Business Acumen & Career Outcomes

Michelle Grabau (MBA’25)

Jane Majkiewicz — Tue, 12 Aug 2025 19:00:27 +0000

Michelle Grabau (MBA’25) Jane Majkiewicz Tue, 08/12/2025 - 13:00

After more than 10 years of working in early-stage companies and a brief stint in venture capital, Michelle Grabau (MBA’25) knows that, to be successful, startup founders must understand their customer base. So, when devising her business, R Place, which combines drop-in childcare with socializing and working spaces for adults, Grabau drew on her knowledge as a parent of two.

“I live this experience on a daily basis,” she said.

“I'm surrounded by people that have similar experiences, and so I very deeply understand and can empathize. I'm constantly getting bombarded with the pain points of my customers.”

Entrepreneurial aspirations

Grabau realized she wanted to start her own company early on in her career, when she was working as a general manager at a fitness franchise in the Bay Area of California. She went on to work in operations and strategy for several more fitness companies and spent a year at a venture capital firm, where she evaluated pitches for startups innovating new fitness technology. Through it all, she never lost sight of her entrepreneurial goals. Because she had spent so much of her career working for fitness companies, she imagined that her own company would also be related to home fitness. “But then I had children. And that changed my purpose or my calling.”

As a parent, Grabau was frustrated by the lack of public spaces enjoyable for both children and parents. Places aimed at adults, like breweries, don’t offer enough to entertain children, while kid-friendly spaces, like playgrounds, can be unengaging for parents. She envisioned R Place providing something for all members of the family—social and work opportunities for parents and childcare to entertain the little ones.

“We have a place for us, the adults,” she said. “We have a place for them, the children, but there's nothing that's ours. And so that's where the concept of R Place came to me. It's just as much for the children as it is for the adults, and just as much for the adults as it is for the children.”

Taking the mic

Grabau and her husband relocated from San Francisco to Denver, attracted to Colorado’s abundant outdoor activities and booming startup scene. Given Leeds’ stellar reputation in entrepreneurship and its ties to the Colorado startup community, Grabau decided to apply to the hybrid MBA program, hoping to gain key knowledge and to use the program’s capstone project to officially launch her idea.

“There were big gaps that I felt were missing in my skillset,” she remembered. “Finance, for example, was the big one. Although I knew that some people just go for it, I decided to get my MBA to fill those gaps, and to accelerate the startup.

In the fall of 2023, with a 2-year-old at home and another child on the way, Grabau entered the MBA program. While at Leeds, she participated in Assistant Teaching Professor Brad Werner’s New Venture Launch course, where she developed and refined her pitch for R Place. She then went on to pitch R Place in the New Venture Challenge (NVC).

In her time working for a venture capital firm, Grabau had heard pitches before, but the NVC was her first time on the other side of the table. Luckily, her past as a fitness instructor helped her feel at home onstage.

“I love having a microphone, so that environment was very comfortable in terms of doing it in front of an audience,” she said. “And I'm also quite a competitive person. That played into a lot of my strengths and the things that I like to do.”

Grabau’s idea was a hit. She ranked among the top five finalists in the 2025 Women Founders New Venture Challenge and as a semifinalist in the general NVC.

“R Place is ultimately about being a parent. But it's about being more than that.”

Michelle Grabau (MBA’25)

A founder and a parent

Since graduating last May, Grabau has been working on getting R Place off the ground. She is building a waitlist of interested families and finding the company’s flagship location. In late July, she hosted a happy hour focus group with complimentary childcare, which she said “sparked real conversations about what modern parents need and reinforced the value of building alongside your future members.” Through it all, she continues to be a startup founder who is also a parent, taking calls while her daughter plays in the other room.

In a recent post on LinkedIn, Grabau shared two photos—one of her cradling her baby bump on the first day of the program, and the second of her and her two children on graduation day. Working and getting her MBA while parenting a toddler and a newborn required sacrifices, but Grabau feels that it has made her a better mother to pursue her goals. In her words, motherhood is “a very important core piece of my identity, but it’s not my whole identity.”

“My MBA journey is a perfect example of that,” she said. “Yes, R Place is ultimately about being a parent. But it's about being more than that. It’s about being a parent and ... fill in the blank.”

Michelle Grabau built her career helping early-stage companies thrive. Now, she’s applying this experience and her firsthand knowledge of parenting to a new venture—a purpose-driven business designed to help families build community.

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Josh Zeldner (Mktg, RelEst’09)

Jane Majkiewicz — Fri, 18 Jul 2025 17:20:17 +0000

Josh Zeldner (Mktg, RelEst’09) Jane Majkiewicz Fri, 07/18/2025 - 11:20

Anna Sheffer

Growing up, Josh Zeldner (Mktg, RelEst’09) didn’t envision working for his parents’ honey company, Z Specialty Food. But in 2010, dissatisfied with the jobs he had held in real estate and financial planning, Zeldner learned his parents were thinking of selling the business, so he decided to move home to Davis, California.

“They were tired, and [the business] wasn’t profitable,” he remembered. “It really broke my heart to see how much they put into it and how little they would get out of it. That was what made me realize the most fulfilling thing I could do for myself would be to move back to Davis and start to learn the family business.”

Family beginnings

Zeldner’s father, Ishai, fell in love with beekeeping while working on Kibbutz Beit Hashita in Israel. Upon his return to the United States, Ishai started studying bees at the University of California, Davis. He founded Z Specialty Food (then called Moon Shine Trading Company) in 1979 to share one of his favorite local honey varietals, California Yellow Star Thistle. Despite Ishai’s passion for honey, Zeldner never felt pressured to work for the family business.

“That was, I think, essential,” he said. “I probably would not have [taken over] if I felt a lot of pressure to do it.”

When Zeldner moved back home in 2010, only his parents and one other employee worked for Z Specialty Food. He quickly gave himself the title “nectar director.”

“I had seen how hard my parents were working,” he said. “I inherently work that hard also, but I wanted to make sure that I'm always keeping joy in my life. Choosing the title of nectar director was just one of those things.”

“I wanted to make sure that I'm always keeping joy in my life. Choosing the title of nectar director was just one of those things.”

Josh Zeldner (Mktg, RelEst’09)

Z Specialty Food had one 4,000-square-foot warehouse and focused on business-to-business honey sales. But Zeldner had an idea to reach consumers directly: a warehouse sale open to the public. �� 50 customers attended, and the warehouse sale became an annual event, now known as the Anniversary Party @ The HIVE. More than 1,000 people attended the 2024 anniversary party.

“When I think back on it, I think, 'Wow! I joined the business in September, and by December already had this new concept going,’” Zeldner said.

In 2012, Zeldner’s mother, Amina, decided to concentrate on her work as founding director of UC Davis’s Honey & Pollination Center, meaning Zeldner and his father took on more work at Z Specialty Food. When his father passed away in 2018, Zeldner took over as the company’s head.

Zeldner oversaw the opening of Z Specialty Food’s 20,000-square-foot honey and mead tasting room, The HIVE at Woodland—the largest of its kind in California. The HIVE is also a full-service restaurant and event space. Most importantly, Zeldner sees The HIVE as a community hub, a place where the public can attend bouquet-making workshops, concerts or parties for Woodland’s Sister City program with La Piedad, Mexico.

“The community aspect of The HIVE is a big theme that has carried me through as I’ve been making improvements and changes,” he said.

Breaking new ground

Building The HIVE brought new growth—and new challenges. Z Specialty Food was renting its warehouse at the time, so Zeldner initially considered renting or purchasing a pre-existing space. When he found the property that would become The HIVE, he took the leap and asked to buy it, despite never having purchased or developed land before.

“In the moment, looking back, I had this kind of tunnel vision,” he said. “I was like, ‘I know where I'm trying to go and I need to just take it one day at a time and keep doing certain things, and eventually we'll get there.’”

Zeldner prioritized sustainability when building The HIVE, adding large windows and solar panels to make the building a Zero Net Energy facility. In addition, The HIVE’s two-acre pollinator garden grows produce used in the restaurant, such as fava beans incorporated into a dip. Zeldner designed and installed much of the garden’s landscape with his wife, Rowan Boswell, who is the garden educator and pollen steward.

“We have a crew that comes through and helps [with the garden], but I do a lot of the pruning and weeding,” Zeldner said. “It's kind of my happy place.”

Continuing a legacy

Both Zeldner’s time at Leeds and his father informed his leadership style. In one of his first lecture classes at Leeds, for example, visits from the CEOs of companies like Starbucks and Quicksilver helped him recognize the importance of a people-centric approach.

“I could see that the attitude that a leader has really does impact the culture of the organization in a big way,” he said. “That's something that has stuck with me.”

Although he has changed some of his father’s approaches, running the company has helped him appreciate his father’s original vision.

“It was really a passion project where he followed his love for bees and honey and just said ‘I'm going to start a honey company,’” he said.

While Zeldner didn’t always dream of owning Z Specialty Food, he now recognizes how special and unique the company is.

“I knew there was some opportunity there,” he said. “Not just financial opportunity, but especially this opportunity to grow into being a bigger part of the community.”

After an unexpected return to his roots, Josh Zeldner brought new energy and vision to his family’s honey business. His efforts have created a real buzz—transforming the company into a vibrant community hub focused on sustainability and connection.

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Angel Nuñez (Econ’25, Business Minor)

Jane Majkiewicz — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 17:29:11 +0000

Angel Nuñez (Econ’25, Business Minor) Jane Majkiewicz Thu, 07/03/2025 - 11:29

Faces of Leeds Snapshot

Name: Angel Nuñez
Major: Economics, Business Minor
Hometown: Denver, Colorado
Leadership Award: TRIO Student Support Services Program, Student Academic Success Center

What are your plans after graduation?
I plan to pursue a master’s in applied economics at Purdue University, where I’ll continue building the analytical and research skills I began developing at Leeds.

How would you sum up your experience at Leeds?
Leeds challenged me to think critically, collaborate with diverse teams and find confidence in my voice. The professors, opportunities and peers helped shape not just my academic path, but my growth as a future leader. It’s a place that pushed me to aim higher and not sell myself short.

How do you plan to stay connected to Leeds?
I’m applying to join the Leeds mentoring program and plan to stay engaged through alumni events and networking opportunities. I want to give back to the same community that helped me grow, and I’m excited to support future students the way others supported me.

"The professors, opportunities and peers at Leeds helped shape not just my academic path, but my growth as a future leader. It’s a place that pushed me to aim higher."

Angel Nuñez departs CU for Purdue University, where he will pursue a master’s in applied economics and build upon the analytical skills he began developing at Leeds.

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Yuping Li (PhD’25)

Jane Majkiewicz — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 17:00:00 +0000

Yuping Li (PhD’25) Jane Majkiewicz Thu, 07/03/2025 - 11:00

Faces of Leeds Snapshot

Name: Yuping Li (PhD’25)
Hometown: Fujian Province, China
Leeds Division: Strategy, Entrepreneurship and Operations
Upcoming Position: Assistant Professor in Strategy and Entrepreneurship at Singapore Management University

Leeds Mentors: I am especially thankful to my advisor, Professor Tony Tong. From the earliest stages of my dissertation through to its completion, he has provided unwavering support, insightful feedback and generous mentorship. Our ongoing conversations have shaped how I think about research, academic life and what it means to contribute to a scholarly community. His guidance has been instrumental to my growth as a scholar, and working with him has been a truly formative experience.

I am also sincerely appreciative of the members of my dissertation committee. Professor Janet Bercovitz has been an enduring source of support throughout my PhD studies. Her clarity of thought and insightful feedback greatly enriched this work, and she has been a continual source of inspiration to me—especially in her example as a female scholar.

Professor Mukund Chari helped deepen my appreciation for methodological rigor and precise thinking. I am grateful for the many conversations where he patiently engaged with my ideas and helped refine my presentations.

I am also grateful to Professor Sina Khoshsokhan for his support throughout the dissertation development and the job search process. I have greatly benefited from his generosity in sharing his experiences.

Highlight: I feel incredibly fortunate to have pursued my doctoral studies in such an intellectually stimulating and naturally beautiful environment, nestled at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. I especially enjoyed the sunny weather and breathtaking views—something I’ll miss dearly. Beyond academic growth, I’ve been lucky to build lasting friendships and share this journey with an exceptional group of colleagues. The mentorship and camaraderie I’ve experienced here have been truly special.

Research Inspiration: My research sits at the intersection of open-source innovation, corporate strategy and entrepreneurship. I was drawn to this area by observing how open-source software has become both technologically essential and commercially valuable. Today, nearly 95% of software includes some open-source component. Major commercial transactions underscore its value—for example, IBM’s $34 billion acquisition of Red Hat and Microsoft’s $7.5 billion acquisition of GitHub.

Despite its prominence in practice, academic research on open source remains limited. We still know little about why firms choose to engage with open source, what the consequences are, and how they sustain competitive advantage while doing so. While open source can provide firms with advantages like cost reduction, access to distributed knowledge, talent identification and broader technology diffusion, it also introduces competitive risks by exposing proprietary technologies.

”Beyond academic growth, I’ve been lucky to build lasting friendships and share this journey with an exceptional group of colleagues. The mentorship and camaraderie I’ve experienced here have been truly special.“

Dissertation: “Navigating the Paradox of Openness in Corporate Growth: Evidence from Open-Source Startups”

Summary: Open-source innovation has become increasingly influential in the technological landscape and is gaining significant commercial value. While traditionally viewed as independent of corporate interests, recent years have witnessed a substantial increase in the participation of commercial firms, particularly digital startups, in open-source development. Globally, open source has catalyzed entrepreneurial growth by allowing startups to build on existing technologies and tap into decentralized talent pools. However, the open-source nature of startups’ technology also presents challenges to their ability to capture value. My dissertation investigates the strategic implications of digital startups leveraging open source for growth and examines how they navigate this paradox of openness during key strategic events, such as competing with industry incumbents and reaching corporate milestones like initial public offerings (IPOs) and mergers and acquisitions (M&As).

Why is this research impactful?
This research advances our understanding of how firms navigate the complex trade-offs of openness in innovation ecosystems. It offers novel insights into how startups can strategically engage with open source to drive growth, maintain competitive advantage and maximize value capture. As open source continues to shape the future of technology and entrepreneurship, these findings hold both theoretical and practical significance for scholars, entrepreneurs and corporate strategists alike.

Yuping Li is joining Singapore Management University as a tenure-track assistant professor in strategy and entrepreneurship. She’ll miss the Rocky Mountains but will be leaving with lasting friendships and connections at Leeds.

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Victor Alamillo (MBusAn’25)

Jane Majkiewicz — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 16:00:00 +0000

Victor Alamillo (MBusAn’25) Jane Majkiewicz Thu, 07/03/2025 - 10:00

Faces of Leeds Snapshot

Name: Victor Alamillo
Major: Business Analytics
Hometown: Fountain, Colorado

Why did you choose to come to Leeds for your master’s?
I chose Leeds for my master’s because I had heard firsthand from Leeds alumni that the graduate program staff and professors were extremely supportive and understanding. My own experience confirmed this, as my professors were always open to answering my questions and providing additional examples to clarify complex topics.

How has Leeds shaped your perspectives about business?
Leeds has opened my eyes to the vastness of the business world. By engaging with my cohort, I have met a diverse range of individuals from various countries and backgrounds, which has made me more knowledgeable about business and global practices.

What experiences have stood out?
Being a part of the Graduate Diverse Scholars program, spearheaded by Kristi Ryujin, has been one of the most memorable experiences of my time at Leeds. Through the program, I have connected with a diverse group of students beyond the cohort, networked with and learned from industry professionals, and received support to navigate my graduate journey.

What are your plans after graduation?
After graduation, I plan to stay in the Denver metro area and work in the technology industry, where I can combine my communication, design and data skills.

How has Leeds prepared you for your career?
Leeds has prepared me for my career by offering a variety of real-world case studies during my coursework. This hands-on approach allowed me to gain valuable experience in Python, R, SQL and more.

"Leeds has opened my eyes to the vastness of the business world. By engaging with my cohort, I have met a diverse range of individuals from various countries and backgrounds, which has made me more knowledgeable about business and global practices."

By experiencing real-world learning through case studies in addition to coursework, Victor Alamillo feels well equipped to enter the technology field and apply his communication, design and data skills.

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Hugo Leenders (PhD’25)

Jane Majkiewicz — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 15:02:33 +0000

Hugo Leenders (PhD’25) Jane Majkiewicz Fri, 06/13/2025 - 09:02

Faces of Leeds Snapshot

Name: Hugo Leenders (PhD’25)
Hometown: Nijmegen, The Netherlands
Leeds Division: Strategy and Entrepreneurship
Upcoming Position: Assistant Professor of Management at New Mexico State University

Leeds Mentors: First and foremost, Janet Bercovitz. Tony Tong and Jeff York have also been great teachers, mentors and inspirations.

Highlight: Successfully defending my dissertation has been the greatest accomplishment of my professional life. Nothing comes close to it.

Research Inspiration: Initially, I was inspired by scholars around me. Later on, my own experiences as a former entrepreneur started to play an increasingly important role.

“Successfully defending my dissertation has been the greatest accomplishment of my professional life. Nothing comes close to it.”

Dissertation: “Conflict and Competitive Tensions in R&D Alliances”

Summary: My dissertation examines how firms strategically manage the risk of knowledge misappropriation and other exchange hazards inherent in R&D alliances, with a particular focus on the influence of partner reputations.

Why is this research impactful? 
Reputations are self-enforcing, and firms rely on them to make inferences about each other's current and future behaviors, especially when they have imperfect information about each other, which is generally the case in the R&D alliance context. We can thus expect reputations to play an important role in this context. However, this topic has not been researched enough, which is why I pursued this in my dissertation. In addition to contributing to theory, my research also has important practical implications, as it may help firms make better decisions with respect to partner selection, design, and overall management of their R&D alliances.

Hugo Leenders is headed to the University of New Mexico, where he will be an assistant professor of management. Completing his dissertation has been his greatest accomplishment to date!

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Maggie Wellman (MBA’25)

Jane Majkiewicz — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 15:00:51 +0000

Maggie Wellman (MBA’25) Jane Majkiewicz Thu, 06/12/2025 - 09:00

Faces of Leeds Snapshot

Name: Maggie Wellman
Major: Business Administration
Hometown: Pueblo, Colorado

Why did you choose to come to Leeds for your MBA?
After completing my undergrad at CSU and bouncing around a bit, I wanted to return to Colorado and pursue my master’s in a new academic environment. Leeds offered a dynamic, supportive community that aligned with my interests in business and sustainability.

How has Leeds shaped your perspectives about business?
Before Leeds, I was fairly confident in my understanding of the basics of business. Leeds really flipped me on my head and exposed me to all of the different angles that you can approach businesses with to make them successful. It really is difficult, and I believe that sometimes people look at businesses assuming concepts like strategy or operations are straightforward, but everything must be done intentionally and with careful thought to stay above water in the market.

What experiences have stood out?
The MBA is a packed program, and there is a ton that I loved being a part of. I really enjoyed the Barney Ford Scholarship Fundraiser and leading it as president of the planning committee. It reflects the dedication of Leeds, supporting their students and enabling everyone who wants to pursue higher education.

On a fun note, I enjoyed the tailgates hosted by the MBA board, as everyone came together, whether they were a football lover or not.

In terms of professors, it is hard to say who stood out the most. Our accounting professor Henry Laurion was undoubtedly a class favorite, but also Rich Wobbekind, Heather Kennedy and Jamie Cheston all shared their expertise and support to help me figure out the direction I should be facing for the future. Overall, the program gave me the opportunity to learn more about myself and make friends that I will have forever.

What are your plans after graduation?
I am about to get married and would love to stay in Colorado. I am applying to jobs in event/program management as well as marketing and brand management. I have a ton of interests, and I am extending my efforts to get where I am meant to be.

How has Leeds prepared you for your career?
When I came into the program, it was a stall. I wanted to do something in sustainability (still do), and I know I am good at a lot, but I was feeling disheartened by my job experiences up to that point that I wanted to gain some perspective and learn something new.

I changed the trajectory of my path a lot, and every time I did, I leaned on the career office, networking opportunities, and the incredible advice from others who had been through similar struggles. Through all of that, I found more clarity and direction.

Leeds taught me a lot, through classes, but also through events and the value of the community. I am coming out of this program more prepared than I was going in.

“Leeds taught me a lot, through classes, but also through events and through the value of the community. I am coming out of this program more prepared than I was going in.“

Maggie Wellman departs Leeds with greater clarity, direction and preparedness as she seeks to shape a career integrating sustainability into event and program management and marketing and brand management.

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Oliver Casis (Fin’25)

Jane Majkiewicz — Wed, 11 Jun 2025 15:00:00 +0000

Oliver Casis (Fin’25) Jane Majkiewicz Wed, 06/11/2025 - 09:00

Faces of Leeds Snapshot

Name: Oliver Casis
Major: Finance
Hometown: Greenwood Village, Colorado
Leadership Award: Air Force ROTC

What are your plans after graduation?
My plan after graduation is to move to commission as a second lieutenant in the United States Air Force in Pensacola, Florida, and begin Undergraduate Combat Systems Officer Training (UCT).

How would you sum up your experience at Leeds? My experience at Leeds was incredible. Surrounding myself with peers and mentors to push me out of the comfort zone to achieve higher goals is something that I will forever be grateful for.

How do you plan to stay connected to Leeds?
I plan to stay connected with Leeds through the alumni network and all social media platforms.

“My experience at Leeds was incredible. Surrounding myself with peers and mentors to push me out of the comfort zone to achieve higher goals is something that I will forever be grateful for.“

Oliver Cassis is leaving Leeds with gratitude for learning how to pursue his goals with confidence. He is headed to Pensacola, Florida, to begin Undergraduate Combat Systems Officer Training (UCT).

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Spring Guest Speakers Share Industry Experience and Expertise with Business Students

Kelsey Cipolla — Mon, 09 Jun 2025 15:38:02 +0000

Spring Guest Speakers Share Industry Experience and Expertise with Business Students Kelsey Cipolla Mon, 06/09/2025 - 09:38

Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Manna Tree Ross Iverson speaks to students during the Leeds Professionalism Summit

Every semester, the Leeds School of Business welcomes thought leaders, innovators and industry experts to share their insights with students. These opportunities are more than guest presentations—they’re dynamic experiences that enrich learning, provide professional inspiration, and bridge the gap between academic theory and real-world practice.

This spring, students heard from accomplished professionals across industries, from real estate to tech to sustainability. Here are highlights from a few standout speakers who inspired us.

Inspiring voices

Alumna Dana Lorenze (Bus’88), senior VP of global customs for Expeditors, spoke to Teaching Professor and MBA Faculty Director Lori Seward’s International Operations Management class, discussing her career path, her 30 years of working at Expeditors, and how her company has responded to the many changes in U.S. trade policies.

Seward said Lorenze provided an eye-opening overview of how products from other countries make their way into the U.S. Lorenze answered students’ questions about how Expeditors handled customer data security, what was happening around the world with shipping, and where Expeditors saw its value proposition with international customers.

“I am so grateful that our Leeds external partners and alumni want to engage with our students,” Seward said. “Their real-world experience complements our curriculum, and my students tell me these speakers are highlights of any course they take. Hearing from business experts about how business actually works better prepares our students for their careers.”

CBRE Senior Vice President Jon Weisiger spoke with students in the Real Estate Project Competition course, led by Lecturer Craig Ferraro. Weisiger’s talk on retail real estate—covering demand, potential rents and more—inspired students to think big about their own class project: creating a development plan for a commercial site in Thornton, Colorado.

In February, two graduate classes heard from Daniel Ivanoff, founding owner and managing member of Schnitzer West, LLC, who shared his experiences in negotiating.

And students in Assistant Teaching Professor Visda Carson’s Consulting Skills class benefited from meeting Leeds alumnus John Min, the managing director of Accenture Operations, who shared his journey into consulting and how his career has evolved at Accenture. His impact didn’t stop there—after the talk, he joined several Leeds students for a coffee chat about how to pursue their professional goals. 

Overall, Leeds students had the privilege of learning from more than 600 industry leaders and experts during the spring 2025 term. More speakers whose visits left a lasting impression included:

Shannon Sisler (right), Executive Vice President, Chief People Officer, Crocs

Saber Sherrard, Partner, Bain & Company

Tyler Huggins, Co-Founder, Meati Foods

Jamie Saunders, Founder, Affix

Grace Trahan, Software Investor, Five Elms Capital

Jonathan Tress, Vice President, Media Marketing, Matter Communications

Ross Iverson, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Manna Tree

Braeden Mayer, Co-Founder & Partner, Enosis Capital

Jennifer White, Director of Marketing for Oikos, Danone

Chris Joeckel, Senior Manager, GTM Enablement-Career Acceleration, LinkedIn

LeAnn Nichol, Director of Marketing, Ancillary Analytics, Vail Resorts

Danny Goldman, Goldman Property Group

Stephanie Savage, Senior Director, Energy Analytics, Microsoft

Matt Bruehl, Senior Hardware Infrastructure Engineer, NVIDIA

Leon McBroom, Senior Managing Director, JLL

Jackie Marquis, Chairman of the Board, Girls on the Run of the Rockies

This spring, students heard from accomplished professionals across industries, from real estate to tech to sustainability.

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From the C-Suite to the Classroom: How Leeds’ Executive MBA is Redefining Business Leadership

Jane Majkiewicz — Tue, 27 May 2025 15:38:24 +0000

From the C-Suite to the Classroom: How Leeds’ Executive MBA is Redefining Business Leadership Jane Majkiewicz Tue, 05/27/2025 - 09:38

Julie Poppen

The ��’s Leeds School of Business has found its stride in the competitive landscape of graduate business education, thanks to its dynamic Executive MBA program—which just graduated its third cohort.

The Leeds Executive MBA:
Rising in the Ranks

#5 among U.S. public university business schools for career outcomes
#49 globally for employer reputation

Source: QS (Quacquarelli Symonds) EMBA rankings

Designed for high-level professionals seeking transformational leadership development, the Executive MBA (EMBA) program continues to distinguish itself with a hybrid structure, world-class faculty, and a curriculum infused with relevance and rigor. The professional program complements the school’s long-standing and well regarded full-time and professional part-time MBA programs, offering a full suite of options for continuing students and busy professionals alike.

“Our Executive MBA students are already leaders,” said Tracee DeAntoni, senior program director for the Executive MBA at Leeds. “We have physicians, attorneys, scientists, CEOs and CISOs in the cohort—leaders learning from leaders.”

Purposeful design

The Leeds EMBA features a lockstep curriculum centered around three pillars: leadership, innovation and inclusion. Students progress together through foundational business topics and advanced courses drawn from Leeds’ other MBA programs.

“One key differentiator is that we’ve built a cohesive program with world-class faculty and select industry practitioners,” said Lori Seward, faculty director of MBA programs. “Other programs may rely on adjuncts or faculty from outside institutions, but most of the instruction comes from our Leeds faculty.”

The hybrid format combines online learning with three in-person residencies each year, including three weeklong sessions and a three-day orientation and second-year kick-off event. This structure allows working professionals to fully engage without sacrificing their careers.

“We reduce the cognitive load so students can focus on learning,” Seward said. “They don’t have to pick courses or manage complex schedules.”

Recognition and global reach

The Leeds EMBA has already achieved notable rankings, including #49 globally for employer reputation, #63 for career outcomes overall and #5 among U.S. public schools for career outcomes, according to the recently released QS (Quacquarelli Symonds) EMBA rankings.

“It’s exciting to be one of the youngest programs ranked globally—and the only new U.S. addition this year,” said Seward.

A 10-day international residency caps the second year, offering students exposure to global markets and cross-cultural business leadership.

Tight-knit community, immediate impact

Each cohort includes a small number of students to foster connection and exceptional personal attention, and students remain in the same small study groups throughout the program. This cohort-based model at Leeds encourages collaboration, mentorship and alumni engagement.

“Alumni return regularly for events and mentoring,” DeAntoni said. “The community is one of our strongest assets.”

Students also see immediate benefits at work. “Whatever you're learning today in the classroom, you can apply tomorrow at work,” Seward said.

Signature experiences—like the Innovation Challenge—with real clients and a second-year pitch competition, offer hands-on leadership development. Executive coaching is also included, helping students clarify goals and pursue promotions or career pivots.

“We’ve seen students promoted during the program—sometimes earlier than expected,” Seward noted. “And our alumni network supports students in everything from how to survive school and work, navigating LinkedIn, to career advice.”

“There’s a value in having people that aren’t in your day-to-day business that can provide some third-party feedback and can give you their experience ...”

Lauren McCabe (MBA’25)

Already a well-established leader among leaders, Lauren McCabe, a recent graduate from the Executive MBA program and awarded the EMBA Student Excellence Award by the faculty, acknowledges the value of refining some of the tools in her toolkit.

Throughout the EMBA program, having the opportunity to refine some of the tools in her toolkit was impactful, especially in the practice of highly focused, peer-evaluated presentations, which McCabe said is probably one of the strongest skills she’s taken away from the program.

“There’s a value in having people that aren’t in your day-to-day business that can provide some third-party feedback and can give you their experience, their exposure, how they may handle a situation that I might not have thought of because of my specific industry experience,” McCabe said.

Keep Exploring

Second-year Executive MBA student Lauren McCabe describes her experience in the program. Watch the video >>
Learn more about the Leeds Executive MBA. Read program details >>
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Leeds has found its stride in the competitive landscape of graduate business education, thanks to its dynamic Executive MBA (EMBA) program—which just graduated its third cohort.

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Business Acumen & Career Outcomes

Michelle Grabau (MBA’25)

Entrepreneurial aspirations

Taking the mic

A founder and a parent

Off

Josh Zeldner (Mktg, RelEst’09)

Family beginnings

Breaking new ground

Continuing a legacy

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Angel Nuñez (Econ’25, Business Minor)

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Yuping Li (PhD’25)

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Dissertation: “Navigating the Paradox of Openness in Corporate Growth: Evidence from Open-Source Startups”

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Victor Alamillo (MBusAn’25)

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Hugo Leenders (PhD’25)

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Dissertation: “Conflict and Competitive Tensions in R&D Alliances”

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Maggie Wellman (MBA’25)

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Oliver Casis (Fin’25)

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Spring Guest Speakers Share Industry Experience and Expertise with Business Students

Inspiring voices

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From the C-Suite to the Classroom: How Leeds’ Executive MBA is Redefining Business Leadership

The Leeds Executive MBA:Rising in the Ranks

Purposeful design

Recognition and global reach

Tight-knit community, immediate impact

Keep Exploring

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Dissertation: “Conflict and Competitive Tensions in R&D Alliances”

The Leeds Executive MBA:
Rising in the Ranks