2025 Best 40-Under-40 MBA Professors: Anthony Palomba, Darden School of Business, University of Virginia

Anthony Palomba
Darden School of Business, University of Virginia

“Professor Anthony Palomba is a rare gem in the classroom. His energy is contagious – his presence immediately commands attention, and his voice carries the excitement of someone truly passionate about teaching. From the moment he steps into the room, every student feels valued, heard, and supported.

As a master storyteller teaching Storytelling with Data, his lectures were not just informative but deeply impactful. He blended insight with humor, making complex concepts engaging and memorable. However, what truly set him apart was his unwavering commitment to his students. He dedicated an extraordinary amount of time helping each of us refine our final projects, offering encouragement, feedback, and support that extended far beyond expectations.

Anthony Palomba doesn’t just teach—he inspires. His dedication, enthusiasm, and ability to bring out the best in his students make him an exceptional educator worthy of recognition.” – Tom Hastain

Anthony Palomba, 38, is an award-winning Assistant Professor of Business Administration in the Communication area at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business, where he teaches MSBA, MBA, and Executive MBA students courses on storytelling with data and media & entertainment businesses. 

A media scholar specializing in machine learning and causal inference, his work explores the intersection of entertainment, business, and analytics, with particular focus on media consumption and media firm strategy.

Palomba received Darden’s Outstanding Faculty Award in 2024 and was recognized by the Emerald Literati Awards for Outstanding Paper in 2022. He is a Television Academy Foundation TV Fellow and NATPE Media Fellow. He has been quoted in over fifty articles spanning The New York Times, Yahoo! Finance, Los Angeles Times, Quartz, The Verge, and CNN. 

His research has been featured at academic conferences and applied in consulting projects with FAANG firms and major media studios. As an advisor at GBK Collective, he has helped global brands use cultural analytics to localize advertising and entertainment strategies. 

His research has been published in leading journals such as Telematics and Informatics, Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, and Computers in Human Behavior. His current research focuses on using machine learning and causal inference to understand how dialogue from TV scripts predicts audience engagement and financial performance, with several papers currently under review at the Journal of Communication Research and the Journal of Communication. In 2026, upon admission, he will begin a part-time MS in Economics at Purdue University’s Mitch Daniels School of Business, further cementing his foundation in econometrics, machine learning, and finance. He remains committed to cross-disciplinary research and aims to expand his publications into top-tier business journals.

BACKGROUND

At current institution since what year? 2020

Education: Ph.D., Media Management, University of Florida; M.A. Television, Radio, Film S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, Syracuse University

List of MBA courses you currently teach:  I teach storytelling with data and media and entertainment businesses.

TELL US ABOUT LIFE AS A BUSINESS SCHOOL PROFESSOR

I knew I wanted to be a business school professor when… Years ago, I was torn between pursuing a PhD in media or in business. While pursuing my PhD in media management at the University of Florida, I took business school courses in brand management, CRM, and consumer behavior, and was instantly hooked. The intensity, collaboration, and caliber of faculty confirmed that I ultimately wanted to teach in a business school.

What are you currently researching and what is the most significant discovery you’ve made from it? In recent years, I’ve completed machine learning bootcamps through Purdue University and Data Science Infinity, equipping me to analyze 25,000 TV scripts by dialogue features across acts 1–3. In collaboration with Michael Albert, I applied models like random forest and XGBoost to identify the top ten features predicting next-episode viewership. Key findings include the importance of words per sentence, dialogue volume, and emotional intensity—especially at episode endings—across genres. While some shows aligned well with our models, others suggested the influence of unmeasured factors like cast or cinematography. I’m now auditing econometrics courses and working to expand this work to include causal inference methods, to attempt to understand how emotion momentum is created over time, and how this might impact financial KPIs.

If I weren’t a business school professor… I’d be an applied media industry researcher, studying how and why people consume media and culture, linking those behaviors to financial KPIs, and delivering actionable value to clients. I find that intersection of audience insight and business strategy endlessly fascinating. I initially wanted to be an entertainment lawyer and then a producer, so perhaps these might’ve been fruitful paths, too.

What do you think makes you stand out as a professor? I think the ability to admit that, across all the classes, bootcamps, and even the upcoming master’s program I’ll be entering, how little I know about anything. This humility became especially clear when I arrived at Darden, and it’s been central to my growth and success. You need to have a perpetual growth mindset, as it is incumbent upon you to remain cutting-edge and future-facing. Students expect it, the school expects it, and consulting clients expect it. You can’t afford to get too comfortable or confident in this work. The moment you do, you stop evolving.

One word that describes my first time teaching: Passionate.

Here’s what I wish someone would’ve told me about being a business school professor: Pushing to be perpetually cutting-edge means you’re always uncomfortable to some degree. I’ve really pushed myself hard to get comfortable with being uncomfortable.

Professor I most admire and why: At Darden, I’ve been inspired by faculty who excel in teaching, research, and consulting. Early on, I sat in on numerous classes and was immediately blown away. Luca Cian’s passion and precision in marketing, and Yael Grushka-Cockayne’s mastery of analytics and the case method, set a high bar I strive to meet. I’m also inspired by Michael Albert, Raj Venkatesan, Peter Belmi, Bobby Parmar, and many others whose work continues to elevate the Darden experience.

TEACHING MBA STUDENTS

What do you enjoy most about teaching business students? They push me to stay curious and to enter the classroom with as few preconceptions as possible. Business students are hungry to go deep, as they challenge each other, and they challenge me. When the case method is executed in harmony, it creates a powerful intellectual sounding board. The resonance from that dialogue doesn’t just echo – it envelops the entire room, elevating everyone involved.

What is most challenging? Creating high-impact classroom experiences is a constant, evolving challenge. In storytelling with data, each session includes a white paper critique, a mini case, and group breakouts where students build and present five-slide decks under time pressure, mirroring real-world consulting. I review 100 slides twice a week for seven weeks, returning feedback within a day to help students rapidly sharpen their skills in Think-Cell and Tableau. 

In media and entertainment businesses, we start by asking why we need art, then explore who owns it through 10-K filings and data dashboards. Students use machine learning tools like random forest and logistic regression to respond to scenarios in six original cases. I’m now integrating causal inference to deepen analysis of TV scripts, box office trends, and game sales. While I’m proud of the progress in both courses, I’m always looking to push classroom innovation further.

In one word, describe your favorite type of student: Relentless.

In one word, describe your least favorite type of student: Dispassionate.

When it comes to grading, I think students would describe me as… Very fair. I provide detailed feedback, which I believe has helped students grow, improve, and better understand my expectations.

LIFE OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM

What are your hobbies? I enjoy working out and reading, and I have a deep love for movies and television. I love live standup comedy and theater. I’m also an avid sports fan of college basketball, football, and even baseball. I was thrilled to see my Florida Gators win the 2025 men’s college basketball championship! Outside of work, I’ve been co-writing a TV series with a few colleagues over the past five years. We’re planning to pitch it to investors this summer and are hopeful to shoot a pilot episode soon.

How will you spend your summer? Outside of working on the TV pilot, I’ll be diving into research, taking on a few consulting projects, spending time at the beach, and most importantly, getting to know my new baby girl! My wife and I are expecting our first child in May, and we couldn’t be more excited.

Favorite place(s) to vacation: My family is in Westchester County, NY, and my wife’s is in Greenwich, CT, so we’re lucky to have great beaches nearby. I love visiting Boston for its New England charm and Sarasota, FL for its beaches and hangouts. Abroad, I’m eager to return to Italy and was recently blown away by Portugal, which is definitely a place I’d love to revisit!

Favorite book(s): I’m such a nerd that most of my current reading revolves around machine learning and econometrics! Lately, I’ve been geeking out over Real Stats by Michael Bailey and Causal Inference and Discovery in Python by Aleksander Molak. Recently, my brother presented me with Meditations by Marcus Aurelius, and I found it to be a refreshing departure from my usual reading material. I believe meditation, breathwork, and anything that helps calm the mind and strengthen one’s resolve is always worth exploring.

What is currently your favorite movie and/or show and what is it about the film or program that you enjoy so much? How much space do I have? I’m a media scholar! Right now, my wife and I are watching season three of The White Lotus, a bold, provocative series exploring human impulses in luxurious settings. It’s masterfully written and offers a unique escape. I also recommend Mad Men, The Morning Show, Severance, and The Bear. For movies, favorites include The Godfather, Goodfellas, The Departed, La La Land, The Wolf of Wall Street, Hereditary, Everything Everywhere All At Once, and Spotlight. I enjoy unpredictable, smart, and bold movies. 

What is your favorite type of music or artist(s) and why? Growing up, I was a huge fan of Michael Jackson and Aerosmith. Today, my taste spans everything from Boyz II Men to Eminem, Queen, Dave Matthews Band, and Mariah Carey. I admire artists who write visceral lyrics that evoke deep emotion and reflection—that’s what sets them apart. I’m also a big fan of ’80s synthwave and smooth jazz, and have seen Kenny G and Chris Botti live—both were phenomenal.

THOUGHTS AND REFLECTIONS

If I had my way, the business school of the future would lean much more heavily into technology. All of our MBA students need fluency in Think-Cell, Tableau, SQL, and some Python. We must take a more tech-forward approach to teaching, especially in communication skills, so that students can speak about data, design compelling visuals, and present and express insights effectively. Their professional brand will be shaped not by where they studied, but by how well they communicate. We need to train charismatic nerds, those who can frame business problems, apply data science and applied econometrics tools, and understand the real financial risks behind metrics like false negatives. Just as important, they must craft persuasive data stories with sharp visuals and clear takeaways. This blend of technical skill and storytelling is the future.

In my opinion, companies and organizations today need to do a better job at… embracing risk and telling better stories. There’s tremendous opportunity in taking bold action—leveraging cutting-edge machine learning and econometric techniques to tackle business challenges with financial KPIs as the core focus. But just as critical is the ability to translate those results into clear, compelling narratives for stakeholders. The future belongs to those who can combine analytical rigor with strategic storytelling. In fact, organizations should fear indecision more than making the wrong move. Playing it safe is no longer safe.

I’m grateful for… everything. I’ve been very, very lucky.

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