Kaitlyn Williams

Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania

“Ambitious, thoughtful, and impact-driven – I level-up spaces while fostering equity and inclusion.”

Hometown: Dallas, Texas

Fun fact about yourself: My go-to is that I am a twin! My sister and I have always mirrored each other in terms of appearance, but also academic and professional achievement. We graduated as the valedictorian and salutatorian of our high school, attended the same undergrad, both worked at BCG immediately after college, and will both have graduate degrees come this May. Today, she is a doctor, and I’m ironically going into health care post-MBA with long term goals to focus on women’s health.

Undergraduate School and Degree: Stanford University, BA in Public Policy

Where was the last place you worked before enrolling in business school? I worked at an ed tech startup called Reforge as a Group Strategy Lead. There, I oversaw product development teams and launched online courses, as well as other knowledge products.

Where did you intern during the summer of 2024? I interned at DaVita, a Fortune 500 kidney care company, where I evaluated health equity in home dialysis for a midwestern market.

Where will you be working after graduation? I will be returning to DaVita through the Redwoods Resident Program.

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School:

Honors: Recipient of the Thomas F. Joyce Memorial fellowship based on professional, academic, and personal achievement (upon entering Wharton).

Leadership: Co-Chair of the Dean’s MBA Advisory Council (DMAC), Co-Chair of the Ethics Committee, Co-President of the Wharton FemTech Club, Co-President of the Cocktail Club

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? I am most proud of leading the Wharton FemTech Club as Co-President. Founded in 2022, our club is dedicated to advancing the rapidly growing FemTech sector—an ecosystem of companies, products, services, and investors focused on improving the health of women. These solutions often sit at the intersection of healthcare and technology, addressing critical gaps in the industry.

As a relatively new club in only its third full school year, we faced the challenge of scaling our impact and solidifying our presence within Wharton. This year, my Co-President, Elaine Kim, and I grew general membership, doubled our board team, expanded our programming, and are on track to execute 163% more events versus the previous year. I am particularly proud of partnering with the Wharton administration to introduce our Power Lunch Series, a four-part event fostering discussions on innovation in women’s health, inequities in maternal care, and the founder journey of building a FemTech startup.

Leading the Wharton FemTech Club has been incredibly fulfilling because we are not only building a professional community in an emerging industry but also driving conversations that can lead to tangible change in women’s health and beyond.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? The professional achievement I’m most proud of is successfully pivoting into tech before business school—on my own terms. I originally planned to apply to business school in 2020, starting my MBA in 2021 as a stepping stone to transition into tech. However, the pandemic disrupted that plan, so I decided to make the transition independently, while I delayed my MBA applications.

After a few months of focused recruiting, I secured offers from three tech startups in my desired product and marketing functions. Ultimately, I took a leap of faith and chose the role that stretched me the most beyond my prior experience. In that role, I had the opportunity to work alongside incredible leaders in tech, gaining firsthand experience in a fast-paced, high-growth environment.

This experience not only gave me confidence in my ability to navigate career transitions, but also reinforced my belief in embracing uncertainty and betting on myself. This still shapes how I approach challenges and opportunities today.

Why did you choose this business school? Wharton has everything I was looking for in a business school: a top tier program with a larger class size, featuring a perfectly balanced curriculum with the right mix of core classes, experiential learning, and appropriate adoption of case-based teaching. However, what really set Wharton apart for me is Philadelphia. This city has heart! It’s urban, but not overwhelming. My favorite memories will be living near Rittenhouse Square, feeling part of a community, and watching the city go crazy following the Eagles Super Bowl win.

Who was your favorite MBA professor? My favorite MBA professor is Damon Phillips. He teaches Reforming Mass Incarceration and the Role of Business, a thought-provoking course that sheds light on an almost invisible demographic, while challenging students to recognize how the industries we participate in and the career decisions we make may exploit or enable justice-impacted individuals. I am in awe by the work Professor Phillips does with this community and have now TA’ed for him twice as well as taken his immersion course, which afforded me the opportunity to mentor formerly incarcerated women.

What was your favorite course as an MBA? My favorite MBA course was Economics of Diversity and Discrimination taught by Professor Corinne Low. The class offered a unique way to explore gender, race, and discrimination through an economics lens guided by economic theory and empirical evidence. Every student completes an independent research project and it was so interesting to learn about the breadth of topics my classmates chose to focus on, ranging from education to health care and immigration to employment policy.

What was your favorite MBA event or tradition at your business school? My favorite MBA event was Slams hosted by the Storytellers Club. These events happen at a local comedy club 2 to 3 times per semester and feature brave students who open up about moments that shaped their lives. My favorite storytellers were fellow classmates Aaron Horne and July Bok, who were both moving and memorable, with incredible delivery. Overall, Slams beautifully showcase the resilience and diversity of experience that characterizes Wharton students.

Looking back over your MBA experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently and why? Last summer, I lived with a fellow classmate, Sarah. We had so much fun living together and have maintained our friendship throughout second year. Since we occupy different circles at Wharton, I don’t know if we would have crossed paths had we not randomly become roommates. So, when I look back on my time at Wharton, I wonder how many connections I may have missed. Wharton is a big school and there just isn’t enough time to meet everyone. One thing I might have done differently is picked up random hobbies like volleyball, pickleball, art, or cooking, and gone to events around those activities to increase the chances of crossing paths with new people and forming more unexpected friendships.

What is the biggest myth about your school? Before coming to Wharton, I was told it is a very student-led environment. I think this is very true. We have over 100 student clubs. Also, a number of “fellowships” give students the opportunity to lead others during preterm, while traveling, or within various leadership training scenarios.

What did you love most about your business school’s town? As someone who has only lived in driving-oriented cities (e.g. Los Angeles, Dallas, the Bay Area), I love the walkability of Philadelphia. I did not bring my car to school, and I can’t say I have ever missed it.

What movie or television show best reflects the realities of business and what did you learn from it? I would say Good Trouble. This tv show is not a conventional business drama, but it follows young professionals faced with navigating their careers, workplaces, and personal values. One of my biggest takeaways from the show is that success isn’t just about climbing the corporate ladder—it’s about using your platform and influence to challenge norms, advocate for change, and make an impact in the spaces that matter most. At Wharton, we have a series called P3: Purpose, Passion, and Principles, where small groups of students come together to uncover their personal answers for happiness, success, and other topics. The Wharton experience is all about transformation and stretch experiences, which I think “Good Trouble” reflects in its characters too.

What is one way that your business school has integrated AI into your programming? What insights did you gain from using AI? Wharton has integrated AI by offering courses specifically about AI and granting students access to premium ChatGPT and Perplexity accounts. Some professors also highly encourage the use of AI in class, something I experienced firsthand when I took the course Innovation last fall.

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? I most admire Anna Ogundipe, one of the kindest and most grounded people I have met at Wharton.

Anna came to business school from a career in consulting, with the opportunity to return to her firm post-MBA. Instead, she has made the bold decision to pursue venture capital. Her confidence in forging her own path, despite the uncertainty that comes with breaking into VC, is something I deeply respect.

Beyond career goals, Anna leads with purpose and integrity. She is deeply committed to her faith and started a Bible study group at Penn. I have seen her consistently prioritize her values—even when it means stepping away from social events or taking the road less traveled. Anna reminds me it’s important to be true to who you are and have the courage to pursue what you believe in.

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list? The first item on my professional bucket list is to lead a business unit or serve as a Chief Operating Officer of a company I deeply believe in. I am drawn to roles that require balancing strategy, execution, and team leadership—ensuring that a vision is not just developed but effectively brought to life. The second item on my list is to one day start my own business. Throughout my career and MBA experience, I have been inspired by founders who take bold steps to solve real problems in the world. I know that entrepreneurship comes with immense challenges, but the opportunity to build something from the ground up—especially something that improves people’s lives—is a challenge I hope to take on.

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

“Kaitlyn Williams has been an invaluable addition to the Class of 2025 through her leadership, community engagement, and commitment to ethical integrity. As a co-chair of the Ethics Committee and a DMAC, she has played a pivotal role in upholding Wharton’s values of integrity, accountability, and leadership. Beyond campus, her proactive involvement in initiatives like the Wharton FemTech Club career trek demonstrates her dedication to fostering industry connections and expanding opportunities for her peers.”

Anthony Landry
Director of Academic Affairs

DON’T MISS: MBAS TO WATCH: CLASS OF 2025

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