Anna Gress

Lehigh University Flex MBA Program

“Creative, driven leader focused on talent strategy, employee experience, storytelling, and people-centered organizational impact.”

Hometown: East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania

Fun Fact: I enjoy hands-on home renovation projects with my dad and family. From tiling to spackling and sheetrock and hardwood floors, it’s been so much fun to build on weekends.

Undergraduate School: Ithaca College

Current Role: Director of Employee Engagement, Hearst

What achievement are you most proud of? I’m most proud of shaping our company-wide employee welcome experience and knowing every new colleague begins their journey with a thoughtful and consistent introduction to Hearst, our leadership, and the breadth of opportunity the business offers.

Why did I choose Lehigh’s program: I chose Lehigh’s Flex MBA for its strong reputation and flexibility, allowing me to continue growing in a corporate role I loved while gaining a full-time-like MBA experience. Also, the global immersion programs for Lehigh’s FLEX MBA were a standout and brought the learning to life in a way I hadn’t experienced before. Being able to travel to Vietnam, Dubai and Singapore and learn from global business leaders was incredible.

What was your favorite part of the MBA program? My favorite part of the program was rediscovering a love of learning while building meaningful relationships with my cohort and faculty. Although the program was primarily online, I took every opportunity to make in-person connections, which made those relationships even stronger.

What piece of advice would you give to future MBAs? Be fully present when joining virtually and be prepared to protect time on your calendar – not only for class, but to study and fully immerse yourself in the learning. In a flexible program with competing priorities, you truly get out of it what you put into it. I also ask for help! Learn what your classmates’ skills are. If you are struggling, I guarantee your cohort member who has skills in that specialty will help you.

How has your online MBA helped in your current role: The online MBA made me more intentional with my time and leadership. Balancing competing priorities taught me to show up prepared, lead more focused meetings, and be more strategic in how I design employee experiences and partner across teams.

Did you earn a promotion while in the program or immediately after graduation? Yes. After finishing my requirements, I was promoted to Director of Employee Engagement at Hearst, where I took on a greater responsibility and a more strategic role in employee experience.

Why did you pursue an online MBA program instead of a full-time residential or executive MBA program? A full-time MBA came with a high opportunity cost. It would have meant stepping away from a role at Hearst and taking on a significant financial expense. With Hearst’s generous tuition reimbursement, a flexible online program allowed me to continue growing my career while gaining the MBA experience (and graduate without any student loans).

Hours per week spent: This varied by course load. On average, I spent 11 hours per week (sometimes more / sometimes less).

What is your ultimate professional goal? My long-term goal is to continue growing within talent strategy and employee experience at the executive level. I love waking up every day to help build and grow environments where people can do their best work, feel connected to their organization, and thrive.

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