Rebekah Koster

Brigham Young University, Marriott School of Business

“Driven, curious learner who blends creativity and analytical thinking to make a difference.”

Hometown: Mesa, Arizona

Fun fact about yourself: I love flowers! I spent a summer working as a florist for a business that specialized in large, extravagant wedding florals. Later, I put those skills to use by designing all the flowers for my own wedding, including my own bridal bouquet.

Undergraduate School and Degree: Bachelor of Science in Experience Design and Management, with a minor in Family Life, BYU Marriott School of Business

Where was the last place you worked before enrolling in business school? Field Marketing Manager and then Head of People and Culture at Order Protection

Where did you intern during the summer of 2025?

Summer Associate at McKinsey & Company in Denver, CO

Where will you be working after graduation? Associate at McKinsey & Company

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School:

• Consulting Mentor Lead
• Chief Student Life Officer for MBA Association
• Marketing and Communications Lead for Adam Smith Society
• VP of Engagement for Graduate Finance Association
• VP of Travel for Savage Consulting Group
• MBA Cohort President
• Organized and hosted a multi-day retreat for the finance-track BYU Marriott MBA students
• Global Supply Chain Savage Scholar
• Business Finance Teaching Assistant
• Global Business Teaching Assistant
• Global Business Certificate Recipient
• Eccles Scholars Award Recipient

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? One of the academic experiences I am most proud of during business school was my work as a Savage Global Scholar, where I collaborated with a Fortune 500 company in Germany to solve a complex supply chain transition. The company was in the process of shifting production for more than 60 SKUs from third-party suppliers to internal manufacturing, a change that introduced significant operational risk. If the transition was managed too quickly, the company risked supply shortages and operational disruptions. If it was too slow, they would continue incurring unnecessary external manufacturing costs. Our team was tasked with helping the company determine how to navigate this transition strategically.

To address this challenge, we built a detailed planning model that mapped out how much of each product should be produced internally versus externally throughout the transition period. The model incorporated several real-world constraints the company was facing, including seasonality in demand, different manufacturing changeover timelines for each SKU, minimum order quantities from suppliers, and the need to increase inventory buffers during critical switchover periods. My role involved helping structure the logic of the model and translating operational considerations into a practical decision-making tool that the company’s leadership could use as they phased production in-house. The goal was not simply to produce an analysis, but to create something that could actually guide decisions over time.

At the end of the project, our team traveled to Germany to present our findings and walk the leadership team through the model in person. Presenting our recommendations directly to company executives was an incredibly rewarding moment. Knowing that the model will be used over the next year as the company executes this transition made the experience especially meaningful.

What makes this achievement particularly significant to me is that it brought together many of the things I value most: solving complex problems, collaborating with a team, and working across cultures to create something that has real-world impact. Being able to apply those skills in a global setting and knowing our work will directly support a major operational transition for the company made this one of the most fulfilling experiences of my time in business school.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? One professional achievement I am most proud of was helping create and lead a new field marketing strategy at Pattern. The idea began with a simple goal to create meaningful opportunities for the sales team to connect with potential clients in person and discuss the rapidly-evolving ecommerce landscape. I worked closely with organizations across the company to design a series of targeted events where executives, founders, and brand leaders could gather to discuss growth strategies, marketplace expansion, and the future of digital commerce. I led the strategy and execution behind these events—managing prospect lists, invitations, budgets, venues, analytics, and presenter coordination—while traveling across the country with members of the sales team to host discussions and build relationships with potential clients.

The impact of these efforts was significant. The program contributed to more than $400 million in closed deals and achieved an unprecedented return on investment. Beyond the revenue impact, the experience gave me the opportunity to collaborate closely with senior leaders, learn from some of the most experienced operators in ecommerce, and facilitate conversations that helped brands think differently about growth. Along with field events, I helped start the Accelerate Summit, Pattern’s flagship conference designed to bring together leaders across the global ecommerce ecosystem. I helped manage 68 sponsoring companies and coordinated more than 400 volunteers across two global conferences, with over 1,500 attendees at each. Seeing thousands of people come together to exchange ideas and build partnerships was incredibly rewarding. This accomplishment stands out to me because it combined strategic thinking with hands-on execution, transforming a new idea into a scalable program that drove measurable business results while building a community around the future of ecommerce.

Why did you choose this business school? I chose the BYU Marriott School of Business because of its people-centered culture. From the moment I began interacting with the program, it was clear that this was a community where individuals are deeply invested in not only their own success but also the success of everyone around them. My classmates genuinely want to see each other win, and that spirit creates an environment that feels more like a supportive family than a competitive classroom. What makes this culture especially powerful is that it extends far beyond the students. The faculty are remarkably intentional about building personal connections with students. Faculty take the time to learn our names and small details that make each of us unique, including hometowns and spouse names. That level of care transforms the classroom experience; it feels less like sitting in a lecture and more like being mentored by people who are personally invested in your growth.

The same culture carries into the alumni network. I quickly learned that if I reached out to an alum on LinkedIn, they were not only willing to respond but also eager to spend time sharing their experiences and advice. That generosity reflects the broader values of the program: Success is not viewed as an individual pursuit but as something that is strengthened when people lift each other along the way. Ultimately, what drew me to this business school was the understanding that an MBA is not just about what you learn academically, but about who you become in the process. At BYU Marriott, the emphasis on character, community, and mentorship means the education goes far beyond the classroom. I knew it was the kind of environment where I would be challenged intellectually while also being surrounded by people who genuinely care about helping one another grow.

Who was your favorite MBA professor? One of my favorite MBA professors was Ben Iverson, who opened up the world of finance to me in a way I hadn’t experienced before. Before taking his class, finance felt like a technical discipline filled with formulas and models. Professor Iverson brought the subject to life by showing how financial decisions shape the trajectory of companies, industries, and even entire economies. His teaching style blended deep analytical rigor with real-world relevance, making complex concepts both accessible and exciting.

What stood out to me most was his genuine enthusiasm for helping students understand and experience finance rather than simply memorize it. He challenged us to think critically about how capital structure, risk, and market forces influence business strategy. I found myself increasingly drawn to finance as the semester progressed.

That experience ultimately led me to deepen my focus in the field. After his class, I chose to emphasize finance in my MBA coursework and later enrolled in his Bankruptcy and Restructuring class as well. In that course, he pushed us to analyze how companies navigate financial distress and how strategic decisions during difficult moments can determine whether a business fails or reinvents itself.

Professor Iverson’s impact on my MBA experience went beyond the classroom. He helped me see finance not just as a technical skill but also a powerful lens for understanding how businesses operate and make strategic decisions. His mentorship fundamentally shaped my academic interests and pushed me to explore an area of business I might not have otherwise pursued.

What was the most impactful case study you had in business school and what was the biggest lesson you learned from it? One of the most impactful case studies I encountered in business school was the Benihana case, which was actually the very first case I ever discussed in my MBA program. Walking into that class, I had eaten at Benihana many times but had never thought deeply about how the business actually worked. The case opened my eyes to the idea that every business – even something as familiar as a restaurant – can be analyzed through strategy, operations, and economics. What fascinated me was how the case broke down elements I had previously taken for granted: the layout of the restaurant, the hibachi cooking format, the limited menu, and the pacing of service. Each of these decisions was intentionally designed to improve efficiency, increase table turnover, and create a memorable customer experience. Suddenly, what I had always seen as entertainment at dinner revealed itself as a carefully engineered business model.

That case fundamentally shifted the way I look at the world. It showed me that business strategy is everywhere, often hidden in plain sight. Since then, I’ve found myself analyzing the systems behind everyday experiences, from restaurants and events to retail and travel. The Benihana case wasn’t just my introduction to the case method; it changed the way I observe and think about how businesses are designed to succeed.

What business leader do you admire most? I admire Sara Blakely, the founder of Spanx. She built a billion-dollar company from a simple idea while maintaining a sense of humility, humor, and perspective about life. I especially admire how she emphasizes creativity, resilience, and empowering others while also being open about the importance of balance.

I appreciate how she has remained committed to empowering others along the way. Blakely has used her success to support entrepreneurs and champion women in business, showing that leadership can be both ambitious and generous. Perhaps most importantly, she demonstrates that it’s possible to pursue big professional goals while still prioritizing the things that matter most in life. That balance of entrepreneurship, impact, and perspective is something I deeply admire and hope to emulate in my own career.

What is one way that your business school has integrated AI into your programming? What insights did you gain from using AI? One way my business school integrated AI into the program was through a pilot introduction to AI course that I had the opportunity to take. The class was designed to help business students understand not just what AI is, but also how it can be applied across industries and day-to-day work. Rather than focusing only on technical concepts, the course emphasized developing a mindset around how AI can be used as a tool to augment thinking, creativity, and productivity.

What made the class especially impactful was how practical and collaborative it was. One of my favorite parts was the discussion boards, where classmates regularly shared examples of how they were experimenting with AI in their own work, research, and side projects. Seeing the variety of ways people were using AI, from analyzing data to brainstorming ideas to improving workflows, expanded my perspective on what was possible.

The biggest insight I gained was that AI is less about replacing human thinking and more about amplifying it. The course helped me shift my mindset from seeing AI as a distant technology to viewing it as a practical tool I could use every day to explore ideas, analyze problems, and work more efficiently. That shift in perspective has had a lasting impact on how I approach learning, problem-solving, and innovation.

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? The MBA classmate I most admire is Christian Dahneke. Throughout the program, Christian consistently demonstrated a level of selflessness that made a lasting impression on everyone around him. While many of us were focused on managing classes, recruiting, and personal goals, Christian seemed to make it a priority to ensure the people around him were supported and included.

One of the things that stood out most about him was how intentional he was about building relationships. Christian took the time to learn people’s names, understand their goals, and check in on how they were doing. Whether it was introducing classmates to helpful contacts, sharing resources, or helping someone prepare for an interview, he was always looking for ways to lift others up.

What made his leadership especially powerful was that it came from genuine care. He helped classmates secure internship opportunities, encouraged people when recruiting felt difficult, and made sure no one felt overlooked in the process. Christian had a way of making each person feel important and valued.

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

Work internationally and learn from different cultures, markets, and ways of thinking.

Serve on the board of a company where I can mentor leaders and help an organization make a meaningful difference in the world.

What made Rebekah such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2026?

“Rebekah has been a driver of the culture of her whole MBA class. Her performance in class is always stellar, with insightful questions, quick insights, and outstanding overall academic performance. On top of that, Rebekah is an incredible leader through our clubs and associations. Throughout her time at BYU Marriott, she has organized and participated in events, recruiting trips, tutoring support, case competitions, and more. She genuinely cares about helping everyone grow and progress throughout the MBA process, which raises the game for everyone in the whole program.”

Ben Iverson
Associate Professor of Finance

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