Meet Yale SOM’s MBA Class Of 2019

Lisa Robinson 

Yale School of Management 

Describe yourself in 15 words or less: Determined to pay it back by paying it forward.

Hometown: San Ramon, CA

Fun Fact About Yourself: A black bear once ate my lunch Yogi Bear-style

Undergraduate School and Major:  University of Southern California (USC); BA Communication

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation: 

General Mills, Inc. (2010-2017)

Key Account Manager, Walmart e-commerce

Category Development Manager, Dry Baking

Business Trade Manager, Publix & Southeastern Grocers

Business Category Manager, Central Region

Customer Account Manager, Super Store Industries

Business Planning Analyst, Safeway

Business Management Associate, Meals/Baking/Natural & Organic

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: In my last role at General Mills, I was tasked with building a business relationship from the ground up, and setting the strategy for General Mills at one of the fastest-growing grocery e-commerce customers in the U.S. When I started, our company had very little involvement in e-commerce at Walmart, but knew we needed to invest quickly

Start early and use your resources! Talk to current students, visit schools and read grad school blogs BEFORE you start applying. By discovering what you truly want in a business school, you can save yourself a ton of time during the application and interview process. On campus interviews and admitted student weekends could use most of your last PTO days at your current job, so save yourself some time and money by fully knowing what programs you would actually attend if admitted. Knowing what you want and how the nuances of each program fit your needs can also help you create a really tailored application to your top programs.

If you start early, you may also be able to take advantage of additional prep and scholarship resources, such as the Consortium, MLT or Forte MBA Launch. These programs are incredible and help build your network once you are admitted as well.

What was the key factor that led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA and why was it so important to you? My purpose for going back to school is to prepare myself to one day be a leader in the business community. As I explored various programs, Yale SOM stood out for its integrated curriculum. The real-world applicability of classes such as “Investor” and “Competitor” left no doubt that I would be a stronger businessperson coming out of SOM, understanding how to use the skills learned in the core curriculum in day-to-day operations.

I also really admired Yale’s commitment to diversity. At General Mills I was very involved in the diversity networks and led the American Indian Council for two years. I knew I wanted to attend a school that mirrored that commitment. Yale does so in many ways, including being one of the 19 member schools of the Consortium and having multiple opportunities to be involved in several diversity-centered clubs at SOM and through the broader parent university.

What would success look like to you after your first year of business school?  Success would be surviving the core (just kidding!), gaining a solid foundation in all facets of business, making new friends, building my network of talented classmates and professors, having solid involvement in SOM clubs and landing my dream internship!