Meet The Berkeley Haas MBA Class Of 2025

Haas campus

P&Q: What are some key elements in your teaching of leadership? What types of options does your school offer that deepens student experience with leadership and makes them more competitive in the marketplace?

Guild: “We offer a comprehensive approach to developing Berkeley Leaders. At the foundation are core courses such as Leading People, Teams@ Haas, and skills development courses such as Leadership Communication. We build on this with electives that enable a deeper understanding of leadership, including Power and Politics and Authentic Leadership.

Our approach to professional development is centered on developing empathic leaders. To that end, we work closely with career development counselors who help students clarify their goals and craft their journey, aligning with their leadership and career aspirations. Co-curricular and student experience opportunities at Haas also add to the leadership journey, as students are able to apply what they are learning in class by leading their peers. Students leave Haas with the knowledge and skills to be purpose- driven leaders with impact.”

P&Q: Two years ago, P&Q asked you to share how you’ve integrated AI, STEM, analytics, and digital disruption into your programming. Since then, what types of enhancements have you made in these areas?

Guild: “As AI continues to evolve, we are engaged in understanding the impact of this new technology across the MBA program. Students need to think about the future of AI, consider the scenarios, the ethical implications, and the impact on work and the economy. Addressing AI, faculty are quickly altering curriculum, administrators are creating new marketing, admissions, and professional development opportunities, and students are engaging with alumni and business leaders driving this change.

More specifically, Haas has added new courses, including the Business of AI, which addresses how AI—everything from self-driving cars to humanoid robots— is changing the way people live and work. The course addresses the legal, social, and policy implications of AI. A new Ethics in AI course explores ethical and cross-cultural dilemmas in AI as students study the principles of responsible use and governance design. Additionally, a course on managing disruption called Disruption Future is designed to help students understand how to make executive decisions in a volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous environment.

A Data Analytics course is part of the MBA core—and for years we have offered Introduction to Coding for MBA students for years. Our MBA program is one of the few STEM-certified programs, which means that STEM knowledge is infused throughout the curriculum. Haas MBA graduates leave our program well-positioned to lead in STEM.”

Haas professor and acting dean Don Moore addresses incoming students

P&Q: How many courses outside the business school can MBAs take during your program? To what extent has your business school embraced coursework from other schools and departments at your university? Are students from other schools and departments at the university allowed to take MBA electives?

Guild: “Haas is part of the #1 public research university in the world, with 90% of its graduate programs ranked in the top 10. To that end, students here have the opportunity to learn across campus from some of the world’s smartest people. We encourage students to explore classes. While there is no limit to how many courses out of the business school students may take, six units of non-Haas electives are credited toward their graduation requirements.”

P&Q: What is your biggest student-run event of the year and what does it reflect about your school?

Guild: “Our annual Women in Leadership (WIL) conference is the longest running among the largest conferences at Haas.  WIL reflects our community’s commitment to empowering women in the workplace and beyond. It brings together keynote speakers, offers interactive workshops, provides networking opportunities, and celebrates the accomplishments of women pioneers, including many Haas alumni speakers. Recently, in energy and healthcare, the BERC (Berkeley Energy & Resources Collaborative) Energy Summit and the Haas Healthcare Association (HHA) conferences have grown in scope, enabling students, alumni, and practitioners to meet, network and exchange ideas.”

Berkeley Haas School of Business 2018. File photo

WHY BERKELEY HAAS?

1) Bay Area: “Berkeley is a relatively small college town that made me feel at home immediately. With San Francisco right around the corner, it combines the best of both worlds; you get the home-like feeling of being in an intimate environment mixed with the benefits of going into the city to seek out sporting events, concerts, and restaurants.”
Aron Bjorn Bjarnason (“23)

“The fact that Berkeley Haas is located in the Bay Area, a world-class epicenter of innovation, permeates the whole curriculum and enables students to get firsthand experience with new ideas that are shaping the world. This entrepreneurial environment extends to courses with applied experiences, to clubs, to classmates and to faculty research.”
Katiza Mitrovic (’25)

2) Entrepreneurship: “Growing our venture within the Berkeley ecosystem has been game-changing for us as entrepreneurs. We have been able to tap into the wide variety of resources provided by Berkeley Skydeck, the Life Sciences Entrepreneurship Center, and the incredible group of founders that exist within my class at Haas. Pursuing a dual MBA/MPH degree has allowed me to have one foot in the entrepreneurial support network at Haas, and the other in the School of Public Health, where experts in environmental health, drug development, and access to medicine have helped us shape our approach for the benefit of patients across the world.”
Hannah Webber (’22)

3) Social Responsibility / DEI: Berkeley Haas is a foremost leader in socially responsible business, and I am eager to get involved with the Center for Responsible Business. As a leader, I am motivated by a strong sense of responsibility towards the people and communities I work with, and I want to learn how to harness the power of business to drive positive change in our world. Haas fosters a culture of responsible innovation, which I see as the necessary future of business.”
Shefali Agrawal (’25)

“For me, Haas’ unique identity lies in its strengths in sustainability and people ops. The program offers a wide range of classes in sustainability as well as conferences like BERC, competitions, and even the Michaels Certificate in Sustainable Business. At the same time, I’m proud that Haas offers DEI workshops even before orientation begins, and the opportunity to take classes centered around equity & inclusion. The school’s faculty and students also have deep roots in the topic of DEI to contribute to the curriculum.”
Jonathan Santoso (’25)

4) Energy and Healthcare: “I am thrilled to join the Berkeley Energy Resources Collaborative (BERC@Haas), which links students across Berkeley’s academic disciplines to pursue energy research, provide entrepreneurship opportunities, and develop relationships with leading and emerging energy firms. I spend most of my free time in nature and I hope that BERC will facilitate lasting connections with classmates who are equally passionate about countering the climate crisis.”
Peter Jorgensen (’25)

“One of the key reasons I chose Haas was their unparalleled MBA/MPH (Public Health) program. This thoughtfully crafted, decades-old program allows students to receive both a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Public Health in 2.5 years. Furthermore, the deep connection between Haas and the School of Public Health offers unique opportunities for all MBA students to enjoy, such as Innovations in Healthcare or Health Policy Advocacy. While most business schools have specializations in healthcare, I believe that a rigorous and deliberate public health curriculum will strengthen my approach to addressing health disparities.”
Charlie Yates (’23)

5) Popular Traditions: My favorite Haas tradition by far has been Story Salon. It’s this beautiful event that happens a couple of times each quarter where brave students get up in front of 100-200 of our classmates and share a personal and vulnerable story with us. I think Story Salon is a testament to the depth and beauty of every single Haasie and is one of the strongest community-building traditions we have at Haas. I started attending story salon early on in my time at Haas. No matter how busy I was or how difficult the adjustment was feeling, I always walked away feeling the magic of having shared space with my classmates through some of their most intimate experiences, and ultimately bearing witness to what some folks would consider their biggest personal achievement.”
Monica Shavers (’23)

“I’m excited for Haasemite, an annual camping trip to Yosemite. I’m looking forward to getting to know my classmates as we trek through forests and cook dinner on a camp stove. One of my personal goals is to visit all of the US National Parks, and I can’t think of a better way to see Yosemite.”
Veronica Peltz (’25)

Student walks past Berkeley Haas campus.

ADVICE TO HAAS APPLICANTS

“Be your authentic self! Lean into introspection and don’t be afraid to bring all your successes (and failures!) to the table. Another piece of advice is to ensure you have balance in your life during the admission season – whether that be spending time with friends/family, or keeping up a hobby. Balance reminds you that there’s so much more to life than applications and interviews!”
Kate Laughton (’25)

“Keep it real. Successful applicants are more than just high achievers—they demonstrate how all of their interests, goals, and values will enrich the Haas experience. For instance, in my essays, I examined reckoning with my own leadership style as a CIA analyst, learning greater resiliency from the DC high schooler I mentor, and how serving as the culture and inclusion manager for Deloitte’s DOJ practice helped me grow as an ally. These windows into who I am showed my ability to overcome challenges, evolve as a leader, and meaningfully contribute to Haas.”
Peter Jorgensen (’25)

“First and foremost, the “What makes you feel alive” essay is the opportunity to reveal your authentic self. They are looking for more than just corporate triumphs. For example, craft your answer around a pivotal moment that has shaped your character, a childhood trait that has evolved over time, or an interest that holds profound significance. It’s okay to be honest. For example, during my interview, I discussed my regret over not pursuing athletics further in college.”
Supriya Reddy (’25)

MBA Student Hometown Undergraduate Alma Mater Last Employer
Shefali Agrawal Cupertino, CA University of Chicago U.S. Department of State
Danica Barhumi Lima, Peru Universidad del Pacífico Cisco Systems
Travis Bautista Honolulu, HI University of South Florida Waybury Capital
Kwamina Eyiah Arthur Cape Coast, Ghana Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) SecondSTAX Ltd.
Peter Jorgensen Bethesda, MD Hamilton College Deloitte Consulting
Kate Laughton Orinda, CA Santa Clara University Guild Education
Katiza Mitrovic Santiago, Chile Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile Boston Consulting Group
Veronica Peltz Voorheesville, NY Cornell University Merck
Supriya Reddy Hyderabad, India IIT Kharagpur, India Apple, Inc.
Jonathan Santoso Jakarta, Indonesia UC Berkeley HPI Agro (Djarum Group)
Sabrina (Shiyu) Tan Qingdao, China UC Berkeley Aspecta
Renzo Viale Paiva Lima, Peru Universidad del Pacífico Brein’s Center for Advanced Analytics