Alyssa Posklenksy ’21 MBA

Turning insight into infrastructure

Old problems call for innovative solutions. New ones demand patience and perspective. Alyssa Posklensky ’21 MBA has built her career navigating both with intention.

From leading her Kellogg cohort through the chaos of COVID to helping KIND navigate a pivotal brand evolution as a senior brand manager, Alyssa approaches complex, systematic challenges through a distinctly human lens. She is ambitious and solution-oriented, but she never loses sight of the people at the heart of the issue.

“She’s a really strong advocate for other people,” says Greg Hanifee, associate dean of degree programs and operations. “She is really persistent. If there’s something that could get done, should get done, she really takes it to heart to see it through.”

Alyssa arrived at Kellogg in the summer of 2020. One of the first students to return to campus across any business school, it was clear from the start that Alyssa, her classmates and the school administration were navigating a version of Kellogg no one had experienced before.

Early on, Alyssa identified opportunities to improve that experience and opened a dialogue with the administration. Through thoughtful, collaborative conversations, she advocated for herself and her peers to ensure their Kellogg experience was as positive and impactful as they had hoped.

The instinct to listen closely and speak thoughtfully became a hallmark of Alyssa's leadership. Within weeks, her cohort had elected her president of the One-Year MBA Kellogg Student Association (KSA), where she served as a steady and trusted voice. It marked the first of many moments that would distinguish her as a leader on campus and beyond.

“It was a really transformative leadership experience,” Alyssa says. “It ended up being one of the best things I did, because it was a really great way to make sure that all of my classmates’ thoughts and issues and concerns were all heard.”

Pattern recognition leads to progress

Alyssa hoped to remain closely engaged with Kellogg following graduation but quickly noticed a shared sense of disconnect among herself and her peers from the greater alumni community.

“It just felt like there wasn’t a way to give back that I was looking for,” Alyssa says. “I wasn’t 20 years out and able to give millions of dollars, but I also wanted to do more than just interview prospective students.”

The situation felt familiar. During her time with KSA, Alyssa had seen how One-Year student voices could be overlooked without a clear structure for representation. In response, she’d created a constitution that clarified expectations and strengthened the organization beyond her tenure.

She followed the same instinct as an alumna, bringing her advocacy and problem-solving skills to bear on a new challenge. In 2023, she and Sammy Goldstein ’22 MBA pitched the idea for a Young Alumni Board to Greg. They presented it as a shared opportunity. Alumni would walk away with a more intentional post-graduation experience while Kellogg gained long-term value in early engagement.

“I think inside Alyssa, there’s this drive to continuously get better,” Greg says. “Building up the board became an opportunity for her to also continue to learn and grow.”

A Kellogg kind of leader

Committed to improving both the systems around her and her own leadership approach, Alyssa most values the Kellogg community’s shared willingness to reflect openly on individual leadership styles, strengths and flaws. She felt this most clearly in her Personal Leadership Insights class.

“That’s an elective,” Alyssa marvels. “Nobody has to take that class, and everyone was willing to sit there for a whole quarter and analyze themselves in extreme detail, open themselves up to a room of strangers and tell some really personal stories.”

In her current role as senior brand manager at KIND, Alyssa sees herself as a connection point. She views leadership not as a tool to amplify her own voice, but as an opportunity to elevate others. In a rapidly evolving consumer packaged goods landscape, Alyssa tackles each challenge with infectious energy and brilliant strategy. She’s been instrumental in guiding KIND through a complex period of brand reinvention, balancing fundamentals while still pushing boundaries.

“Her involvement has helped us pin down our brand compass and bring that all the way through the new Choose KIND campaign,” says Osher Hoberman, CMO at KIND.

In 2026, Kellogg presented Alyssa with the Young Alumni Award, which celebrates Kellogg leaders who have made an impact on the alumni community and demonstrated exceptional leadership in their careers within 10 years of graduation. This prestigious award honors those whose continued contributions promise to make a lasting difference.

“I see leadership more as making sure everyone’s voice is heard versus always being the loudest in the room,” Alyssa says. “It’s really important for me to feel like I’m challenging myself, growing and doing something at a high level, and that I'm leading teams that really trust me.”