Christina Gucciardi

Ivey Business School at Western University

“A resilient go-getter eager to make a meaningful impact in the field of healthcare.”

Hometown: Mississauga, ON

Fun Fact About Yourself: Once upon a time, I was in a music video. Lately, I’ve been learning how to master my grandmother’s traditional Italian pastries. The coolest thing I’ve ever done was to stand on top of Kjeragbolten in Norway!

Undergraduate School and Major: University of Western Ontario, Bachelor of Medical Sciences, Honours specialization in Interdisciplinary Medical Sciences

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Operations Coordinator at TRIO Fertility

How has the case method enriched your learning? What I love about the case method is that it is such an engaging way to learn. I’m constantly pulled out of my comfort zone to make decisions within industries where I have zero experience in. In the moment, it can feel like you’re running a mile a minute, but when you stop to look back at how much you’ve learned, it kind of takes your breath away. That’s the case method for you.

Aside from classmates and cases, what part of the school’s MBA programming led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you?  The one-year program was the most attractive feature to me, financially speaking. I also loved London during my undergrad and was excited about returning to my alma mater for my master’s.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far:

It was working with an incredible team to introduce TRIO Fertility’s innovative Trauma-Informed Fertility Care program.

Describe your biggest accomplishment as an MBA student so far: Learning to use my voice. Speaking up can feel daunting in a room full of talented peers, but everyone has valuable insights to share. Ivey’s MBA program encourages you to openly question your own ideas and challenge the ideas of others. That’s not always easy. Finding my voice was a pivotal point in my MBA journey, but the real growth has come from learning how to use my voice. Both skills have pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped me realize the kind of person and leader I want to be.

What has been your most memorable experience as an Ivey MBA thus far? The 24-Hour Reports have been the most memorable part of the program so far. It’s less about the assignment, and more about the bonding that happens within your learning team. It’s amazing to see how much your team can accomplish when they work together towards the same goal. Looking back though, it’s even better to see how much fun you had in the process!

I feel so fortunate that I was able to attend the Forté Conference in Chicago alongside 14 amazing women from my cohort. It was an incredible opportunity to connect with female MBA students from other schools and learn tactile skills from industry leaders who were once in our shoes.

Where is your favorite hang-out in London (Ontario)? Why do you (or your classmates) gravitate there? It would be Ivey’s courtyard for lunch in the sun after class, Barney’s Patio for a drink after a long week, Fanshawe Lake for walking trails.

What do you hope to do after graduation (at this point)? After graduating, I hope I get the opportunity to work on meaningful projects and leave a positive impact in the field of healthcare.

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