Imaobong “Ïma” Essien

UC Berkeley, Haas School of Business

“Global strategist investing in women’s health and economic equity across cultures.”

Hometown: Born and raised in the Bay Area

Fun Fact About Yourself: I want to live to be 101! I’m determined to crack the code of the centenarian club and unlock the secrets to living beyond a century.

Undergraduate & Graduate Schools and Majors: Carnegie Mellon University: BSc Health Psychology, Biomedical Engineering (minor); University of Edinburgh: MSc Global Health Policy

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: VU Venture Partners: Apprentice Venture Investor (Healthtech & Fintech)

Berkeley Haas is founded on four Defining Leadership Principles: Question the Status Quo, Confidence Without Attitude, Students Always, and Beyond Yourself. Which principle resonates most with you and why? “Question the Status Quo” is more than just a principle for me; it’s a driving force that has profoundly shaped my life and career. Growing up in the Bay Area, I was influenced by the powerful legacy of local social movements and inspired by the relentless efforts of female activists like Angela Davis and Yuri Kochiyama. Their dedication to justice and community solidarity motivated me to embrace a life of constant inquiry and transformation, seeking to find my own voice and develop a civic identity centered on becoming a responsible steward of the future.

Living, working, and traveling across four continents have broadened my perspective and highlighted the importance of questioning the status quo to catalyze global development. These experiences have taught me the value of challenging entrenched systems to foster equity and improve health and economic outcomes for underserved and marginalized communities. As I look forward to my time at Haas and beyond, I am eager to continue pushing boundaries and encouraging others to do the same.

What excites you about earning your MBA in the Bay Area? I’m excited to earn my MBA in the Bay Area because of three reasons: It offers the rare combination of a location at the heart of innovation, an institution committed to reimagining capitalism through innovative solutions, and a community of eclectic and bold thinkers. UC Berkeley, and Haas in particular, has a rich history of being mission-driven and forward-thinking. Over the course of 126 years, Haas has continuously transformed itself, providing a platform to envision and design a more sustainable, humane, and equitable society.

Living in the Bay Area presents an unparalleled opportunity for personal and professional growth. At Haas, I can stretch myself—challenging conventions by redefining and disrupting traditional business practices and reassessing the responsibilities owed to communities. My interactions with Haasies have further solidified this anticipation and given me a profound sense of belonging. From engaging discussions on power and politics with recent alumni to an impromptu conversation in the Courtyard with Professor Adair Morse on reviving wooly mammoths to combat climate change, I felt immersed in an environment that nurtures intellectual curiosity and fosters meaningful, often challenging dialogues.

What was the key part of Berkeley Haas’ MBA curriculum or programming that led you to choose this business school, and why was it so important to you? Haas’ unwavering commitment to addressing systemic inequities by integrating diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and belonging (DEIJB) in its core curriculum was a pivotal factor in my decision. The program actively confronts how historical racial transgressions contribute to modern healthcare disparities, quantifies gender pay gaps among female CEOs, and cultivates tenacious, equity-fluent leaders through the Center for Equity, Gender, and Leadership (EGAL). Additionally, Haas amplifies student-led initiatives like the Gender Equity Initiative (GEI) and Race Inclusion Initiative (RII), which have institutionalized pathways for underrepresented groups, fostering a more diverse and inclusive campus culture.

At Haas, DEIJB is more than a buzzword—it’s a cornerstone of preparing graduates to drive meaningful change in the broader business community. Beyond building a strong foundation in business and finance, I am confident that I will sharpen my skills to tackle critical societal challenges through an equity-focused lens.

What course, club, or activity excites you the most at Berkeley Haas? The Strategy and Leadership for Social Impact and Innovative Finance for Development courses excite me the most. I’m eager to explore innovative financial solutions that tackle global challenges and develop skills to become a strategic, evidence-based leader. I look forward to learning how to address complex social and economic problems involving players from across the private, nonprofit, and governmental sectors, while diving into the evolving field of development finance and its application to challenges facing developing economies.

I plan to complement these courses with hands-on experience managing global impact projects through two Applied Innovation courses: Impact Investing Practicum and International Business Development. I also want to organize the Africa Business Forum during my second year, where I’ll apply my learnings to foster dialogue and collaboration on sustainable economic development in emerging markets. Beyond this, I’m eager to collaborate with the dean’s office on expanding the GEI and RII, particularly in investigating pay differentials among and between these groups.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: In South Africa, women are five times more likely to experience fatal partner violence compared to the global average, often trapping survivors in abusive relationships due to financial dependence. As part of my work at the United Nations Development Programme in South Africa, my team and I led a multisectoral, survivor-centered response to gender-based violence (GBV). Our approach was rooted in the understanding that women’s health and economic empowerment are intrinsically linked.

We forged a powerful alliance across private, public, and civil society sectors to deliver both immediate safety measures and long-term economic security for survivors and their children. Aligning with the National Strategic Plan on GBV and Femicide, we implemented evidence-based trauma interventions while simultaneously tackling economic vulnerabilities through skill development programs and small business grants for aspiring women entrepreneurs. The initiative empowered survivors to escape violence, achieve financial independence, and rebuild their lives on their own terms. Moreover, it unveiled a sustainable blueprint for strategic investments in women, demonstrating the potential to drive societal transformation through collaborative and targeted action.

At this point, what do you hope to do after graduation? Post-MBA, I aspire to serve as an investment officer at a multilateral organization or development bank, spearheading equitable and sustainable investments in women’s health globally. My goal is to narrow the women’s health gap by 2050 through investments that empower communities, strengthen healthcare systems, and stimulate economic growth. Additionally, I aim to contribute to building consensus on fundamentally transforming the global economy and world order into a fairer, more just multilateral system that reflects contemporary realities.

My vision centers on empowering historically marginalized populations, particularly in the Global South, to address shared development challenges and chart their own paths through increased solidarity, cooperation, and innovative financing. I plan to develop blended finance models that minimize dependency on conditional Western aid, mobilize diverse sources of capital. Eventually, I hope to launch a fund or accelerator focused on commercializing sustainable technologies and creating redistributive mechanisms to support self-determination, innovation, and the scaling of South-South tech transfers.

Haas can help me achieve these goals by providing the knowledge, skills, and networks to become a 21st-century business leader, navigating complex global partnerships.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into Berkeley Haas’ MBA program?

1. Start by understanding yourself better. Who are you? What drives you? Consider your core values, strengths, and motivations. Where do you see yourself growing? Think about the culture, community, and peers you want to be surrounded by. Define your short-term and long-term goals and explore how a Haas MBA can help you achieve them. This self-reflection is crucial for identifying the environment and opportunities that align with your goals.

2. Immerse yourself in the Haas community. Connect with the Admissions Team, current students, and alumni to gain insights into Haas’ values, culture, and program offerings.

3. If possible, experience Haas firsthand. Visit the campus to feel the energy and vibe of the program. If an in-person visit isn’t feasible, attend virtual events. There are countless information sessions and webinars to participate in throughout the year to deepen your understanding of the program.

By investing time in self-discovery and connecting with the Haas community, you’ll create a compelling application that demonstrates your genuine interest and highlights your unique fit in the program.

DON’T MISS: MEET THE BERKELEY HAAS MBA CLASS OF 2026