Special Skills, Qualifications & Previous Board Experience
From my various experiences in founding an ed-tech startup, growing a 501(c)(3) educational non-profit, leading strategic change as a management consultant, I bring a diverse range of skills, qualities, and traits that I believe would well serve WCNCR.
Native to DC region with deep connections to local entrepreneurial community – I grew up in the area and have been heavily involved in entrepreneurial groups / communities in the DC, Maryland and Virginia regions. This can help provide valuable opportunities for collaboration, partnership and access to local resources for WCNCR.
Solid strategic planning skills – This is a core strength of mine, cultivated through my experience in strategy consulting. I have consistently demonstrated and proven my ability to analyze complex issues or situations, identify key opportunities and develop effective plans to achieve organizational goals. I hope to leverage these skills in helping WCNCR shape its long term vision, set our strategic priorities, and guide our club’s growth and impact over the next few years.
Strong governance, communication and stakeholder management skills - Drawing from my experience as an executive director on a non-profit board, I have a solid foundation in board governance best practices, ensuring transparency, accountability, and fiduciary responsibility. I excel in fostering open lines of communication, engaging stakeholders, and building consensus to drive effectiveness.
Expertise in digital & social media marketing – in today’s digital world, I strongly believe that these skills will be crucial in establishing connection with local members and promoting the mission and vision of WCNCR. Through my past start-up and non-profit experiences, I have developed and executed comprehensive digital marketing campaigns, managed social media platforms, and utilized data analytics to optimize engagement. These skills can be applied to WCNCR to help enhance our online presence, expand our reach, and effectively establish communication channels with both current and prospective members.
Passion and commitment to serving the Wharton community – as a more recent Wharton MBA graduate, I deeply value the sense of community that we have at Wharton, both on campus and in the alumni network. I am dedicated to giving back and supporting the club's mission of fostering connections, facilitating professional development, and promoting WCNCR in the DMV area.
Diversity
As someone who strongly believes that having diverse perspectives is instrumental in building a strong team that can make more informed decisions, evolve to meet changing needs and ensure support to all members of our alumni community, I believe the following aspects of my background would definitely help strengthen the board’s diversity and ability to foster a welcoming environment that champions a variety of perspectives.
Cultural Perspective and Leadership in Diversity and Inclusion – As the Wharton community in DC continues to grow in ethnic and cultural diversity (especially with the upcoming classes of young alumni coming into the area), I will be able to bring a diverse cultural perspective that can help enrich discussions and decision-making processes. During my time at Wharton and in my current and previous companies, I have served as DEI ambassador on multiple clubs and campaigns. I have also worked on multiple international projects on global travel, where I have built a deeper understanding of various business cultures and environments. At WCNCR, I hope to be able to foster inclusivity, cultural sensitivity and awareness of the diverse needs and backgrounds of our club members.
Multi-faceted Industry Experience - My professional background encompasses various industries, sectors and functions (e.g., startup, non-profit, consulting, healthcare, government, education, etc.). With this diverse professional background, I bring a breadth of knowledge and perspectives that can help facilitate effective collaboration and engagement with members from different professional backgrounds, bridge connections, facilitate networking opportunities, and develop programming that appeals to a wide range of interests and industries, enhancing the overall value proposition of WCNCR to our diverse alumni community.
Vision
My vision for serving on the board of WCNCR is to help make WCNCR (including its programming, events, networking and professional development opportunities) an inclusive and thriving community and home for the Wharton alumni community in the DC area. One of the elements that I am most passionate about is increasing access so that we are not just hosting great events, but also serving as a support network that provides or facilitates access for members who need it, whether it is to career opportunities, people, networks, or business leads. In the current business environment, I believe that this will be all the more important and relevant.
One idea that I would be interested in exploring and building out to better engage the Wharton Alumni Community is an “Empower Wharton” campaign that collects and raises awareness of any opportunities or needs in the local DC Wharton community. This could be a regular communications or newsletter that goes out highlighting any new jobs or internships that fellow alumni are hiring for, any businesses or startups being launched by local alumni, any investment opportunities or alumni looking for investment capital, etc. This could also grow into a forum where local alumni can connect for advice, referrals, help, networking, etc. Not only will this help build a strong and close sense of community between alumni, it will also allow for leverage and use of our alumni network for better business, social, and career growth of our members.