Letícia Vieira Salvador

Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University

“A very energetic and caring person that wants to drive real changes in the world.”

Hometown: Vila Velha, Brazil

Fun Fact About Yourself: I have 2 birds that live without a cage and fly freely in my house.

Undergraduate School and Major: Civil Engineering – Federal University of Sao Carlos

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: I was the Data and Growth leader of Theia – an early-stage health tech company that aims to improve women’s health in Brazil.

Aside from your classmates and location, what was the key part of Northwestern Kellogg’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? The reason why I chose Kellogg was because of the collaborative culture and expansive network. I want to take the most of my MBA experience: connect to different people, think together ways to solve the world’s most complex problems, and delivering true impact to the society. And for me, you can only achieve these things in a collaborative environment, where people are willing to help each other instead of competing.

I’m looking forward to collaborating through student clubs, like KTech, or working with my peers during the recruiting process to learn best practices. I’m also looking forward to the larger network I now have access to, which could bring a number of partnership opportunities down the road.

What course, club or activity excites you the most at Northwestern Kellogg? I’m most excited about Kellogg’s social impact opportunities – they are one of a kind. In my first week here, I was able to participate in Social Impact Day’s, which brings together impact-interested incoming students before the activities of the quarter begin.

For Social Impact Day’s annual pitch competition, my colleagues and I had to create a company to solve one problem in the healthcare sector. This opportunity is just one of many that Kellogg offers in this arena, including over 10 social impact focused clubs, multiple classes (including the Social Impact Pathway), and extensive experiential learning opportunities to apply and engage with the surrounding (and international) community. I’m so excited to engage.

What word best describes the Kellogg MBA students and alumni you’ve met so far and why? Available. People are always available to help you, to listen to you, and contribute with you. Every time that you need something, or want to discuss something with someone, people will be available to you and will answer you. And this is something really valuable because you have access to a huge and powerful network of people that will always be there for you when you need them.

What makes Chicago such a great place to earn an MBA? We are in Evanston, a suburb on the North side of Chicago, so it’s much easier to form a tight community and build strong relationships. We’re also only ~30 minutes from downtown Chicago, home to a plethora of career opportunities and leisure activities. So, in my opinion, here in Kellogg we have the best of both worlds.

Kellogg is known for a team-driven culture. What quality do you bring as a teammate and why is it so important to success? I believe I am an empathic person. I can easily put myself in other people’s shoes and relate to them. This allows me to build strong connections and to reach solutions that help both sides of a situation or a disagreement, which are key factors for success in the corporate world.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: My biggest accomplishment was the launch of Theia’s new product in November of 2020. Theia is a health tech startup that delivers a unique solution for women’s health during their pregnancy. During my time there, I created the company’s growth strategy and helped to build the financial model. This is something that I’m proud of because I know the impact that it can have on women lives and their children. Doing this during the pandemic was something that just amplified our impact.

How did COVID-19 change your perspective on your career and your life in general? COVID-19 made me realize that more than ever before, one of the most important things is to have the ability to react and adapt fast. There will always be situations that you can’t predict. Therefore, to me, it is so important to build the resilience and ability to adapt than to feel pressured to make a perfect strategic plan and plan your life in minimal details. For me, this applies both to professional and personal life.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point and what do you hope to do after graduation? There are two main reasons: The first one would be because I want to build a more robust and international network. The second is that I want to improve my leadership skills to be a leader that can drive real changes and have an impact on the development of a team.

I felt that now was the perfect time to pursue an MBA due to the array of experiences I have had up until this point in my career (tech, consulting, consumer goods, banking, and civil engineering). I feel more prepared to take advantage of all MBA resources and contribute in a better way to academic discussions and more.

After my graduation, I intend to work for a period in the United States, so I can strengthen my international network as well.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? Stanford GSB, MIT, HBS, Wharton

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into Northwestern Kellogg’s MBA program? Make sure you understand the culture well and consider if it is the right fit for you. As I already mentioned, Kellogg has a really strong collaborative culture, so for you to have the best possible experience, you need to be sure that the school is the right fit for you. And for me, the best way to know Kellogg’s culture is talking to current students as well as alumni.

DON’T MISS: MEET NORTHWESTERN KELLOGG’S MBA CLASS OF 2023