Ilana Solomon

Northwestern University, Kellogg School of Management

“Like a sunny day in Chicago winter – warm, sharp, and slightly too optimistic.”

Hometown: Stony Brook, NY 

Fun fact about yourself: I’m a big Chicago Sky fan!

Undergraduate School and Degree: Columbia University, BA (Major: Economics-Political Science)

Where was the last place you worked before enrolling in business school? Accenture, Management Consultant

Where did you intern during the summer of 2024? Redwoods Summer Associate, DaVita, Denver, CO

Where will you be working after graduation? DaVita, Chicago, IL

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School:

• Co-President and Co-Founder, Kellogg Economics, Business, and Society Club (KEBS)
• Community and DE&I Director, Kellogg Business of Healthcare Conference (KBHC)
• VP of Speakers, Kellogg Food and AgriBusiness Club (KFAB)
• VP of Marketing, Kellogg Comedy Club
• Interview Prep Group (IPG) Leader
• Evanston Township High School Volunteer Assistant Fencing Coach

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? I have had the privilege to intern with the Mayor of Evanston, working with him and the city on the comprehensive plan development and proposed zoning reform, which will set a foundation for Evanston’s growth in the next 20 years. This has been the best experience I’ve had at Kellogg, and I am proud of the potential long-term impacts of this project, with the goal being to make Evanston a more inclusive, affordable, and sustainable city.  Beyond the big picture, I am proud of the small efforts where my work is useful in making the jobs of the team easier.

I am so grateful for Professor Therese McGuire for this opportunity and her guidance. In addition to her expertise in state and local policy, she brings infectious energy and much needed humor to every discussion. She has shown me that intellectual curiosity and enthusiasm can go a long way in tackling tough challenges. Having a mentor like Professor McGuire has been one of the most valuable parts of my Kellogg experience, and I look forward to continuing this relationship post-MBA.

Getting involved in local politics in this way has given me deeper appreciation for the real-world challenges of urban planning and policymaking. It has also connected me to the Evanston community in a meaningful way. Applying what I have learned at Kellogg here has shown that this education is useful both inside and outside of the business world, and I plan to stay engaged in local government beyond Kellogg.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? I am proud of the initiative I took to create new partnerships and technology programming for Pittsburghers. Wanting to get more involved in the Pittsburgh community, I brought together a team of analysts and established a relationship with the local Boys & Girls Club to provide tech education to teens in their Career Works program. We developed and delivered a case-based learning project, providing sessions on social media marketing and analytics, and then partnered with a local business owner who gave a real-world example where the students could apply their learnings. This led to further partnerships with BUILD, an entrepreneurship program for high school students, and other similar organizations in the Pittsburgh area. Taking an idea from scratch, rallying a team, and driving community impact was a rewarding experience and great learning opportunity. It was a reminder that small actions can lead to change, and that we have the power to start something new.

Why did you choose this business school? Kellogg is a world class institution, and it has many aspects that drew me here: strong academics, prime location, and supportive culture to name a few. Many of the MBA programs have similar offerings, so it is the small differences that make them stand out.

What really drew me here was Kellogg’s healthcare opportunities, which have shaped my growth as a future leader in the industry. Academically, Kellogg has provided hands-on experiences that align with my goals including a consulting project focused on health equity, healthcare analytics courses, and a “deep dive” opportunity with guest lecturers who are leaders in the industry. Outside of the classroom, Kellogg has given me the opportunity to travel to and study value-based care in New Zealand through a funded Levy Inspiration Grant, help organize and attend the Kellogg Business of Healthcare Conference, compete in a global mental health focused case competition, and build an invaluable network with current and future industry leaders.

Who was your favorite MBA professor? There are so many great professors at Kellogg, and a standout professor is Professor David Matsa. I had him for Finance II, the first finance class outside of the required curriculum. The course lectures made the financial concepts “click.” What stood out for Professor Matsa was how he brought the finance topics to a broader societal impact level. Before this class, I did not find finance particularly interesting, but there was one case on a leveraged buyout of a grocery store chain that helped change my perspective. We discussed how the deal impacted employees, and it brought the financial metrics and strategies to life.

To build on this learning, I also took Professor Matsa’s Managing Firms for Shareholders and Society seminar where we talked about thorny issues and were pushed to think critically about the trade-offs that come with shareholder primacy and market capitalism. This class forced me to reflect on how business decisions impact both the world inside and outside the office.

What was your favorite course as an MBA? Healthcare Strategy was my favorite course because it provided perspective on the complicated nature of the incentives, relationships, and influence of the major players in the healthcare ecosystem.

Professor Craig Garthwaite, who teaches this course, is known to be intense and truly push his students to learn. This created an environment where my peers and I came out of the class prepared to have a point of view on healthcare topics and defend our arguments thoroughly. He passed along a healthy cynicism for oversimplified takes or solutions for the healthcare industry, and I am excited to go into the field and try to tackle the big challenges we discussed.

What was your favorite MBA event or tradition at your business school? There are so many events put on that are incredibly special: KBHC, Kellogg Kurated, Iftar Celebration, TGs, and the Climate Conference to name a few. Each one is an opportunity to learn something new, celebrate with classmates, or engage in thought-provoking discussions.

My favorite “event” isn’t on the calendar, it is simply being in the Kellogg Global Hub and chatting with friends. Just yesterday, the highlight of my day was sitting down on the Spanish steps in the class transition period laughing and joking with my peers.

Looking back over your MBA experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently and why? I do not have major regrets from my Kellogg experience. But, if I were to give advice to my younger self, I would emphasize that the most important skill you learn here is to trust your gut. People are always giving advice like “you can’t miss this event,” “you need X coffee chat,” or “don’t take that class, it’s too much work,” but it’s crucial that the loudest voice should be the one in your head. Pushing outside your comfort zone is important but so is listening to yourself and deciding what is right for you in this moment.

What is the biggest myth about your school? Kellogg is marketed as a “marketing school.” While Kellogg does have an incredible marketing program, I have found that it has so much more to offer. As I mentioned earlier, the healthcare pathway is rigorous, with a wide swath of opportunities across sub-industries, with hands-on learning opportunities. Similarly, although I did not come in with the intention that I would take (much less like) some of the finance classes, they have provided a great foundation challenging me to think critically about how the financial makeup of a firm impacts its operations. Further, my economics courses have been some of my favorites, pushing me to apply economic theory to real-world business and policy challenges. Kellogg is very interdisciplinary and provides strong course opportunities to develop in marketing and in other spheres.

What did you love most about your business school’s town? I love Evanston! Heavanston has much to offer from the proximity to the beautiful lake, to easy access to Chicago. It provides a combination of suburban energy with urban delights. The more I get involved in Evanston outside of Kellogg, the more I appreciate the city. I LOVE the pickup ultimate frisbee community in Evanston, and getting involved in the Evanston Township High School fencing team has been a highlight experience. And because most Kellogg students live in Evanston, my friends are a maximum 15-minute walk away!

What is one way that your business school has integrated AI into your programming? What insights did you gain from using AI? In Moral Complexities in Leadership, we read “Truth of Fact, Truth of Fiction,” a short story that explores how technology shapes the way we process and remember truth. In a class that was largely text-based and discouraged the use of generative AI, our professor did something unexpected—she encouraged us to use an AI tool to assist in writing. Afterward, we had to reflect on how the experience differed from writing purely from our own minds, from inception to completion.

This exercise made me keenly aware of both the advantages and the trade-offs of using AI. On one hand, AI helped structure ideas quickly, filling in gaps and generating suggestions that I may not have considered on my own. It was efficient, even sparking a few interesting angles I hadn’t initially thought to consider. At the same time, the writing lacked my natural voice—it felt less personal, less nuanced, and sometimes too polished in a way that didn’t reflect my raw thinking process.

While AI has many highly technical and applicable uses, this exercise was valuable in a different way. It forced me to examine what we gain and what we lose when we outsource cognitive work to technology. AI can be an incredible tool for efficiency, but true leadership—especially in complex, moral decision-making—requires human judgment, creativity, and critical thinking that no algorithm can replicate.

Note: the above response was edited with GPT-4, as a meta-example of the described assignment.

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? I admire my classmate and close friend, Seerat Kaur, for her unparalleled drive, commitment to making a meaningful impact, and ferocity as a friend. Her passion for improving healthcare, particularly in women’s health and closing gaps in healthcare access, is truly inspiring. Seerat embodies her feminist values with conviction, consistently living them both personally and professionally. She is incredibly intelligent, structured, and organized, qualities that allow her to excel in everything she does. Beyond her professional prowess, Seerat is a great friend, always showing up for others, communicating clearly, and bringing humor into even the busiest days. I am SO grateful that she is in my life, and I look forward to seeing how she will be a changemaker in healthcare.

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

1. C-suite of a healthcare delivery company.
2. Run for public office.

What made Ilana such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2025?

“Ilana Solomon exhibits all the traits we hope to see in business leaders: intelligence, humility, dedication, insight, perseverance. She is generous with her friends, she is supportive of those in need, and she has a strong work ethic. And to top it off, she is a delightful human being.

Ilana was at the very top of my class, Public Economics for Business Leaders: State and Local Policy. Because of her performance in class and the people skills she demonstrated, I tapped her to intern with the Mayor of Evanston for course credit under my supervision. Her project for the mayor – an analysis of zoning reform and its implications for housing affordability, sustainable development, economic integration of neighborhoods, and business development – took her through academic studies, conversations with developers and politicians in other cities, collaborations with City of Evanston staff members, conversations with Evanston city council members and land use commission members, and, of course, conversations with the mayor. She skillfully navigated a politically fraught terrain and produced analysis and insights that helped inform the policy debate.

I want to emphasize the power and effectiveness of Ilana’s calm and thoughtful approach to overcoming challenges and addressing issues. Her composed demeanor and analytical abilities will fuel her success no matter what path she takes in her future endeavors.”

Therese J. McGuire
Professor of Strategy
Kellogg School of Management

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