That’s what happened for Kali Arnold, owner of Sati Yoga & Wellness, located in the heart of Kirkwood in Atlanta.

“My collaboration with Emory Impact Investing Group has been instrumental in helping me reach my personal and professional goal of creating a Yoga Teacher Training program,” says Arnold. “This would not have been possible without the funding and support I received. Through the Yoga Teacher Training program, we have developed our studio. We now have nine students who will soon become yoga teachers. They will continue to share the healing benefits of yoga with the community. These students will begin to offer free yoga classes this spring, providing accessible yoga for the community.” 

Arnold is one of the latest entrepreneurs to benefit from the robust organization comprised of students from Goizueta Business School’s undergraduate BBA program.

The Power of Microloans

Since its inception in 2014, Emory Impact Investing Group has awarded 24 microloans ranging from $5,000 to $15,000 and helped a bevy of local, early-stage entrepreneurs from historically underserved communities, create strategic moves that have a tangible impact on their businesses and their community. Entrepreneurs who apply go through a rigorous due diligence process for an average of three-to-four months. Then, if approved, it takes a month for funds to be disbursed. Recipients have three years to repay the low interest loans.

From the beginning, research conducted by Peter Roberts, professor of organization and management and founding academic director of Social Enterprise at Goizueta, has influenced the group’s intent to bridge the microbusiness gaps in lower income areas that, historically, don’t have access to resources or financing. “His research showed the importance of small businesses in communities and the impact these businesses can have on the economic prosperity of communities,” says Saanvi Sood 25BBA, the group’s 2024 CEO. “Inspired by this research, a few students started Emory Impact Investing Group and they fully fundraised by themselves, with money from family and friends, to get their first $5000 loan disbursed.”

Building a Lasting Legacy

To celebrate this 10-year milestone, the group’s leadership team made a series of strategic moves of its own.

“We engaged in an extensive fundraising campaign to grow our fund. Then, we fundraised close to $160,000 with a few commitments on the way,” notes Sood. “We were able to go from a $200,000 fund to $360,000 fund.” This total includes a matching gift from Emory, which was supported by Gareth James, the John H. Harland Dean at Goizueta, and spearheaded by Andrea Hershatter, associate professor in the practice of organizations and management, senior associate dean of undergraduate education, and the group’s academic advisor.

Thanks to Goizueta’s strong network, monies raised will allow Emory Impact Investing Group’s fund to sustain in perpetuity. “There should not be a need to ever fundraise again,” Sood says.

In addition, the group hosted a 10-year celebration in November, which included panel discussions with new entrepreneurs who just received loans, and a networking event on Patterson Green, where close to 150 people, including entrepreneurs, advisors, alumni, students and donors, gathered to celebrate.

Student Leadership: The Driving Force

While some things have changed over the years, the group’s team approach to empowering entrepreneurs remains.

“What’s unique about the support Emory Impact Investing Group gives, goes beyond the microloans,” notes Sood. “First, our relationships are long lasting. We help entrepreneurs throughout those three years of repayments. They have a team of students for the entire step of the process. Second, we help them with implementation. We don’t devise a strategy then hand it off to an entrepreneur. Instead, we go further, and make it come to life by applying the strategy to their business and being able to see that tangible impact,” she says.

James Carr can attest to the benefits of working with Emory Impact Investing Group. Carr is founder and CEO of Farmers Jam, a company that makes all natural, fruit-forward cocktail syrups.

Working with Emory Impact Investing Group reinforced our strategy. Explaining it to curious, intelligent students who brought fresh eyes to our business and receiving their buy-in gave me confidence we were moving in the right direction.

James Carr, Founder and CEO, Farmers Jam

“If anything, they helped to enhance and shape our existing strategy and enabled me to focus on what I do best for the business,” says Carr.

In addition, notes Carr, his team urged him to embrace the company’s beginnings. “We started as a jam band of local farmers. Music has played a smaller and smaller part of our business as we’ve grown, but the group encouraged me to highlight the musical elements more often because it is the root of our company, and more people are interested in music than agriculture,” adds Carr. “It opened a new avenue for creativity that we look forward to expanding on.”

A Growing Network

Such strategic insight is why the group has not only grown in influence but in membership. Students apply to join and, if accepted, begin their journey in one of the group’s four branches: Due Diligence, Research, Consulting, or Development. The latter group sources the socially impactful entrepreneurs that eventually join the loan program and builds connections with accelerator partners like Goizueta’s Start:ME Accelerator program as well as other consulting clubs at Emory and local agencies. Last year, the group numbered 240 members strong, making it the largest club at Goizueta and one of the largest at Emory. So far this year, the group totals 140 students.

A fact that brings a chuckle from Brandon Walker 16BBA, an analyst at Coatue Management in New York and co-founder of Emory Impact Investing Group. “We had to beg people to join,” he recalls. On a serious note, Walker, who welcomes the opportunity to advise CEOs when requested, sees the group’s evolution as a testament to the leaders who came after him.

The thing we were really trying to do, beyond the core mission of attacking the small business gap in Atlanta with inexpensive debt, was to establish a group on campus where the most entrepreneurial and high-potential students would want to join—where they had license to make an impact on the group. I think that has been the coolest part of watching the group grow.

Brandon Walker 16BBA, founding member, Emory Impact Investing Group

Walker adds that while the founders “had some good initial success, what has allowed the group to stand for over 10 years is that every year the baton of CEO has passed to an incredible student, and they have driven it to the next height, and the next height, and the next height.”

“That’s why Emory Impact Investing Group is what it is today,” adds Walker. “Not just because there was a group of great founders, but more so because there’s been a cascade of awesome student CEOs.”

Walker also notes that the impact of building the group as they tackled real-world problems continues to pay dividends. Not only did his experience give him confidence in his own ideas and ability to execute, but he learned “the simple Xs and Os of a business model,” which, as a hedge fund analyst, “is very valuable for evaluating the quality of a business and whether or not the business is failing or working or anything in between.”

Indeed, Gina Wang 26BBA finds great value in leading the due diligence process for Emory Impact Investing Group last year. Not only did working with entrepreneurs strengthen her ability to assess a business, but it enhanced her skillset, enabling her to lead the group as its CEO for 2025.

“Over the past three years, I’ve definitely strengthened a lot of skills like communications,” Wang says. “It’s vital to constantly keep your audience in mind and be able to switch viewpoints. When you are talking to entrepreneurs, they have different backgrounds and experiences than where you come from. This is something I learned throughout the experience.”

Similarly, Sood’s four years with Emory Impact Investing Group have provided an incredible experiential learning opportunity that’s resulted in a depth of understanding in finance, business, and leadership. She’ll use this knowledge as an associate with Boston Consulting Group upon graduation.

From the beginning, Emory Impact Investing Group has attracted outstanding student leaders. In turn, their real-world experience with the organization has enhanced and informed their careers. Among the BBA alumni who helped shape the group are Casey Rhode 17BBA (CEO 2017), chief strategy officer at OneOncology; Jonathan Ross 24BBA (CEO 2023), business analyst, McKinsey & Company; Jonathan Moore 18BBA (CEO 2018), advisor for TCG; Christopher Kusumonegoro 22BBA (CEO 2020-2021), program assistant with Arabella Advisors; and Priyanka Desai 20BBA (COO 2020), senior manager strategic finance at Nexus Circular.

Looking Ahead

Today, Sood notes that extending the group’s impact remains a strategic focus. Last year, she and the executive board worked to find ways to help applicants who were denied a loan. This included tapping community partnerships with organizations both within Emory—like Consult Your Community, a Goizueta club that offers pro bono consulting for small businesses—and beyond, to accelerators in Atlanta or government entities and organizations, to offer resources to the entrepreneurs.

“If we reject an entrepreneur, we will refer them to those resources. It improves their chances of receiving a loan,” she says.

Sood adds it’s very common for entrepreneurs to be denied loans, referred to resources, then return to apply again. “Even after being denied a loan, people still have faith in the program. They are willing to apply again and feel comfortable making that decision again.”

Moving forward, Sood and Wang are united in their vision for the future: staying true to the group’s mission and ensuring the organization remains accessible to all students.

Wang stresses the importance of “reaching more of our community and maximizing our impact within our membership.” Specifically, “We want to ensure we provide a great experience for every student. Regardless of assignment, we want to make sure they all work well together. I would love to see this sustained and carried further in the next 10 years.”

Join Emory Impact Investing Group in empowering small businesses and fostering lasting community impact. Learn more about EIIG’s mission and how you can get involved.

The post Emory Impact Investing Group: Celebrating 10 years of Influence and Impact appeared first on EmoryBusiness.com.

Their backgrounds span B2C and B2B exposure and include wealth management, consulting, and manufacturing operations. Both bring a deep knowledge of business and energy to the strategic initiatives of the board, which includes student engagement and the alumni mentor program.

The alumni board welcomes:

Matthew Liebman 00BBA is founding partner and CEO at Amplius Wealth Advisors in Blue Bell, PA. His experience as a research analyst, portfolio manager, and hedge fund manager along with a deep knowledge of asset allocation theory and behavioral finance, provides a unique perspective for his clients as he guides them toward their financial goals.

Matt Sobieski 14EvMBA combines a wealth of experience from companies such as McKinsey & Company, Equifax, and Lockheed Martin in his current role as Vice President and Head of Operations at Interstate Cargo. In this capacity, he leads a team across 4 plants who manufacture vehicles for customers throughout the US. An intentional and strategic leader, he is passionate about continuous improvement, giving back, and helping people achieve their full potential.

The two alumni joined the board midsemester and are acclimating to their new roles.

“I have been very impressed by the passion and commitment of the board members to the Goizueta and broader Emory communities,” notes Liebman.

Indeed, the generosity of the board is no surprise to Lindsay Topping, managing senior director of Alumni Engagement. “The Goizueta Alumni Board not only share their expertise, stay connected to the school, and strengthen the Goizueta network, but they make a positive impact as well,” she says.

The group’s executive committee for the 2024-25 academic year is David Israel Mendez 15MBA, president; Ari Rollnick 97C 01MBA, vice president; Rashida Burnham 14MBA, secretary; and Jason Payton 12EvMBA, past president.

Other members of the board include:

Qaadirah Abdur-Rahim 11EMBA
Jessica Chod 09MBA/JD
Willie Choi 11PhD
Tyler Ewing 05BBA
Alonzo Ford 09EMBA
Willi Freire 19BBA
Jason Harlow 10BBA 14MBA
Katie Hoole 23MBA
Emily Anne Jacobstein 13MBA
Graham Jaenicke 14MBA
Ted Kim 97BBA
Lauren McGlory 16MBA
John Paul “JP” Ortiz 18MBA
Carrie Schonberg 97C 03MBA
Sam Shabbir 21EMBA
Angelique Stewart 18EMBA
Ainsley TeGrotenhuis 05MBA
Trey Winter 20EMBA

Did you know that your Goizueta alumni network is 25,000 global members strong? Find out more about how you can volunteer with Goizueta, engage with fellow alumni, access career resources, and invest in the future of Goizueta. Reach out to one of the advancement and alumni engagement team members at gbsalumni@emory.edu.

The post New Goizueta Alumni Board Members Strengthen Impact appeared first on EmoryBusiness.com.

Their backgrounds straddle business, AI, human resources, and sustainability, bringing with them a wealth of experience and energy to the strategic initiatives of the board.

“Working closely with the Goizueta Alumni Board, I am always heartened by their level of commitment to the broader community and desire to stay involved with the school,” says Lindsay Topping, managing senior director of alumni engagement. “Our alumni base ranges in fields and expertise, from entrepreneurs, consultants, finance and analytics experts, leaders in every way.”

When those alumni elect to join the board and channel all that collected wisdom back to the school, they’re not only offering students invaluable resources, they are strengthening the network while influencing the future of business.

Lindsay Topping, Managing Senior Director of Alumni Engagement

The alumni board welcomes the following members for the 2024-25 academic year:

Katie Hoole 23MBA

Hoole leverages her master’s in education and MBA as a senior program manager, Amazon University Talent Acquisition in Arlington, Virginia. In this role, she leads global intern offboarding.

John Paul “JP” Ortiz 18MBA

Ortiz is an account executive for Google U.S. Education. He spends his free time traveling between Atlanta and Costa Rica where he is a conservation entrepreneur and writer for his newsletter (launching soon), The Wall Green Journal, where he discusses his experiences with regenerative living, green business, shamanism, and plant medicines.

Sam Shabbir 21EMBA

Shabbir is the Director of Revenue Growth Management at The Coca-Cola Company, where he leads the Nutrition and Sparkling portfolios. He focuses on long-term retail strategy, promotions, and strategizing sources of growth for his portfolio. Originally from Pakistan, Shabbir completed his undergraduate studies in the U.K. He is an avid Arsenal fan who loves traveling around the world and has pursued his education and work experience across three different continents.

The group’s executive committee for the 2024-25 academic year is David Israel Mendez 15MBA, president; Ari Rollnick 97C 01MBA, vice president; Rashida Burnham 14MBA, secretary; and Jason Payton 12EvMBA,  past president.

Other members include:

• Qaadirah Abdur-Rahim 11EMBA
• Jessica Chod 09MBA/JD
• Willie Choi 11PhD
• Tyler Ewing 05BBA
• Alonzo Ford 09EMBA
• Willi Freire 19BBA
• Jason Harlow 10BBA 14MBA
• Emily Anne Jacobstein 13MBA
• Graham Jaenicke 14MBA
• Ted Kim 97BBA
• Lauren McGlory 16MBA
• Juan Pablo Sabillon 20BBA
• Carrie Schonberg 97C 03MBA
• Angelique Stewart 18EMBA
• Ainsley TeGrotenhuis 05MBA
• Aaron Weiner 15BBA
• Trey Winter 20EMBA

Did you know that your Goizueta alumni network is 25,000 global members strong? Find out more about how you can volunteer with Goizueta, engage with fellow alumni, access career resources, and invest in the future of Goizueta. Reach out to one of the advancement and alumni engagement team members at gbsalumni@emory.edu.

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Our faculty showcase the breadth of innovation and thought leadership that equips our students for an ever-changing marketplace.

Gareth James, John H. Harland Dean of Goizueta Business School

Goizueta Business School is pleased to welcome the following faculty members for the 2024/25 academic year.

Faculty

Tucker Balch: Professor in the Practice and Research of Finance

Tucker Balch’s work lies at the intersection of AI and finance. He holds a bachelor’s degree and PhD in computer science from Georgia Institute of Technology. In addition, he’s held research and teaching positions at Carnegie Mellon University and the Georgia Institute of Technology, where he was a tenured full professor. A prolific author and inventor, he has published over 115 peer-reviewed research papers and filed 40 patents.

In the financial industry, Balch served as managing director of AI Research for JP Morgan Chase. Since 2019, he helped create and grow the research team, applying machine learning, cryptography, and synthetic data for finance to business problems. Further, he’s a successful startup co-founder of Lucena Research (now Neuravest) in the alternative data for investing space. Always innovating, he is an online education pioneer, developing and teaching massive online open courses (MOOCs) including, “Computational Investing” and “Machine Learning for Trading.” Prior to his research career, Balch served as an F-15 pilot in the U.S. Air Force.

Jake Jo 15BBA: Assistant Professor in the Practice of Organization and Management

A 2015 BBA alum, Jo received his PhD in management from The McCombs School of Business at The University of Texas at Austin. In 2021, he returned to Goizueta as a postdoctoral fellow in organization and management, where he taught organizational behavior and negotiations.

His research explores the psychological processes behind how people form their informal social networks. Specifically, he works in two areas: one, examining the ways individuals think about who they should connect with and two, how their approaches to forming social connections differ based on their identity groups. His work has been published in top academic outlets including Journal of Applied Psychology.

Brian Jonghwan Lee: Assistant Professor of Finance

Brian Jonghwan Lee completed his PhD in finance at Columbia Business School in 2024. Prior to his PhD, he received his undergraduate degree in economics and statistics from Carnegie Mellon University and subsequently held research positions at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis and the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

His research areas include corporate finance and household finance, delving into topics such as credit score inequality and bankruptcy. An avid soccer fan, Lee grew up in Seoul, Korea, and Athens, Georgia.

Dionne Nickerson: Assistant Professor of Marketing

Dionne Nickerson’s research focuses on the impact of sustainability, corporate social responsibility, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) on marketing strategy. Her work has been published in Harvard Business Review, Journal of Marketing, and Journal of Marketing Channels. In 2024, she was a finalist for the AMA Foundation Robert Lusch Early Career Research Award.

Nickerson was born and raised on Chicago’s South Side. She earned her PhD from the Georgia Institute of Technology. Also, she holds an AB in engineering (Brown University) and an MBA (Providence College). Prior to joining Goizueta, she was a faculty member at the Kelley School of Business, Indiana University, Bloomington. A former technology consultant, Nickerson advised clean technology start-ups funded through the EPA’s Small Business Innovation Research program on marketing strategy, and taught English through the Teaching Assistant Program in France (TAPIF).

Post Doctoral Fellows

Jared Scruggs: Organization and Management

Jared Scruggs received his PhD (2024) and MS (2022) in management from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. His research broadly addresses justice and equity at work and reflects both societal and organizational influences. Specifically, he examines how these elements shape employee attitudes, well-being, and behaviors, using a variety of methodologies, including field and online surveys and experiments, archival datasets, and natural-language processing.

Excerpts of his dissertation on “The Rejection of ‘Work as Worth,’” won the 2023 Academy of Management William H. Newman Award and the OB Division’s Most Innovative Student Paper. In addition, Scruggs has undergraduate degrees in psychology and neuroscience along with Portuguese from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Prior to academia, he worked as an international payroll specialist at CloudPay Solutions.

Maoyu Zhang: Information Systems and Operations Management

Prior to this appointment, Maoyu Zhang was a visiting scholar at Goizueta. She completed her PhD in statistics from the Institute of Statistics and Big Data at Renmin University of China (RUC) in 2024. Her research involves the statistical analysis of networks, graphs, and tensor data, with applications in business, neuroscience, and social science. In addition, she is interested in statistical depth and its applications. Recently, her paper “Learning Brain Connectivity in Social Cognition with Dynamic Network Regression,” was published in the Annals of Applied Statistics. Earlier in her career, Zhang received a bachelor’s degree in mathematics, applied mathematics, and economics from Central China Normal University.

Goizueta faculty apply their expertise and knowledge to solving problems that society—and the world—face. Learn more about faculty research at Goizueta.

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For someone who once thought college was out of reach, Jonathan Gomez Martinez 19C 24PhD knows how to take advantage of every opportunity that comes his way.  

Years ago, his older brother was accepted to college and then couldn’t go due to financial constraints. So, Gomez Martinez spent his high school years building on his computer skills and focused on job readiness.

But several events would change the trajectory of his career. He scored well on standardized tests, benefitted from a persistent high school career counselor, and received help from two nonprofits.

This month, Gomez Martinez receives his second degree from Emory University. He graduates from Goizueta Business School with a PhD in Information Systems and Operations Management. This fall, he moves to the West Coast to begin teaching as an assistant professor of data sciences and operations at the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business.

The irony of his position is not lost on him.

“Despite the fact I thought I wouldn’t go to school, I ended up getting my choice of schools for undergraduate then decided to pursue a PhD. Now, I will be teaching at a school,” he muses.

Early Passion for Computers Sparks Academic Journey

The road to Emory, much less obtaining a doctorate degree, was far from a straight line Gomez Martinez. His interest in computers, however, began early.  

For his eighth birthday, he surprised his parents by asking for a computer. His fascination for making the computer “do stuff,” led him to dive into Excel. It resulted in a side hustle by the time he reached his late middle school and high school years. For a fee, he would perform statistical analysis for clients, selling his services on Craigslist.

“Customers didn’t know how old I was, and there was no Zoom,” he says.

His computer prowess grew in high school. There, he learned programming and SAS, statistical software, which combines programming with data. He and a classmate even presented a poster at the SAS Global Forum, a major conference in the industry.

“Most people were just interested in our age, not the project,” he says of the experience. “In hindsight, it makes sense. Nobody is going to believe our stats.”

Chasing a Dream

Even with his academic success, the goal remained to graduate and get a job. Born in Mexico, Gomez Martinez came to the United States with his mother and siblings in 2000, joining his father. Their move fulfilled one of his father’s dreams. He had become enamored with the American education system, and had been working in the United States already—saving to create a home for the family in North Carolina. While Gomez Martinez’s parents stressed the importance of education, financing college was out of reach.

His high school counselor would guide Gomez Martinez to resources that would open doors for him. These included Golden Door Scholars, which is an organization for undocumented students, and QuestBridge, a nonprofit that connects the nation’s most exceptional, low-income youth with leading colleges and opportunities.

“Between the two organizations, I could apply to schools for free,” he says. “So, I just applied to both programs, and to eight partner schools for each of them. If I got matched with either organization and a partner school, I would get a full ride. At the end of the day, I ended up with my choice of full rides.”

Ultimately, he chose Emory for its innovation and research. A visit to campus during Essence of Emory helped seal the deal. The invitation-only program is for admitted students from underrepresented backgrounds with high academic achievement, just like Gomez Martinez.

Finding His Own Path on the Academic Journey

The transition to college wasn’t easy, especially since his high school focused on work readiness, not college preparedness. But some soul-searching and extra-curricular events would help in his adjustment. Gomez Martinez began to make friends and took on leadership roles in Emory’s Jiu-Jitsu club. He also began dating a girlfriend who supported his study habits, and he immersed himself in a new quantitative theory program.

Originally, Gomez Martinez wanted to focus on computer science. However, the theoretical classes and math weren’t his favorite. Enter Cliff Carrubba, Samuel Candler Dobbs Professor and department chair for Quantitative Theory and Methods—or QTM. Carrubba pitched there was going to be a big market for data scientists. He said the new QTM program would equip undergraduate students for jobs that used to require a higher degree.

“I was still thinking workforce preparedness. So, if I could get a master’s degree job after four years, that seemed like a good deal,” he adds.

The program offered Gomez Martinez the perfect balance. It involved a variety of coursework, including bioinformatics, calculus, regression analysis, data structure, and algorithms, along with artificial intelligence, with room to “churn through computer science courses.”  

A Mentor Lights the Way

The search for an internship would introduce him to Goizueta Business School.

My friends in consulting told me I needed to get an internship after my junior year because that opens up the door for full-time jobs.

Jonathan Gomez Martinez

The problem was he didn’t know how to approach the search. Specifically, his computer science colleagues all wanted to work for Google. However, Gomez Martinez had other plans in mind.

With nothing to lose, he turned to the business school and “threw a hail Mary.” He sent a cold email for help to Ramnath Chellappa, professor of information systems and operations management and associate dean and academic director, MS in Business Analytics.

The two would hit it off, and Gomez Martinez would become Chellappa’s teaching assistant for the business analytics program and, later, his research assistant.

At this point, [Professor Chellappa] was already talking to me about getting a PhD, but in my mind, the goal was to get a job.

Jonathan Gomez Martinez

Plus, Gomez Martinez had landed an internship with Equifax, the global data, analytics, and technology company, which had an interesting problem for him to solve. Still, Chellappa advised him to keep an open mind and to take the GRE.

Changing Course

The internship would provide another course correction. Gomez Martinez was tasked to help ensure the company didn’t suffer another security breach.  

“The Equifax internship was really cool for about a month,” Gomez Martinez says.

That’s when I finished the project, and they didn’t have another project. I think they expected it to take me a lot longer.

Jonathan Gomez Martinez

Indeed, a year before, a team of students had attempted to solve the problem but didn’t get far. With nothing more pressing to do than run reports, Gomez Martinez spent the down time studying for the GRE.

When he returned to campus from summer break, Gomez Martinez shared the experience with his mentor. “So, are we doing this?” Chellappa asked.

At that point, I said, ‘If y’all will pay me to stay at school for a while. Sure, why not?’

Jonathan Gomez Martinez

Decision made, he set off for the latest path in his journey.

Notes Gomez Martinez: “When I started the program, I took a research seminar where we would discuss papers with the dean of the program, which at that time was Kathryn Kadous, Schaefer Chaired Professor of Accounting. After submitting our first paper for the semester, her answer was something along the lines of ‘Jonathan, this is a lovely essay, but this is not what research is about.’ I always remember that. It was such a small thing, but she was there to redirect me at just the right time.”

Pursuing Impactful Work

Over the years, several faculty members at Goizuteta helped him refine his research and hone in on an area of focus. In addition to Chellappa, Gomez Martinez lists Anand Swaminathan, Roberto C. Goizueta Chair of Organization & Management as instrumental in this process. “I feel the two of them have co-parented me into learning what research is,” he adds.

Currently, he is working with Emma Zhang, associate professor of information systems and operations management, “who is helping me with statistical methods for modeling how users interact online across multiple social media platforms,” he says.

Gomez Martinez wants his work to have impact. His research examines the unintended consequences of digital platform strategy. In addition, he is exploring the social cost of AI-based automation, Microsoft’s release strategy, Apple’s privacy policy, and the efficacy of content moderation.

Examples of his work include a paper with Chellappa entitled “Content Moderation and AI: Impact on Minority Communities,” which explores the use of AI in social media. Specifically, the research examines how X (formerly Twitter), could disadvantage LGBTQ+ users, or other groups, by automatically censoring certain words or phrases that are deemed bias, but may, in fact, be ways in which a particular group interacts with each other. A possible result, Gomez Martinez shared in an Emory Business article, is that some voices might not be truly heard or “…You start reinforcing biases because you are using a time-saving technology that is not equipped yet to understand the complexity and nuance of human interaction.”

In addition, his research project with Chellappa entitled “Platform Policy Changes: Impact of Auto Moderation on Minority Community Rights,” has received two awards. The work received first place in the 2023 INFORMS DEI Best Student Paper Award competition and runner-up for the Workshop on Information Systems and Economics (WISE) 2023 Best Student Paper Award.

Ultimately, Gomez Martinez notes, “I would like to either start working directly with platforms to see how their methods, in particular, can be readjusted or work with government entities in order to determine what a path forward should look like in determining legal liability and [other issues surrounding] platforms and AI.”

For now, he plans to spend the months between graduation and starting his new role at USC pursuing his research.

“I look forward to continuing to enjoy the remainder of my doctoral program and pushing out ongoing research in preparation for my new role in Los Angeles.”

The future of business education is here, and it’s bold. Goizueta has transformed the traditional classroom into a dynamic digital ecosystem with virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), artificial intelligence (AI), and holographic capabilities. Learn more about innovation at Goizueta here.

Interested in pursuing a business degree? Learn more about the unique programs Goizueta has to offer.

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When it came time for Henry Fumbah 24EvMBA to change the trajectory of his career, he knew an MBA would prepare him to be a leader in Corporate America.

The native Atlantan, born to Liberian parents, didn’t have to look too far to find the perfect school.

The name Goizueta, it holds rank, as does the network that comes with it. Choosing Emory just made sense.

Henry Fumbah 24EvMBA

Naturally, Fumbah (pronounced Foomba) did his due diligence. He spoke with admissions counselors and alumni. These included several colleagues at Boston Consulting Group (BCG), where he is a senior financial analyst.

“One of my BCG mentors, while he wasn’t a Goizueta alum, mentioned Emory as a top school that I should look into. Those types of conversations were very inspiring. They definitely played a large part in my decision to not only get my MBA, but to come to Goizueta,” he said.

Decision made, Fumbah continued to work in corporate finance at BCG while strategizing how best to optimize the graduate school experience. Ultimately, he chose a similar tactic to the one he used at Georgia Southern University for undergraduate studies.

The Path to an MBA

Growing up Fumbah had a love for numbers. Math was always his favorite subject and, in high school, he was a member of the National Honor Society. Still, when he entered undergrad, he didn’t declare a major and instead chose pre-business as a placeholder until he made a final decision.

It wasn’t until the prerequisite accounting class that all business students had to take that I decided this is where I was going. This is the path.

Henry Fumbah

“I learned those foundational accounting skills. I learned that I was very good at it, and I enjoyed accounting.”

With a degree in accounting and a minor in finance, he went on to get a master’s degree in management information systems from Kennesaw State University. Then, he took a job as a fund accounting associate at Trident Trust. A year later, wanting to tackle more future facing analyses, he joined BCG as a finance specialist in 2018. After rising in the ranks of BCG, he was ready to explore the next stage of his career.

The Balancing Act: Managing School and Career

Fumbah entered Goizueta Business School’s Evening MBA program with an open mind and a willingness to let the path forward reveal itself.

“I knew it was a three-year program and I wasn’t going to expedite it at all,” he says. “So, I said, let me just get in. I’ll get involved, meet people, have fun, and figure out what I am doing here.”

Among the adjustments was learning to manage work and school.

It was definitely a challenge, but a doable challenge.

Henry Fumbah

“And kudos to those students who have families,” says Fumbah. “As someone with no family or kids of my own yet, it was still a challenge for me.”

“Just trying to space things out and plan ahead, plus doing your due diligence was enough. You have to make sure that you are taking care of your schoolwork. However, you also have to take care of your personal and professional life.”

To manage, Fumbah used time blocking, scheduling time for coursework, a flex day, and Friday nights for fun with friends. Also, he shared his school schedule with everyone, including his line managers. “Class days change every semester. So, I would say, ‘Hey, these are days I need to leave 30 minutes to an hour earlier. If anything arises, I will make up the work in the morning or the next day.’”

Fumbah acknowledges that not everyone works for a company that offers such a supportive environment.

From Classroom to Consulting

Once in the groove of the program, Fumbah began to focus on the subject areas that resonated with him. What bubbled to the top was consulting.

A key component in this decision was the IMPACT experiential learning class. It’s a semester long consulting project where students work with real clients on real business problems.

“That class gave me the foundation and basic skillsets I needed in order to be a successful consultant,” he says.

I learned how to frame a problem, how to structure the problem-solving processes, and how to take an analysis and synthesize a good recommendation for our client.

Henry Fumbah

In addition to aiding him in learning the language of consulting, Fumbah says the course helped with his “case-study skills.” Ultimately, it prepared him to showcase this skillset during interviews with consulting firms.

Fumbah used these skills, along with help from Goizueta’s MBA Career Management Center, to secure a new role as an Associate with ScottMadden Management Consultants. His new job and career pivot begins on July 1, in the firm’s Atlanta office.

Enriching Experience

Reflecting on his experience at Goizueta, Fumbah can’t say enough about the life-long friendships he’s built with his classmates or the willingness of alumni to offer advice about consulting. Plus, there are other impactful courses that offer lessons he will use moving forward.

Fumbah’s always been interested in buying a business versus creating something from scratch. So, the course Entrepreneurial Private Equity: Perspectives from Practitioners, proved particularly insightful. The class is taught by David Panton, global private equity investor and adjunct professor at Goizueta, and Klaas Baks, professor in the practice of finance and executive director of the Center for Alternative Investments. Fumbah also participated in the Peachtree Minority Venture Fund. The $1 million student-run venture capital organization focuses on empowering underrepresented founders.

We invest in businesses across the nation to help get them started and on their way. I am proud to say that the company I pitched in spring of 2023 received a $25K investment.

Henry Fumbah

“That was an amazing experience,” he says. “My team and I pitched the vision to the Investment Committee, led by JB Kurish, professor in the practice of finance and a Business & Society Institute faculty advisor. We really worked hard to secure the funds for that company.”

Taking Flight: Pursuing Passions Beyond the Classroom

Going forward, Fumbah is excited to recover some of his free time as his final classes draw to a close. He enjoys the variety of festivals Atlanta offers this time of year, and he’s joined an intermural basketball team to reconnect with playing sports. And yes, he’s even practicing his golf swing.

In addition to spending more time with family and friends, he is keeping in mind a childhood dream: to become a pilot.

“I’ve always loved airplanes since I was a young child. That passion has never gone away. In fact, on my resume, I state that I’m planning to get my private pilot’s license. So, now I have to go do it!”

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The post Meet Goizueta: Henry Fumbah Evening MBA appeared first on EmoryBusiness.com.

Tullier, pronounced Tu-lee-ay, is an Auburn, Alabama native, whose love of sports and numbers defined his early years.

“We definitely grew up sports fans,” he says. Tullier notes his parents went to grad school at Auburn University and attending collegiate games was a family staple. “I played baseball. My sister, who is three years older,  played softball, and my older brother ran track and played soccer. My upbringing was sports.”

First Steps Toward Forensics

But it was his quantitative side that led him to take an accounting class in high school. This set him on a course that would eventually lead to Emory University.

“My career tech teacher, Miss Fargason, was so inspirational and charismatic” that a career as an accountant looked exciting. She then introduced him to DECA, an organization that prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for college and careers.

“She signed me up for an online forensic accounting competition with DECA. At the time, I knew nothing about forensic accounting. But she told me I would be good at it,” he says, adding,  “And I finished first in the state.”

Forensic accountants investigate fraud or financial manipulation through detailed research and analysis. With the DECA win, he began searching for colleges that would ensure his placement at a Big 4 accounting firm.  Emory was always high on his list.

I really chose Emory because of the business school faculty. I looked at the research papers and organizations they are involved in.

Jack Tullier

“The second dimension was Emory’s involvement in the Atlanta community, which I think is so special,” Tullier notes.

Diving In

Indeed, Tullier was quick to get involved on campus and in the community during his two years at Oxford College of Emory University.

Through Oxford’s Community and Engaged Learning classes, students take what they learn in class and apply it in the community. They often serve as tutors, mentors, counselors, and advocates for children and adults at community agencies, schools, and child care centers.

“I volunteered once a week at the Washington Street Community Center. It’s an after-school program that focuses on reading and math skills for students in the Oxford, GA area,” he says.

“I was pretty intimidated the first time I had 44 sets of eyes on me, staring me down,” he adds.

It ended up being one of the most rewarding things I’ve done in my life. The impact you can have on these kids is incredible.

Jack Tullier

Tullier would eventually work closely with three students who struggled with standardized tests. It turns out they couldn’t read the directions. “We worked and worked, and they got better,” he says.

He struggles to explain why this experience was so impactful.

“Being from Auburn, you are only exposed to so much. I found myself in an area with a little lower socioeconomic status. Those kids are not coming from the same background as you are,” he explains. “And you get to experience them in their environment. It was so special.”

For instance, he asked why the 4 p.m. snack seemed more like a meal than a snack. “I had formed a relationship with the administrators. So, I could ask questions, and they would be brutally honest with me. So, I asked, ‘Why do they have such big snacks?’ And they said, ‘We don’t know if these kids eat at home.’”

Farming, Finance, and Faculty Mentors

This is just one of many exchanges that widened his perspective on life and work. Tullier also spent five months working on an Enterprise Budget project for Oxford Organic Farm. Not only did he help work the land, but in conjunction with a faculty member and the farm’s director, he helped analyze revenues, costs, and economic profit for the farm’s specialty lettuce product.

“This was all pre-business classes. It was a cool way to get a first-hand understanding of where revenues come from. I learned about what things cost and what makes up economic calculations,” he says.

Tullier would go on to receive the Johnston—Life of Georgia Scholarship. The award is given to one graduating student of Oxford College who is transitioning to Goizueta Business School.

Since his acceptance into the BBA program, Tullier is pursuing a concentration in organization and management and a Master of Professional Accounting degree. He’s immersed himself in school and studies. He still volunteers and serves as a teaching assistant for Tonya Smalls, assistant professor in the practice of accounting, and Jeffrey Byrne, assistant professor in the practice of accounting and director of Master of Professional Accounting.

Another faculty member whose made a significant impact on his college career is Usha Rackliffe, associate professor in the practice of accounting; associate dean and academic director for Master in Management.

She was my tax professor and is my main mentor. She and Jeff Byrne have been my two rocks when it comes to solidifying what I want to do. They have encouraged me to figure out what I am uniquely good at and what are my capabilities.

Jack Tullier

Tullier needed this type of guidance as a focus on forensics normally comes later in a career, after years as a tax accountant or auditor. Indeed, he had to choose between tax and audit in the Goizueta program. He selected the audit path, as it provides a foundation to the investigative and analytical work needed in forensics.

In Goizueta’s undergraduate BBA program, each accounting class builds on another, ensuring retention. This structure, the influence of psychology in the organization and management curriculum, and a desire to prep for his internship prompted Tullier to begin reading up on how firms discover fraud.

The Psychology of Fraud

According to Tullier, many practitioners look to psychology and, increasingly, to research on “The Dark Triad.” This refers to a collection of three personality types—narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy—that pose a specifically heightened risk to audit procedures and fraud risk assessments. Individuals with one of these traits are more likely, on average, to commit fraud or those who have committed fraud, possess these personality traits, he notes.

Thus, Tullier is researching how implementing a personality assessment aspect into a fraud investigation might make pinpointing persons of interest within an organization easier. Also, he is exploring how well the fraud triangle of opportunity, incentive, then rationalization holds up when someone with one of the Dark Triad personalities morphs into a fraud predator, needing only one leg of the triangle—the opportunity to commit fraud. Reconciling the intricacies of psychology, personality, and fraud will no doubt offer him the type of challenge he craves.

But first, he’ll get a taste of professional accounting as an intern in EY’s Atlanta office of Forensic & Integrity Services, Summer 2024. Normally, interns work in the tax or audit departments In fact, he was offered an internship in the audit department, but took a chance and asked the recruiter if he could meet with the forensics team. The recruiter relented, and the rest, as they say, is history.

“I interviewed and I got it,” he says. “I am super excited.”

It’s been emotional because its full circle. My journey started with that forensic accounting competition, and I feel like I finally made it with getting this forensic offer.

Jack Tullier

When he’s not delving into the psychological profiles of fraudsters, Tullier can be found running at the Lullwater Preserve, playing tennis, volunteering, or visiting the Michael C. Carlos Museum, to satisfy his deep interest in art history and ancient non-Western art.

At Goizueta Business School, we’re in the business of creating powerful leaders. Learn how Goizueta’s undergraduate BBA program can help prepare you to tackle any challenge, anywhere, in any field.

The post Dual BBA/MPA Student Pursues Career in Forensic Accounting appeared first on EmoryBusiness.com.