Carline Noailles (EMBA’23) on Using Jesuit Values to Lead Sustainable Practices in Business

As the spring semester comes to a close, Georgetown McDonough is pleased to commemorate the accomplishments of the Class of 2023. This year’s graduating class demonstrated immense commitment, discipline, and determination to reach this milestone, and we are proud to recognize their achievements as they embark on their next chapter as Hoya alumni. To celebrate, we’re spotlighting several exceptional students in the Class of 2023 as they share their personal stories, reflect on their time on the Hilltop, and preview what the future holds after commencement.

As the co-founder and a managing director of a boutique firm that specializes in sustainable international development, Carline Noailles (EMBA’23) is already applying what she’s learned through the Executive MBA (EMBA) program in her career. Noailles pursued the EMBA degree to enhance her business skills and enable her to better lead environmental and social sustainability-driven practices in the private sector – but she also left with a strong sense of community and a greater sense of purpose in advancing the common good. 

Here, Noailles explains how her experience at McDonough has surpassed her overall expectations, why she believes it’s important to approach the EMBA experience from a holistic perspective, how she carries out Georgetown’s Jesuit values in her daily life, and why the university holds a special place in her heart.

What is your favorite memory or proudest moment from your time at Georgetown?

Funny enough, my proudest moment is receiving an email about my nomination to be featured as one of the select students across various degree programs at McDonough who have been recognized for their outstanding contributions and successes as a Hoya. What an honor! This was completely unexpected and, quite frankly, I became emotional. 

I have dedicated my career working in international development to make the world a better place, more specifically by improving the lives of those at the “bottom of the pyramid.” I decided to pursue an EMBA to learn additional business skills to be more impactful whether it is in the non-profit, public, or private sector. 

The Jesuit values that define a Hoya are what attracted me to Georgetown University, which includes the drive for both excellence and impact. I like to think that I not only practice these values in my work but that I naturally carry them in my daily life. I received this nomination as a testament that I walk in my truth and that I have been recognized by someone that I admire and look up to and from an organization where I found a community and will proudly call home.

How do you plan to apply the skills you have learned at Georgetown in the next phase of your career?

I enrolled in the EMBA program with the specific goal to gain new skills in business and expand my skills in environmental and social sustainability in the private sector. The combination of required courses and the flexibility of electives have allowed me to tailor my curriculum to my career goals. In addition, Georgetown McDonough and the larger university community offer a wide range of opportunities to learn and grow, including different centers and initiatives, such as Business for Impact, the Business of Sustainability Initiative, and the Baratta Center for Global Business, to name a few, lectures, webinars, and conferences. I will use my skills to either promote sound business practices in the non-profit or international development sectors for more tangible, long-term impacts or to promote sustainable business practices in the private sector. 

What is one of the most important lessons you have learned while at Georgetown?

True leadership is authentic and comes in different shapes and forms. True leaders inspire and find ways to make the world a better place no matter the field and sectors they work in.    

Is there a particular person in the Georgetown community that has been instrumental to your success?

I can say that the entire Georgetown community has exceeded my expectations. If I have to name a particular person who has been instrumental to my success it would be Bardia Kamrad. 

Professor Kamrad set the tone both from what is expected of me, and what I should expect from McDonough, from the beginning of the program.

He taught one of my first classes as an EMBA student, Decision Analytics, which is a statistics class. During the semester, he was always available via email, Zoom, or phone to answer my most basic questions. That shows his dedication to our success as students, but at the same time, his expectations for us. 

From the beginning, Professor Kamrad identified us as partners in our academic and professional success. I approached him on several occasions with ideas that I had to improve mine and my classmates’ experiences. He always made time to listen, explain the school’s position, or direct me to the proper resources. This gave me a boost of confidence that I later used to advocate for myself at McDonough and on campus.

How have you implemented what you’ve learned through the EMBA program in your professional life to date?

I am the co-founder and one of the managing directors of JESCA Solutions, a boutique firm specializing in sustainable international development. We are currently expanding our services offerings to help the private sector embrace more sustainable business practices including minimizing environmental impacts and creating shared values along their supply chains and in the communities where they work. This is a logical extension of our proven expertise in environmental and social impact assessment, community and regional planning, stakeholders’ engagement and coordination, data collection, and reporting and communication amongst other sectors. 

What advice would you give to the next class of Georgetown EMBA students?

While it is important to have good grades, make sure to take advantage of the many opportunities to learn, grow, and network on campus outside of the classroom and beyond your cohort.