Natalie Fredman             

Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania

“Curious dreamer, resilient optimist, passionate adventurer, messy cook, dog lover, and most importantly, kind person.”

Hometown: Miami, Florida

Fun Fact About Yourself: I spent a year living, working, and studying in Mexico City as a Fulbright Scholar. I worked in early-stage venture at Dalus Capital, a Latin American VC firm focused on inclusion, climate, and business productivity, and I took graduate-level economics courses at the Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México.

Undergraduate School and Major: Brown University, Development Studies (International Economic Development)

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Associate at Social Finance

Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of the Wharton School’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? Wharton’s global strength in finance is combined with a lesser-known dedication to impact, and both are crucial to my career in impact investing. I knew that my industry would be a minority at any business school, and I wanted to make sure that my school had relevant academic, career, leadership, and social opportunities. Wharton offers a wide array of impact programming under the Impact, Value, and Sustainable Business Initiative, the Social and Environmental Impact Communities, the McNulty Leadership Program, and numerous student groups.

What course, club, or activity excites you the most at the Wharton School? I am looking forward to stretching my limits and participating in a Wharton Leadership Expedition. I’m only mildly outdoorsy (but I love nature), and I know that a week of backcountry trekking, mountaineering, or sailing would physically and mentally challenge me. It would be an incredible opportunity for self-growth and high-stakes teamwork.

When you think of the Wharton School, what is the first word that comes to mind? Why? Expansive! Wharton’s breadth and depth is really unmatched.

What makes Philadelphia a great place to earn an MBA? I am only just getting to know Philadelphia (although I have deep family roots here), and it’s such a cool city. It’s a wonderful place to live with a robust arts and culture scene, including world-class museums and diverse restaurants.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: I am really proud of my time as a Fulbright-García Robles Binational Business grantee in Mexico City. Applying itself was challenging (it took me two tries), and that was just the start. I had to simultaneously adjust to a new industry, company, working language, and culture while striving to create value in a limited timeframe. I revamped our impact policy, performed industry deep dives including lithium mining tech and women’s healthcare, and represented Dalus at countless accelerators and industry events.

What is your biggest passion – and how has it helped you make an impact? I am passionate about economic opportunity for all, and I believe that impact investing can help achieve it. I firmly believe that while philanthropy and government are important for economic impact, systemic change cannot come without the business sector. Social issues aren’t isolated – they’re also economic issues, and to fix them, we have to invest in job creation, financial inclusion, and so much more. And I think there’s a lot of room for innovation in the sector.

What do you hope to do after graduation (at this point)? I hope to continue working in impact investing with a focus on sustainable economic development.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into the Wharton School’s MBA program?

Wharton-specific: Read up on Professor Adam Grant’s Give and Take theory – it underpins the essays.

General: If you have time, take your standardized tests early! It’s great to not have to worry about them when you are focusing on your applications.

DON’T MISS: MEET WHARTON’S MBA CLASS OF 2027

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