Christopher Lord (He/Him/His)

University of Southern California, Marshall School of Business

“Endlessly curious/empathetic leader passionate about the LGBTQ+ community, and an avid hiker, traveler, and yogi.”

Hometown: Los Angeles, California

Fun fact about yourself: I also grew up in Madrid, Spain!

Undergraduate School and Degree: Double Major in Government and Legal Studies/Spanish, Bachelor’s Degree, Bowdoin College

Where was the last place you worked before enrolling in business school? Mid-Market Account Executive, Yext, Inc.

Where did you intern during the summer of 2021? Deloitte Consulting, Los Angeles

Where will you be working after graduation? Deloitte Consulting, Los Angeles

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School:

2020-2021

• AVP of ROMBA & Admissions, Marshall Pride
• AVP of Corporate Strategy, Marshall Consulting & Strategy Club
• AVP of Alumni Relations, Marshall Data & Analytics Club
• Deloitte Supply Chain National Case Competition 1st place regionally, 1st place nationally
• Dean’ List for Academic Achievement
• Inaugurated & Led Student Webinars for prospective LGBTQ+ students, leading to the largest LGBTQ+ self-identifying population in school history

2021-2022

• President, Marshall Pride
• Co-Lead & Training Director, Marshall Business Competition Program
• VP Career Development, Marshall Consulting & Strategy Club
• Dean’s List for Academic Achievement
• Coached 1st and 2nd Place teams in ROMBA’s Case Competition, and 1st place team in UBS International Case Competition

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? I am most proud of when Marshall Pride managed to send two different teams to compete in a pool of 22 teams at the ROMBA Case Competition hosted by Bain (ROMBA Conference is the world’s largest gathering of LGBT+ business students and alumni). After I trained and coached the teams, they finished first and second, ahead of teams from other top twenty schools and a first in school history. I’ll never forget crying tears of joy during the calls I received from both teams. In fostering a safe space for LGBTQ+ students, Marshall Pride also received its largest # of formal registrations and # of self-identifying LGBTQ+ students during this time, which was incredibly meaningful as President of the organization.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? I am most proud of receiving Employee of the Year while at Yext, Inc. for my performance as the top sales representative globally in SMB. I am equally if not prouder of my work as part of ERGs, pushing the needle forward for more inclusive and representative environments for LGBTQ+ people.

Why did you choose this business school? I choose USC because of the Trojan Network, plain and simple. All business schools recognize the importance of the alumni/networking side of the equation, and USC is second-to-none in this respect. Trojan alumni were instrumental in helping me pivot to Consulting at Deloitte, which was my dream from the offset. They always responded to my emails and took my calls– quite emphatically.

Who was your favorite MBA professor? Professor Murat Bayiz (Supply Chain/Operations and Project Management) – Murat was exemplary in terms of his organized/methodical approach to teaching, emotional intelligence in fostering a psychologically safe and encouraging environment, and practical application by virtue of industry experience informing lectures and engaging class discussions.

What was your favorite MBA event or tradition at your business school? My favorite MBA event or tradition was International Pronouns Day. Here, we created customized stickers for folks around campus to include their pronouns on name cards, which was vital for spreading awareness for gender nonconformity and preventing misgendering/harm to trans/non-binary students.

Looking back over your MBA experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently and why? I’d try to conquer my imposter syndrome earlier and have more confidence in myself. It’s hard to be your best self when you feel anxious and struggle psychologically. My background was somewhat untraditional, so I wish I had more belief earlier on that I could accomplish my goals and become a leader in the program and beyond. That’s why I committed myself to mentoring and coaching my second year in organizing a mentorship program for 100 students looking to pivot into Consulting – I wanted to instill that same belief in others to the fullest extent possible.

What is the biggest myth about your school? The biggest myth about USC Marshall is that it is equivalent to USC – it is surely a part of an incredibly strong overarching community, but USC Marshall really operated like an intracommunity, committed to embracing change and the future. It was especially rewarding to be surrounded by diverse, sharp, and inspired colleagues who were ready to challenge everything that I thought I knew.

What surprised you the most about business school? It was how much homework there was. Before Marshall, folks convinced me that an MBA simply meant I would travel and network my way into a new industry. I was mind blown by the quality of the classes and the hard skills I managed to derive through academics and programming initiatives.

What is one thing you did during the application process that gave you an edge at the school you chose? I think that I wrote about performing Britney Spears in my school-wide talent show as a second grader/young boy in my admissions essay? I really pushed the envelope and explained how that may not have been the best decision for my social life and surely resulted in various repercussions accordingly – but was demonstrative of my gumption and desire to shape a world where we all can be our authentic selves and foster a working environment that can unlock the potential of all humans.  

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? Ximena Bobadilla – They share my belief in our increasing agency in shaping the world that we live in, particularly in a business context. While we come from different places and are on different journeys, they make me believe in my own potential more than anyone and the ability to influence others in a positive capacity.

Who most influenced your decision to pursue business in college? My Dad. He also received an MBA (albeit during much different times) and constantly urged me to take my pre-MBA experience and use the time to be deeply introspective and determine both what makes me tick and where I can add the most value.

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list? Represent & lead Deloitte recruiting efforts at ROMBA and spearhead new business development for a Consulting engagement.

How has the pandemic changed your view of a career? I work to live, as opposed to living to work. While I will always put my strongest foot forward and strive towards maximizing my own potential and the potential of others – I have spent the last two years fostering a mental space, discipline, and boundaries to ensure that I can carve out time to be present with loved ones and do the things I love outside of the office!