“Everything we have has massive amounts of data,” he says. “No matter what company you’re with, no matter which industry you’re in. We have a lot of information that can really help us understand our clients and improve our customer service. It’s all about how you can use that data, extract value from it, and use it to your advantage.”

Born and raised in Mexico, Suarez started playing competitive tennis at the age of three. He originally aspired to be a professional tennis player. However, at 18 years old, he chose to attend Georgia Southern for his college education. There, he majored in supply chain management while playing NCAA Division I tennis for the Eagles.

After graduating, Suarez worked in the supply chain industry as a global logistics specialist for Interra International.

“I realized there was so much data that wasn’t being looked at by the company,” he says. “Just by looking at data we could have solved so many issues. That led me to pursue my Master’s in Business Analytics at Emory.”

Suarez came into Goizueta with no coding experience. He says he was excited to pick up technical skills through the 10-month MS in Business Analytics (MSBA) program. As he progressed through his master’s program, he increasingly saw merit in using data to make predictions and add value to business.

The MSBA program was great because it gave me an opportunity to learn more about myself. Data science is pretty broad, and there’s so many different branches of it, and I was able to learn which ones I liked.

Santiago Suarez 22MSBA

While at Emory, Suarez used his fifth year of athletic eligibility due to COVID-19 to play for the tennis team. He says the sport gave him a nice mental break during his intensive studies. Suarez also served as an MSBA admissions ambassador. This gave him the opportunity to speak to prospective students about his experience in the program and at Emory.

Following graduation, Suarez joined Truist, first in a retail analytics internship and later in an 18-month rotational program, where he currently works.

“Every day is a new adventure with new problems to solve.”

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

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“I was just thinking to myself, ‘There’s nothing you can do to make me leave here,’” he says. “It was an out of body experience to watch that magic happen.”

Watching rehearsals is one of Kovac’s favorite perks of his job as the Recording Academy’s chief of staff. He says nothing compares to the unfiltered beauty of artists preparing to share their art with the world on music’s biggest night. “You see musicians who have been in this business for decades still fine tuning songs and playing around with things.”

It has, too, taken him years to perfect his craft as a business professional.

An Entrepreneurial Education and a Background in Business

Emory was the first university Kovac visited on his tour of colleges. He appreciated its fantastic facilities and the unlikelihood of snow. And, after meeting some students who offered to show him around, Emory quickly climbed to the top of his list.

It wasn’t just southern hospitality, it was Emory’s version of it. I left there thinking, ‘This place is incredible.’

Michael Kovac

Kovac pursued a business degree in entrepreneurship and decision information analysis while in the BBA program at Goizueta. He reflects that Goizueta was ahead of its time in offering such a program. Kovac says he has always been curious about what data exists and what story it tells. Now, many businesses strive toward data-driven decision making—a skill that has served him at every job in his career.

After graduating, Kovac worked in consulting for Deloitte and later Sony Pictures Entertainment. After a few years and lots of traveling, he decided he wanted a creative outlet. He was specifically looking for one that would allow him to tap into his love of photography. A gig with Getty Images allowed him to do just that. Kovac was a consultant by day, and an entertainment photographer by night.

After years of shooting various events, premieres, and red carpets in Los Angeles, Kovac developed a relationship with the Recording Academy. His knowledge of the Academy proved beneficial when he had the opportunity to meet then-Interim CEO Harvey Mason Jr.. He was looking to build a team to transform and level up the 65-year-old organization. Mason Jr. brought Kovac on board in March 2020, at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, to help him realize his vision.

Beyond the GRAMMYs: A Mission in Music

Kovac’s first order of business was to help marshal the Academy’s efforts to support its charitable arm, MusiCares. In just a few months, with the MusiCares chair, Steve Boom, the organization raised and distributed more than $37.5 million to music individuals in need.

“We’re best known for the GRAMMYs—three and a half hours a year—but during those other 364 days a year, the Recording Academy is a busy mission-driven organization,” Kovac says.

Since we arrived, in our DNA is a very strong bias for action. We support music and the people who make it because we know the value and power of music and what it means to the world. I don’t know if there’s a better job than that.

Michael Kovac

In addition to MusiCares, the Academy has an educational focus through the GRAMMY Museum and GRAMMY U, a program that helps develop the next generation of music creators and professionals. Through their advocacy department in Washington, Kovac says they are also actively working to restore artistic protection with the RAP Act, championing creators, and fighting for the well-being and lives of those in the industry.

Kovac says each day that he strives to amplify the power of music and that he and his team consider: How can we do more? How can we be better?

“The Recording Academy’s role is to be in service to the music community and to recognize excellence, and that’s what we get to do every day,” Kovac says. “I hope to help grow our mission and to be able to serve more people—a more diverse, global base of people. Music transcends borders, and it brings people together. It helps us understand each other better. Through music, we are doing the work to make this world a better place.”

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

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Lieutenant General USA (Ret.) Ken Keen began his journey at Goizueta Business School in 2013. That’s when he first accepted the new position of associate dean of leadership. Since then, he’s become an an integral member of the faculty. His most recent initiative is spearheading the new Master in Business for Veterans program. It comes after a decade of developing programming and coursework designed to instill MBA students with the leadership acumen they need to succeed in business and in life.

“You need to learn how to inspire, influence, persuade, show empathy, listen to others, communicate effectively, and be present,” says Keen. “These programs allow students to put leadership into action.”

Forging Future Leaders

Leading by example is a core tenet of Keen’s curriculum, as evidenced in the many hands-on learning opportunities he oversees.

Through the one-day Leader’s Reaction Course, every Goizueta MBA student tackles several challenging obstacles at the U.S. Army post at Fort Moore, learning leadership along the way. The Goizueta Advanced Leadership Academy offers students the opportunity to put their skills to the test in a high-pressure, weeklong sailing adventure. In the Delta Air Lines Leadership Coaching Fellows program, students work one-on-one with an executive coach. They train to become peer coaches for other MBA students, learning to effectively interact with teams and individuals to improve performance.

People often ask Keen about the importance of leadership programming in higher education. “It’s important that students have a balance between learning hard and soft skills,” says Keen. “If you want to make a huge difference in society and business, you must know how to lead others effectively.”

Leading Beyond the Classroom

Today, Keen puts his own leadership skills to work in and out of the classroom. He currently serves on the advisory boards of HOPE Atlanta, the Witness to War Foundation, and the Foundation for Atlanta Veterans Education and Research. He also acts as Chairman of the Board of the U.S. Army Ranger Hall of Fame.

Keen often speaks to students about “showing up” as leaders. He tells them that good leaders know when to roll up their sleeves and do the work they’re asking others to accomplish.

I often remind my students that leadership is easy, but leading is hard.

Ken Keen

Spoken like a true leader.

The Master in Business for Veterans is specifically for military veterans, active duty, National Guard, and Reserve personnel looking to transition to a civilian career in business. The program leverages veterans’ management and leadership experience from the military. It pairs this experience with the business knowledge needed to transition into a wide range of industries. Learn more here.

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While the war in Ukraine remains a focal point for UNICEF’s efforts, it is just one of nearly 500 crises the organization is tackling in more than 190 countries and territories. Millions of children and their families are in need of humanitarian assistance as a result of war, climate change, famine, displacement, human trafficking, poor sanitation, and lack of access to quality health care services.

Nyenhuis, however, remains optimistic about humanity’s ability to tackle such weighty challenges. “The reality is that the world is a much better, much healthier place for children and others than it was 30 or 40 years ago,” he says. “And the stats bear it out. There are more kids than ever in school, childhood vaccinations are higher, childhood deaths are lower.”

From Journalist to Global Humanitarian

Nyenhuis spent the first 10 years of his career as a journalist with a passion for covering public health issues. He landed a job heading up MAP International’s communications efforts and eventually became the organization’s president and CEO. One of his proudest achievements was forging a partnership with former President Jimmy Carter and The Carter Center. The partnership resulted in the successful to eradication of the Guinea worm from the West African country of Côte d’Ivoire. “Sometimes I think when you really find your calling, the doors just keep opening,” he shares.

One of those doors was to Emory University’s Goizueta Business School. Jeffrey Rosensweig, associate professor of finance, joined MAP International’s advisory board. He was instrumental in helping the organization extend its networks into the Atlanta area. “Jeff’s a brilliant economist and truly a global thinker,” Nyenhuis says. “He proved to be a great counselor to me and MAP.”

Over time, Rosensweig convinced Nyenhuis that pursuing a formal business education would help him better lead the organization. Nyenhuis enrolled in Goizueta’s Executive MBA program.

It really opened my eyes working with a cohort of students who had experience in the traditional corporate world. I learned a lot, especially about developing a strategic vision and looking at MAP International as a financial organism that needs to sustain itself.

Michael Nyenhuis

Throughout his career, Nyenhuis has remained optimistic that change is possible. “There is a path to a better life for kids across the globe. We are making a real difference, though sometimes it comes gradually. And we have learned that no matter what obstacle we face, we can beat it. We just have to stick with it.”

Interested in pursuing an Executive MBA? Learn more about the unique programs Goizueta has to offer.

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Because of her scholarship, Rosas-Villeda was able to fully immerse herself in the Master of Analytical Finance program, including serving as a social chair, admissions ambassador, and a student blogger for Voice of Goizueta. She represented Goizueta in the 2nd Annual Chartered Financial Analyst Atlanta Society Ethics Challenge where her team triumphed in first place.

While she continued to find success at Goizueta, Rosas-Villeda also struggled with imposter syndrome. As a woman who immigrated from Mexico, she couldn’t help feeling that so many others deserved this success just as much as she did. However, Rosas-Villeda says she now looks at her success as an opportunity to set an example for those she hopes will follow in her footsteps.

To be going forward with my education and a career and showing younger women and girls that look like me and who have the same background that it’s okay to put yourself first is a very rewarding experience. I feel like my sacrifices and hard work have paid off.

Natalia Rosas-Villeda

Rosas-Villeda had to overcome yet another obstacle after suffering a mild traumatic brain injury while snowboarding in Colorado. Her accident led to a battle with post-concussive syndrome accompanied by high anxiety. She tried to find therapeutic exercises that fit her tight schedule and rested as much as she could―but she continued to struggle with mental exhaustion. Rosas-Villeda worked with Emory Counseling and Psychological Services and a therapist two to three times a week during her recovery. Rosas-Villeda credits the tremendous support system at Emory for helping her complete her program, graduate, and begin her career as a healthcare consultant at accounting firm PYA.

“It was definitely a huge setback for me at that age and point in life,” she says. “But whatever I could do before, I know I can learn how to do even better, and that’s what I’m working on now. One thing that it taught me was to tell people when you need help and be okay with your vulnerability when you’re in a position like that,” Rosas-Villeda says. “Being mindful and taking a step away from the craziness of life, I learned how to enjoy things in the moment and save the problems of the future for the future.”

Interested in pursuing a Master of Analytical Finance degree? Learn more about the unique programs Goizueta has to offer.

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But she doesn’t play basketball: She’s the vice president of partner management and operations lead for the NBA’s global partnerships group.

Cohen credits two things with the stability and tenure she’s enjoyed at the NBA: the people she works with and her opportunities to change roles every few years.

“I’m somebody who likes a challenge. I never want to be complacent. As I’ve gotten to know my organization, I either ask for new responsibilities every couple of years or they’re given to me,” says Cohen. “I also work with fantastic, motivated, smart, passionate people who love what they do, love the company, and love to do good. It’s not always easy to find an organization where you love the people and you can keep your head up and say you’re proud to work there.”

Cohen was an athlete growing up; she even played soccer for Emory University during her freshman year. During her senior year in Goizueta Business School’s BBA program, the NBA came to campus to conduct interviews with potential hires. Cohen applied—and received a job offer just days after graduation.

“Never in a million years did I think I’d be sitting at the NBA 23 years after graduating from Emory and be vice president,” she says. “I’m proud of that. I don’t think it’s been an easy ride, but I’ve been very fortunate along the way.”

Cohen began her career at the NBA in retail marketing, before working in team marketing and business operations, then entering the global partnerships side of the business, where she’s been for the past decade. Cohen has traveled the world with the league, which she jokes has been the adult version of studying abroad.

Her career highlight and most challenging experience to date was while she worked abroad in London, as the director of global marketing partnerships. It was 2012, the year of the London Olympics, and Cohen and her team had to host a 10-day, free event creating an immersive NBA experience for patrons in addition to supporting a special VIP section for their global partners.

The planning and execution might have been grueling, but the result of her efforts—the NBA House—has since become a model the company has replicated at events like the 2016 Olympics in Rio and the FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain.

“It’s become a living, breathing brand that started with us in London,” says Cohen. “It was a rewarding experience to see something you worked on become a legacy that lives on.”

In her current role, Cohen relishes the unpredictability of her days. Though they usually all begin with meetings, she says that the rest of the day never goes according to plan—and she loves it.

“I’m a people-person, and I love to be a problem-solver. Now where I sit, being more of a strategic leader, I tend to get pulled in when we need to come up with an idea that’s going to satisfy a partner or we need to figure out a solution,” explains Cohen.

I really love that aspect of my job. I love being able to ideate with people about ways we can think differently, do differently, and try to have fun doing it.

Lauren Cohen

When she’s not in meetings or mediating to ensure her clients are happy, Cohen actively gives back to Goizueta Business School as a member of the alumni network. The piece of advice she shares most readily with job-seekers: Be in control of your career and life narrative. Networking can only go so far; it’s up to you to continue to reach out, to maintain that connection, and to ask for help, she says.

“As a hiring manager, when I look at a resume, I want to try to understand the person’s story, and then when I interview them, I want to see how they craft their story,” says Cohen. “I want to understand how someone can contribute and make an impact.”

Cohen fondly recalls her Entrepreneurship class with now Senior Associate Dean of Undergraduate Education Andrea Hershatter as well as the ever-critical skills of creating a profit-loss statement or working effectively in group projects.

“Goizueta definitely gives you a great foundation,” says Cohen. “I now appreciate the format of the program and the professors encouraging us to do semester-long team projects. So much of that model is what I do in my day-to-day job.”

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

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“I am ambitious,” Genie says. “I always want to know more.” 

Originally from Honduras, Genie sought out an undergraduate education at Georgetown University, diversifying her studies with majors in marketing and management and a minor in theology. She spent semesters abroad in Hong Kong and Barcelona. 

After traveling to Japan for a post-graduation trip, Genie worked at a cybersecurity firm in San Francisco. Then, after a year in California, she relocated to Mexico City to help build the company’s Mexico office. After six months in Mexico, Genie returned to her Honduran family business, Henie Farma, a pharmaceutical company founded by her father and grandfather that manufactures and distributes branded generic medications. 

Genie created and manages Henie’s marketing department, transforming the business from largely door-to-door sales by creating more focused marketing strategies and digitizing company processes. 

“I brought my knowledge of common U.S. business practices, technologies, and tools back home,” she says. 

A Small Class Packs a Big Punch

After Genie got married, she honeymooned in South Africa before moving to Atlanta—six minutes from Emory’s campus. She always imagined earning her MBA but didn’t know when she would return to school. After seeing Emory around town, she decided to apply. 

“I want to have bigger oversight of the family business,” Genie says. “I want to learn more about operation, strategy and management. Because I specialized in marketing, and that’s what I’ve practiced throughout my career, I became pigeonholed into marketing. I want to gain more experience in other mindsets.” 

Now several months into Goizueta’s One-year MBA, Genie reflects that the program is intense, but her 42-person class feels intimate. 

My class is half international, half American, so you can just imagine the difference in perspectives and cultures. It’s not only what you learn in the classroom, but what you learn from your classmates. 

Maria Fernanda Genie

“The professors know your name, where you’re from, what you want to do, so they tailor the information,” Genie says.

Global Ambitions

Genie says Henie Farma has a lot of opportunities for growth. One of her aspirations is to expand the company to include a skincare line. 

Genie will continue to work for the company remotely from Atlanta—taking any chance to travel back home or elsewhere. 

“I like to learn about different cultures, and the best way to do that is traveling—eating from different cultures, talking to people about their cultures,” Genie says.  

So far, Genie has visited 38 countries, and says India and Korea are next, after having met several Emory peers from the two countries. 

Her involvement with the family business alone will keep her moving. 

“Our medicines are manufactured in Honduras, but really the only part that’s Honduran is labor,” she says. “Pretty much everything else is from a different part of the world. Our supply chain is extremely global. There’s always traveling in business.” 

Whether you’re looking to accelerate your career or make a career pivot, our full-time One-Year MBA and Two-Year MBA programs and part-time Evening MBA and Executive MBA programs, prepare you to challenge business as usual and become the innovators who disrupt it. Learn more here. 

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While enrolled in Goizueta’s two-year MBA program, Rao says his motto was “I’ll sleep in May 2008”—the month he was set to his graduate. Rao sunk his teeth into anything he thought would give him a well-rounded experience, even if that meant staying up late to finish his coursework and readings. Looking back on his time, Rao recalls making it to all but one KEGS in the Courtyard, the Goizueta Advanced Leadership Academy sailing trip in the British Virgin Islands, and a trip to China where he and peers learned how business is conducted in the country.

His latest venture is Smart Studio, a software startup that streamlines business tools and processes used by the fitness and personal training industry. Rao says he hasn’t had one boring day since he conceived the company in 2020.

Taking a Different Path

Rao originally earned a Bachelor of Engineering degree from the University of Mumbai in 2000 and had plans to pursue a Master of Science degree, before a chance encounter set him down a different path entirely. While attending a trade fair, Rao met the CEO of the German company, SEMIKRON, who offered him a rotational management job. Interested in trying something different, Rao accepted. He spent a couple of years working in Germany and another three years in France. At the end of his time with the company, Rao realized business–rather than engineering—was the path for him.

Rao discovered Goizueta Business School while looking at two-year MBA programs at schools in the United States. He soon connected with Goizueta’s program office—which introduced him in turn to some of the school’s faculty, students, and alumni. He knew then it was the right fit.

“I came to Emory in 2006, and there’s been no looking back,” Rao says.

The professors helped me fundamentally change the way I think about solving problems. I learned a lot during those two years, which I still use 15 years later. It completely changed my career path.

Aditya Rao

After graduating, Rao worked on mergers and acquisitions consulting projects at Deloitte, until he found something that interested him enough to leave: BLAST, a startup that provides wellness and fitness services. Rao helped set up the company to scale, and during his time there, he noticed the technology used by many fitness businesses was antiquated and clunky—enter Smart Studio.

Rao says Smart Studio has had to pivot a few times since its founding almost four years ago, largely due to the Covid-19 pandemic. However, the software has grown significantly across the country. Most recently, they partnered with the Atlanta BeltLine. Fitness trainers use Smart Studio to manage their classes along the BeltLine and collect attendance data, which allows the BeltLine to better understand attendee demographics.

“Seeing this come to fruition and have people use it and say, ‘This is making my life easier,’ is very satisfying to see,” Rao says. “It is helping people in the way we envisioned it would.”

He says they are in talks about expanding Smart Studio into a smart suite of general event management products that would cover non-fitness programming on the BeltLine, such as public meetings and art events.

Rao’s team plans to roll out new services, too, including a consolidated calendar, a peer benchmark function that shows how a business compares to the average of its kind in a given area, and a single sign-on that allows users to use one profile for all fitness studios that use Smart Studio.

It Takes a Village

While at Goizueta, Rao says he received guidance from generous alumni on topics ranging from how to navigate the job search to how to navigate friendships. He says  support from the Emory network has been just as strong since he graduated.

“At every step of the way, I’ve had someone associated with Emory helping me out,” Rao says.

Some of my professors are still my mentors today. I’ve had help from Emory alumni, current Emory students, friends, and advisors who are tied to the school. The Emory network is powerful.

Aditya Rao

Wanting to pay it forward, Rao joined the Goizueta Alumni Board in 2012, and served as its president from 2018-2020. He is an active supporter and mentor of the START:ME Accelerator and the current president of the Emory Entrepreneurship Network.

His favorite piece of advice is, “You’ve got to do things that excite you.” It’s a note he applies not just to his professional life, but his personal life, too.

In addition to his entrepreneurial endeavors, Rao is a hiking and camping enthusiast, certified scuba diver and sailor, and an aspiring mixologist. His signature smoky bourbon-soaked oak chip old fashioned serves as a testament to Rao’s knack for blending the perfect mix—whether it’s an innovative business solution or a cocktail behind the bar.

Interested in learning more? Find out how the Goizueta MBA takes students beyond business as usual. 

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While she enjoyed her time in the classroom, McGlory realized she would need an MBA to truly be heard at the administrative level and to help make the tough decisions. McGlory turned to Goizueta’s Two-Year MBA program and focused her studies on courses in the Marketing and Organization & Management departments, knowing she would soon be entering an unfamiliar business world. “I felt like if I was going to enter corporate America, especially coming from the nonprofit world, I needed to get a better understanding of what corporate America is and how they look at things,” she says. “I also had an interest because of my psychology background. I always loved understanding why people make certain decisions and why people act certain ways.”

McGlory credits Goizueta with teaching her how to be “Day One Ready” and preparing  her for a position at PepsiCo after graduation. She now leads global strategy and accounts for LinkedIn Media Productions. “Whenever I have any doubts because I was a teacher and educator, and I’m next to people who are investment bankers, consultants, or finance people, I just think back to my time at Goizueta and what I was able to accomplish there, like getting a full ride to go to Emory, being the first female black student body president and graduating the top 10 percent of my class. It gave me the confidence that I never thought I needed.”

In her current role, McGlory leads a team that creates content to help drive people to use the LinkedIn platform, including creating live videos, episodes, and mobile studios where individuals can host fireside chats and panels. She says working at LinkedIn has brought her back to her educational roots and allowed her to make an impact and help others. “I landed on LinkedIn because I realized their mission is very aligned directly to my own, which is helping people and connecting people to other opportunities,” McGlory says. “I wake up every day and know I’m helping move the needle.”

Creating connections doesn’t stop with her day job, however. McGlory has also served as a member of Goizueta’s Alumni Board for the past two years in the hope of connecting more alumni to current students. “Our job right now is figuring out how to bridge that knowledge gap and making sure that all students feel that they are a part of Goizueta” she says.

Outside of her work life, McGlory loves spending time with her fiancé, Naeem and her Yorkie, Virginia. She enjoys cooking, baking, and making charcuterie boards. Above all, though, she finds relaxation and peace in her happy place—anywhere on or near water.

“The one thing that I tell people is just live your life,” she says. “Life is very fleeting. Adding any unnecessary hate, judgment, or drama is just overkill. You don’t need to do that so just try coming in with grace and love.”

Learn more about how you can volunteer with Goizueta, engage with fellow alumni, access career resources, and invest in the future of Goizueta. If you are interested in joining the alumni board or would like to nominate another alum, contact Lindsay Topping at Lindsay.topping@emory.edu.

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Doshi grew up in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India, with an endless interest in sustainability. Her mother set a strong example early on. When shelearned how harmful silk production was to the environment, she immediately scrapped all silk products her company was developing and pivoted to khadi, a sustainable hand-spun and woven natural fiber, despite her clientele’s expectations.

Doshi learned an important tenet of entrepreneurship from her mother: “You need to take risks to do well.” Doshi continues, “Switching to sustainable materials was a big risk for my mother’s business, but afterward, her company grew at an exponential rate. I really admire that.”

In high school, Doshi accepted a position as a research intern with InnovateGreen Technologies, where she dove deeper into the world of sustainability. Daily tasks included researching sustainable technology solutions that could be implemented in day-to-day products and studying the harmful impacts of production processes on the environment. It wasn’t long before she decided she was ready to do more with her newfound knowledge.

Turning Trash into Treasure

Textile waste was the first thing that came to mind. Despite Doshi’s mother’s sustainable practices, there were still plenty of scraps from her fashion designs lying about. A conversation with an enthusiastic local mentor with experience in NGO management led Doshi to focus her efforts on developing a line of basic household products, and thus, The Unwanted was born. Today, The Unwanted produces everything from lamps and rugs to dusters and luggage tags using textile waste and biodegradable raw materials, as well as all sustainable practices.

Since its inception, The Unwanted has employed more than 100 underprivileged women living in impoverished areas in India. Many of these women are involuntarily unemployed due to a lack of opportunities, but The Unwanted meets them where they are by setting up operations in local recreation areas and providing complementary training.

Innovation is at the core of Doshi’s work. She’s accustomed to using what she has around her. A unique selling point of her company is the individuality of each product; textile waste, after all, is not uniform. Rather than seeing this as a weakness, Doshi rebranded it as a strength.

In 2022, Doshi made the Atlanta Inno 25 Under 25 list. When asked what the honor means to her, Doshi says, “It’s a big recognition, both for me and for the women I employ. Moments like this make me realize how no good act goes to waste. Even small-scale projects like mine make an impact.”

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

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“The most memorable part of my time at Goizueta was the depth and quality of the relationships I formed,” said Payton. When he began looking into pursuing his MBA, career growth and credibility from employers were top-of-mind.

A lot of people think of business school as a transactional experience designed to help students make more money or change careers. What I received instead was a transformational experience.

Jason Payton

Payton kicked off his career as a product specialist at a building products distributor. He worked his way up the ladder to become a national account executive, then made the leap to consulting after he graduated from Goizueta. 

“Emory is, to me, a world-class brand,” says Payton. “When I think of Emory I think of excellence.”

For the sake of his growing family, Payton knew he wanted to further his education in Atlanta, and Goizueta checked all his boxes. “When you think about rigor and accountability, some of the core values of Emory, you’re reminded of what it means to be a strong and ethical leader in the face of resistance,” he asserts. Payton uses the collaboration and relationship-building skills he honed at Goizueta daily in his current role as a partner at ScottMadden. 

Payton joined the Alumni Board in 2017, five years after graduating from Goizueta’s Evening MBA program. He spent several years co-leading the Student-Alumni Mentor Program, which connects current Goizueta students with alumni to foster networking opportunities and professional growth. As one of the longest-running and most successful Alumni Board programs to date, Payton helped facilitate mentor-mentee relationships between 100 to 200 students and alumni each year.  

When asked about his experience on the Alumni Board thus far, Payton says, “It’s about people developing meaningful relationships, helping people have a better experience while at Goizueta, and making alumni feel more connected with the school.” Mentorship has always been integral to Payton’s life; in his free time, he manages a scholarship fund for undergraduate students at his alma mater, Morehouse College, with a group of friends. He also volunteers time advising leadership at North Decatur United Methodist Church. 

Payton was selected as one of the Goizueta 100 honorees in 2019, and he served as vice president of the Goizueta Alumni Board from 2021-2023. He began his term as president in September 2023.  

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 Meet Jason Payton: Alumni Board President and Master Relationship-Builder  appeared first on EmoryBusiness.com.

“Thirty years ago, people kept their pets outside,” Glattstein notes. Now, according to Bloomberg Intelligence, the global pet economy is projected to be worth $493 billion by 2030, up 54 percent from today’s number. With store aisles dedicated to pet treats, toys, clothing, and supplies, animal lovers increase household pet spending each year for pampering and medical care. 

“I didn’t come from the veterinary world, but I was fascinated by the industry,” Glattstein says. With professional experience in investment and private equity, a BBA from Goizueta, and an MBA from Wharton, he was ready to sit on the entrepreneur’s side of the table as a founder.

The way people treat their pets has dramatically changed in the last several decades. Pets now sleep in their human parents’ beds, eat organic food, and are treated like members of the family. But even with these shifting behaviors, how pets are treated at the vet, certainly at an emergency vet, hasn’t really changed.

David Glattstein 04BBA

Partnering with founder and CEO David Bessler, VMD, the team conceived a new holistic standard of veterinary emergency care. The model developed after implementation through a single hospital. As noted on the company website, “Pets would be treated like people and pet parents like human beings.” Glattstein explains, “We set out to create a completely different veterinary ER experience.”

Veterinary Emergency Group now owns 53 emergency veterinary hospitals across the country, open 24/7, 365 days a year, with more than 3,500 employees and medical personnel affectionately called VEGgies. The company earns more than $500 million in revenue and is backed by Sequoia Heritage. Glattstein sees extensive future growth for the VEG model of care, setting sights on 500 nationwide hospitals in just a few years. “We’re just getting started.”

The road to success began with extensive research. Glattstein recognized the need for innovation and entrepreneurship in the veterinary industry. “I envisioned a reimagined veterinary business model that created a new environment for the stressful situations that surround emergency medical care for beloved family pets. Our pets are family,” he says. “We know that emergencies are frightening, so we created a completely new, inclusive experience to offer comfort to family members and their animals.”

Veterinary Emergency Group facilities are revolutionary within the industry. Hospitals are open floor plan and families can choose to witness “healing-focused heroics” and participate in treatment. “We find a way to say yes to owner requests,” Glattstein explains, noting accommodations for families to bring comforts of home or stay overnight with their animals. “Our philosophy is to care for the person as much as the pet.”

Strong Brand Integrity Will Continue to Guide the VEGolution

While an undergrad student at Goizueta, Glattstein gained appreciation for the vital importance of critical branding, refined strategic goals, and powerful marketing.

Goizeuta laid the foundation for my desire to do something entrepreneurial. Everything I learned in the classroom, from marketing to finance to leadership, and everything I learned from my peers has made me a better executive.

David Glattstein

Success is reflected in the numbers, and penetrating a niche market has earned high praise for Veterinary Emergency Group. With an average Google score of 4.7 and a Net Promoter score of 91, customers consistently respond well to the company experience. In fact, more than 1 million pets and owners have been helped since inception.

David Schweidel, Rebecca Cheney McGreevy Endowed Chair and Professor of Marketing, notes that “From a marketing perspective, they are focused on pet owners who are the key decision makers for their pets. They’re putting it in terms that people can relate to. When you or I have an injury, we go to urgent care or to the ER. But where do you go for pets?” He adds, “You probably need to call around because you aren’t sure if your vet has emergency hours or the necessary equipment or facilities. VEG branding makes it crystal clear that if you have an emergency, you come to us.”

Reinforcing a strong brand comes as second nature to Glattstein. He reiterates the phrase that sums up the company business model. “Emergency is all we do, so we do it best.”

Immersion in entrepreneurship and innovation is central to Goizueta’s business education. The Roberto C. Goizueta Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation takes a multi-faceted approach to engage students and business owners through interaction with Entrepreneurs-in-Residence and ecosystem collaborators, Pitch the Professor events, the annual Emory Entrepreneurship Summit, focused coursework, a Startup Launch Accelerator, venture capital opportunities through the RAISE Forum and the Peachtree Minority Venture Fund, and other entrepreneurial programming. Learn more here.

Listen to more of the founders’ start-up story in the Authentically Successful podcast “Transparency Breeds Appreciation: David Glattstein & David Bessler.”

The post Meet David Glattstein: Changing the Game for Veterinary Emergency Care appeared first on EmoryBusiness.com.