: Amanda Allen)

Expanding Their Network

Although they share the EMBA experience, Ananya and Rohit have been intentional about building their own relationships across the MBA program. Each has formed connections, and then introduced those networks to one another.

Both say the greatest value of the Wharton EMBA is their classmates.

“The people are the biggest return on investment,” Rohit says. “The level of conversation is incredibly high. You’re constantly learning from classmates who bring years of experience and different perspectives.”

Ananya agrees. “I didn’t realize how much I would learn just from listening to classmates in class discussions,” she says. “Their real-world examples make the classroom materials and frameworks we learn come alive.”

They’ve also taken full advantage of Wharton’s experiential offerings, including a recent Global Modular Course in Brazil. “In addition to getting to know students across all three cohorts, Wharton curated access to leaders you’d never meet on your own like banking leaders, government officials, and senior executives at some of the top companies in the country,” Ananya says. “It was truly unique.”

Rohit Chawla, WG’27, and Ananya Gutta, WG’27. (Image Credit: Elise Mortenson)
Rohit Chawla, WG’27, and Ananya Gutta, WG’27. (Image Credit: Elise Mortenson)

Advice for Other Couples

For couples considering the Wharton EMBA together, their advice is simple: go for it.

“It’s 100% worth it,” Ananya says. “It’s a shared experience that helps you understand and support each other through an intense journey. And you still get to build your own individual networks.”

Rohit sees it as a multiplier. “The more you invest in the program, the more you get out of it,” he says. “Doing this together elevates the entire experience and the value we take away.”

By Meghan Laska

Posted: February 13, 2026

EMBA Program

Wharton MBA Program for Executives

Ananya Gutta, WG’27 (Credit: Courtesy of Ananya Gutta)
Image Credit: Thermo Fisher Scientific

Ananya Gutta, WG’27 

Cohort: Philadelphia

Current Location: Forth Worth, TX

Current Position: Global Director, Upstream Product Management, Alcon

Prior Education: Rutgers University, BS Chemical & Biochemical Engineering and Economics; Johns Hopkins University, MS Biomedical Engineering

Rohit Chawla. Image Credit: Courtesy of Rohit Chawla.
Image Credit: Stryker

Rohit Chawla, WG’27

Cohort: Philadelphia

Current Location: Fort Worth, TX

Current Position: Global Director, Product Management and Innovation, Alcon

Prior Education: Rutgers University, BS Biomedical Engineering, Economics, and Biomathematics; Johns Hopkins University, MS Mechanical Engineering

Wharton Stories

Entrepreneurship at Every Stage: How EMBA Students Engage With Venture Lab

Image: Students learning about the Penn Wharton Innovation Fund. (Image Credit: Venture Lab)
“Venture Lab has been the cornerstone of my entrepreneurial evolution. It’s where ideas get pressure-tested and pushed to a higher level,” says Madison Li, WG’26.

Some Wharton Executive MBA (EMBA) students arrive with years of entrepreneurial experience, while others are exploring ventures as a next step. Wherever they are on their journey, Venture Lab serves as a hub, giving Penn students access to mentorship, funding, and a cross-campus network to test ideas, scale ventures, and explore new opportunities. For EMBA students, this means practical, hands-on support that complements their classes and professional experiences.

For Madison Li, WG’26, entrepreneurship has long been central to her identity, with early ventures in 3D printing and consumer electronics. At Wharton, she found Venture Lab to be the connective tissue between classroom frameworks and real-world execution.

“Venture Lab has been the cornerstone of my entrepreneurial evolution. It’s where ideas get pressure-tested and pushed to a higher level,” she says.

Exploring Paths

Venture Lab is built around the idea that there is no single path to entrepreneurship. Under the leadership of Vice Dean of Entrepreneurship Lori Rosenkopf, it offers pathway-based support tailored to different goals:

  • Explorer Pathway for those curious about entrepreneurship
  • Founder Pathway for students building or scaling ventures
  • Joiner Pathway for those seeking to join startups
  • Investor Pathway for students interested in funding and acquisition

“Entrepreneurship at Wharton is about value creation through innovation,” says Vice Dean Rosenkopf. “Our goal is to help students develop an entrepreneurial mindset: seeing opportunities before others, assessing viability, and learning how to scale.”

She notes that this approach resonates strongly with EMBA students, who bring deep industry and leadership experience and often want to apply entrepreneurial skills in new ways.

“Execution is usually the limiting factor,” says Dr. Nitin Agarwal, MD, WG’26, who is using Venture Lab resources to launch Novuosis Scientific. “Venture Lab fills that gap by giving you access to experienced advisors, structured feedback, and funding opportunities. It helps turn ideas into executable ventures.”

Open Access Across Campuses and Cohorts

All Venture Lab resources are open to EMBA students across the East, West, and Global cohorts. While in-person programming takes place on the Philadelphia and San Francisco campuses, virtual office hours and select online programming make participation possible from anywhere.

For students not located in Philadelphia, Venture Lab is inclusive, says Madison, who is based in Los Angeles. She points to Scale School, hosted in partnership with Lifelong Learning in San Francisco, as a key resource for founders transitioning from startup to enterprise. “Being able to attend in person or access sessions on demand ensures that learning never stops.”

Madison also joined the VIP-X San Francisco accelerator (VIPX-SF), a competitive program open to both students and alumni that provides stipends, mentorship, and hands-on venture development. “VIP-X brings together faculty, alumni, and founders in a deeply collaborative environment. It’s a uniquely impactful extension of the Wharton experience,” she says.

Finding Co-Founders, Testing Ideas, and Building Momentum

Madison Li, WG’26, with her co-founders James Camaliche, WG’25, and Kenny Sandhu, WG’26 (right to left). (Image Credit: James Camaliche)
Madison Li, WG’26, with her co-founders James Camaliche, WG’25, and Kenny Sandhu, WG’26 (right to left). (Image Credit: James Camaliche)

Venture Lab plays a critical role in helping EMBA students find collaborators and refine ideas. Madison met her co-founder, Kenny Sandhu, WG’26, during her first term in the San Francisco cohort. Conversations with classmates sparked the idea behind Koursair, a venture focused on intentional, regenerative travel. A third co-founder, full-time MBA student James Camaliche, WG’25, joined after meeting through Vice Dean Rosenkopf’s Tech in the Bay Area Block Week course.

Frameworks from Wharton courses inform how the team evaluates scalability, constraints, and alignment. “We now apply frameworks from Prof. Gad Allon’s Scaling Operations class to evaluate our venture through the lenses of scalability, constraints, alignment, leadership, and efficiency,” says Madison.

For Nitin, Venture Lab’s Visiting Experts program has been particularly valuable. “Learning directly from founders, investors, and operators helps you avoid common pitfalls and approach entrepreneurship with more discipline and strategic clarity,” he says.

Funding, Competition, and Real Stakes

Venture Lab also provides tangible resources to help EMBA students move from idea to action: coaching, startup tools, and access to funding.

Nitin’s venture, Novuosis Scientific, received a Penn Wharton Innovation Fund award and was named a 2025 Startup Challenge finalist. Madison’s team is participating in the 2026 Startup Challenge.

“The Startup Challenge is the ultimate proving ground,” she says. “It’s a pivotal moment where remote and on-campus students alike can gain visibility, feedback, and funding to bring ideas to life.”

Students interested in investing or acquisition can pursue Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA) programming, which includes specialized training, webinars, and incubator support. “ETA is a powerful option for experienced professionals,” Nitin notes. “It offers a different but equally entrepreneurial path to leadership and value creation.”

A Cross-Campus, Lifelong Community

One of Venture Lab’s defining strengths is its interdisciplinary reach. EMBA students collaborate with peers across Penn and remain connected to alumni who serve as mentors, speakers, and collaborators. Select programs, such as Scale School and the San Francisco accelerator, are also open to alumni, reinforcing Venture Lab’s role as a lifelong entrepreneurial community.

“The value is unparalleled,” says Nitin. “Having a dedicated hub with real financial and advisory resources and meaningful access for EMBA students is rare.”

What Prospective EMBA Students Should Know

“Interest in entrepreneurship among EMBA students continues to grow as more use the program to explore what’s next,” says Vice Dean Rosenkopf. “Venture Lab complements the EMBA curriculum by offering experiential learning and access to an extraordinary network.”

“The key is engagement,” she adds. “Venture Lab is here to support students. We encourage anyone interested to explore and take advantage of the many resources and opportunities.”

By Meghan Laska

Posted: February 2, 2026

EMBA Program

Wharton MBA Program for Executives

Vice Dean Lori Rosenkopf (Image Credit: The Wharton School)
(Image Credit: The Wharton School)

Vice Dean Lori Rosenkopf 

Cohorts: Philadelphia, San Francisco, Global

Current Roles: Simon and Midge Palley Professor; Professor of Management; Vice Dean of Entrepreneurship; Wharton Faculty Director of Venture Lab; Faculty Director of Wharton San Francisco

Book: Author of Unstoppable Entrepreneurs: 7 Paths for Unleashing Successful Startups and Creating Value Through Innovation (University of Pennsylvania: Wharton School Press, 2025)

Education: Cornell University, B.S. Operations Research; Stanford University, M.S. Operations Research; Columbia University, Ph.D. in Management of Organizations

Nitin Agarwal, WG’26 (Image Credit: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center)
(Image Credit: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center)

Nitin Agarwal, WG’26 

Cohort: Philadelphia

Current Position: Associate Professor of Neurological Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine; CEO, Novuosis Scientific

Current Location: Pittsburgh, PA

Prior Education: The College of New Jersey, BS Biology; Rutgers Medical School, MD

Madison Li, WG’26 (Image Credit: Natalie Li)
(Image Credit: Natalie Li)

Madison Li, WG’26 

Cohort: San Francisco

Current Position: Marketing Strategy, AT&T, Co-Founder of Koursair

Current Location: Los Angeles, CA

Prior Education: Emory University, BA Economics and Chinese Language and Literature; UCLA School of Law, Master of Legal Studies 

Kenny Sandhu, WG’26 (Image Credit: Aabha Sandhu)
(Image Credit: Aabha Sandhu)

Kenny Sandhu, WG’26

Cohort: San Francisco

Current Position: Co-Founder and CEO, CLOUD.MANTRA; Co-Founder, Koursair

Current Location: Chicago, IL

Prior Education: Kurukshetra University, Haryana, India, Bachelor of Technology, Electronics Engineering; University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, MS Accounting; Rochester Institute of Technology, MS Telecommunications Engineering

Wharton Stories

How Wharton Helped This Marine Accelerate His Career

Image: Neal Ellsworth, WG'24, with EMBA students in Prof. Kevin Kaiser’s Valuation course. (Image Credit: Kevin Kaiser)
“The Career Management team was there for every stage: job search strategy, resume, interviews, negotiations – everything. And my executive coach helped me think holistically about what I wanted,” says Neal Ellsworth, WG’24.

When Neal Ellsworth, WG’24, thinks about his career path, he says that it’s never followed a traditional trajectory. After graduating from Michigan State University with a business degree, he wasn’t drawn to corporate life. Instead, he wanted something that would test him physically, intellectually, and globally. That turned out to be the U.S. Marine Corps.

Neal Ellsworth with his MARSOC team. (Image Credit: MARSOC)
Neal Ellsworth with his MARSOC team. (Image Credit: MARSOC)

As an infantry officer, Neal deployed to Australia where he first learned about special operations missions. Soon after, he became a Special Operations Officer with the U.S. Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC), completing multiple overseas deployments. Graduate school, he thought, wasn’t in the cards.

But after returning from deployment, a fellow veteran changed his perspective. “He advised that an MBA from a top-tier program could help me transition to the private sector,” Neal notes. 

That encouragement sparked a new chapter. Conversations with veterans several years ahead of him helped Neal see graduate business education as not just possible, but potentially transformational. And when he began exploring programs, Wharton rose to the top.

“The veterans community at Wharton welcomed me even before I applied,” he explains. “They shared their experiences, helped me understand the process, and made me feel like I already belonged. That sense of community was a huge factor.”

Neal was accepted into Wharton’s full-time MBA program in 2020, but his career took an unexpected turn when he was selected to serve as a liaison to the House Armed Services Committee, an opportunity he couldn’t pass up. While working on Capitol Hill, he learned about Wharton’s MBA Program for Executives and realized it was the perfect fit.

“A friend encouraged me to consider the Executive MBA because I had a decade of experience, and I’d be learning alongside other mid-career professionals,” he explains. “It felt like the right move.”

Neal began Wharton’s EMBA program while still on active duty, finishing his final months on the Hill. After leaving the military, he joined Vannevar Labs, a venture-backed defense technology startup.

He recalls, “It was an amazing experience getting real-time exposure to a high-growth company while learning the business frameworks behind everything we were doing.”

Strategic Career Advising at Every Step

As Neal began exploring long-term career options, he turned to Wharton’s EMBA Career Management team for guidance.

“They were there for every stage: job search strategy, resume, interviews, negotiations — everything,” he says. “And my executive coach helped me think holistically about what I wanted.”

The career team helped him build a detailed spreadsheet to assess roles, industries, and compensation, an exercise that proved especially valuable for someone transitioning from the military, where salary structures are public and standardized.

Neal Ellsworth with his daughter at graduation. (Image Credit: Allyson Ellsworth)
Neal Ellsworth with his daughter at graduation. (Image Credit: Allyson Ellsworth)

“In the military, there’s no negotiating your pay,” explains Neal. “Having to assess my market value was completely new. They helped me understand not only what I was worth today, but how to think about the long-term trajectory of each opportunity.”

That preparation paid off. As he transitioned from the military, Neal was fielding three strong offers — each with different strengths. With the help of Wharton’s career team, he negotiated confidently and ultimately chose defense tech.

Lifelong Support for Alumni

Neal spent several transformative years at Vannevar Labs as a business unit leader, helping the company scale from 40 to 280 employees. He built one of the company’s business units from the ground up, an experience he describes as “an MBA in action every single day.”

Recently, Neal was ready to explore a new challenge. This time, he approached the job search with more precision, leveraging the frameworks and tools developed during his time at Wharton.

Neal also turned to Wharton’s Career Management team, which offers alumni lifelong support. “I met with my Wharton executive career coach regularly,” he says. “In the end, I received four offers; having that amount of choice is amazing. I’m so grateful that this level of career coaching continues for alumni.”

Leveraging the Full Power of Wharton Resources

So, what exactly did Neal utilize as a Wharton student and alumnus to accelerate his career?

He breaks it down:

One-on-one Executive Coaching
“Consistent sessions helped me refine my goals, prepare for interviews, and negotiate offers with confidence.”

Career Data and Frameworks
“The tools provided, particularly the compensation and role-mapping spreadsheet, still guide my decisions today.”

The EMBA Job Board
“The EMBA job board focuses on mid-career roles, not just entry-level MBA positions. And because I was in the EMBA program, employers treated me as a highly experienced full-time professional making a transition — rather than a student.”

The Wharton Network
“From defense-tech leaders to classmates in gaming, media, tech, and energy, I used Wharton’s network to explore industries I had never considered before. The willingness of people to talk with me was incredible.”

Neal Ellsworth with his Learning Team on the Philadelphia campus. (Image Credit: Anastasia Forte)
Neal Ellsworth with his Learning Team on the Philadelphia campus. (Image Credit: Anastasia Forte)

Classmates

“The diversity of experience in Wharton’s EMBA program was eye-opening. In the military, career paths are linear. At Wharton, I realized you can take your career in so many directions.”

A Transformational Experience

“Wharton changed the trajectory of my career,” says Neal. “The classes, especially Prof. Kevin Kaiser’s Valuation, shaped how I think about value creation, strategy, and opportunity cost. I use those lessons every day, for both business decisions and personal career decisions.”

When asked what advice he would give current or prospective EMBA students, Neal keeps it simple: “Jump in and use the resources. Even if you’re not planning a transition now, you will eventually. Wharton gives you the tools, but you have to use them.”

By Meghan Laska

Posted: January 19, 2026

EMBA Program

Wharton MBA Program for Executives

Neal Ellsworth, WG’24   

Neal Ellsworth, WG'24 (Image Credit: Wharton MBA Program for Executives)
Image Credit: Wharton MBA Program for Executives

Neal Ellsworth, WG’24

Cohort: Philadelphia

Location: Vancouver, Washington

Current Position: Principal Product Manager, Systems and Technology Research

Military: Special Operations Team Commander and Liaison to the House Armed Services Committee; U.S. Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC)

Previous Education: Michigan State University, BS Business

Wharton Stories

How Wharton Is Helping This Heart Surgeon Expand Her Impact Beyond the Operating Room

Image: Dr. Sarah Minasyan, MD, WG’23 and classmates reuniting for an educational session on AI in healthcare (Image Credit: Karl Power)
“I now understand how hospitals run from a business perspective. I can speak the language. That changes everything,” says Dr. Sarah Minasyan, MD, WG’23.

Why would a successful cardiothoracic surgeon get her MBA at Wharton? For Dr. Sarah Minasyan, MD, WG’23, the answer traces back to a Russian saying she grew up with: “Live 100 years, learn 100 years.”

Her path to Wharton — and to the operating room — was shaped long before medical school. Raised in the former Soviet Union, she experienced political and personal upheaval in her teenage years. After the fall of the Iron Curtain, the country she had been taught to trust began to crumble. During that same period, she lost her father to brain cancer.

Her mother, recognizing both the shifting political landscape and the need for a different future, made the life-altering decision to leave. It took six years and a complex web of bribes, but they finally received permission to emigrate. “When we left, we had almost nothing,” Sarah recalls. “My parents were scientists, and the most expensive things in our home were books.”

In the U.S., she accelerated quickly, learning English, graduating valedictorian, and earning her undergraduate degree from UCLA. Her interest in medicine stemmed from both practicality and inspiration. 

“Living in Russia, I saw how the world can quickly change,” she says. “But the human body does not change. If I ever needed to start over in another country, I could continue practicing medicine because it is universal.”

As for inspiration, a family friend who was a renowned congenital cardiac surgeon “walked on water” in the eyes of her community. Watching a highly respected master surgeon at work sealed her career choice of cardiothoracic surgery.

Recognizing a Knowledge Gap

For years, Sarah thrived in high-stakes surgical environments. But over time, she observed a growing challenge. Physicians and

Dr. Sarah Minasyan with UC Davis cardiac surgery residents. (Image Credit: Angelica Martin, MD)
Dr. Sarah Minasyan, MD, WG’23, with UC Davis cardiac surgery residents. (Image Credit: Angelica Martin, MD)

administrators, she realized, often spoke two different languages. “Hospital administration spoke business, and I didn’t understand that language,” she says. “Yet as a surgeon, you work within complex systems. You have to engage with the business side whether you intend to or not.”

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the mother of four saw both a crisis and an opportunity. “I realized this was the time to learn the language of business,” she says. “And if I was going to do it, I wanted to learn from the best.”

Her husband, also a surgeon, helped her research programs. When they saw that Wharton offers a San Francisco cohort, the decision was made. She applied only to Wharton. “It was an investment in myself. Go big or go home.”

Stretching to Meet a New Challenge

Sarah entered Wharton with an MD and years of surgical leadership, but she describes her early coursework with humility: “Many of my classmates were engineers or deeply immersed in the business world. I had so much catching up to do.”

Her classmates quickly became a source of support, especially during weeks when she was juggling major surgeries and exams. “I’ve operated in teams my whole career, but this was a new kind of team. It was phenomenal,” notes Sarah.

Sarah also came to appreciate how her clinical background offered unique value. She explains, “Surgeons make critical decisions with limited information every day. That translates directly into business leadership. I didn’t realize how relevant that instinct was until Wharton.”

Global Perspective and Applied Impact

Although COVID canceled her planned Global Business Week in Sweden, Sarah refused to let the opportunity disappear.

Dr. Sarah Minasyan, MD, WG’23 at graduation with her husband
Dr. Sarah Minasyan, MD, WG’23, at graduation with her husband Jason Marengo, MD. (Image Credit: Wharton MBA for Executives)

Instead, she designed her own independent study and traveled there anyway, with Prof. Guy David (Alan B. Miller Professor; Chair, Health Care Management Department) advising her project. She used the Wharton network to connect with Swedish health leaders and investigate why Sweden’s heart failure readmission rates in rural areas are dramatically lower than those in the U.S.

Her findings were illuminating: remote monitoring, telehealth, and mail-in labs formed the backbone of Sweden’s success. “The prototype is there,” she notes. “Adopting similar models in the U.S. would require policy changes, but it’s possible — and it would save lives and reduce costs.”

Following graduation, Sarah was recruited by Utkars Jain, WG’27, to the clinical advisory board of HEARTio, an AI startup aiming to address one of the biggest bottlenecks in emergency medicine: rapid triage of chest-pain patients. “If you can accurately triage patients early, you free up beds, reduce costs, and improve outcomes. It aligns perfectly with my expertise and Wharton’s emphasis on operational impact,” she says.

The Value of a Wharton MBA

For Sarah, the value of the Wharton MBA is about opening new worlds:

  • Career relevance: “I now understand how hospitals run from a business perspective. I can speak the language. That changes everything.”
  • Expanded networks: “You open a new world for yourself from CEOs and innovators to policymakers. The Wharton brand opens doors.”
  • Family benefit: She often jokes that the degree is also an investment in the next generation because the network benefits her kids as well as her classmates’ children.
  • Personal growth: “You keep on learning. You stay curious. That matters.”

“Consider it an investment in yourself and in your future influence,” she says. “If you want to lead, if you want a seat at the table, you need the knowledge and confidence to speak the language of business. Wharton gives you that and more.”

By Meghan Laska

Posted: January 5, 2026

EMBA Program

Wharton MBA Program for Executives

Dr. Sarah Minasyan, MD, WG’23
Image Credit: Ascension Healthcare

Cohort: San Francisco

Location: Berkeley, CA

Originally From: Russia

Current Role: Cardiothoracic Surgeon, UC Davis; Clinical Advisory Board Member, HEARTio

Previous Education: UCLA, BS Environmental Biology; University of Southern California, MD

Wharton Stories

Prof. Kent Smetters Challenges EMBA Students to Think Like Economists

Image: Prof. Kent Smetters in conversation with former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan at Perry World House in 2019. (Image Credit: Wharton Magazine)
“We teach you how to think critically, how to use data effectively, and how to adapt. That way, when your industry shifts — and it will — you’ll have the knowledge and skills required to innovate and lead the way forward,” says Prof. Kent Smetters.

At Wharton, Prof. Kent Smetters, the Boettner Chair Professor, is known among EMBA students for teaching one of the program’s most challenging core courses: Managerial Economics. But as one former student says, “It’s hard in the right ways.”

“My goal isn’t to make the course hard just to be hard,” explains Smetters. “It’s about pushing students to think differently.”

Prof. Kent Smetters (Image Credit: The Wharton School)
Prof. Kent Smetters (Image Credit: The Wharton School)

Instead of memorizing formulas, students learn to take a real-world narrative with numbers and data and translate it into an economic model that provides insight. The course teaches them to think through tradeoffs, understand optimization, and apply theory in practical situations.

“That kind of critical thinking is what leaders need in order to make smarter decisions,” he says.

Smetters’ demanding approach reflects his broader philosophy: research and teaching should prepare people not only to understand the world as it is today but also to anticipate how it will change. That perspective comes from a career that bridges academia, public policy, and applied economics.

Engineering a New Kind of Policy Analysis

Smetters grew up in rural Ohio before earning his PhD in economics from Harvard. Rather than immediately pursuing an academic career, he took an unusual path for a new PhD: he went to Washington, DC to work at the Congressional Budget Office. Later, he served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Economic Policy at the U.S. Treasury during the George W. Bush administration, a period that included the aftermath of 9/11, the Enron collapse, and the drafting of Sarbanes-Oxley.

Those experiences gave him a deep appreciation for how policy is made and what changes are needed. “Agencies are sometimes criticized for being biased, but that’s not the case. The problem is that they are very far behind when it comes to modeling.”

That insight ultimately led to the Penn Wharton Budget Model (PWBM), which Smetters now directs. PWBM is a software-engineering-driven shop that builds sophisticated, scalable models of how policies interact across the economy. Policymakers on both sides of the aisle turn to PWBM for analysis that is rigorous, transparent, and trusted.

“What distinguishes us,” Smetters explains, “is that we’re not chasing headlines. We do deeper analysis, and our models are built so others can understand and build on them. It’s modern economics combined with engineering. That’s why we’re trusted across the political spectrum.”

PWBM also offers a free certificate program, giving participants (including some Wharton EMBA graduates) a deeper understanding of policy modeling and fiscal analysis.

Research With Purpose

Smetters’ academic work continues to push boundaries in applied theory, fiscal policy, and finance. His projects range from modeling the long-term effects of Social Security reforms, to analyzing the effectiveness of minimum wage as a redistribution tool, to studying how tax policies affect venture-capital-backed entrepreneurs.

“This work is very math intensive,” he says, “but the purpose is always to make research useful at scale. It’s about solving problems that once seemed too big to model.”

Smetters’ applied approach has earned recognition, including the TIAA Paul A. Samuelson Award for his research on annuitization.

Beyond the Classroom

While Managerial Economics is the main way EMBA students interact with Smetters, he also supervises independent studies.

One standout independent study project involved a student’s exploration of whether wine could become a financial asset class. Using economic and financial modeling, the student discovered how wine auction dynamics correlated with markets and even identified underpriced vintages.

Other projects have ranged from startup concepts to industry-specific analyses, all grounded in applying classroom concepts to real-world questions.

“My role is to help students take the tools they’ve learned and apply them in creative ways,” he explains. “The best projects start with a question that matters to the student and then build an economic and data-driven approach to finding answers.”

A Message to Prospective Students

For prospective students, Smetters offers a candid perspective on Wharton’s EMBA program: “This is the hardest MBA program in the hardest format. You and your household are making a serious investment, and you need to come in with that mindset.”

But the payoff, he emphasizes, is worth it. “Graduates are incredibly satisfied because they know they’ve been pushed hard to grow,” he says. “We don’t just teach you the tools of your trade today, because those will change. We teach you how to think critically, how to use data effectively, and how to adapt. That way, when your industry shifts — and it will — you’ll have the knowledge and skills required to innovate and lead the way forward.”

By Meghan Laska

Posted: December 1, 2025

EMBA Program

Wharton MBA Program for Executives

Prof. Kent Smetters
Image Credit: The Wharton School

Prof. Kent Smetters

Current Position: Boettner Chair Professor and Professor of Insurance and Risk Management (Wharton); Director of the Penn Wharton Budget Model; Faculty in Applied Mathematics and Computational Science (Penn); Faculty Research Fellow, National Bureau of Economic Research

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