Olga Vilner Gor

University of Michigan, Stephen M. Ross School of Business

“Mother of two who believes humor is integral for a good family life and positive career.”

Hometown: Kiryat Mozkin, Israel

Fun Fact About Yourself: When I was serving in the Israeli army, I was so tired all the time that I developed a unique ability to fall asleep quickly in any place, position, and condition imaginable. I once fell asleep on the floor by a bus station, on a highway, using my bag as a pillow. Needless to say that I missed several buses home.

Undergraduate School and Major: University of Haifa, Bachelor of Art in Nursing

Most Recent Employer and Job Title:

Robert Wood Johnson Barnabas Health, New Brunswick, New Jersey

Nurse Care Coordinator

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: The biggest accomplishment of my career is that as a nurse care coordinator I managed care for 150 high-risk patients. I led medical assessments, established collaboration between multiple providers, and was able to improve my patients’ quality of life while reducing the cost to the health system. Making an impact on people’s lives, in such scale, has been very fulfilling.

What quality best describes the MBA classmates you’ve met so far and why? The quality that best describes them is humility. They are all very successful and impressive people but still very humble and grounded, which contributes to a collaborative and supportive environment.

Aside from your classmates, 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? Since I intend to leverage my MBA for a significant career transition, one of the most important aspects for me was the level of hands-on experience I’ll get in the program. Hands-on practical experience will help me be more prepared for the space I’ll go into after business school.

Ross offers a uniquely impactful and well-rounded hands-on project experience called MAP. It’s a program in which students work with professors in applying classroom lessons to meaningful projects for exciting companies. The quality of problems solved, intensity of the program, and how highly regarded it is by alumni, led me to believe that Ross gives additional value with its great practical experiences.

What club or activity are you looking most forward to in business school? The activity that I am looking forward to the most is taking part in the international treks. Traveling with my classmates, a highly educated and diverse group, is bound to be an exciting experience. I think it’s important to be aware of cultural differences between us, and there isn’t a better way to learn about these than to experience a different culture with a diverse group.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point in your career? My goal is to make a true impact on healthcare on a large scale. An MBA will enable me to make the transition from a healthcare provider to a leader in the industry.

How did you decide if an MBA was worth the investment? I know that an MBA at Ross is a good investment because through the strong Ross network (classmates, alumni, and professors). I will have the access to new paths and opportunities that otherwise would have been closed. An MBA will give me the business tools to add to my healthcare experience, which will enable me to influence the industry in ways I wouldn’t have as a nurse.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? Fuqua, Sloan and Kellogg

How did you determine your fit at various schools? Culture was the most important factor for me. I was looking for highly driven yet humble and grounded environment where I can leverage my classmates to learn. I spoke with many current students and alumni to see if I connected to their personality and their experiences, and I also visited the school. During my interactions, I paid attention to how people spoke about their job experiences and aspirations, looking for a genuine tone – and I found it in Ross.

What was your defining moment and how did it shape who you are? My defining moment was when my grandfather passed away. A month prior, he was diagnosed with metastatic lung cancer. My family and I left everything and flew to Israel to be with him. I helped him through his rehabilitation and was still hopeful that he would live many more years. The time I spent at the rehabilitation center pushed me to pursue a path where I can work on large-scale healthcare problems and make a difference for more patients.

What do you plan to do after you graduate? A rotational program in one of the leading healthcare companies in the U.S.

Where do you see yourself in five years? At the Israeli Ministry of health, working on impactful projects to improve the quality and accessibility of services.