Jordan Barillas 

University of California Los Angeles’ Anderson School of Management

“Badass lesbian, married with pitbull. Cooks a killer meal, makes a killer cocktail.”

Hometown: Albuquerque, NM

Fun Fact About Yourself: I’ve lived in both Lebanon and Israel, just a few years apart.

Undergraduate School and Major: University of Pennsylvania, Huntsman Program of International Studies & Business (B.S. from Wharton School in Finance, B.A. in College in International Studies, Mathematics)

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: RBC Capital Markets, Associate (Interest Rate, Foreign Exchange and Commodities Hedging)

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Pitching, creating and hosting the Women in Treasury Conference – an annual conference that brings together 50+ women from CFO and treasury teams across the country and across industries. I ran the conference for two years, and it will continue in 2020.

What quality best describes the MBA classmates you’ve met so far and why? Diverse. Each person I’ve met at Anderson has been entirely unique and I learn something new from my classmates every day. Whether they are already running a business, a world-ranked athlete, or a veteran, the diversity of experience and background has already enriched my social and academic experience.

UCLA Anderson is founded on three pillars: Share Success, Think Fearlessly, and Drive Change. Which pillar resonates most with you and why? I absolutely most strongly identify with ‘sharing success.’ As an LGBT+ woman, I have seen first-hand how mentorship and a strong community can transform careers.  I love being part of a community that wholeheartedly supports each other.

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? The Parker Career Center was a key factor for me in choosing UCLA Anderson. At the end of the day, the MBA program sets us up for a long and successful career, and nothing has done that more powerfully than my weekly meetings with my Parker career advisor, my Parker career classes, and the recent alumni and classmates who want me to succeed.

What club or activity are you looking most forward to in business school? I’ll cheat and list two! First, I’m excited to be the Director of Alumni Relations for the Entertainment Management Association. The club has a long and powerful history in the entertainment industry, and I’m excited to launch my career in that space. Second, I’m excited to be a director for Out@Anderson, the LGBT+ organization, and remain actively involved in my community.

What was the most challenging question you were asked during the admissions process? During my Anderson interview, I was asked not only which clubs I would want to join, but how I would work to make those clubs better. It was a great question because I got to think about what I loved about the organizations on campus and how my specific background and experiences could enhance the community.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point in your career? Coming from finance, I wanted to pivot into the entertainment industry with a strong network and deep industry knowledge. UCLA Anderson was not just my first choice, it was my only choice for an in-depth entertainment business education.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? Only Stanford GSB

How did you determine your fit at various schools? For me, the choice was simple. I started by listing out what mattered to me: a top-notch MBA education, a strong career center, a culture of collaboration and inclusion, and strong ties to the entertainment industry. This made Anderson a no-brainer – for me, it was always #1.

What was your defining moment and how did it shape who you are? Meeting the woman who is now my wife was absolutely defining for me. Navigating a bi-racial, LGBT relationship has been exciting and challenging. Seeing ourselves increasingly reflected in media and the stories told on-screen has been a huge part of what draws me to entertainment – I want to be part of telling the stories of the people who haven’t always had a voice.

Where do you see yourself in ten years? In 10 years, I hope to be living with my wife and our pit bull in Los Angeles running a production studio. I hope by then my wife has learned how to cook, but I’m not optimistic!