After four years in life sciences strategy consulting, Kristina Mani wanted to move closer to the patients and innovations she was advising on, having a more tangible influence on outcomes through pharmaceutical brand or product management. Business school offered the ideal environment to build the core business skills, leadership capabilities, and industry network she needed to make that transition. What she found at The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania was far more than a degree—it was a launching pad for career transformation, leadership development, and personal growth. Read on for more about Katrina’s experience in Wharton’s Health Care Management program and her journey to Pfizer in this edition of Real Humans: Alumni.
Kristina Mani, Wharton MBA ’22, Senior Manager at Pfizer
Age: 30
Hometown: Staten Island, New York
Undergraduate Institution and Major: Dartmouth College, Neuroscience
Graduate Business School, Grad Year and Concentration: The Wharton School, 2022, Health Care Management
Pre-MBA Work Experience: 4 years at a life sciences strategy consulting firm, Health Advances
Post-MBA Work Experience: 2.5 years at Pfizer, currently in Commercial Oncology – Bladder Cancer
Why did you choose to attend business school?
I decided to attend business school because of the career-building skills and opportunities an MBA would provide. In the near term, I was interested in transitioning from life sciences strategy consulting to a pharmaceutical brand or product management role that would allow me to have a more tangible impact on patient outcomes. Yet, in looking at the paths of fellow colleagues that had exited consulting, I quickly learned that business school would diversify my options when transitioning to industry and forge a more direct path to the types of roles I was most interested in. Additionally, attending business school opened the door to rotational and leadership development programs at larger corporations that I felt would provide valuable foundational experience, set me up for success amidst the challenges of the corporate environment, and ultimately guide my career development toward an impactful role. From a longer-term perspective, I was interested in obtaining core business skills and gaining access to a broader network in health care. An MBA ultimately provided a unique experience that advanced my education while also broadening my long-term career opportunities.
Why Wharton? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend?
I was drawn to Wharton because of the Health Care Management program and leadership development opportunities. Wharton has one of the most reputable and established health care programs, under the strong leadership of June Kinney. I am grateful I had the opportunity to not only deepen my health care expertise, but also to form lasting relationships with peers and alumni across the industry. From our health care classes to karaoke traditions, bonding with a tightly knit health care cohort with diverse experiences across the industry was a defining part of my business school experience. Through Wharton, I am fortunate to now be connected to and learn from so many alumni that I view as leaders and innovators in health care. I would encourage anyone who is considering attending business school to find the school that will provide them with a supportive community and the business knowledge that will set them up for success in their specific industry of choice.
Additionally, I believe a unique advantage of business school is the dedicated time to focus on self-reflection and leadership development. I appreciated being able to take classes about career planning and leadership as well as participate in programs, such as Wharton’s Leadership Fellows, which allowed me to further develop and strengthen my soft skills as a growing leader.
What about your MBA experience prepared you for your current career?
I took several health care classes that strengthened my understanding of various sectors of the industry, from pharmaceuticals to health care services to health care entrepreneurship. Additionally, in connecting with alums working at various pharma/biotech companies, I was able to gain a deeper understanding of roles open to MBAs at these companies and how various functions within pharma work together to achieve business goals. Finally, in different classes and extracurricular activities at Wharton, I found myself working with students with diverse career experiences and perspectives. I quickly realized both the benefits and challenges of having this diversity of thought in one room, particularly in an environment where there is no hierarchy. Learning how to use data and clear rationale to persuade others of my opinions – whether building consensus on a decision as a board member of the Health Care Club or aligning on a topic for a group paper – was a crucial skill I was able to practice and hone at Wharton. Learning to influence without authority has directly translated to my current job. As a brand marketer at Pfizer, I operate in a cross-functional role that requires me to bring together colleagues from across the organization, and across the globe, to ensure we are all working towards a unified brand strategy.
What was your internship during business school? How did that inform your post-MBA career choice?
During business school, I interned as a marketing associate on the breast cancer team at Pfizer, with the goal of exploring a role in pharmaceutical marketing. I then received a return offer to join the Marketing Rotational Program at Pfizer post-business school. My summer at Pfizer introduced me to a strong community of marketers who were all passionate about improving outcomes for patients with cancer. I saw the value of starting my post-MBA career as a brand manager at a large and influential company, where I would learn foundational skills related to P&L ownership and how to run a business.
Why did you choose your current company? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to work?
I chose to work at Pfizer after business school because of the opportunity to join the Marketing Rotational Program or MRP. After leaving consulting, I wanted to join a company where I could have a positive impact on patients, stay close to the science, and have a more direct role in managing a product or business. I found the opportunity to achieve all three of these goals as a brand manager at Pfizer. Further, through the MRP program, I was able to rotate through 4 different brands in 2 years, quickly obtaining broad exposure to a variety of teams, brands, and functions across the organization. I was particularly drawn to Pfizer because of the shared culture and sense of community across the organization and within the MRP specifically. Like the community I loved at Wharton, I found smart, driven, strategic, and supportive colleagues who were committed to improving patient outcomes as well as to helping me grow in my career at Pfizer.
Advice to current MBA students:
—One thing you would absolutely do again as part of the job search?
I would definitely lean on alumni across the industry to understand their different career paths and the potential opportunities that exist both directly after business school and later in one’s career. I was blown away at the alumni community and how willing everyone was to speak with me and provide invaluable career guidance. As part of a class exercise, I cold-emailed several Wharton CEOs and was shocked when each one responded to me within a week. Every business school student should take advantage of the time and access to alumni who are willing to share their experiences. In that process, I quickly learned that my preconceptions of the sectors of the health care industry and my expectations for the type of job I would like to pursue was limited. I learned that there were various roles and types of health care companies whose mission and day-to-day work resonated with my own interests, even outside of the pharma/biotech path I had planned. This broadened my view of what a career in health care could look like. It reinforced that careers are long (and often winding). While I am still in my first job post-MBA, I feel empowered to move around to different opportunities across health care sectors that align with my passions and interests, rather than feeling tied to one specific path.
—One thing you would change or do differently as part of the job search?
While I am grateful to be part of a large, established company at this stage of my career, it was difficult to weigh the choice between joining a prominent pharma company or a smaller biotech post-graduation. While Pfizer and other pharma companies required students to intern over the summer to secure a full-time role, I wish I had taken advantage of the opportunity to explore in-semester internships to experience different types of companies or roles while in business school.
—Were there any surprises regarding your current employer’s recruiting process?
To be honest, there weren’t many surprises. The Pfizer recruiting process was clearly explained to me, and I was fortunate to get support from an outstanding Wharton Health Care Career Advisor, Manisha Jain, as well as incredibly supportive 2Ys and alums in the Health Care Management program. The interviews followed a clear structure, and I was even able to receive advice from 2Ys that had underwent pharma recruiting. One pleasant surprise was how strong the Wharton alumni community was at Pfizer. I was thrilled to see how kind and supportive they all were, especially during the recruiting process – an important aspect I think all students should consider during their internship and full-time job search.
—What piece of advice do you wish you had been given during your MBA?
I wish I had explored even more. I went into business school with very clear goals, all of which I believe I was able to achieve. However, I wish I had taken a class, joined a club, or spoken to more students and alumni in a completely different industry. Business school provides a unique opportunity to explore areas outside of our selected career path. While those experiences may not directly influence your internship or post-MBA job choices, I think that exposure to diverse experiences could change your perspective and perhaps even teach you something new about what you find fulfilling in a career.
