Danielle Sarraf

Washington University in St. Louis, Olin Business School

“MBA/MPH candidate bridging business and public health with empathy, passion, and creativity.”

Hometown: Los Angeles, California

Fun fact about yourself: I am a dual Master’s in Business Administration-Master’s in Public Health candidate! I also have an adorable aussiedoodle named Cormoran Blue (Blue for short)!

Undergraduate School and Degree: BA from Washington University in St. Louis, majoring in Anthropology: Global Health and Environment and Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies with a minor in Healthcare Management

Where was the last place you worked before enrolling in business school? I worked as a Research Manager at a research lab at the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis under Dr. Lindsay Stark and Dr. Ilana Seff.

Where did you intern during the summer of 2024?  I continued my research management work with Drs. Stark and Seff during the summer of 2024.

Where will you be working after graduation? Given my graduation in December 2025 due to my dual degree, I am still undecided, but plan to work in the intersection of business and health.

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School:

United Way Olin Board Fellow with the YWCA Southwestern Illinois

Public Health & Society Ambassador

Listed on the Journal of Public Health Management & Practice (JPHMP)’s “Students Who Rocked Public Health 2024”

Marketing Metrics Consultant for Clementine’s Creamery

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? I am most proud of my work as a United Way Board Fellow (UWBF) with YWCA Southwestern Illinois. As an UWBF, I had the unique opportunity to serve as a voting board member at the YWCA and complete a consulting project to improve programmatic data collection and evaluation methods with a centralized tool. This dashboard allowed the YWCA to understand their ability to meet internal and external outcomes, as well as understand significant implementation successes and gaps and progress over time.

Working for such an important organization – and exacting tangible change by donating my time and knowledge – was an incredibly meaningful and special experience. I also learned invaluable skills and expertise in working in a professional non-profit environment, lessons I will carry throughout my personal and professional journeys. I greatly valued my time contributing and learning from the YWCA’s mission and activities, so much so that I am now working as a teaching assistant for the incoming class of UWBFs.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? My most proud achievement within my professional career has been my involvement in the Study of Adolescent Lives After Migration to America (SALaMA), a program dedicated to addressing mental health challenges within marginalized communities. I have contributed to two significant initiatives: PhotoVoice and “Forward with Peers” (FwP). I have supported the implementation and management of PhotoVoice, a participatory research methodology, which has empowered community members to use photography as a tool for self-expression and allowed newcomer students the opportunity to share their stories of displacement, identity, and discrimination. We have run three PhotoVoice cycles in Dearborn (Michigan), Chicago (Illinois), and St. Louis (Missouri) and will continue to implement PhotoVoice across the United States in the coming years.

Further, I have also supported the implementation of FwP, a school-based social and emotional learning program, which involved co-creating an intervention manual and supporting its pilot evaluation. FwP facilitates peer support and emotional well-being in marginalized communities by offering structured guidance for peers to share resources and promote mental health and coping skills. We have implemented FwP twice in Dearborn, Michigan. You can read more about our pilot evaluation findings here.

These initiatives have been crucial in fostering resilience and encouraging open dialogue about mental health, particularly in the context of rising geopolitical tensions, such as the Israel-Gaza conflict. I am proud to have supported two important implementations aimed at improving psychosocial well-being for this increasingly vulnerable population.

Why did you choose this business school? I chose to attend the WashU Olin Business School because of their global experience opportunities. As a part of the curriculum, our cohort travelled to and took courses in Washington DC, Barcelona, and Singapore. Giving our increasingly global economy and community, I thought it necessary to learn about the intricacies of business with a global lens. Given limited travel opportunities due to COVID-19, I seized the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to immerse myself in other contexts and expand my horizons. I hoped these opportunities would allow for personal growth and preparation for future leadership.

What was your favorite course as an MBA? One of my favorite courses as an MBA was Women in Leadership, taught by Dr. Hillary Anger Elfenbein. This class featured weekly lectures from leading women in business who shared their life journeys, advice, and experiences navigating the business world as women. Dr. Elfenbein also incorporated critical theory, tools, cases, and research to help us understand the realities of the workplace for women, as well as build our skillsets. It has been one of the most memorable and useful courses I have taken, providing both practical insights and thought-provoking discussions.

I still reference the advice imparted by the leaders. For example, Maxine Clark, former CEO of Build-A-Bear Workshop, emphasized the importance of curiosity and critical thinking. She explained that when she started Build-A-Bear, she didn’t need to know everything – she just needed to ask the right questions. I plan to carry this lesson, and others from the course, throughout my personal life and professional career.

What was your favorite MBA event or tradition at your business school? As I initially anticipated, my favorite Olin experience was the Global Immersion. Traveling to Washington DC, Barcelona, and Singapore was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn about the intricacies of the global marketplace by immersing ourselves in different cultures. I still fondly remember walking the streets of the Gothic Quarter in search of the perfect sport to expand Strange Donuts to in Barcelona and touring the Emerson factory in Singapore, the “gateway to the East.” These experiences both deepened my understanding of international business and allowed me to form lasting bonds with my cohort.

This program reflects Olin’s strong emphasis on developing a global mindset for future success. Olin recognizes that business does not happen in a vacuum; rather, to be well-rounded and impactful leaders, we must engage with new contexts and cultures. The global experience reflected the importance of adaptability, cultural awareness, and strategic thinking in an increasingly interconnected world.

Looking back over your MBA experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently and why? Looking back on my MBA experience, I would strive to reduce my feelings of fear, stress, and “imposter syndrome.” Coming to business school with experience from another field, I was often worried that I was not equipped to succeed. I doubted whether I belonged, questioning my abilities in an unfamiliar environment.

However, after completing my MBA coursework, I am incredibly proud of all that I have accomplished and my ability to succeed. If I were to start again, I would approach business school with greater confidence in my capabilities and excitement to expand my horizons – rather than fear. Adopting this mindset from the start would have saved me a great deal of unnecessary stress and anxiety!

What is the biggest myth about your school? A misconception I had that may apply universally to all business schools was that most students would have narrow interests, mainly focused on areas such as finance and consulting. As someone who aspires to use my MBA in healthcare and public health systems, I initially worried that I wouldn’t fit the mold of a “typical” MBA student and would struggle to fit in. However, I quickly realized I was wrong during my first day of courses when my classmates began sharing their diverse backgrounds, interests, and aspirations. From one student wanting to open a restaurant to serve his mother’s recipes to another aspiring for a career in social impact, each person had a unique and inspiring path, straying from my initial misconception of typical MBA students. Their unique goals continue to inspire me, proving that business students are not a monolith. They are far more dynamic than I could have ever hoped for.

What did you love most about your business school’s town? Another common misconception is that St. Louis lacks excitement and opportunity. After living in St. Louis for six years, however, I have learned that St. Louis is a special city with much to offer. I love the strong sense of community, where people engage with kindness and compassion—something I have felt both on and off campus. St. Louis fosters deep connections, making it an incredibly welcoming place to live and learn.

Another one of my favorite aspects about St. Louis is its beautiful integration of nature within the city. Living across the street from Forest Park, an urban park larger than Central Park at around 1300 acres, has enriched my life, offering a sense of balance and mindfulness.

And of course, the food scene is fantastic as well, spearheaded by St. Louis’s deep history of welcoming immigrants and embracing their cultures!

What is one way that your business school has integrated AI into your programming? What insights did you gain from using AI? Many of our MBA professors integrated AI as an asset throughout our programming. Coursework often emphasized AI’s role as an important tool and skillset that will be useful in our professional careers. However, professors also highlighted the potential risks of AI misuse, reinforcing the importance of ethical and critical application.

Professor Wall did a particularly excellent job integrating AI into the classroom. In our Digital Marketing course, he demonstrated how AI can be leveraged for data analysis, where we learned how to quickly and effectively understand consumer data to optimize marketing campaigns and segmentation strategies. Through these experiences, and others, I have learned that AI can be a powerful tool, increasing efficiency and allowing for the analysis of large data sets, but must be used with discretion and critical thinking.

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? I have made lifelong relationships within my time during my MBA, one of them being my dear friend, Mesha Bisarya, who I deeply admire! Not only is she incredibly bright, but she has an inspiring work ethic, consistently stepping up as a leader. With an undergraduate degree in Architecture, she embeds creativity into her work. As a Center for Experiential Learning scholar, she impressively led a marketing panel with leaders in the space. I have seen firsthand how, in all her group projects, peers looked to Mesha to lead through her expertise and skillset. I strive to learn from and emulate Mesha’s attributes. One of the most meaningful aspects of my MBA degree was getting to know Mesha and the rest of my MBA cohort.

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

1. Start a nonprofit – I hope to one day establish a nonprofit that funds research and programs related to global health, allowing me to combine my passions for healthcare and social impact, as well as my skillsets in management, health, and research. I hope to contribute meaningfully to advancements that improve health knowledge and outcomes worldwide.

2. Travel professionally – Given that travel has been transformative for me, shaping my perspective on business and culture, I aspire to travel globally for my work. I hope to continue to experience business in new and special contexts, growing and learning from new experiences and driving impact on an international scale.

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

“Dani Sarraf is an interdisciplinary innovator whose entrepreneurial spirit drives her to create meaningful, community-centered solutions to pressing global challenges. As an MBA/MPH student at Washington University in St. Louis, she has demonstrated a rare ability to bridge research, advocacy, and action—turning bold ideas into sustainable programs that empower marginalized communities. Her work with the Study of Adolescent Lives After Migration to America (SALaMA) exemplifies this mindset. Through Photovoice and “Forward with Peers” (FwP), Dani has harnessed the power of storytelling and peer support to disrupt traditional approaches to mental health intervention. Photovoice, which she has helped implement and facilitate, provides an innovative platform for displaced individuals to use photography as a tool for self-expression, shedding light on issues of trauma, identity, and resilience. Her leadership ensures that these narratives not only reach broader audiences but also inspire action. Dani’s ability to translate ideas into impact is equally evident in her work with FwP, where she played a critical role in co-creating an intervention manual and piloting a peer-support model. This initiative is more than just a program—it is a scalable, community-driven approach to mental health that challenges stigma and builds resilience from within. Her work takes on heightened importance in the current geopolitical landscape, where rising tensions have exacerbated mental health struggles in affected communities. Dani has positioned herself at the forefront of these challenges, using innovation and advocacy to foster solidarity, inclusivity, and well-being.

Dani’s entrepreneurial drive is not just about creating solutions; it’s about reimagining what’s possible. With her creativity, initiative, and ability to turn vision into action, she is poised to be a transformative leader in the field—one who doesn’t just respond to crises but builds the frameworks for lasting change.”

Lindsay Stark
Professor of Public Health
Co-Director, Public Health & Society

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