Maya Holmes

Washington University, Olin Business School in St. Louis + Brown School of Social Work

“I’m compassionate, artsy, and driven by work that positively influences and impacts people’s lives.”

Hometown: St. Louis, MO

Fun Fact About Yourself: I recently fell in love with doing pottery. I go to the Craft Alliance on Delmar and throw on the potter’s wheel in my free time. I have made several bowls, cups and plates.

Undergraduate School and Major: I attended Lindenwood University in St. Charles, MO for my undergraduate degree. I received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. I am currently a dual degree student pursuing both my MBA and MSW at the Brown School.

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: My recent employer was Centene Corporation located in Clayton, MO. I was working as a Strategic Sourcing Specialist supporting the professional services and population health categories. I was responsible for sourcing and procuring services needed for these categories. An example of a project I worked on was securing quality management software for the quality management team. I gained valuable skills such as project management and stakeholder engagement.

What has been your favorite part of St. Lous so far? What makes St. Louis such a great place to earn an MBA? I’m a St. Louis native! The best part for me is being close to my support system as I move through this graduate school journey. St. Louis is a great place to earn an MBA because you will be surrounded by a strong network that will help advance your career development.

Aside from the global immersion, what was the key part of Washington Olin’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? I chose Olin because of the strong entrepreneurial spirit. I was seeking an MBA program that could equip me with a strong business acumen and provide exposure to a strong entrepreneurial ecosystem. As a mental health therapist in training and social worker as well as a budding social entrepreneur, I’m passionate about creating change and have plans to build a business that advocates for change in mental healthcare.

What course, club or activity have you enjoyed the most so far at Washington Olin? I have enjoyed Introduction to Entrepreneurship with Doug Villhard. That class equipped me with the knowledge to tap into the entrepreneurial journey. Professor Villhard is an amazing professor who really cares about supporting his students. I also enjoyed the experiential aspect of the course. We took a field trip to Great Heart Brewery, a business in the making by one of Olin’s own awesome MBA students. This inspired me to keep pursuing this path!

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: The biggest accomplishment in my career so far has been the impact I’ve been able to provide for the companies and teams I’ve worked with. I take pride in my work and always put forth my best effort. I’ve executed high priority projects in addition to contributing social impact initiatives.

Describe your biggest achievement in the MBA program so far: My biggest achievement in the MBA program is the personal and professional growth I’ve had since beginning the MBA. I’m proud that I’ve been able to hold my own and thrive in the business program! I look forward to the rest of my time here at Olin!

What has been your best memory as an MBA so far? My best memory is the time I spent with my cohort in Barcelona. That was my first time visiting Barcelona. I enjoyed getting to spend quality time with my fellow classmates outside of the Olin walls. We visited cool places and had great food. It was experience like no other!

DON’T MISS: MEET WASHINGTON OLIN’S MBA CLASS OF 2026