McDonough School of Business

Executive MBA Student Profiles

Learn more about EMBA alumni and their experiences at Georgetown.

Aerospace

Michael F. Baylis II (EMBA’17)

Michael F. Baylis II (EMBA’17)

Industry: Aerospace
Company: Ci2 Aviation, Inc.
Job Title: CEO

What impact did the EMBA program have on your career?
The Georgetown network that I gained has given me a new family who are eager to be a resource for me professionally. The alumni base has already been an amazing resource for me professionally as several alumni have engaged me for potential business opportunities.

Describe the best part of your EMBA experience. The two global residency courses were the best part of my experience. Traveling across the world and tackling real issues that companies were facing was a transformative and rewarding experience. I could learn firsthand about global issues and decisions that face some of the largest corporations in the world.

When did you know that you made the right decision in coming to Georgetown? For me, I knew I had made the right decision about Georgetown when professors that I spoke with fully understood the government contracting industry. My firm provides services to both the U.S. federal government and the Bermudian government. My professors understood the geopolitical issues that face private companies that provide services to governments. This was the fit that I needed.

Communications

dan meyers

Dan Meyers (EMBA’16)

Industry: Communications & Corporate Advocacy
Company: APCO Worldwide
Job Title: Senior Vice President, Head of Advocacy (North America)

What was your experience like with your cohort?
Perhaps the biggest surprise of my Georgetown experience was my cohort and the collective bond we formed. EMBA 21 was one of Georgetown’s most diverse, with 42% women. The conversations were diverse in thought and experience. It wasn’t something you realize until you leave the room, but the discussions, dynamics, and conversation were enriched by the diversity of people — a sort of subtle disruption. As a group, we evolved, learned, and grew together. We knew how each other thought and the personal strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities of one another. This closeness allowed us to push each other to grow and learn in ways that were largely unexpected.

Describe the best part of your EMBA experience. I’ll never forget two courses that shaped my experience: “The Economics of Strategic Behavior” and “Business, Government, and the Global Economy.” These were the two courses that fueled my passion: the intersection of business and policy. The respective professors, Arthur Dong and Marc Busch, brought a passion for discussing recent business news in real time. The newsworthy and relevant dialogue pushed us to put ourselves in the shoes of business leaders in really dynamic times. Their strategic insights opened a window on how to approach current business challenges which I still use on a daily basis.

What impact did the EMBA program have on your career? I entered the EMBA program after nearly a decade of work experience that was reaching something of a growth ceiling. The work was fun but the runway for internal and external growth had narrowed. Georgetown’s EMBA program pushed me to think different, bigger, and more global. I find myself looking at everything, both personally and professionally, through a different lens. Just a year and a half after the program, I was offered the opportunity in a much larger, global firm to build an offering in corporate advocacy and grassroots. Georgetown’s EMBA program prepared me to leverage my new skills and relationships on a much larger scale, allowing me to service a growing base of clients around the globe.

When did you know that you made the right decision in coming to Georgetown? This may sound trivial but, while not a sports fan in the least, I’ll never forget the feeling of belonging and community when I walked into my first Georgetown basketball game with a group of EMBA classmates. The energy, excitement, and sense of community were infectious. We all arrived from different backgrounds and for different reasons, but we were on this journey and experience together. The sense of camaraderie and support was a sign that I made the right decision.

Consulting

AJ Jensen

AJ Jensen (EMBA’21)

Industry: Consulting
Company: McAllister & Quinn
Job Title: Vice President

What was your experience with your cohort like and how would you describe the diversity? I looked at several EMBA programs, but what struck me as most unique about the Georgetown EMBA was the deep sense of community, camaraderie, and support among the cohort members. I was part of an incredibly collaborative cohort that remains close today. I found myself strategizing with members of my cohort about new business ventures after the entrepreneurship residency and continuing conversations with alumni and faculty about ideas for new products long after graduation. No matter which cohort you’re in, EMBA students share a collective vested interest in ensuring one another’s success and wellbeing, and a commitment to understanding how business can have a positive impact on society.

Describe the best part of your EMBA experience. The best part of my EMBA experience was being able to confidently apply theoretical principles learned in strategy, marketing, and operations courses to my day-to-day work in scaling a small but quickly growing business. The stellar faculty who led these courses, including Ella Washington and her negotiations class, helped equip me with the skills needed to elevate my career from a project manager to vice president during the program. One of the best and most enjoyable classes, albeit most challenging, was the entrepreneurship elective with Sandeep Dahiya. An absolute must for anyone interested in or actively pursuing their own venture!

Elnora Allen

Elnora Allen (EMBA’21)

Industry: Business Management Consulting
Company: The Proposal Lab LLC
Job Title: President

Allen speaks about the ROI of the Georgetown EMBA program and how it supports working professionals.

Watch Elnora Allen’s Interview
Mark Gray

Mark Gray (EMBA’03)

Industry: Federal Consulting
Company: ASRC Federal
Job Title: CEO

Gray highlights the notable skills he gained during the Executive MBA program that helped him on his journey to becoming a CEO.

Watch Mark Gray’s Interview
Herb Carmen (EMBA’13)

Herb Carmen (EMBA’13)

Industry: Management Consulting
Company: BDO
Job Title: Director, Public Sector

Describe the best part of your EMBA experience. 
I was serving on active duty in the U.S. Navy while I was attending business school. In 2011, halfway through my second semester, I received one-year orders to deploy overseas. I had to put my education on hold, and while I was away the GI Bill rules changed and affected the tuition support I would have received upon my return. I didn’t know if I was going to be able to complete my degree. The outpouring of support and encouragement I received from everyone at McDonough was incredible. The staff helped plan for me to return and join the next cohort. Dean Almeida and Professor Kamrad stayed in touch with me via email. My classmates sent care packages to my unit. Dean Almeida worked with alumni to arrange support for those of us affected by the GI Bill change. I was able to pick up almost where I left off, and my new classmates accepted me as if we had been together since Day 1.

What impact did the EMBA program have on your career? My undergraduate degree and my military education and training prepared me well for my career as a naval officer. As I prepared for my transition from the military, I pursued a Georgetown EMBA to prepare me for my second career. I retired from the Navy in 2014 after more than 24 years on active duty. The EMBA has helped immeasurably. It has opened doors for career opportunities I would not have had without my degree.

What was your experience like with your cohort? I had the opportunity to be part of two EMBA cohorts as a result of my deployment. Because we worked on teams from the very beginning of the program, we had the opportunity to get to know each other well. We learned our strengths and knew when we needed to back each other up to get our projects done on time. We relied on each other to successfully complete the program, and we learned as much about ourselves as we did about each other. Friday nights during class weekends and each of the residencies gave us a chance to bond outside the classroom as well. My classmates are like an extended family. Five years later, we still meet up, share our experiences on Facebook, and support each other in our careers.

Lenka Hennessy (EMBA’16)

Lenka Hennessy (EMBA’16)

Industry: Consulting
Company: Alvarez & Marsal
Job Title: Senior Director of Public Sector Services

When did you know that you made the right decision in coming to Georgetown?
The first semester I heavily relied on my previous work experience and knowledge to prove to everyone and to myself that I belonged in this program. It was at the end of the first year when I fully realized that getting an EMBA at Georgetown was not preparing me to do an actual skill in my industry but it was teaching me how to see a big problem clearly and make decisions on what should be done. Now as a director and aspiring VP, that’s what sets me apart from my peers and colleagues.

What impact did the EMBA program have on your career? The program helped me grow professionally while providing a good combination of business tools with finance and marketing emphasis. It has been an amazing experience from being a consultant at one of the Big Four accounting companies to a senior sales strategist for a leading cybersecurity company, and now director of product and business development for the National Railroad Passenger Corporation.

How did the EMBA program exceed your expectations?I was very impressed that from day one as EMBA students we had multiple opportunities to network with global business leaders in a variety of ways and industries. This included group projects, various alumni channels, access to industry career advisors and expert panels, all the way to speaker series on topics relevant to our studies. Being part of this program enabled me to create sustainable relationships that are not only key to my personal development but a key to my future career success.

Mdolole Steven Moyo (EMBA’18)

Mdolole Steven Moyo (EMBA’18)

Industry: Healthcare Consulting
Company: StrategyGen
Job Title: Director of Operations

Describe the best part of your EMBA experience.
Aside from the expected development of lifelong friendships, and the renowned quality education, two experiences stand out. The first is our global residency in the final semester, in which we traveled to Dubai to analyze the hotel industry. The energy, collaboration, and effectiveness of our team turned into one of the most rewarding trips of my life. A second experience was the marketing course, which went into far greater detail and intricacies than I would ever have expected.

What impact did the EMBA program have on your career? In the short-term, the impact has been noticeable, with an expanded, influential network and the ability to fall back on an increased knowledge base. I have found myself referring to coursework that is timely and relevant for today’s evolving markets.

Greg Burlin (EMBA’17)

Greg Burlin (EMBA’17)

Industry: Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) Services
Company: NTT DATA Services
Job Title: Vice President, Head of U.S. State & Local Sales

What impact did the EMBA program have on your career? 
The EMBA program accelerated my career in ways I wasn’t sure were possible given where I was in my career. I was able to leverage not only my experience but the hard skills learned in the program to make an immediate career move post-graduation. My negotiating skills were enhanced, my communication with senior leaders was clear, my analytical ability was strengthened, and my confidence was high. All of these were all contributing factors and something I honed over the 20 months in the EMBA program. It led to a great post-graduation career move leading a new industry vertical for a $5 billion global organization based in France.

Describe the best part of your EMBA experience. The most rewarding experience of my time at Georgetown was the South Korean residency and our Global Capstone to Buenos Aires. Both projects allowed me the chance to see parts of the world I had never experienced and also gain a better appreciation for how business is conducted in other parts of the globe. Our consulting project with a South Korean shipping company, Eukor, was by far the most interesting, challenging, and rewarding experience I had during the program. Presenting our findings to the senior management in Seoul and to see their engagement and reaction to our recommendations and findings was incredible.

What was your experience like with your cohort and how would you describe the diversity? The cohort was very diverse however it was my expectation going to a school as respected as Georgetown. My expectation was that I would come in contact with the best of all age groups, cultures, religions, and backgrounds. What I didn’t expect was to bond so deeply with people so different than me. I made two lifelong friends as a part of my time in the cohort who have very different backgrounds than I do. Almost daily we bounce career, family, and personal issues off each other. Meeting them has made me a better business person and man.

Josh Ellars (EMBA’15)

Josh Ellars (EMBA’15)

Industry: Technology Consulting
Company: Patri
Job Title: Founder

How did Georgetown’s McDonough School of Business prepare you for your entrepreneurial venture?
The experience at Georgetown’s McDonough School of Business was game-changing. Our business planning residency introduced us to the lean startup methodology, which I have used to refine Patri’s offerings and will continue to use to bring new products to market. Our global business experiences provided opportunities to help a leading agricultural company in Istanbul redesign their corporate social responsibility and global marketing plans and later collaborate with companies in Brazil, Vietnam, Singapore, Qatar, and Thailand to generate a model to inform market-entry decisions. These global experiences, coupled with instruction and mentorship from Georgetown McDonough’s renowned faculty and staff, provided the ideal environment for me to experiment with this entrepreneurial venture.

How have you stayed connected with Georgetown McDonough’s global network?The long process of collecting feedback to refine Patri’s offerings has come in part from the growing Georgetown McDonough global network. Visits back to the Washington, D.C., area have almost always included meetings with my EMBA colleagues to discuss our professional endeavors. I have also been proactive in connecting with and reaching out to Georgetown alumni over LinkedIn and through other social platforms to petition the same feedback and provide value to them as well.

What do you miss the most from your Georgetown experience? Without question, I miss associating daily with my Georgetown classmates, professors, and staff. They are some of the most capable and influential people I know, and I consider it a privilege any time I have a chance to reconnect. There is an incredible energy on campus that is difficult to replicate elsewhere, and I make it a point to visit every time I’m back in the area. Hoya Saxa!

Learn more about the launch of Josh’s new company

Education

Aliz Agoston

Aliz Agoston (EMBA’08)

Industry: Education
Company: ZERO TO THREE
Job Title: Senior Director of Procurement and Business Administration

Agoston speaks about how Georgetown’s network and international coursework has helped her career.

Watch Aliz Agoston’s Interview
Andrea Porter (EMBA’17)

Andrea Porter (EMBA’17)

Industry: Education
Company: Center on Education and the Workforce at Georgetown University
Job Title: Director of Staff and Operations

What was your experience like with your cohort?
I am grateful that the admissions team ensured that our cohort was diverse not only racially and geographically but also by gender and age. I enjoyed working with classmates from different industries and many different countries. I am still in touch with most of my classmates. Georgetown provides a wonderful support system during the program and its alumni network and activities after graduation make it very easy for staying in touch.

Describe the best part of your EMBA experience. Our residencies were the best part of the EMBA. What brought me the most satisfaction was getting to work with my classmates and getting to use our professional work experience as well as the business knowledge learned from class to resolve a real problem in the world.

What impact did the EMBA program have on your career? A challenge for a young female leader like myself is that as I move up the career ladder, I find few peers who share similar levels of responsibility and experience. The EMBA offered valuable relationships with older and younger leaders with whom I discuss ideas for resolving challenges and share professional opportunities.

Energy

Blake Barfield

Blake Barfield (EMBA’23)

Industry: Energy/Utilities
Company: Atmos Energy
Job Title: Director, Stakeholder Strategy

What was your experience with your cohort like and how would you describe the diversity? My cohort was the best part of EMBA. We represented a great diversity of private sector industries, government employees, current and former military, and a huge geographic diversity as well. I was one of the ‘commuter students’ traveling from Texas to D.C., and I had a number of other classmates commuting from nearly every corner of the United States, and one international commuter as well. Our cohort remains in close contact, and in addition to the friendships, it’s been great to see those relationships produce a number of businesses and investment opportunities since graduation.

What impact did the EMBA program have on your career? The EMBA has been a great asset for my career – certainly, the in-class instruction was high quality and builds out practical skills for the workplace. However, beyond that was developing a network of new colleagues and friends, as well as gaining a better understanding of different industries and issues, which yields from two years of conversations, cases, and the global perspective of Georgetown.

Describe the best part of your EMBA experience. The best part of the EMBA was the cohort itself. As for the courses, I think the variety of classes is a testament to Georgetown’s capable faculty and breadth of expertise. Marc Bush’s course on international trade and Jeff Peck’s strategic advocacy, in my mind, are unique offerings to Georgetown. However, the one that really stands out was Jeff Macher and John Mayo’s course on business and public policy. That class examined how markets and governments function, and our final deliverable was either defending or prosecuting one side of a DOJ antitrust case. It was a unique format for a “final” and definitely tapped into the competitiveness within our cohort.

Describe your experience with any career coaching you received during the program and how it has impacted your career. Georgetown’s career services team is a great asset to the program – I relied on Denise Durgin and the coaches for their wisdom and insight while making a career change during the second year of EMBA.

Ron Desantis (EMBA’01)

Ron Desantis (EMBA’01)

Industry: Energy
Company: ExxonMobil
Job Title: Venture Manager

What impact did the EMBA program have on your career?
The EMBA program had a significant positive impact on my career. The program’s unique mix of critical thinking development and analytical skill-building, all in a global business environment, expanded my strategic view which helped me make measurable career contributions both during and after the program. I went from observing global business decisions to driving them.

Describe the best part of your EMBA experience. In my view, the global diversity of real-life experiences which were imbedded within the EMBA program from both the faculty and fellow students was the best part of the program. The overall caliber of the faculty was so high that it’s difficult to single out a specific class or professor as my favorite; I view the value of the total program to be much greater than the sum of its parts.

When did you know that you made the right decision in coming to Georgetown? One day in class when we were deep into discussing global monetary policy and its impact on country-specific markets, current IMF employees, who were also students in my class, enriched the discussion from their unique perspective. Since they were immersed in the subject in their jobs, they could offer contextual insights that you just couldn’t get anywhere else. That moment confirmed that I had made the right decision to come to Georgetown for the EMBA program.

Engineering

Jasmine Ohi

Jasmine Ohi (EMBA’23)

Industry: Engineering
Company: HDR
Job Title: Commercial Management

Ohi speaks about why she decided to enroll in an Executive MBA program, the diversity of the cohort, and the supportive community.

Watch Jasmine Ohi’s Interview

Financial Services

Andy Blocker

Andy Blocker (EMBA’02)

Industry: Financial Services
Company: Invesco
Job Title: Head of U.S. Government Affairs

Learn how the Executive MBA program helped Blocker accelerate his career.

Watch Andy Blocker’s Interview
Micah Marie Chi (EMBA’17)

Micah Marie Chi (EMBA’17)

Industry: Financial Services
Company: Charles Schwab & Co.
Job Title: Senior Manager, Strategy & Planning, Acquisition & Enterprise Marketing

When did you know that you made the right decision in coming to Georgetown?
I spent most of my life in the Northern Virginia area, and going to school at Georgetown has been a goal of mine ever since I can remember. When I was ready to go back to school and pursue an MBA, Georgetown was at the top of my list. My decision was solidified during an open house when they described the Jesuit mission of engaging in the world and being in service of others. I not only wanted to get my EMBA, but I wanted to attend a school that is deeply rooted in its core values.

What impact did the EMBA program have on your career? The most life-changing class I had during the program was the strategic management course. I was able to take the frameworks he taught us to evaluate corporate decisions and apply it to my professional career. I was at a crossroads in my career and didn’t know if I wanted to stay in education technology or take a leap and join financial services. I couldn’t be happier with the decision I made to switch industries, and I credit the Georgetown EMBA program for providing me with the tools necessary to make the right decision.

What was your experience like with your cohort? I enjoyed my EMBA 22 cohort, we were like a family! I learned just as much from my classmates as I did from the professors. I’m still in touch with many of my classmates and have made lifelong friends from the program.

Paul Akinmade (EMBA’14)

Paul Akinmade (EMBA’14)

Industry: Financial Services
Company: CMG Financial
Job Title: Chief Strategy Officer

What impact did the EMBA program have on your career?
The EMBA program had a significant impact on my career. Having the degree allowed for certain doors to be opened within my organization where I was given the opportunity to manage much higher levels of responsibility. I was able to exceed expectations of those around me partly due to my new approach to assessing problems through structured methodologies that presented clear and definitive paths for not only needed changes but also execution. My ability to consistently do this during that moment in time created opportunities outside my organization. Those opportunities are still present as I am now a senior executive at one of the top 10 private lenders in the nation.

How did the EMBA program exceed your expectations? While going through the program you feel there is no way you will retain all of the knowledge given. I will say I was surprised by how much is retained and available for use, the number of situations I am able to apply what I learned, and the knowledge of how I would have approached the problem prior versus post EMBA.

Matthew Ritchie (EMBA’18)

Matthew Ritchie (EMBA’18)

Industry: Private Equity
Company: Acorn Growth Companies
Job Title: Managing Director

What impact did the EMBA program have on your career?
I started the EMBA program in an operations role with a background in finance and corporate development. I completed the EMBA program in a new role that blends operations, finance, and M&A. My takeaway: The EMBA program provided the vehicle for me to integrate the skills and knowledge developed during various past career phases into a single professional foundation.

Describe the best part of your EMBA experience. The best part of the experience is the cohort. More specifically, learning how your peers approach issues and problem-solving in unique situations, whether in competitive one-on-one negotiation simulations or forming responses to deliberately challenging issues posed by outside speakers and by each other.

Lala Balaoghlanova (EMBA’17)

Lala Balaoghlanova (EMBA’17)

Industry: Financial Services
Company: HSBC
Job Title: Premiere Relationship Manager

When did you know that you made the right decision in coming to Georgetown? 
I knew that Georgetown was the right place when I was excited to go to campus on a weekend after a sleepless night, preparing for presentations with my team or reading a 10th case in a row. I fondly remember every single experience I’ve had at Georgetown.

What impact did the EMBA program have on your career? The EMBA experience has enhanced my career growth opportunities as well as added value to my professional skill set. But most importantly, during the program I was able to envision my career path and identify my passion as well as learn about my strengths and weaknesses. This has helped me to find the right career opportunities.

Describe the best part of your EMBA experience. At the very start of the program I have been focused on acquiring as many technical skills as possible — accounting, corporate finance, statistics, etc. During our Global Residency in South Korea, one of presenting speakers at Samsung mentioned that the most valuable lessons will be learned during behavioral science classes. It turned out to be true; classes like Ethical Leadership and Organizational Behavior have taught me invaluable leadership and communication skills.

Government

Shaveta Joshi (EMBA’17)

Shaveta Joshi (EMBA’17)

Industry: Defense & Space
Company: Serco Group
Job Title: Vice President, Strategy and M&A

What was your experience with your cohort like? 
Being surrounded by different cultures and a large range of professional backgrounds was a priceless experience for me to learn from. I have learned to listen to their views and respect their inputs.

Describe the best part of your EMBA experience. I really enjoyed the entrepreneurial practice module as it inspired me to think outside of the box. Although it was just a module, we treated it as a real business, and came up with lots of ideas. The module taught not only academic theories, but also provided practical exercises in preparation of our final presentations.

What impact did the EMBA program have on your career? My MBA was pivotal in helping me achieve my career goals. It helped me facilitate a career change into a different profession completely with my current employer.

International Development

Helena Hwang (EMBA’12)

Helena Hwang (EMBA’12)

Industry: International Development
Company: The World Bank
Job Title: Livelihoods Consultant
What impact did the EMBA program have on your career? 
Attaining the EMBA degree has had a very positive effect on my career. The program gave me a wide range of tools and experiences that I apply directly in my work. For example, I traveled regularly for several years to the Philippines to work on the Improving Livelihoods for Vulnerable Urban Communities project — a pilot project to test whether the World Bank’s community-driven development model could be applied to help poor urban communities improve their livelihood opportunities. Recently, I developed a financial literacy and business skills training program for rural Zambian women, for the Zambia Girls’ Education and Women’s Empowerment and Livelihoods project. For both of these projects, I frequently referenced frameworks I learned during the EMBA program. The wonderful education I received at Georgetown — the lectures, international residencies, and most of all, discussions with professors and classmates — gave me the breadth and depth in these areas to apply them to help poor workers in developing countries.

Law

Robert Burger (EMBA’03)

Robert Burger (EMBA’03)

Industry: Law
Company: Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein and Fox
Job Title: Executive Director and COO

Learn how the Executive MBA program impacted Burger personally and professionally.

Watch Robert Burger’s Interview

Manufacturing

Kevin Cochie (EMBA’17)

Kevin Cochie (EMBA’17)

Industry: Manufacturing
Company: FLIR Airborne Sensors
Job Title: Vice President & General Manager

What impact did the EMBA program have on your career? 
The Georgetown EMBA had a tremendous impact on my career. I left the military well-positioned for success in the civilian sector, but I lacked the business acumen needed to elevate me into the C-Suite pool. I’m grateful for my experience at Georgetown because it gave me the ability to understand and speak the language of senior leaders in terms of business opportunities and profit and loss. Many of my friends aspire to be general officers in the military but I aspire to be the CEO that leads a company to success. Georgetown positioned me to continue on a path to achieve this.

When did you know that you made the right decision in coming to Georgetown? I knew I made the right decision with Georgetown in my first month of the program. The cohort was diverse with highly talented professionals from all walks of life, from various industries and many international backgrounds. Georgetown’s faculty is world-class, and the quality of academic instruction regarding global business and leadership was beyond top-notch. Moreover, I learned so much from working with my fellow students because I cultivated and improved my ability to lead and collaborate. I knew right away that Georgetown’s MBA program was the right fit and it was undoubtedly the bridge that transitioned me from an engineer and soldier to a corporate executive.

Marketing

Rico J. Macaraeg (EMBA’17)

Rico J. Macaraeg (EMBA’17)

Industry: Marketing
Company: ThriveDX
Job Title: Vice President Marketing

When did you know that you made the right decision in coming to Georgetown?
After meeting my esteemed cohort, I remember going home telling myself, “McDonough means business in bringing the best to their programs.”

What impact did the EMBA program have on your career? Tremendous impact. The EMBA program is recognized for the Georgetown name and the reputation of the business school, as well as the degree of difficulty and challenge of the program. Graduating from the EMBA program while working full time signaled to future employers my ability to successfully manage a heavy workload and lead challenging projects.

What was your experience like with your cohort?The cohort was extremely diverse and well rounded, with a rich mix of professionals from various background and industries. My cohort allowed for varied and deep conversation surrounding not only the curriculum but also work and experience. Definitely a key benefit of the EMBA program is this network, and yes – we still maintain regular communication with one another.

Nonprofit/Social Impact

Larisa Friesen Hall

Larisa Friesen Hall (EMBA’21)

Industry: Nonprofit/Social Impact
Company: Bread for the World
Job Title: VP for Development

Watch Friesen Hall discuss the variety of backgrounds in her cohort and why she chose the Executive MBA program after 15 years in the nonprofit sector.

Watch Larisa Friesen Hall’s Interview

Technology

Ashish Raval

Ashish Raval (EMBA’21)

Industry: Information Services
Company: Synoptic Data PBC
Job Title: President

Raval speaks about why he chose Georgetown for his Executive MBA.

Watch Ashish Raval’s Interview
Carlo Mafouz (EMBA ’21)

Carlo Mafouz (EMBA’21)

Industry: Education Technology & Healthcare
Company: Laerdal Medical
Job Title: Director of Platform Technology, Office of the CTO; Author of Reality Check, In Pursuit of the Right Questions. 

Describe the moment you knew you made the right decision in coming to Georgetown.
Being part of the EMBA 25 cohort and the Georgetown community is the best part of my EMBA experience. I knew I made the right decision to join Georgetown when I finished my entry interview with George Liebensfeld from the admissions office. We had a great conversation and left feeling confident that if the applicants went through the same process, then we would have a great cohort, and we DID.

What was your experience with your cohort like and how would you describe the diversity? As an immigrant in the U.S. coming from Lebanon, it always felt like something was amiss connecting with the culture and D.C. community around me. As If I was missing a footing in being part of a family in the United States. My Georgetown EMBA cohort and community became that family and gave me a sense of home away from home. It was great to build relationships with intellectual executives that I call my friends now. Being able to lean onto each other for advice or counsel might be the greatest gift any program can deliver. A cohort of diverse individuals from all walks of life shared their experiences and enhanced the learnings tenfold.

Describe a residency project that you worked on. What did it entail? How did it impact you? As part of our capstone project, we could give back to the community here in D.C. as traveling was restricted due to COVID. We partnered with Mamatoto Village, which serves Black women by creating career pathways in maternal health; and providing accessible perinatal support services. Leveraging resources from within Georgetown and our own networks, our team delivered meaningful support to their team by devising new ways to leverage technology to enhance their processes. It was a fantastic experience and one that I am very proud of.

Zehra Zaidi (EMBA’14)

Zehra Zaidi (EMBA’14)

Industry: Technology
Company: Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Job Title: Program Manager, Early Sales Career

What impact did the EMBA program have on your career?
It really changed my career trajectory. I had been in marketing for over 10 years with some wins under my belt but felt like I needed to re-energize my career, and frankly, my brain. I had just had three kids in five years, and taking all that time off did a number on my momentum. The Georgetown brand and the EMBA program opened doors for me that may not have been available to me before. It’s one of the best things I have done for myself.

Describe a residency project that you worked on.My group worked on a U.S. market entry strategy for a Turkish hosiery and lingerie company. We spent months researching and putting together a plan. As part of our residency, we traveled to Istanbul and presented our plan to their CEO and senior management. To get that real-life, hands-on experience was challenging and exhilarating at the same time.

What was your experience like with your cohort? Our cohort was one of the best things about this experience. Over 20 months, you build a bond through the work and experiences that you just can’t replicate anywhere else. It’s a diverse group, so there are many perspectives and each person has their strengths. You learn to work together in ways that really test you and challenge your thinking. And of course, I made friends and professional connections that will last me a lifetime. I keep in touch with many of them.

Bill Sheehan EMBA

Bill Sheehan (EMBA’21)

Industry: Medical Technology
Company: Stryker
Job Title: Regional Sales Managerr

Sheehan speaks about why the Georgetown EMBA program was right for him.

Watch Bill Sheehan’s Interview
Nathan Ruiz (EMBA’16)

Nathan Ruiz (EMBA’16)

Industry: Technology
Company: Govini
Job Title: Vice President

When did you know you made the right decision in coming to Georgetown?
I was blown away by the quality and diversity of my cohort from the start! Right away in the residency and during the first few weeks of classes I remember being incredibly excited for all of the learning and growing we would do together. Those first weeks and months were when I knew I was in the right place.

What impact did the EMBA program have on your career? The EMBA program came at a critical time in my career. I began the program as I transitioned from serving as an Active Duty Air Force Officer and began working in federal consulting. For me, the EMBA program represented an important educational component to my career course change. Since I knew I wanted to eventually move to non-federal consulting, I saw the Georgetown EMBA program as a perfect transition program for me mid-career. It prepared me to make a major career move and is has allowed me to succeed in the business world both as a small business owner and now as a member of a technology company.

What was your experience like with your cohort?I was one of a handful of career military or veterans in the cohort. The opportunity to get to know the members of my cohort who came from different backgrounds was life-changing for me. We have a deeply diverse group, and I keep in touch with many of my fellow cohort members and continue to learn so much from them. We are a talented group who balanced personal growth and ambition with a strong sense of teamwork that we allow to guide us.

Sekhar Puli (EMBA’04)

Sekhar Puli (EMBA’04)

Industry: Technology
Company: REAN Cloud
Job Title: Founder, Managing Partner

When did you know that you made the right decision in coming to Georgetown?
Right after the program I switched jobs and moved into management consultancy. The program gave me the confidence to allow me to take that leap of faith. However later on, after I started my own business, was when I truly felt the value of my education at Georgetown.

What impact did the EMBA program have on your career? The EMBA Program was very instrumental in helping me build the company. It exposed me to all aspects of business from corporate finance, accounting, marketing, etc. that I was always able to dip into as needed.

What was your experience like with your cohort?One of the main values out of the programs was my peers. You learn and lean on them so much. When I started the company I had to take advice from some of my cohort members who were experts in certain areas like marketing or operations. In fact one of them is part of my management team now.

Ranjeet Shetty (EMBA’16)

Ranjeet Shetty (EMBA’16)

Industry: Technology
Company: OneWeb
Job Title: Senior Technical Program Manager

What impact did the EMBA program have on your career?
One year into my MBA course, my management saw the added value in my contributions and charged me with the transformation of business processes to increase efficiency and improve quality.

How did the EMBA program exceed your expectations? It did so in many ways. Some of the professors were extremely dedicated and took a personal interest in our success. The international residencies were real-life projects that allowed us to apply all the skills we learned. But best of all are the deep and meaningful relationships I created with my cohort, professors, staff, and alumni.

When did you know that you made the right decision in coming to Georgetown? For me it wasn’t one Eureka moment but a series of moments, each one led to a better understanding of the business environment. But if I had to single out one of my earliest moments, it was the Microeconomics class with Professor Macher. It completely changed the way I listen to and read the news.

Gaurav Ranjit (EMBA’18)

Gaurav Ranjit (EMBA’18)

Industry: Technology
Company: Simeio
Job Title: Manager

Describe your Capstone Residency project.
I had the privilege to conclude my EMBA experience with the Global Capstone Residency on the topic of obtaining land rights and stakeholder engagement for a wind energy project in Kenya. Under the guidance of Professors Ryan and Busch, I was part of a diverse team with strong competency, qualification, background, and experience that made this project a great success. We got to travel to Kenya to get an understanding of land rights and community engagement. In this journey, we got to meet, interview, and build relations with various individuals ranging from global executives at the World Bank, government officials, land and community activists, business entrepreneurs, and locals. This project has been a transformational experience for me, and I have not only been able to align it to my EMBA objective, but also positively influence my personal life as well.”

Transportation

Caroline Decker

Caroline Decker (EMBA’16)

Industry: Transportation
Company: Amtrak
Job Title: Vice President Northeast Corridor Service Line

Decker speaks about the varying degrees of ROI she benefited from during her time in the Executive MBA.

Watch Caroline Decker’s Interview
Erin Elizabeth Ryan (EMBA’16)

Erin Elizabeth Ryan (EMBA’16)

Industry: Transportation
Company: Amtrak
Job Title: Senior Director Commercial Finance

Describe your cohort experience.
My EMBA cohort has been the greatest asset I’ve gained from my MBA and is still a very important part of my personal and professional life. I am awestruck every day at the achievements of my EMBA family and am lucky enough to work with three of my classmates (and counting!) at Amtrak. Not only are my classmates an amazing group of executives, they’re also incredible people, and I always look forward to catching up at our monthly networking session (happy hour).

What impact did the EMBA program have on your career? The EMBA Program has had a tremendous impact on my career. Not only did the skills, knowledge, and confidence I gained during EMBA propel me higher in my previous organization, my EMBA cohort — a network second to none — has been my ultimate cheerleader and led me to my role with Amtrak today.