Grisel Ramirez

Yale School of Management

“Curious problem-solver, equity advocate, and adventurer who embraces challenges as opportunities for growth and impact.”

Hometown: Morelos, Mexico

Fun Fact About Yourself: Competed in the 2020 Miss Universe Mexico national pageant after winning a state competition.

Undergraduate School and Major: Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM) – Major in Business and Finance

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Manager at Kearney (Global Management Consulting Firm)

The Yale School of Management is regarded as a purpose-driven program. What is your mission? How will your MBA at Yale SOM help you fulfill that mission? My mission is to create workplaces where women not only advance but truly thrive. At Kearney, I led the Mexico Women’s Network and helped increase female representation in recruiting by 60%, which showed me how structural change can open doors for others. At Yale SOM, I’ll strengthen my ability to design and scale such impact by learning from the school’s integrated curriculum and from peers who share a commitment to purposeful leadership. These experiences will prepare me to lead with empathy, influence organizational culture, and remove barriers so others can achieve their ambitions.

Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of Yale SOM’s MBA curriculum or programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? I’ve always been on the consultant side, viewing challenges from an “outsider’s” perspective. Yale’s integrated curriculum provides a unique opportunity to analyze situations through the lens of every stakeholder—customers, competitors, executives, and investors. This holistic approach will equip me to solve problems more effectively and sustainably, grounded in a deeper understanding of how to address complex issues while adapting to global trends and technological advancements.

What course, club, or activity excites you the most at Yale SOM? I’m excited to take courses like Advanced Business Analytics and Competitive Strategy to sharpen my problem-solving skills, while complementing them with Motivation in the Workplace and the Leadership Lab to prepare for leading teams at scale when I return to Kearney. I’m also eager to join the Women in Management Club, collaborating with peers to design initiatives that expand opportunities for women across industries. Beyond academics, I can’t wait to step outside my comfort zone by trying hockey and rowing—new challenges that will push me to grow personally while building strong connections with classmates.

What is your unique quality that will enable you to make a big contribution to the Class of 2027? I bring a strong background in operations and supply chain optimization, which are critical challenges companies face today. I can contribute valuable industry knowledge on how businesses are addressing these issues and share insights into the latest trends shaping the field. Additionally, through my active involvement in recruitment at Kearney—interviewing candidates and reviewing applications—I can support my classmates in preparing for consulting recruiting.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: One of my biggest accomplishments so far was leading a supply chain transformation project for a top pharmaceutical company in Mexico. By combining advanced modeling, process redesign, and functional analysis, we achieved a 15% reduction in annual logistics spend, while also transforming the company’s organizational structure and financial processes to balance service quality with lower costs. The project was especially challenging because it required securing buy-in and training more than 100 employees while simultaneously designing new processes and functional areas. Ultimately, the initiative became a top CEO priority, and I worked closely with logistics leaders to co-develop the strategy, which was later approved by the C-suite and the board of executives.

What do you hope to do after graduation? Post-MBA, I aim to return to Kearney in a leadership role, where I can help clients design supply chains that are both optimal and sustainable; while applying the strategic and leadership skills I gain at Yale to drive lasting impact inside and outside of the firm. At the same time, I aspire to pave the way as one of the first female leaders at Kearney in Mexico City, committed to empowering more women to build successful careers in consulting.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into Yale SOM’s MBA program? Take advantage of all the resources Yale provides to support your application process—Q&As, info sessions, alumni, and current students. What sets Yale apart is not only its excellent curriculum and academic offerings but also its one-of-a-kind culture, so you’ll find that everyone you reach out to will be eager to help. Most importantly, don’t be afraid to be yourself. You don’t need a perfect GMAT score or GPA; what matters is being authentic about how Yale will impact you, and being clear about the impact you can bring to Yale in return.

DON’T MISS: MEET YALE SOM’S MBA CLASS OF 2027

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