Admissions Director Q&A
Clear Admit’s exclusive interviews with admissions directors at the world’s leading MBA programs.
Published: October 1, 2024
Admissions Director Q&A: Emily Brierley of Cambridge Judge
Welcome to another special episode of the Clear Admit MBA Admissions Podcast as we continue our popular Admissions Director Q&A series with Emily Brierley, Head of Cambridge MBA Recruitment and Admissions at Cambridge University’s Judge Business School. Emily Brierley, Head of Cambridge MBA Recruitment and Admissions Emily has been with Cambridge Judge since 2016 and became a core part of the MBA Recruitment and Admissions team by 2018. She started out in operations and candidate management before taking on her current leadership role in August 2021. You might recognize her from
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Published: September 24, 2024
Admissions Director Q&A: David Simpson of LBS
David Simpson, Recruitment & Admissions Director, MBA and MiF at LBS In his 25+ years at London Business School (LBS), David Simpson, Recruitment and Admissions Director for the MBA and Masters in Finance, has worked across a range of roles in admissions, marketing, and business development. Recently, he sat down for a special episode of the Clear Admit MBA Admissions Podcast, hosted by Graham Richmond, to share his journey, insights, and tips for prospective students as part of our Admissions Director Q&A series. This in-depth conversation offers listeners a rare peek
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Published: September 9, 2024
Admissions Director Q&A: Coni Zingarelli of Rice Business
In this installment of our Admissions Director Q&A series, we welcome back Coni Zingarelli, the executive director of recruiting, admissions and student financial services at Jones Graduate School of Business at Rice University (Rice Business). Previously, Coni served in roles with Temple University’s Fox School of Business and University of California Irvine’s Paul Merage School of Business. She is passionate about helping students find the right graduate program to further their personal and professional aspirations. Coni spent the first 12 years of her career in the hospitality industry working in
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Published: September 4, 2024
Admissions Director Q&A: Rodrigo Malta of Texas McCombs
Get ready for a deep dive into MBA admissions at the Texas McCombs School of Business with Rodrigo Malta, Managing Director of MBA Marketing, Recruiting & Admissions, in this installment of our MBA Admissions Director Q&A series. Rodrigo is originally from Brazil and immigrated to the United States during high school. He earned his MBA from the University of Texas at Austin, McCombs School of Business in 2007, and his bachelor’s degree in management from Missouri State University in 2000. Before and after his MBA, Rodrigo worked for Fortune 100
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Published: September 2, 2024
Admissions Director Q&A: Bailey McChesney of Vanderbilt Owen
In this Admissions Director Q&A, we welcome back Bailey McChesney, Director of MBA Admissions at Vanderbilt University’s Owen Graduate School of Management. Bailey has been with the Vanderbilt MBA Recruiting & Admissions Team for over a decade and currently manages the application evaluation process. In her time at Vanderbilt, she has managed a variety of initiatives and worked with hundreds of applicants to help them understand the application process. Check out our conversation below for her advice on writing your essay, preparing for your interview, and more on what to expect from the MBA
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Published: August 28, 2024
Admissions Director Q&A: Paola Eicher of IMD
For this edition of our Admissions Director Q&A, we visit Lausanne, Switzerland, to meet Paola Eicher, Associate Director of Recruitment and Admissions at IMD Business School. Paola holds a Bachelor of Applied Science (B.A.Sc.) in International Hospitality Management from Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne. She has over a decade of experience in higher education, focusing on student recruitment and admissions. Before her current role, she was Head of Admissions and Recruitment at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva. Read on for her insights into the IMD MBA
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Published: August 26, 2024
Admissions Director Q&A: Eddie Asbie of Cornell University’s S.C. Johnson Graduate School of Management
In this installment of our Admissions Director Q&A series, we welcome back Eddie Asbie, Executive Director of Admissions and Scholarship at the Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University. Eddie is responsible for overseeing admissions and recruitment for the residential Two-Year MBA program. He has spent 20 years in higher education, primarily within admissions, and has been at Cornell for 12 years. He earned a bachelor’s degree in communication from the University at Buffalo and a master’s in student personnel administration from SUNY Buffalo State College.
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Published: August 21, 2024
Admissions Director Q&A: Steve Togneri of Imperial College Business School
In this installment of our Admissions Director Q&A series, let us introduce Steve Togneri, Director of Admissions at the Imperial College Business School in London, England. Steve is a seasoned professional with extensive experience in higher education admissions. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Cultural Studies from the University of Portsmouth. Following his undergraduate studies, Steve embarked on a career in community health promotion, gaining valuable experience in public engagement and community outreach. For the past 17 years, Steve has been a dedicated member of the admissions team at
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Published: August 19, 2024
Admissions Director Q&A: Steve Thompson of Northwestern Kellogg
We welcome back Steve Thompson, Senior Director of Admissions at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, in this Admissions Director Q&A. As the leader of Full-Time admissions, Steve is focused on attracting the best and brightest candidates to Kellogg’s portfolio of Full-Time MBA programs. Steve has played a critical leadership role at Kellogg since January 2018, when he first joined the team as director of the Executive MBA Program. Prior to Kellogg, Steve worked at IE Business School as the Executive Director of the International MBA Program. Keep
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Published: August 14, 2024
Admissions Director Q&A: Mikale Elliott of WashU Olin
We’re back to Washington University’s Olin Business School with Associate Director of Recruiting Mikale Elliott in this installment of our Admissions Director Q&A series. Mikale spent her undergraduate career at the University of Missouri–Columbia studying business communication and gaining experience recruiting underrepresented minorities. After graduating, she took a non-traditional pathway working as a flight attendant for a few years. Eventually, she returned to higher education to work on an HIV prevention research project. Through all these pivots, the thing that brought her back to admissions was her passion for others from diverse backgrounds to
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Published: August 13, 2024
Live Admissions Q&A: Alex Lawrence of UCLA Anderson
Alex Lawrence, Assistant Dean and Director of MBA Admissions and Financial Aid, UCLA Anderson Surf’s up! From surfing to skiing, UCLA’s Anderson School of Management provides city living and outdoor adventure along with a leading business education. Riding the wave of admissions insights from the GMAC Conference this summer, Assistant Dean and Director of MBA Admissions and Financial Aid Alex Lawrence brings 20 years of experience at UCLA Anderson to this special edition
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Published: August 12, 2024
Admissions Director Q&A: Sara Vanos of HEC Paris
In this edition of our Admissions Director Q&A, we hear from Sara Vanos, Executive Director of Marketing & Admissions for MBA Programs at HEC Paris. Sara’s role covers the full-time MBA, the Executive MBA and the TRIUM Global MBA. She has over 20 years’ experience in higher education and has worked in roles across alumni relations, careers and marketing in business schools in France and Canada. Her teams are responsible for communications, marketing and admissions for the MBA programs – with the goal of attracting leaders
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Published: August 8, 2024
Admissions Director Q&A: Alex Lawrence of UCLA Anderson School of Management
Join us in welcoming back Alex Lawrence, Assistant Dean and Director of MBA Admissions and Financial Aid at the Anderson School of Management at UCLA in this installment of our Admissions Director Q&A series. Since joining UCLA Anderson in 2004, Alex has been pivotal in shaping the future of the full-time MBA program. His tenure as the assistant dean and director of MBA admissions and financial aid began in August 2012, and he has been instrumental in attracting and enrolling top talent. With a rich background in
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Published: August 8, 2024
Live Admissions Q&A: Dawna Levenson of MIT Sloan
Dawna Levenson, Assistant Dean of Admissions, MIT Sloan School of Management With 17 years of admissions experience at the MIT Sloan School of Management, it’s safe to consider Dawna Levenson an absolute veteran of the scene. We were lucky to sit down with her at the GMAC Conference this summer, getting her expert take on the current state of MBA admissions and career trends. In this special episode of the Clear Admit MBA Admissions Podcast, Dawna talks about: The reality of AI in admissions How to handle the video component of the MIT Sloan application
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Published: August 7, 2024
Admissions Director Q&A: Katy Radoll of UNC Kenan-Flagler
In this Admissions Director Q&A, we meet Katy Radoll, the new Director of Admissions for the Full-Time MBA Program at UNC’s Kenan-Flagler Business School. With roots in the Pacific Northwest, Katy is thrilled to have joined the UNC Kenan-Flagler team as the Director of Admissions for the Full-Time MBA Program in the summer of 2024. Prior to UNC Kenan-Flagler, she led Associate Recruiting at McKinsey in Atlanta and, before that, held several different roles at MIT Sloan. At MIT Sloan, Katy was part of the team that
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Published: August 6, 2024
Live Admissions Q&A: Brent Nagamine of Washington Foster
Brent Nagamine, Director of Admissions, Washington Foster Representing the Foster School of Business at the University of Washington, Director of Admissions Brent Nagamine joins the Clear Admit MBA Admissions Podcast live from the GMAC Conference this summer. In this special episode, Brent talks about: The democratizing force of AI in admissions The importance of being authentic in the application process What the adcom looks for in the video component of the Foster MBA application …and more, particularly regarding career trends and industry connections to the school’s base city of Seattle. Click
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Published: August 5, 2024
Admissions Director Q&A: Chris Healy of Manchester AMBS
Let’s welcome back Chris Healy, the Head of MBA Marketing & Recruitment at Alliance Manchester Business School (AMBS) for this installment of our Admissions Director Q&A. Chris has 15 years of experience in graduate management education. He’s implemented and developed marketing and recruitment strategies both domestically and internationally, to meet the academic and commercial objectives of the school. During this time, he’s gained experience and insight in the UK, Western Europe, Central Asia, Middle East, North America, Africa, and Asian markets. He works with individual candidates as well as global corporates looking
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Published: August 1, 2024
Live Admissions Q&A: Laurel Grodman of Yale SoM
Laurel Grodman, Assistant Dean for Admissions, Yale SoM If you’re planning to apply to the Yale School of Management for your MBA, tune into this special edition of the Clear Admit MBA Admissions Podcast for what to expect from the application process and more. Wire Taps host Graham Richmond sat down with Laurel Grodman, Assistant Dean for Admissions, to dig into some key topics, including: the guidance and support regarding using AI in the application process what to expect from the video component of the Yale MBA application, which is the next step once
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Published: August 1, 2024
Admissions Director Q&A: Isabelle Perna of ESCP Business School
While ESCP Business School is comprised of six campuses in Berlin, London, Madrid, Paris, Turin and Warsaw, this Admissions Director Q&A takes us to Paris to meet Isabelle Perna, the Global & Paris Head of Admissions & Recruitment for the MBA in International Management. Isabelle Perna has over 35 years of experience in the world of recruitment, with a demonstrated history of working in the higher education industry. Read on to learn her favorite aspects of the ESCP MBA program and how important it is to be your authentic self on your application. Isabelle
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Admissions Director Q&A: Cara Sonnier of Georgia Terry
We welcome back Cara Sonnier, Director of Admissions for the Full-Time MBA and M.S. Business Analytics programs at the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business for the next installment of our Admissions Director Q&A series. Since joining the Full-Time MBA program in 2012, Cara has been instrumental in shaping the admissions process, making it more accessible and streamlined for prospective students. With a passion for graduate management education, Cara believes deeply in the transformative power and significant return on investment that the Terry College programs provide. Under her leadership, the admissions
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Live Admissions Q&A: Eddie Asbie of Cornell Johnson
Executive Director of Admissions and Scholarship at the Cornell Johnson Graduate School of Management, Eddie Asbie, sat down with Clear Admit Co-Founder Graham Richmond at the GMAC Conference this summer for a chat about MBA admissions. Eddie Asbie, Executive Director of Admissions & Scholarship Eddie covers a lot of ground in the special Clear Admit MBA Admissions Podcast episode below. To start, he digs into the Cornell Johnson MBA application “fill in the blank” career goals prompt. Eddie also talks about trends in the applicant pool, particularly regarding careers, as well as how
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Admissions Director Q&A: Jennifer Zhao of CEIBS
In this edition of our Admissions Director Q&A we meet Jennifer Zhao, Deputy Director of MBA Marketing and Admissions at CEIBS, who joins us to talk about MBA admissions. Jennifer joined CEIBS in 2006. As Deputy Director, she has full responsibility for marketing, admissions and scholarships in the MBA. Jennifer’s career at CEIBS has also included years of service in the Career Development Center, providing general support and coordination to the team. Prior to CEIBS, she worked in Human Resources in various industries and locations and has extensive experience in talent
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Live Admissions Q&A: Shari Hubert of Duke Fuqua
If you’re applying to Duke Fuqua for your MBA, this is a must-listen special episode of the Clear Admit MBA Admissions Podcast. Shari Hubert, the Associate Dean of Admissions, reviews the history of their “25 Random Things” essay and offers insider advice on what the admissions team is looking for in response to the creative prompt. Shari Hubert, Associate Dean of Admissions, Duke Fuqua Hubert oversees recruitment and admissions for Duke University’s portfolio of ten business degree programs. Prior to Fuqua, she was in charge of admissions for the Full-time and
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Admissions Director Q&A: Justin Aier of Boston College’s Carroll School of Management
We are back in Boston again for this Admissions Director Q&A as we sit down with Justin Aier, Assistant Dean of Graduate Recruitment & Enrollment at the Boston College Carroll School of Management Justin has been a part of the Boston College Carroll School Graduate Admissions team for over six years, and has taken on roles from marketing and communications to recruitment and enrollment management. His favorite aspect of the admissions process is working directly with applicants to explore how the BC MBA can help them achieve their academic and professional goals. Read on for Justin’s
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Admissions Director Q&A: Donna Swinford of Chicago Booth
In this Admissions Director Q&A, we welcome back Donna Swinford, Associate Dean for Student Recruitment and Admissions for MBA Programs at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Donna is a longtime Chicago resident and has been at Booth since 1997. She joined the Office of Admissions in 2005 and has seen the admissions process at Booth from pretty much every angle over the course of her tenure by serving in several roles, including head of Operations and Evaluation before transitioning to her current position as Associate Dean for Student Recruitment
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