A’Lexus A. Murphy

University of Washington, Foster School of Business

“A mission‑driven, empathetic leader who turns diverse perspectives into pathways for meaningful impact.”

Hometown: Fort Worth, TX

Fun fact about yourself: My first pets that I ever owned as an adult were two rats, who quickly taught me to appreciate even the smallest things in life for what they are. They were also brilliant little companions!

Undergraduate School and Degree: Northwestern University, Bachelor of Science in Journalism, Minor in Advanced Asian Languages and Culture (Mandarin)

Where was the last place you worked before enrolling in business school?  Avoq, formerly known as Kivvit, Senior Associate

Where did you intern during the summer of 2025? DaVita, Denver, CO

Where will you be working after graduation? DaVita, Redwoods Resident

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School:

1. Co-President – Out in Business
2. VP of Operations – Diversity in Business

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? Having minored in Mandarin in my undergrad, I’m most proud of having spent the Fall quarter of my MBA second year in Shanghai, China, for a study abroad program at Shanghai Jiao Tong University’s Antai College of Economics and Management. I was the first Foster student to attend the university in several years and the only American student in the entire program. I had the unique opportunity to represent not just my program, but the entire country during what felt like a very pivotal time in the economic, business, and political relationships between the U.S. and China.

I spent four months immersed in the country, speaking the language, connecting with classmates, and exploring the best of what a major business hub like Shanghai has to offer. Being in Shanghai truly opened my eyes to how different the networking opportunities abroad can be. The local cohort comprised amazing individuals from diverse backgrounds who shared a common entrepreneurial spirit. Many of them were eagerly looking forward to building and expanding family-owned businesses and viewed the MBA as a platform to meet like-minded individuals from all walks of life; it was truly inspirational.  As a first-generation college student, getting the chance to live outside of the U.S. for the first time was a life-changing experience for me. I have been eagerly encouraging other Foster students to take a leap of faith, apply for the exchange program, and go wherever fate takes them.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? In my last role before my MBA, I had the opportunity to help lead the news and media strategy for the Obama Foundation’s Democracy Forum, which brought together hundreds of global changemakers in Chicago. In the weeks leading up to the event, it was a flurry of media outreach and coordination to get as many eyes on it as possible from the local reporters of the city who had been following the foundation closely since its inception, to journalists across the country who were, in some cases, more unfamiliar with the nuances of the foundation’s mission. I will never forget seeing it all come together on the day of the event, alongside members of my team who had been critical throughout the process, and feeling a deep sense of pride. As a young Black woman from the South, I could still vividly recall the sheer magnitude of President Obama’s 2008 election; it spread hope across my family and countless others like ours. Getting to play a role in the empowerment of the Obama Foundation’s mission 15 years later was truly a full-circle moment. I went home that night knowing that my work genuinely held social value: something I would never take for granted.

Why did you choose this business school? I chose UW Foster because of its countless opportunities to connect with and support local nonprofit organizations. Foster offers amazing programs, such as Board Fellows, which allows MBA students to join nonprofit organizations as non-voting members. It also offers Service Corps, which gives MBA students the opportunity to take on a consulting project for a nonprofit organization. As someone who worked extensively with nonprofits prior to my MBA, I knew that being connected with nonprofit organizations was a non-negotiable for me. I wanted the chance to get to know the organizations in Seattle doing amazing work day in and day out, and to support them in any way I could.

Last spring quarter, I worked with the Junior League of Seattle, an organization that focuses on developing women as leaders through training and community service. My work focused on strategic development and recruiting new members. It enlightened me that leadership development can take many forms and evolve consistently throughout your personal and professional life, both as a mentee and a mentor.

Through Foster’s nonprofit opportunities, I’ve gained valuable, hands-on experience that has benefited the organizations and allowed me to practice the skills I was learning in class in the real world. I fully believe there is no better way to build your MBA skills than by practicing them in the very organizations that empower the communities around you. Often, they’re small enough that any help you can extend makes a ripple throughout the organization, and you get to see the true effect of the work you’re doing in real-time, which is a rarity.

Who was your favorite MBA professor? I’ve had countless amazing professors throughout my time at UW Foster who took topics that were terrifying to me as someone from a non-quant background. However, Darren Bernard, Associate Professor of Accounting, was a highlight for me in my first year. Going into Managerial Accounting, I was quite wary. I had survived my quant requirements up to that point and had undoubtedly learned fundamentals, but it was hard for me to be excited about even more quant.

However, from the moment I stepped into the class, I knew Managerial Accounting with him would be different. He was an incredibly engaging professor who constantly presented managerial accounting as fun, complex problems with creative solutions. Every time I left his class, I felt a sense of accomplishment. There was no such thing as a foolish question or answer, just an open, warm learning environment we were all part of. By the time I finished the class, I had a completely new perspective on what accounting could look like and what accountants do. It gave me a full appreciation of the subject and the profession, and if I could take the class again, I would.

What was your favorite course as an MBA? Finding Your Voice with Lee Hochberg, Assistant Teaching Professor of Marketing and International Business. A second-year recommended it to me when I was a first-year, so I took it that spring, and I was so grateful I did. The class combined public speaking and ethical leadership to encourage students to draw on stories and lessons from their pasts to inform the values they have today – and use those stories to convey their future messages as business leaders. It isn’t often that you share vulnerable moments from your past with your peers and vice versa, but that class gave us the space to do so and it left a profound impression on me. I feel like in an MBA program it can be easy for people to downplay the importance of ‘soft skills’, but that class was a much-needed reminder that, before we’re leaders, we’re people. It’s those skills that will help your peers and team members respect and understand you better.

Finding Your Voice was just the start of my ‘soft skills’ learning at Foster. The program offers a wide variety of opportunities and courses to help you become a well-rounded leader on all fronts. I’ve gone on to take other courses, like Managing for Human Sustainability, which focuses on leading teams that not only last but also grow. It has only built on the skills I learned in Finding Your Voice, further strengthening the importance of empathetic listening and communication, thoughtful mentorship, and a healthy company culture – all of which are skills that will never ‘time out’ or fall out of practice. These are skills I’m confident I will use for the rest of my life.

(Note: Lee passed away in August 2025)

Looking back over your MBA experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently and why? Say yes! Coming into my MBA, I had just moved halfway across the country from Chicago, where I’d left behind my husband and dearest friends, and I vividly remember being overwhelmed by the ample opportunities Foster offered in the fall quarter. Initially, I shied away from new experiences simply because I had no idea what to expect. Eventually, what I came to realize towards the end of my fall quarter is that the unknown, entering an unfamiliar environment, is the beauty of an MBA. Those quant-heavy classes that seemed completely out of my wheelhouse? Turns out, I could take them – and not only succeed, but have fun with them! The networking events with alumni that I worried I would have nothing to contribute to? I could go, meet incredible people, and find common ground with just about anyone I crossed paths with.

Because Foster has such a small class size – the Class of 2026 is approximately 115 people – it’s so important to take full advantage immediately to enjoy every opportunity to connect with current students and alumni. Foster’s culture has cultivated a tight-knit, warm community of students and alumni who are always eager to help one another and engage. I would spend less time fretting over the negative what-ifs and more time saying yes and taking in the highs and lows with equal appreciation. That’s because it’s those moments of the unknown that truly define who you become.

What was the most impactful case study you had in business school and what was the biggest lesson you learned from it? In my Managing for Human Sustainability course, taught by Professor of Management Christopher Barnes, we studied the HBS case study, Kathryn McNeil. Here, we had to ultimately decide whether or not to fire an employee who was incredibly talented at their role but could not meet the required time commitment because she was a single mom facing several family emergencies.

This case was incredibly impactful for me because it forced me to evaluate the ethics and values I hold as a person alongside the struggles I may face as a leader. As a young woman who grew up in a single-parent household, I naturally empathize deeply with cases like this one; however, the class discussion forced me to grapple with the fact that these cases rarely have perfect answers. In the end, we determined that the crux of the issue came down to misleading expectations starting from the recruitment process and a poor department culture. Ultimately, the biggest lesson I learned was that one of the greatest skills you can have as a future leader is people management. If you’re proactive about setting a sustainable, healthy culture for your department – and are transparent with that culture – you can avoid many of the small issues that eventually balloon into far larger ones.

What did you love most about your business school’s town? Being in Seattle, what I’ve come to love most is the people. Before I arrived, I constantly heard about the Seattle Freeze – the common sentiment that making new friends in Seattle is nearly impossible; however, my experience in the city has been the exact opposite. People in Seattle are very intentional about who they are and why they are in the city. I’ve found that they are incredibly warm and passionate people who love to bond over the values that are near and dear to their hearts. That much can certainly be said of my peers. Seattle attracts thoughtful, dedicated people who are always looking to uplift one another. And of course, it helps that we have the gorgeous mountains as a backdrop to ground us whenever we need a little extra boost.

What business leader do you admire most? I would have to say Rosalind Brewer (Former CEO of Sam’s Club and Walgreens Boots Alliance). In my eyes, she is the definition of a boundary breaker. As a first‑generation college student myself, I’m inspired by how she rose from similar beginnings to lead some of the most recognizable companies in the world. Her journey shows that excellence and determination can open doors that once seemed impossible.

But it goes beyond just breaking the glass ceiling; it’s also the work she’s done for countless others by prioritizing diversity. Throughout her career, she has consistently championed diversity, equity, and ethical leadership. I aspire to follow a similar leadership style. I want to build a career defined not only by what I accomplish, but by the opportunities I help create for those who come after me. Rosalind Brewer’s example shows me that it’s possible to lead with both strength and integrity, and that doing so can transform entire organizations.

What is one way that your business school has integrated AI into your programming? What insights did you gain from using AI? When I first started my MBA, I was staunchly opposed to using AI – particularly for reading and writing, as a journalism graduate and communications expert. Coming in, I was hyper cognizant of the fact that I was entering an MBA program during a time when AI is constantly changing and the norms are adapting right alongside it. However, throughout my MBA, I have been introduced to ways to use AI as a tool rather than a crutch. I’ve had the opportunity to watch Foster’s faculty integrate AI into coursework and facilitate in-class conversations about it, so we can continually find new ways to use it as a resource. What I have most come to appreciate about it is its ability to offer insightful feedback on my work, especially written reports, talking points, and even recorded speeches. It’s easy to get bogged down when you’re constantly staring at and reviewing the same materials, and there isn’t always time to get another set of human eyes on your work, which is precisely where AI can come in. My conversations with peers and professors have been enlightening throughout my AI use journey, both for identifying the pros and the cons. However, while I’ve expanded my beliefs on AI through my MBA, I’ve also reinforced my fundamental value that AI cannot and should not be used as a full substitute for human thinking and judgment. I strongly believe it should be used responsibly by my peers to ensure we don’t lose sight of our individual talents and strengths simply because of the convenience of AI.

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? Joshua Jaeha Chang! Josh is my Co-President of Out In Business and one of the most compassionate, intelligent people I know. He was the first person I met at Welcome Weekend for Foster back in 2024; we happened to sit at the same table. From the moment we met, I knew that if Foster was attracting people like this, then I was in the right place. If I had to sum up Josh in one sentence, I would describe him as an excellent communicator and creative thinker who is constantly looking to creatively solve any problem placed before him. As a journalism major like myself in undergrad, I deeply admire his confidence and bravery, even when tackling challenging questions in quant-heavy classes. He has never hesitated to raise his hand to ask questions or share perspectives that the rest of us might have been thinking.

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

1. I would love to spend time working in Asia (preferably China) for a couple of years to put my language skills to use and further familiarize myself with major markets abroad.

2. Further down the line, I would love to initiate a nonprofit organization or grant for low-income, first-generation youth to have international experiences. I know firsthand how much of a privilege traveling abroad is and just how important it is to your development as a global citizen, and I don’t think money, or the lack thereof, should be a barrier to doing that.

What made A’Lexus such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2026?

“Students are often drawn to the University of Washington, Foster School of Business because of its mission to foster leaders, insights, and progress to better humanity. For many, this isn’t just a statement. It’s a call to action. Our students arrive eager to use business as a force for positive impact, and A’Lexus is a remarkable example of that commitment in action.

A’Lexus stands out for her drive, curiosity, and deep commitment to uplifting others. As both a Forté Fellow and a Consortium Fellow, she embodies the spirit of inclusive leadership that Foster values. In her role as LGBTQIA2S+ Coordinator with the MBA Programs Office and as an active member of Out in Business, A’Lexus has intentionally created spaces where students feel seen, supported, and empowered to succeed.

What makes A’Lexus exceptional is her ability to translate purpose into action. She doesn’t simply participate in the Foster community; she strengthens it by building pathways for connection and belonging that ensure others can thrive alongside her. A’Lexus’s leadership and MBA experience are what Foster strives to cultivate in its students.”

Noé Valdovinos Orozco
Associate Director, Strategic Partnerships and Inclusion – MBA Programs

DON’T MISS: THE 100 BEST & BRIGHTEST MBAS: CLASS OF 2026

© Copyright 2026 Poets & Quants. All rights reserved. This article may not be republished, rewritten or otherwise distributed without written permission. To reprint or license this article or any content from Poets & Quants, please submit your request HERE.