Jennifer Adachi

Yale School of Management

“Outdoor enthusiast, potlucker, and crafter passionate about sustainability and circularity.”

Hometown: Mountain View, CA

Fun fact about yourself: I did judo for 12 years and am a two-time national champion.

Undergraduate School and Degree: Bachelor of Science in Biology (minor in Environmental Engineering) from the University of California, Los Angeles

Where was the last place you worked before enrolling in business school? Sustainability Program Specialist at Recology (a San Francisco-based recycling, waste, and composting company)

Where did you intern during the summer of 2023? This summer, I worked at Under Armour as a Global Product Supply Sustainability Intern in Baltimore, MD.

Where will you be working after graduation? Undecided.

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School:

• Business and Environment Club Leader (2022-2024)
• Forte Fellow (2022-2024)
• Career Advisor for the Career Development Office (2023-2024)
• Teaching Assistant for Operations Engine (MGT 422) and Supply Chain Management (MGT 873)
• Tutor for Probability Modeling and Statistics (MGT 403)

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? This past fall semester, I designed an independent study course where I got to research apparel circularity and resale business models in partnership with the Director of Circularity at Under Armour. I was proud of the initiative I took to design a course that perfectly fit my career and study interests, and allowed me to dive deeper into a topic I’m passionate about.

I’m now working with Professor Marian Chertow who is using my research paper as a case study and homework assignment in this year’s Managing Sustainable Operations course for Executive MBAs at SOM. I’m incredibly happy that the work I did was not only beneficial for my learning, but also can serve as a learning tool for other MBAs.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? I am proud of the sustainability work I did at Recology, specifically related to our corporate sustainability report. As one of the two employees on the corporate sustainability team, I helped to develop the company’s environmental goals, strategies, and approaches. We convinced senior leadership to agree to publish a public sustainability report and worked for over 10 months to meet with stakeholders, analyze data, calculate greenhouse gas emissions, write content, and design the report. I’m proud of the work I did to bring the project from an idea to a reality, especially since it helped drive more sustainability action and increased transparency within the company.

Why did you choose this business school? I chose SOM because of its focus on educating values-driven leaders who are passionate about creating important changes in society. As a joint master’s degree student at SOM and the Yale School of the Environment, it was incredibly important to find an MBA program that aligned with my values and complemented my learnings and career path.

Over the last two years, I have been constantly inspired by how passionate, dedicated, and values-driven my classmates are. Through thoughtful conversations with my peers, interesting courses on important societal topics, and many club events and conferences that support values-driven careers, it’s been clear I made the right choice in picking SOM.

Who was your favorite MBA professor? My favorite MBA professor is Lorenzo Caliendo, who teaches the Macroeconomics core class and the Uruguay International Experience course. In both of these courses, his passion and energy were so engaging and contagious.

In Macroeconomics, Professor Cliendo broke down complicated concepts that had always confused me and made them make sense and feel relevant. While Macro is not something I ever hope to specialize in, I’m thankful to have had a professor that clearly taught the foundational concepts and helped us enjoy it!

Professor Caliendo also led a 10-day trip to Uruguay for the International Experience course. He shared his culture, introduced us to government officials and business leaders, and taught us so much about the Uruguayan economy. Throughout the trip, Professor Caliendo’s passion and deep knowledge about the region helped us all gain so much from the experience.

What was your favorite course as an MBA? My favorite course has been Supply Chain Management with Professor Sang Kim. I loved this course because it helped me discover an area of work that I am deeply interested in, but didn’t know much about. I found myself fascinated by the topics we covered, the cases we explored, and the class discussions we held. I especially appreciated that we got to learn through applied and hands-on exercises like a supply chain simulation.

The course also ended up being incredibly relevant and helpful for the work I did in my summer internship and helped me solidify my career interest in sustainability operations and supply chains.

What was your favorite MBA event or tradition at your business school? My favorite SOM events have been the annual Diwali celebrations. Each year, SOM students come together to organize an event with hundreds of attendees from all across Yale to celebrate the Hindu festival of lights. The event features a student-led show with countless choreographed dance numbers, musical performances, and personal speeches. The event includes delicious locally-made Indian food and a post-show dance party. The event is so energizing and heart-warming, and truly showcases SOM’s diverse student body and its commitment to inclusion, community, and fun.

What is the biggest myth about your school? I think there’s a myth that most people at SOM go to work at non-profits after graduating. While I think there’s a strong representation of non-profit-focused students, the majority of people go into consulting, banking, or tech.

What did you love most about your business school’s town? In addition to the delicious food and variety of activities (e.g. concerts, museums), I love New Haven because of the parks and green spaces. I’ve appreciated how close and accessible these spaces are and have enjoyed countless local park hikes, picnics, and bike rides with my classmates. Especially since moving to New Haven has been my first experience living on the East Coast, having access to these outdoor spaces has been amazing. I’ve had so much fun enjoying the New England seasons (e.g. learning about summer humidity and how to shovel snow off of my front steps)!

What surprised you the most about business school? I was most surprised to find out that I was learning almost as much from my peers and classmates as I was from the courses. My classmates come from so many backgrounds and countries with many years of experience working on different projects with different kinds of teams. It has been fascinating to learn from them through class discussions and casual chats, and has proven to be one of the most important aspects of my business school experience.

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? While there are many peers I admire, someone that immediately comes to mind is Eunjee Koh. She is a classmate who exudes positivity, compassion, ambition, and curiosity. She is someone who makes sure that all voices are heard and valued, and jumps at the opportunity to try new, challenging things (like joining the grad rowing team!). Eunjee is incredibly hard-working, not afraid to speak her mind, and spreads kindness throughout the SOM community. For example, on multiple occasions, she has taken the initiative to plan cohort events and create inclusive spaces for students to connect.

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list?

In my professional life, I want to drive positive impact, both for the planet and for other people. Two goals on my professional bucket list are:

1. I want to drive operational changes within an organization that dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions, waste, and resource use. I want these efforts to help influence system-wide shifts that inspire other changes throughout industries and society.

2. I want to be a mentor. Working in sustainability can be an intimidating and confusing field to enter. It would be incredibly fulfilling to help mentor others (particularly women and/or people of color) who can continue to drive other sustainable changes through various organizations and industries.

What made Jennifer such an invaluable member of the Class of 2024?

“Driven by circularity, sustainable supply chains, and operational efficiency, Jen strives to help organizations minimize their environmental footprint. Leveraging SOM and her Yale School of the Environment joint degree, she explored these solutions during summer internships at National Geographic and Under Armor. Between internships, Jen championed sustainability within SOM, serving as a Career Advisor, teaching assistant, and Business & Environment Club leader. Her Yale experience exemplifies her dedication to SOM’s mission.”

Michael Minutoli
Senior Director of Career Education and Coaching
Yale School of Management Career Development

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