Trennedy Kleczewski

UCLA, Anderson School of Management

“A resilient, first-generation professional, passionate about sharing knowledge and resources to help underrepresented communities succeed.”

Hometown: Elgin, Illinois

Fun Fact About Yourself: I am a certified dog-sitter and dog-walker. For the past three years I’ve built a loyal clientele in the Chicago suburbs and I’m excited to continue expanding my dog-care business in LA.

Undergraduate School and Major: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Marketing & Business Process Management

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Northern Trust, Program Management Consultant

UCLA Anderson is founded on the Three Pillars: Share Success, Think Fearlessly, and Drive Change. Which pillar resonates most with you and why? As a first-generation college graduate and professional, Share Success resonates with me the most. Through my journey of navigating higher education and the corporate world, I’ve overcome obstacles, sought guidance, and paid it forward by mentoring others and sharing my experience on young professional panels. At Anderson, I aim to continue this approach by supporting my peers and leveraging my skills to create value for the UCLA community. Sharing success, to me, is about lifting others as I grow, and that aligns deeply with my personal and professional ethos.

What makes Los Angeles such a great place to earn an MBA? There’s no place I’d rather be for my MBA than Los Angeles. Moving here from the Midwest has been the most transformative change of my life, opening me up to a city buzzing with creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurial energy. LA is also the perfect place to get involved with community events, explore its vibrant food scene, and build professional and social networks. Additionally, UCLA’s strong presence across the city provides unparalleled opportunities to connect with industry leaders and find career opportunities within its dynamic business ecosystem.

Aside from your classmates and location, what was the key part of UCLA Anderson’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? Beyond the incredible students I connected with and the unique opportunities LA has to offer, I chose Anderson for its emphasis on transformative leadership, both inside and outside the classroom. I was particularly drawn to Anderson’s commitment to building well-rounded leaders who are analytically adept, collaborative, and purpose driven. Ultimately, I knew that Anderson would provide me with the ideal environment to enhance my analytical skills through coursework, practice leadership in student organizations, and contribute to an inclusive and collaborative learning community.

What course, club or activity excites you the most at UCLA Anderson? I am most excited to join the Admissions Ambassador Corps, where I can share my Anderson experience and support prospective students during their journey to Anderson, just as first- and second-year ambassadors did for me. Their encouragement guided me through moments of uncertainty, and I hope to offer that same level of support to others.

What is your unique quality that will enable you to make a big contribution to the Class of 2027? During my five-year career in financial services, I developed expertise in both marketing and operations, where I learned firsthand how data-driven strategies can meaningfully accelerate sales growth and customer acquisition. My knowledge of marketing within the consumer banking industry, along with my ability to bridge analytical insights with practical execution, are unique strengths I look forward to contributing to the Class of 2027.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: My biggest career accomplishment was during my time at Discover Financial Services on the Amazon Strategic Partnership team, where I served as a Marketing Campaign Lead. I oversaw the launch of 30+ annual marketing communications across email, paid media, website, and mobile app channels. By driving cross-functional collaboration and applying creative development and audience-targeting strategies, I optimized our team’s campaign performance, resulting in thousands of new Discover card provisions and millions in annual sales lift.

What do you hope to do after graduation (at this point)? After graduation, I aim to begin my career in consumer insights by joining a consulting firm that develops growth strategies for small to mid-sized retail enterprises. My long-term vision is to establish a boutique consulting firm that supports small business owners, while partnering with non-profits to provide financial assistance and resources to entrepreneurs in need.

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