Career Conversations

This episode is part of a special mini-series of Career Conversations focused on MBA summer internships. Snigdha Rao ’21 is an intern at the National Park Service this summer. She discusses what it's like to work at the organization, her hidden talent for improv, and what she looks forward to in her second year as a full-time MBA student including her involvement in Student Government and Women in Management.

This is our first episode in a special mini-series of Career Conversations focused on MBA summer internships. Ann Boyajian ’21, Emily Kling ’21, and Edward Kusell-Zigelman ’21 MBA interns at CariClub this summer. They discuss what it's like to work at the start-up, the pros and cons of a virtual internship, and their big takeaway from their work at the social impact-focused organization.

Frances Symes, a 2014 graduate of Yale SOM, is a manager in the Workforce Transformation group of Deloitte’s Human Capital practice. She has been with Deloitte for 5 years, and has served clients across multiple industries in leading large scale change efforts as well as conducting talent and learning initiatives. Frances has built expertise and a passion for a broad range of organizational and people topics—including upskilling and reskilling the workforce, change leadership, and the Future of Work. She is trained as a Greenhouse Lab manager and facilitator and loves designing and facilitating client workshops and “breakthrough” sessions.

Dennis Tseng is a 2014 graduate of Yale SOM. He works in Google's Hiring Innovation department, helping the tech giant hire nearly 25,000 employees each year in a more effective and equitable way. He is interviewed by Emily Kling ’21. 

Andrew Messick ’91 is the CEO of IRONMAN Group which runs the iconic IRONMAN® series of events, the largest participation sports platform in the world. IRONMAN Group is part of Wanda Sports Group, a leading global sports events, media, and marketing platform. He is interviewed by Reeve Harde ’20. 

Michael Barker ’10 is the managing director of the Westport Country Playhouse in Westport, CT. He is interviewed by Emily Kling ’20

Kerwin K. Charles is the Indra K. Nooyi Dean & Frederic D. Wolfe Professor of Economics, Policy, and Management at Yale SOM. He joined the school as its dean in 2019. He is interviewed by Reeve Harde ’20. 

Laura Walker was the founding President and CEO of New York Public Radio and held that position for 23 years until earlier this year. She is now an Executive Fellow in Residence at the Yale School of Management and an advisor to New York Public Radio, Common Sense Media and a range of startups.

Radha Kuppalli ’06 is Managing Director of Investor Services at New Forests, a sustainable forestry investment management firm founded in 2005. Her oversight includes client relations, funds marketing, and integration of responsible investment and ESG innovations into investment strategy. She is an executive director of the board of New Forests Pty Ltd; a member of the company’s Executive Committee; and a member of the Investment Committee. Radha has been with New Forests since 2006 and is motivated by bringing capital, ideas, and people together to scale climate change solutions and protect biodiversity. Radha has a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies and Economic Theory from American University in Washington, D.C., and an MBA and master’s degree in Environmental Management from Yale University’s School of Management and School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. She is on the Advisory Board of the Center for Business and Environment at Yale University and is an associate of the Yale World Fellows Program. She is also an alumna of the Junior Fellows Program of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

A. J. Wasserstein is the Eugene F. Williams, Jr. Lecturer in the Practice of Management at Yale SOM. He teaches Entrepreneurship through Acquisition, the popular SOM elective course on search funds, as well as Leading Small and Medium Enterprises, and Rollups, and Consolidations and Serial Acquisitions. He is interviewed by Max Dworin ’20, a first-year MBA student and former U.S. Senate staffer transitioning to a career on the innovation side of the consumer packaged goods industry.