Joint Degree Spotlight: Learning Business Skills for Environmental Stewardship

Hometown: Nairobi, Kenya and New Delhi, India
Education: BA in economics, BS in business management, Boston University; MA, applied statistics and data science, Columbia University
Internship: Boston Consulting Group, Microsoft 

Why did you decide to pursue a joint degree at Yale SOM?

Before SOM, I worked in a generalist consulting role, which left me without a single domain of deep expertise. I came to graduate school to develop specialized knowledge and contribute to a broader body of research. I’ve always cared deeply about the environment, especially the tangible, visible parts of it, which led me to the Master of Forestry program at the Yale School of the Environment (YSE). Yale’s joint-degree program is the oldest of its kind, and the community of joint-degree students (“The Joints”) was a big draw. The structure, support, and culture around the joint degree made it a natural fit.

Describe some favorite classes and/or campus groups you’ve participated in.

At SOM, Global Social Entrepreneurship has been a standout. It’s a practicum course where we partner with social enterprises in Kenya, India, or Brazil. My team worked with an organization in Kenya, and our field visit there was a highlight of my time at SOM—offering a real look at the challenges of scaling impact in complex systems.

At YSE, Temperate Woody Plant Taxonomy and Dendrology (“Dendro” for short) has been my favorite so far. It’s a tree identification course where we spent three hours each week outside, learning to distinguish over 150 species—even without leaves. Our final exam involved identifying 100 bare branches laid out on a table, down to their family, genus, and species. It was as intense as it was rewarding!

Have there been unexpected benefits from your joint-degree program?

Two come to mind. First, spending weekends at the Yale Forests—hiking, camping, and joining field trips—has been a refreshing way to connect classroom learning with the land. Second, I’ve really appreciated being part of both the SOM and YSE communities. They’re quite different in tone and culture, and it's been fulfilling to move between them and find spaces to express different parts of who I am.

What professional opportunities have you pursued as a result of your joint degree? 

I came to Yale to help channel investment into climate solutions, especially cleaner technologies and nature-based approaches. The joint degree has helped me build the skills and networks to do just that. I’ve worked with research labs at Yale and connected with alumni in renewable energy, regenerative agriculture, and climate tech. The joint degree has also been a strong signal to employers looking for people who can straddle business and environmental work—most notably in my upcoming internship with Microsoft’s carbon removal team. The role specifically sought MBAs with forestry-related experience, and I don’t think I would have been considered without this path.

How has your MBA enriched your understanding of environmental studies? 

The MBA has given me a solid foundation in how capital flows through both mature and emerging markets, which is particularly relevant in the fast-evolving space of environmental solutions. It’s also helped me think more strategically about how to manage stakeholders, a critical skill when trying to drive change in large, complex systems.