Meet the MBAi Class of 2024
What does it take to become part of the next generation of tech leaders? The MBAi Program prepares students to take on roles across this dynamic, evolving field. A collaboration between Kellogg and Northwestern’s McCormick School of Engineering, the MBAi program equips graduates to lead in fields from technical operations to product management, product marketing to consulting and more.
Meet some of our MBAi Class of 2024 students who share a little about their backgrounds, why they chose MBAi and the best part of their Kellogg experience so far.
Alizain Merchant
Hometown: Maputo, Mozambique
Undergraduate degree: Business, Emory University
Pre-MBA role and company: Senior product owner, Southwest Airlines
Best part of Kellogg so far: “Great experience so far.”
Ankit Singh
Hometown: Moradabad, India
Undergraduate degree: Chemical engineering, IIT Guwahati
Pre-MBA role and company: Project manager, Cultfit
Best part of Kellogg so far: “My experience has been great so far. First, I love the academic structure of the program. Secondly, I like the fact that MBAi class size is small and enables deeper connections.”
Why I chose MBAi: “After 7 years of work experience, I wanted an MBA program that is shorter but does not compromise on the internship opportunity. I was also very particular about a tech MBA program based on my choice of post-MBA career in product management.”
Apurva Gorti
Hometown: San Jose, CA
Undergraduate degree: Computer science, University of Texas-Austin
Pre-MBA role and company: Software engineer, Salesforce
Why I chose MBAi: “I chose MBAi for its interdisciplinary curriculum that allows me to effectively integrate my engineering expertise with an education that will deepen my understanding of how businesses operate and can leverage AI for growth and impact. The accelerated nature of the program also appealed to me, as it will enable me to quickly re-enter the rapidly evolving tech industry while still providing me with valuable hands-on experience through an internship opportunity.”
Bárbara Montes de Oca
Hometown: Mexico City, Mexico
Undergraduate degree: Actuarial science, Universidad Anahuac
Pre-MBA role and company: VP in product management, Citibank
Best part of Kellogg so far: “My MBAi experience so far has exceeded my expectations. As an international student, my first weeks in the US were a tough moment of adaptation to a whole different environment, culture and language. However, sooner than later my MBAi cohort became a safe space for me as I got to know each of them, and I realized they will become my new family here.”
Why I chose MBAi: “I chose the MBAi for the tech-focused curriculum. Coming from a math background, I wanted an MBA through which I could improve my tech understanding and its business applications. Moreover, the length of the program allowed me to maximize ROI.”
Christien Kerbert
Hometown: Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Undergraduate degree: Econometrics and operations research, Erasmus University of Rotterdam
Pre-MBA role and company: Consultant, BCG
Why I chose MBAi: “I have a strong passion for using technology and data to drive business innovation and growth. I believe the MBAi program will provide me with the tools and knowledge to achieve my goal of becoming a business leader in tech. I am excited to learn from the top-notch faculty of both Kellogg and McCormick and gain hands-on experience through the summer internship.”
DK Marsh
Hometown: Sacramento, CA
Undergraduate degree: Philosophy, University of San Diego
Pre-MBA role and company: Operations at a Health-Tech, Link Revenue Resources
Best part of Kellogg so far: “The diverse group of people that I'm now connected with! Kellogg has been amazing and I'm really enjoying the people and culture. The MBAi program has attracted such a cool group of people that I'm proud to call classmates and friends.”
Why I chose MBAi: “It became clear to me that being able to translate a business problem into a technical solution will be a huge advantage going forward and I saw the MBAi program as a way to bridge this understanding.”
Erika Ortiz
Hometown: El Paso, TX
Undergraduate degree: Finance, St. Edward’s University
Pre-MBA role and company: Product manager, JUST
Best part of Kellogg so far: “It is a unique program that has strengthened my gaps in business and technology. My favorite part has been getting to know my peers, all so diverse and supportive, further enriching the Kellogg experience.”
Why I chose MBAi: “I chose the MBAi program because I'm excited by the future of AI and the opportunity it gives to design more inclusive products. There are not many programs out there that inspire high impact low ego leaders who sit at the forefront of business and technology.”
Ethan Asher
Hometown: Potomac, MD
Undergraduate degree: Accounting, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Pre-MBA role and company: Accounting, PricewaterhouseCoopers
Why I chose MBAi: “I chose MBAi because I was interested in how data and technology can help drive better strategic decision-making. Coming from a non-technical background, I was looking for programs that could expand my technical skills while maintaining focus on the business side of the equation. The MBAi program is the perfect place for that.”
Harry McGraw
Hometown: Dallas, TX
Undergraduate degree: Mechanical engineering, Vanderbilt University
Pre-MBA role and company: Project/program manager, Cox Communications
Why I chose MBAi: “MBAi’s goal of developing leaders who understand business innovation and the technologies that drive it forward is directly aligned with my career vision. Technology will only continue transforming business, and future leaders can differentiate themselves by understanding their tech inside and out.”
Jiaoyang Li
Hometown: Guiyang, China
Undergraduate degree: Computing, University of Plymouth
Pre-MBA role and company: Solution engineer, Goldman Sachs
Why I chose MBAi: “The program offers an opportunity for me to gain business knowledge while refreshing technology knowledge. The AI topics included in the program are cutting-edge and relevant to current development in the technology sector.”
Joe Tan
Hometown: Taipei, Taiwan
Undergraduate degree: Mechanical engineering, National Taiwan University
Pre-MBA role and company: Consultant, BCG
Why I chose MBAi: “Coming from an engineering background, I want to gain more business acumen and understand how technology can drive business objectives Additionally, a 15-month program allows me to do an internship in the summer and maximize my professional development.”
Justin Hyeon
Hometown: Seoul, South Korea
Undergraduate degree: Business administration and software engineering, Sogang University
Pre-MBA role and company: Product manager, Samsung Electronics
Why I chose Kellogg: “I selected the MBAi program due to its exclusive chance to earn a joint degree in the quickest duration among premier MBA programs globally. My aim is to merge the AI and data analytics capabilities from the McCormick Engineering School with Kellogg's proficiency in entrepreneurship through acquisition and healthcare. This fusion provides me with the uncommon and highly sought-after skills required to excel in the constantly changing digital transformation business arena and forge my own path towards achievement.”
Kasumi Hatori
Hometown: Tokyo, Japan
Undergraduate degree: Aeronautics and astronautics, University of Tokyo
Pre-MBA role and company: Data scientist, Signate/Development Bank of Japan
Why I chose MBAi: “It integrates business strategy and analytical technologies, including but not limited to artificial intelligence, data science, and advanced statistics. The goal of MBAi is perfectly aligned with mine, which is to become a future tech leader who can speak both languages.”
Miguel Rehder
Hometown: Lima, Peru
Undergraduate degree: Industrial engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology
Pre-MBA role and company: Senior associate - risk specialist, Banco de Credito del Peru
Why I chose MBAi: “I value being part of a close-knit community and because the program offers a unique balance between Kellogg's strategic and team-leadership skills and McCormick's technical perspective. This balance will empower me to become a leader in the tech industry.”
Njideka Okafor
Hometown: Lagos, Nigeria
Undergraduate degree: Electronic engineering, University of Nigeria
Pre-MBA role and company: Data engineer, Wikimedia Foundation (Wikipedia)
Best part of Kellogg so far: “As cliché as it sounds the best part of my MBAi experience has been the people, a close-knit cohort of extremely talented yet humble individuals that have quickly become family. The faculty are also AMAZING. Our classes are carefully curated to equip us with the technical and business skills required to navigate businesses at that intersection today.”
Why I chose MBAi: “It was important for me to find a program that will allow me to strengthen my business and leadership acumen while sharpening my technical skills. The MBAi program gave me all of this and a cherry on top - the small class size, great faculty and close-knit community. It lives true to its promise of shaping leaders at the intersection of business and technology.”
Puneet Batra
Hometown: Sonipat, India
Undergraduate degree: Energy engineering, IIT Bombay
Pre-MBA role and company: CleanTech entrepreneur, Avrio Energy
Best part of Kellogg so far: “Very warm and welcoming. The whole administration and faculty are creating memorable experiences for all of us with a curriculum that is market ready and well-balanced between tech and business.”
Why I chose MBAi: “I come from a technology background and wanted to continue being close to technology. I specifically chose MBAi as it teaches us the relevant skills needed for managing technology-oriented businesses.”
Rahul Sahai Saxena
Hometown: Lucknow, India
Undergraduate degree: Electronics and communication engineering, Birla Institute of Technology
Pre-MBA role and company: Technical program manager, Amazon
Why I chose MBAi: “The MBAi program with its unique blend of business and AI technology education is what drew me in. It is a future-proof business program that equips students with the ability to approach business situations through AI and data analytics. Additionally, the shorter duration of the program, coupled with an internship opportunity, is a huge plus for international students like me. It not only simplifies the job search process but also gives us a chance to test the waters in a specific industry or function before committing to it full-time. This program is nothing short of a game-changer for those who want to excel in the business world of the future.”
Serena Tarneja
Hometown: Orlando, FL
Undergraduate degree: Industrial engineering, University of Florida
Pre-MBA role and company: Corporate development associate, Fandom
Best part of Kellogg so far: “The best part about the MBAi program is the size and diversity of the class. I have met so many interesting people from all over the world and being part of a smaller cohort has allowed me to form deeper connections quicker.”
Why I chose MBAi: “I chose the MBAi program due to the smaller cohort size, the tech-focused curriculum and the shorter duration. The program will not only make me a more well-rounded leader but also provide me with an understanding of how AI can be used to solve business problems.”
Sourya Mukherjee
Hometown: Kolkata, India
Undergraduate degree: Biotech engineering, IIT Kharagpur
Pre-MBA role and company: Product manager, Prodigal Technologies
Why I chose MBAi: “The classes are super interesting and fit my interest at the intersection of business and tech.”
Theo Kelly
Hometown: Norwalk, CT
Undergraduate degree: Industrial engineering and manufacturing and design engineering, Northwestern University
Pre-MBA role and company: Analytics program manager, Meta
Best part of Kellogg so far: “Through the cohort's wide variety of skills and experiences, we learn more from our classes and grow our network in ways that wouldn't be possible if we all came from the same background.”
Why I chose MBAi: “I wanted to further expand my technical toolkit by adding experience working with ML models and AI systems while also reaping all the benefits of a traditional MBA. MBAi provides the perfect balance between the two and will empower me to be a stronger leader in our tech-enabled world.”
Trisha Ghosh
Hometown: Kolkata, India
Undergraduate degree: Electronics engineering, Manipal University
Pre-MBA role and company: Semiconductor engineer, Intel
Best part of Kellogg so far: “So far, so good.”
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