Allegra Tomassa Massaro

Harvard Business School

“I am an activist at heart who enjoys building community and bringing people together to solve problems.”

Hometown: Lower Merion, Pennsylvania

Fun Fact About Yourself: I was on the rowing team in high school and my goal is to row in the Head of the Charles while at HBS!

Undergraduate School and Major: Bryn Mawr College; BA, Growth & Structure of Cities (Urban Planning)

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Latham & Watkins; Manager of Global Business Diversity & Inclusion

What makes the case method so attractive as a means to learn and become a better manager?

The HBS classroom is a co-production. Through the case method, I have the opportunity every class to learn from 93 unique individuals: the professor and my 92 section mates, each of whom brings distinct experiences, worldviews, and perspectives to the conversation. This diversity of thought pushes you to listen more than you speak and actively engage with ideas that you may have never initially considered.

Together, we engage in analysis and debate to pose thoughtful questions, draw meaningful conclusions, and make decisions. To me, this collaborative process mirrors the challenges managers face in the real world, where success often depends on thinking critically, navigating ambiguity, weighing consequences, and taking multiple perspectives into account.

Aside from your classmates and cases, what was the key part of Harvard Business School’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? A key feature that drove my decision to attend HBS was the endless opportunities for experiential learning. As someone who learns best by doing, it was important to me to have practical opportunities before and beyond the MBA summer internship to apply what I am learning in business school. At the end of next semester, I’ll participate in FIELD, which is a global immersion course where we’ll travel to another country and collaborate with a local company on a capstone project. I’m also looking forward to taking courses next year like Scaling Minority Businesses, which pairs students with minority-owned businesses to address challenges. These hands-on experiences are exactly what I was looking for in an MBA program.

What course, club, or activity excites you the most at Harvard Business School? One of the most exciting parts of my HBS experience thus far has been joining AASU, the African-American Student Union. Founded 56 years ago, AASU has an incredible legacy of community, resilience, and excellence at HBS and beyond. With an active and engaged alumni network, I know I have joined a lifelong community.

Another highlight of this semester has been my accounting course, Financial Reporting & Control (FRC). Having never taken an accounting class prior to HBS, I could not have imagined writing that sentence even just four months ago. The course, taught by an HBS alum and former Fortune 150 CEO, has completely changed the way I understand how businesses are governed, has helped me define what true accountability is in leadership, and has taught me what feels like a new language.

When you think of Harvard Business School, what is the first word that comes to mind? Why? Tradition. The foundation of the HBS MBA program is designed with an unparalleled level of intentionality, which creates a unique shared experience. You can meet an HBS alum anywhere in the world and they’ll be able to tell you which seat they sat in their first semester, their first cold call, and stories about their section. And while there are many traditions that make the program distinctive, HBS balances this with agility, constantly seeking ways to improve and build upon its foundation, and genuinely values student feedback in doing so.

Looking at your recruitment, what was the moment when you realized Harvard Business School was the right program for you? Why? I knew that HBS was the right program for me when I came to visit campus for my interview. I had prepared for my business school interviews ready to discuss anything in my applications, but I was sure the focus would be my experiences in finance and law. And while those experiences were discussed in my interviews, my HBS interviewer surprised me by giving equal attention and curiosity to what I am most passionate about: social justice, community organizing, and activism. She made me feel truly seen for the fullness of who I am and that ensured me that my perspective would be valued here. I knew then that this was where I wanted to be.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Earlier this year, I hosted and led my firm’s first leadership summit for our employee resource group (ERG) leaders. We brought together over 40 ERG leaders from our offices across the US, Middle East, Asia, and Europe to Washington, DC. The summit focused on purpose-driven leadership, crafting a shared long-term vision, and developing actionable plans for driving meaningful change within the firm and in our local communities. Being able to facilitate this level of collaboration and truly invest in people who had invested so much in the organization stands out as a career highlight.

Describe your biggest accomplishment as an MBA student so far? When I started business school, I made a promise to myself that I would say yes to new experiences. At times, that has meant challenging myself to speak up more in courses on topics I’m less familiar with. Other times, it has meant stepping out of my comfort zone in unexpected ways. Recently, on a whim, I signed up to join a dance team for the HBS Show – a full production of song, dance, and skits that parody the HBS experience. After weeks of practice and rehearsals, last week we performed in front of over 500 of our classmates. I was nervous leading up to it, but it was a fun and rewarding experience that reminded me of the importance of embracing discomfort and seeking out joy in unfamiliar places.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into Harvard Business School’s MBA program?

Be yourself: Tell the stories that matter to you and represent the core of who you are. Think back to your origin story, your family, where you come from, what you enjoyed, and how you spent your time when you were a kid. Reflecting on how you got to where you are today will provide you with clarity to approach your essays and will ultimately serve you well as you navigate your MBA program too.

Focus on the process: When I was applying to business school, I received great advice: “If you focus on and invest in the process, you’ll be able to live with the result.” It can be very easy to get distracted by hypotheticals and what ifs when you’re working toward such a big life goal. But your time will be better spent just putting your best foot forward every day. Some days that may look like taking a full practice test for the GRE or GMAT, other days that may look like spending the 10 minutes you have updating your resume for your applications. If you focus on the process and being consistent in showing up for yourself along the way, you can find peace when you hit the submit button knowing you gave it your absolute best.

Self-awareness goes a long way: Know your gaps. Being able to speak to your gaps and showcase ways in which you’ve worked on them will show that you are self-aware and can also present an opportunity to showcase why an MBA is the crucial next step in your journey.

DON’T MISS: MEET HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL’S MBA CLASS OF 2026