Our Consulting Team

Our consultants are former admissions officers and/or experienced MBA graduates from Harvard, Wharton, Stanford, Columbia, INSEAD, Northwestern Kellogg, Chicago Booth, NYU Stern, Berkeley Haas, Dartmouth Tuck, Michigan Ross, London Business School, Duke Fuqua, Cornell Johnson and other leading MBA programs.

Our team reflects a wide array of industry, functional and cultural backgrounds. From investment banking to management consulting to engineering to entrepreneurship. From New York to London to Mumbai to Shanghai. You name it. The MBA Exchange has the depth and breadth to ensure a productive, personalized match for you.

Dan Bauer, Chief Executive Officer

An MBA graduate of Harvard Business School, Mr. Bauer's career includes management positions with Citicorp, MasterCard International, and DDB Needham Worldwide. He is a trusted advisor to individuals seeking the best in business education. Before founding The MBA Exchange in 1996, his experience included interviewing and assessing MBA applicants on behalf of the Harvard Business School. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree summa cum laude from Ohio University. Mr. Bauer has served on the Board of Directors of the Harvard Business School Club of Chicago, and provided leadership for organizations including the American Marketing Association and Sales & Marketing Executives International. He is a member of the Association of Independent Graduate Admissions Consultants, Independent Education Consultants Association and the Higher Education Consultants Association, and an affiliate member of the National Association of Graduate Admissions Professionals.  Dan Bauer on YouTube: Introducing The MBA Exchange

Dollaya Chaibongsai, Managing Director

While serving Stanford Graduate School of Business as an admissions evaluator for five years, Ms. Chaibongsai reviewed over a thousand applications and led candidate outreach and information sessions overseas. She is a seasoned marketing professional and customer-focused entrepreneur with more than 17 years of experience in sales, marketing, management consulting and venture capital in industries such as telecom, clean tech, retail and transportation. Prior to joining The MBA Exchange, she founded and led her own undergraduate admissions coaching business, was a director at an early-stage VC firm, and the director of marketing for a $100-million online auction firm. An MBA graduate of Stanford GSB, Ms. Chaibongsai earned her bachelor of science degree from The Wharton School with a concentration in strategic management. She is a member of the Western Association for College Admission Counseling and is fluent in Thai.
 

Dr. James M. Spitalny, Ed. D., Education Advisor

A licensed clinical psychologist skilled in diagnostic testing and counseling, Dr. Spitalny is a respected and accomplished professional serving individuals, institutions and corporations. He holds a doctorate in counseling psychology from Rutgers University, Master's degree in clinical psychology from Fairleigh Dickinson University, and Bachelor's degree in psychology from Ohio University. Dr. Spitalny specializes in helping applicants overcome issues regarding test and admissions interview anxiety.

Pam Schilling, Founder, Career Advisory Services

An MBA graduate of the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business, Ms. Schilling formerly served as Associate Director of Career Management at Chicago Booth. Her career also includes strategy consulting and financial management roles with firms such as Booz & Company, Sprint, Diamond Management & Technology Consultants and NAVTEQ. Past clients include FedEx, United Airlines, John Deere and The International Development Bank. Ms. Schilling has recruited MBA graduates as a consultant and hiring manager, and worked with hundreds of MBA students and alumni as a career/executive coach. A respected career and professional advisor, she is recognized for her practical approach, strategic insights and creative solutions to help clients advance job searches or achieve career goals. Ms. Schilling inspires and guides her clients as they work through their toughest professional challenges to reach their highest potential.

Marina Glazman

Marina Glazman is an MBA graduate of The Wharton School where she served as an Admissions Fellow, assessing applicants for admission to the full-time MBA program. Since then, Ms. Glazman has worked in business development, strategic marketing and product planning for Dow Jones & Company at The Wall Street Journal. She also founded and led her own advertising and marketing strategy consultancy serving companies in the media, education, food services, and financial services sectors. Prior to attending Wharton, Ms. Glazman earned her bachelor’s degree at the University of California-San Diego in International Studies and Russian Literature. She speaks fluent Russian and conversational French.

Steve Johnson

An MBA graduate of Harvard Business School, Mr. Johnson’s background includes strategic planning and M&A in the asset management arena. He has held a range of responsibilities including product management, strategic planning, and marketing with top companies such as Fidelity Investments, Intuit (makers of Quicken and Turbo Tax), and EXP Systems, a high-technology start-up. Before joining The MBA Exchange as a consultant, he helped numerous candidates apply successfully to top business schools. An accomplished writer and communicator, Mr. Johnson has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Yale University, where he double majored in History and Economics.

Kimberly Raynor-Smith

Ms. Raynor-Smith has worked in business school admissions and recruiting since 1998. Prior to joining The MBA Exchange in 2004, she was Associate Director of MBA Admissions at The Wharton School where she recruited, interviewed and evaluated applicants and provided individualized support to female applicants. Previously, Ms. Raynor-Smith was an MBA recruiter at Bain & Company and the Boston Consulting Group. She has expertise in counseling candidates from application to post-graduation career. Ms. Raynor-Smith holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of New Hampshire where she majored in Psychology and Sociology.

Pauline Jennett

A former associate director of admissions from Harvard Business School, Ms. Jennett evaluated and interviewed domestic and international applicants. Prior to joining The MBA Exchange, she served as director of recruitment and admissions for non-profit career development organization Management Leadership for Tomorrow, an alumni officer for Boston University, and in sales and marketing management roles with Coca-Cola, Gillette, Procter & Gamble, and IBM. Ms. Jennett earned her MBA from The Wharton School, where she was a member of the Dean's Graduate Student Advisory group and studied at Instituto de Estudies Superiores de la Empresa (IE). She has a master of divinity degree cum laude from Boston University, and bachelor of business administration degree from Baruch College where she was a Baruch Scholar. She has traveled to 34 countries on 5 continents and is conversant in Spanish.

Micah Rowland

An MBA graduate of the Stanford Graduate School of Business, he was a member of the Admissions Advisory Committee, interacting directly with applicants and visitors to the School. Following graduation, Mr. Rowland advised a range of applicants on business school admissions before joining The MBA Exchange. His professional experience includes management consulting with McKinsey & Company as a member of the San Francisco, Shanghai and Seattle offices; he focused on companies in retail, consumer goods, and technology as well as public sector clients in North America and Asia. Subsequently, Mr. Rowland accepted a corporate strategy position for a major global retailer. Prior to business school, he was a systems engineer in the defense sector. Mr. Rowland earned his Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from Duke University. He is conversant in Mandarin.

Deepak Punwani

An MBA graduate of INSEAD (France and Singapore), Mr. Punwani has been directly involved in the admissions process interviewing applicants on behalf of INSEAD. He worked closely with the INSEAD Admissions Committee on briefing alumni interviewers. Mr. Punwani also provided assessments and advice for applicants to top schools in Europe and the US. His professional background includes sales management, corporate strategy and brand development in China, India and Singapore for consumer goods companies Colgate Palmolive and Goodyear. In addition, he served as a management consultant for strategy formulation, due diligence and process optimization for corporations across Asia Pacific and the Middle East. Previously, Mr. Punwani gained entrepreneurial experience in Europe. In addition to his INSEAD MBA, Mr. Punwani has a business management degree from University of Mumbai. Born in Spain, he speaks fluent Spanish as well as Hindi, and has traveled to over 40 countries worldwide.

Jessica Burlingame

An MBA graduate of Columbia Business School, Ms. Burlingame began working with prospective MBAs as a GMAT instructor for Princeton Review and interviewed candidates for her alma mater. She has helped a wide range of applicants, particularly those with non-traditional backgrounds, to gain admission to top-tier business schools. Prior to joining The MBA Exchange, her professional experience included healthcare consulting, private and investment banking, as well as editorial and business development roles with The Condé Nast Publications and Vault.com. She speaks fluent Italian and conversational Spanish and French. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Comparative Literature from Columbia University.

Linda Yu

An MBA graduate from the Tuck School of Business, Ms. Yu was a member of the Admissions Advisory Committee, interviewing prospective MBA students on behalf of Tuck. She has worked extensively with international students as an admissions consultant. Ms. Yu’s professional background includes online marketing in the travel sector, financial services at PricewaterhouseCoopers, retail at Target Corporation, and brand management at General Mills, all in the U.S., as well as agency-side marketing in China. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with honors from University of California, Berkeley. Ms. Yu is conversant in Mandarin and Shanghai dialect. 

Rafael Chang

An MBA graduate of The Wharton School, majoring in strategic management and entrepreneurship, he was executive vice president of the Sales Club, vice president of the Greater China Club, and a performer in the Wharton International Cultural Show. Mr. Chang interviewed applicants on behalf of Wharton and has advised successful MBA applicants on essay writing, interview preparation and overall positioning. His professional background includes project management and strategic consulting in Brazil, China and the US, spanning the telecommunications, oil & gas, biometrics, retail, non-profit and public services industries. Past employers include Roche Pharmaceuticals. Mr. Chang earned his bachelor of administration degree at Fundacao Getulio Vargas (FGV) in Brazil and completed management courses at HEC Paris and University of Texas at Austin. He is fluent in Portuguese, Spanish and Mandarin.

Elliot Zimmer

After earning his MBA from Harvard Business School, Mr. Zimmer worked at McKinsey & Co. serving clients in energy, waste management, and technology industries. At McKinsey he focused on operations, market entry, and pricing strategy work for American and Asian companies. Mr. Zimmer has additional experience as Director of Capacity Planning and Operations Strategy at Dr Pepper Snapple Group (NYSE: DPS) and Director of Business Development at Lennox International (NYSE: LII). Mr. Zimmer has advised a variety of applicants on their MBA admissions campaigns targeting top schools. Prior to attending Harvard Business School, he served as a Captain in the US Army. Mr. Zimmer is also a Systems Engineering graduate of the US Military Academy, where he earned the Superintendant’s Award and was honored for excellence in academics and leadership.

Heather Nicholson

As a former Assistant Director of Admissions at Columbia Business School, Ms. Nicholson recruited, interviewed and evaluated applicants, as well as managing waitlisted prospects. She was responsible for planning recruitment seminars, and represented the business school at forums featuring top-ten business schools. Prior to joining The MBA Exchange, Ms. Nicholson worked as an admissions professional and admissions consultant for more than 15 years. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology degree from St. John’s University and a Master of Divinity degree from Union Theological Seminary.

Elizabeth Bender

An MBA graduate of The Fuqua School of Business at Duke University, Ms. Bender majored in marketing and management. Prior to joining The MBA Exchange, she had over 10 years of corporate experience in the pharmaceutical industry. Ms. Bender has held management positions in marketing, sales and human resources for a leading pharmacy benefits management company. She gained further experience in sales and information technology at Eli Lilly and Company. At Fuqua, she worked in the admissions office where she advised MBA applicants. Her own admissions campaign produced offers from four top-tier schools. Ms. Bender holds a Bachelor of Arts degree cum laude in Mathematics from Hanover College. In addition, she studied services marketing, leadership, employee and customer loyalty, and business ethics at The Center for Services Leadership at Arizona State University.

Tannia Schrieber

An MBA graduate of The Wharton School, with a major in strategic management and marketing, Ms. Schrieber evaluated applications and interviewed candidates for Wharton. As a member of the Admissions Committee, she co-managed Wharton’s online discussion board, provided “ding” analyses for rejected applicants, and represented the School on admissions panels at conferences. Prior to joining The MBA Exchange, Ms. Schrieber had a decade of experience in HR management. Certified as a Senior Professional of Human Resources, she has worked as a consultant, labor negotiator, HR manager and recruiter. Ms. Schrieber earned her Bachelor of Science in Industrial & Labor Relations at Cornell University. She is conversant in Spanish.

Matthew Salazar

An MBA graduate of the Haas School of Business at University of California at Berkeley, Mr. Salazar served the admissions office interviewing applicants and interacting with newly admitted students as a Haas Student Ambassador. His professional experience includes product management, consulting, and business development roles with digital media and technology companies. Immediately prior to attending business school, he served as a consultant at an economic and financial consulting firm. Mr. Salazar also worked on a social venture project in Ghana. He was an Adjunct Instructor, and earned a Bachelor’s degree with high honor in Economics at University of California at Berkeley.

Zuhairah Scott

Zuhairah Scott is an MBA and JD graduate of Harvard University, one of only five students admitted into this highly selective joint program the year she applied. Ms. Scott has helped hundreds of applicants gain admission to top business and law schools. During her graduate studies she also served as a Teaching Assistant at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government. With an extensive business background, Ms. Scott was director of development for Europe's largest local search-and-review website. She previously worked as VP Investments at a multi-billion dollar real estate private equity firm. She has also launched successful entrepreneurial ventures as well as holding various positions at Goldman Sachs, MTV and Booz, Allen & Hamilton. Ms. Scott earned her bachelor of arts degree magna cum laude from UCLA. She is conversant in Spanish.

Matthew Strickler

A JD/MBA graduate of Northwestern University, Mr. Strickler served on the Kellogg Admissions Committee and was an admissions interviewer for MBA and JD/MBA applicants. His professional background includes operations and strategy roles spanning the Americas, Europe and Asia for a Fortune 50 technology company. Mr. Strickler served as a principal at Boston Consulting Group with emphasis on strategy and organization for healthcare, consumer/retail, public education, pharmaceutical, media and telecommunications clients. He also played a key role in BCG’s extensive support for business school applicants targeting top-tier MBA programs. Mr. Strickler was an Adjunct Professor at Northwestern University’s Law School. Formerly a Captain in the US Army, Mr. Strickler earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and international relations from the US Military Academy.

Caryn Levine

A dual-degree graduate of Kellogg’s MMM Program, Ms. Levine earned both an MBA and an MEM (Masters in Engineering Management) at Northwestern University.  Her academic concentrations were Management and Strategy, Marketing and Biotechnology.  Ms. Levine was selected by the Kellogg Admissions Committee to interview prospective applicants, first as a student and later as an alumna.  Since then, she has advised a range of applicants targeting top-tier schools. Ms. Levine began her career in equity research at Lehman Brothers as a real estate stock analyst.  Subsequently, she focused on life sciences strategy consulting at Oliver Wyman for pharmaceutical clients with emphasis on healthcare reform.  Ms. Levine played a key role in MBA recruiting efforts for employers.  She holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Pennsylvania. She has studied abroad in the UK and traveled extensively in India.

Jennifer LaRusso-Leung

Prior to joining The MBA Exchange, Ms. LaRusso-Leung served as Associate Director of MBA Admissions for Columbia Business School.  In addition to assessing applications and interviewing applicants, she led the outreach and recruitment team responsible for all on-campus events. Earlier in her career, Ms. LaRusso-Leung worked for a major corporate law firm where her responsibilities included recruiting law students, building a summer associate program, and managing relationships with law schools. Ms. LaRusso-Leung received a bachelor's degree in History from Holy Cross and is working towards a master's degree in Psychology from Teachers College, Columbia University.

Yulia Shpilman

Ms. Shpilman is an MBA graduate of MIT Sloan. While there, she led a team mentoring first-year students, served as a teaching assistant for Strategic Management, and worked in India on a consulting project for an energy company. Ms. Shpilman has advised successful applicants to the top MBA programs. Her professional experience includes Boston Consulting Group where she led projects in strategic analysis, organizational design, change management, and post-merger integration; her clients spanned financial services, private equity, pharmaceuticals, apparel manufacturing, and industrial goods. Ms. Shpilman also worked at Booz, Allen Hamilton advising the government of Abu Dhabi, and at Citigroup as an analyst in global securitized markets. She earned her bachelor’s degree at Wharton magna cum laude in economics with a concentration in finance. Ms. Shpilman is fluent in Russian and proficient in French.

Jamee Lubkemann

Since graduating from The Wharton School with an MBA in Marketing and Human Resource & Organizational Management, Ms. Lubkemann has worked in marketing and strategy. Her professional credentials include American Express, Citigroup, Kraft Foods, Philip Morris and OmnicomGroup. While at Wharton, Ms. Lubkemann served as an Admissions Graduate Associate, and worked as an Admission Panelist, reading applications, evaluating and interviewing candidates for admission. Since then, she has helped applicants gain admission to top business schools. Ms. Lubkemann graduated from the Pennsylvania State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications.

Karen Lee

An MBA graduate of the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, Ms. Lee previously served as associate director of MBA admissions at the Anderson School of Management at UCLA. Before that, she was director of the Asian Pacific Alumni Program at the University of Southern California. Ms. Lee has worked extensively in leadership development and MBA recruitment at an S&P 500 / Fortune 500 leader in the healthcare industry, recruiting and coaching MBAs from many top programs. In addition to her MBA education from Kellogg, Ms. Lee earned a Master's degree in sociology from the University of California, San Diego and a Bachelor's degree in Sociology from UCLA. She speaks conversational Mandarin.

Jason Bordainick

An MBA graduate of the Stanford Graduate School of Business, Mr. Bordainick worked directly in his alma mater's admissions process and has successfully advised applicants to a variety of top business schools. He is a successful entrepreneur with experience in general management, private equity, and public market investing. Mr. Bordainick co-founded Hudson Valley Property Group, an innovative affordable housing development and investment firm. Previously, he built and negotiated the sale of a software and services business that facilitated the off-campus housing process at universities. He also worked in product management at Home Depot, overseeing a $150-million category for 1700+ stores. Mr. Bordainick has been an investor and advisor to software and business services companies. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Commerce with a concentration in Finance from the University of Virginia.

Jennifer Freedman

Earning her MBA degree from the New York University Stern School of Business, Ms. Freedman emphasized finance, management and real estate.  While at Stern, she worked directly with the Admissions staff evaluating MBA applicants and helped launch the Stern Summer Start program for incoming candidates with exceptional leadership and communication capabilities.  Prior to business school, Ms. Freedman worked in market research for retail icon Abercrombie & Fitch and in strategy consulting with corporate clients such as Goldman Sachs, Siemens, Unilever, BP and ConAgra.  Her subsequent professional experience has been in commercial real estate investment focused on office, industrial and retail assets management.  She graduated Phi Beta Kappa and summa cum laude from the University of Colorado at Boulder, majoring in English literature and participating in the freestyle ski team.

Aparna Baman

An MBA graduate of the Johnson School of Management at Cornell University, Ms. Baman subsequently served as an Associate Director of Admissions at the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. In that role, she evaluated over 1,000 applications, conducted interviews and managed recruiting, waitlist and admissions decisions for several international and domestic regions. Ms. Baman has also served on high-profile admissions panels at national MBA tours and forums. Her background includes brand management positions at Kraft Foods North America as well as strategy consulting at CapGemini Ernst & Young. Ms. Baman earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from the University of Chicago where she graduated Phi Beta Kappa. She speaks conversational Hindi.

Maria Spaulding

An MBA graduate of Harvard Business School, Ms. Spaulding has helped numerous applicants gain acceptance into highly selective MBA programs; she leverages her marketing background and branding expertise to help clients position themselves competitively. Ms. Spaulding's diverse professional background includes marketing, asset management and investment banking. She has helped develop iconic brands such as Ritz, Planters and Gorton's. Prior to business school, she worked in equity underwriting and M&A for JPMorgan. Deeply committed to community service, Ms. Spaulding has served as president of a non-profit board and conducted business and professional development seminars. She holds a bachelor of arts degree from Columbia University, where she majored in economics and history. Ms. Spaulding is conversant Spanish and Portuguese.

Will Chapman

Mr. Chapman earned his MBA degree from London Business School. Subsequently he was selected by the London admissions team to interview and assess applicants from various professional and academic backgrounds. Also admitted to INSEAD, Mr. Chapman's prior professional experience was in management consulting for Accenture; he served blue-chip retail and healthcare clients in the UK and Germany. Mr. Chapman also worked in venture capital and new venture development in the internet and cleantech sectors. His private equity, restructuring and turnaround experience centers on the retail industry. Mr. Chapman earned a master's degree from Oxford University. A UK citizen, he has travelled to more than 40 countries and speaks conversational French and business German. 

Jeny Cespedes

MBA graduate of the NYU Stern School of Business, Ms. Cespedes worked with the admissions committee as a Graduate Fellow. During her time at Stern, she served as a Teaching Assistant for the "Foundations of Business Coaching" course. Her professional experience includes management consulting at PA Consulting Group working with executive managers on organizational transformations and HR strategy and communications at pharmaceuticals icon, Pfizer. Prior to business school, she worked in small-business development and microfinance. As a Peace Corps Volunteer in Costa Rica, Ms. Cespedes was a Rural Community Development Consultant. She earned a bachelor of arts degree in English Literature and Political Science from the State University of New York at Stony Brook.

Ori Dekel

An MBA graduate of Darden Business School at the University of Virginia, Mr. Dekel served on the student admissions committee. He has helped a wide range of applicants, particularly those from diverse backgrounds, to gain admission to top MBA programs. Prior to joining The MBA Exchange, Mr. Dekel’s professional experience included business development with a leading realty investment trust, project management with a civil engineering firm, nonprofit management, as well as serving with distinction in the Israeli Defense Force. He speaks fluent Hebrew and holds a bachelor of architecture degree from Technion Israel Institute of Technology.

Monisha Kapila

An MBA graduate of Harvard Business School, Ms. Kapila has advised a variety of MBA applicants who gained admission to top US and international business schools. While attending HBS, she earned the prestigious Dean's Award and was selected as a Leadership Fellow. Her own application essay is featured in the book, 65 Successful Harvard Business School Applications Essays. Ms. Kapila worked for leading corporations including serving as a senior business manager at Capital One and director of marketing and product development at ACCION International. She founded ProInspire, a nonprofit organization that recruits, trains and coaches business professionals to work in the nonprofit sector. Ms. Kapila has a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Michigan and a Certificate in Leadership Coaching from Georgetown University. She speaks conversational Hindi and Spanish.

Jonathan Harari

Mr. Harari is an MBA graduate from the Wharton School, where he served as an Admission Fellow evaluating applications and interviewing candidates. Majoring in business and public policy, he was awarded a Joseph Wharton Fellowship and organized the annual Warren Buffet Trek. Mr. Harari's hedge fund, investment banking and asset management experience includes JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs. He also co-launched an equity hedge fund in Singapore focused on Southeast Asian equities. Mr. Harari has been a guest lecturer and volunteer at non-profit Year Up helping young urban adults to attain their highest potential. He earned his bachelor's degree in finance and accounting at NYU's Stern School of Business. A native of France, Mr. Harari has lived on three continents and traveled to more than 20 countries. 

Malindi Davies

While earning her MBA degree at the University of Chicago with concentrations in accounting and economics, Ms. Davies analyzed MBA applications as a member of the Dean's Student Admissions Committee. A Chartered Financial Analyst, her professional background includes equity research roles focused on the Internet, telecommunications, media and ecommerce sectors for firms including CIBC World Markets and Banc of America Securities. Ms. Davies' academic credentials include a master's degree in social organization psychology from Columbia University where she studied leadership, management ethics and executive coaching. She is also a graduate of Yale University with a bachelor's of science degree in molecular biophysics and biochemistry. Ms. Davies was an Ivy League Champion swimmer.

Rangena Hotaki

An MBA graduate of Harvard Business School, Ms. Hotaki has assisted numerous applicants in gaining acceptance into highly selective MBA and JD programs.  Experienced in strategy and management consulting, Ms. Hotaki has been employed by Accenture & Booz Allen Hamilton with a focus on the telecommunications, technology, financial services, civil and federal industries. She also has worked in the retail sector, as owner/operator of a successful Domino’s Pizza franchise, and conducted strategic planning for luxury brand Coach.  Passionate about global community service, Ms. Hotaki provides pro-bono management consulting to non-profit organizations and business expertise to women’s entrepreneurship and advocacy institutions.  She earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and Spanish from the University of Virginia.

Linda Harvey

An MBA graduate from the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business, with a joint-degree in Health Administration and Policy and a concentration in Marketing, Ms. Harvey gained professional experience in both admissions and career coaching at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. Prior to that, she directed the Chicago Booth LEAD Program, instructing and advising MBA students in leadership, teamwork, organizational behavior, and interpersonal skills development. Previously, she consulted to the London Business School on international student advisory and career issues. Ms. Harvey has also served as a consultant in change management and process improvement in the healthcare sector. In addition to her MBA, she earned a bachelor of science degree in psychology from Grinnell College.

Prajakta Nadkarni

Since graduating from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania with an MBA in Finance and Entrepreneurial Management, Ms. Nadkarni has worked in the investment management industry. Her professional background includes researching equity and fixed income securities in the consumer and healthcare sectors at asset management firms including Putnam Investments. While at Wharton, Ms. Nadkarni served as an Admissions Graduate Associate, reading applications and evaluating candidates for admission. Prior to joining The MBA Exchange, she supported a variety of applicants in developing and refining their candidacies. In addition to her MBA, Ms. Nadkarni holds a Bachelor of Arts degree, with magna cum laude distinction, in Economics (with Honors) and Biological Basis of Behavior from the University of Pennsylvania. She is also a CFA charterholder and member of both the CFA Institute and the New York Society of Security Analysts. She speaks conversational Marathi.

Stephanie Horn

An MBA graduate with honors from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, Ms. Horn was engaged by Kellogg as an admissions interviewer and has advised many business school applicants targeting top-tier schools. Prior to joining The MBA Exchange, she served in senior marketing roles for leading companies in the travel, healthcare, environmental services and retail food industries. Immediately after business school, Ms. Horn was a senior associate at McKinsey & Co. working on competitive strategies for technology and service clients. She earned a Master’s degree in English and Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from Bucknell University, where she was a recipient of the Mellon Foundation Fellowship. While attending Bucknell, Ms. Horn was a writing tutor helping PhD candidates -- including non-native English speakers -- transform technical information into clear, compelling prose.

Seth Gilmore

An MBA graduate of the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, Seth Gilmore has supported a range of business school candidates and advised successful applicants on essay writing, interview preparation and overall positioning.  At Tuck, Mr. Gilmore supported the director of MBA Admissions on matriculant research and data analysis.  His professional background includes management roles at Intel and The New York Times.  Mr. Gilmore's entrepreneurial experience includes founding two companies in the U.S. and co-founding one in India.  He has advised other entrepreneurs in Europe, South Africa and Bangladesh, and helped organize a national conference for LGBT MBAs.  Mr. Gilmore also co-founded a restaurant company with locations in Boston and Seattle. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in philosophy summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Denison University where he was awarded the Presidential Medal, his alma mater's highest honor.

Melanie Wright

An MBA graduate of the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University, Ms. Wright has extensive experience in MBA admissions and career services. She was as an interviewer for Kellogg and a contract professional for Chicago Booth. Before affiliating with The MBA Exchange, Ms. Wright spent 15 years in consulting, systems design and implementation, career management and recruiting for Fortune 500 companies. She has worked closely with senior executives in the pharmaceutical, financial services and manufacturing industries. Ms. Wright’s past employers include Eli Lilly and Microsoft. While at Diamond Technology Partners, she served as Director of Campus Recruiting. In addition to her Kellogg MBA, Ms. Wright holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business with a concentration in Computer Information Systems.

Holly Han

An MBA graduate of the UCLA Anderson School of Management, Ms. Han has helped applicants gain admission to top programs since 2003. Her professional background spans consumer products, fashion, retail and technology for companies including J.C. Penney, Bloomgindale's, Victoria's Secret, and Anthropologie. A serial entrepreneur, Ms. Han is a director at The Price Center for Entrepreneurial Studies at UCLA Anderson. While attending UCLA, she was awarded fellowships from the Young Presidents' Organization and Asian Business League, was a finalist in the Caltech and UCLA Business Plan Competitions, was VP of the Management Consulting Association, and wrote a technology column. Ms. Han has a bachelor's degree from the University of California, Berkeley with additional studies at Caltech. She is conversant in Mandarin.

Kai Brown

An MBA graduate of Stanford Graduate School of Business, Ms. Brown has advised applicants through the admissions process reporting to the GSB Admissions staff. In addition, she has coached both first- and second-year MBA students on internships and job interviews, helping them package and polish their candidacies. Ms. Brown started her career as a neurobiologist in France and then joined pharmaceuticals industry leader Merck & Co., Inc. as a biologist. After receiving her MBA education at Stanford, she worked in business development as a licensing executive at various biotech companies in California. Ms. Brown graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Maryland Baltimore County and earned a master’s degree in biotechnology at Columbia University.

Matthew Stephenson

An MBA graduate of The Wharton School, Mr. Stephenson served as an Admissions Fellow assessing applications and interviewing applicants on behalf of the Admissions Office. Majoring in entrepreneurial management, he earned a Joseph Wharton Fellowship based on academic, professional and civic achievement. Mr. Stephenson began his career as an analyst in credit risk management at Goldman Sachs covering the credit derivative and mortgage-backed securities product lines. Next, he joined educational non-profit Sponsors for Educational Opportunity (SEO) to manage their sales and trading internship program. He has founded a successful online network for professionals. His international business experience includes working in the Caribbean. Mr. Stephenson holds a bachelor's degree in finance and information systems from the NYU Stern School of Business, where he earned the Madame CJ Walker Award for Entrepreneurial Achievement for co-founding a profitable apparel business. He is conversant in Spanish. 

Kimberly Carter

An MBA graduate of the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, Ms. Carter earned additional offers of admission to Wharton and Columbia. She served as a member of the Ross Admissions Student Committee, interviewing applicants for the full-time MBA program. In addition, she was president of the Entertainment + Media Club. Ms. Carter's professional experience includes Viacom Media Networks focused on marketing strategies to reach Hispanic Millennials, and Deloitte Consulting in the human capital practice concentrating in healthcare. Her most extensive experience was in sales and project management with Google based in the US, Singapore, India and Poland. Ms. Carter earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology degree from the University of California at Berkeley.

Ben Johnson

An MBA graduate of The Kelley School of Business at Indiana University, Mr. Johnson concentrated in consumer marketing and earned a Dean’s Fellowship. While at Kelley he was a member of the Admissions Committee, reading applications, interviewing candidates and making admissions recommendations. Mr. Johnson’s professional background includes work in strategic marketing, pricing, brand strategy and product development at General Mills. Prior to attending business school he served as a Lieutenant in the United States Navy. He graduated with distinction from the US Naval Academy. Mr. Johnson serves on the volunteer staff of a US Senator, where he interviews and evaluates potential Service Academy students.

Dora Fang

A graduate of the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, Ms. Fang’s background includes business development, sales, marketing, operations, and strategy in the cleantech/renewable energy, technology, automotive, motorsports and medical devices industries for companies such as Sungevity, eBay, Mercedes-Benz, Harley-Davidson, Guidant Corporation, and Texas Pacific Group. In addition, she was an entrepreneur, founding an off-road driver-training school that grew into an adventure outing and vehicle outfitting specialist. Ms. Fang has been involved in the admissions process since 1996 – from recruiting and interviewing applicants for the Tuck School of Business and Duke University to GMAT instruction and private tutoring for The Princeton Review. In addition to her MBA from Tuck, she holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Policy Studies from Duke University. She speaks fluent Mandarin.

Krithika Gunasekaran

An MBA graduate of the Kellogg School of Management, Ms. Gunasekaran served on the student admissions committee and made recommendations for admission. Following business school, she continued to interview and assess applicants as an alumni interviewer working directly with the admissions staff. Ms. Gunasekaran has worked in brand management and product management roles at top companies such as Kraft Foods, Abbott Laboratories and Johnson & Johnson. Her industry experience spans across the consumer packaged goods and healthcare sectors in both multinational companies as well as small startups. Ms. Gunasekaran graduated from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign with a bachelor of science degree in business administration and management information systems. To date, she has lived in the US, India, Scotland, England, Saudi Arabia and Canada. 

Natascha Saunders

Ms. Saunders has served on the Admissions Committee at MIT Sloan School of Management, reviewing applications and interviewing applicants while reporting to the Associate Director and Director of MBA Admissions. Prior to that, she was Assistant Director of Undergraduate Career Services for the School of Management at Boston University. Ms. Saunders has worked in human resources management with Macy’s and in operations with A.G. Edwards & Sons and founded her own youth career counseling service. Certified in Professional Coaching, she is an executive education alumna of the Harvard Kennedy School and MIT Sloan, an MBA graduate of Johnson & Wales, a master's degree holder and doctoral candidate at Northeastern University, and earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

Ben Kessler

An MBA graduate of Stanford Graduate School of Business, Mr. Kessler has advised traditional and non-traditional applicants to top MBA programs on overall positioning, school selection, essay writing and interview preparation. He attended Harvard Business School classes during his wife's MBA studies there. Mr. Kessler's professional background includes private equity, management consulting at McKinsey & Co., and investment banking at Lincoln International. Before that, he attended five years of seminary, developing exceptional listening and advisory skills. Mr. Kessler earned his bachelor of arts degree in business management and philosophy from University of St. Thomas, where he was valedictorian and varsity football team captain. He is conversant in Spanish and Italian, with some French and German ability.

Nikhil Gadkari

An MBA graduate of Harvard Business School, Nikhil Gadkari has helped applicants from a variety of backgrounds gain admission to top-tier business schools. While attending HBS, he was president of his Section and an editor of the student newspaper Harbus. Mr. Gadkari’s professional history includes both consumer and investment banking roles for Citigroup and Morgan Stanley based in New York, London and Hong Kong. He has also worked for an economic development fund providing loans to small businesses impacted by the events of 9/11. An Eagle Scout, Mr. Gadkari graduated from the Johns Hopkins University with a bachelor’s degree in International Relations, with a concentration in Latin America.

Moshe Sarfaty

An MBA graduate of the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, Mr. Sarfaty was a member of the Dean’s Students Admissions Committee and an Admission Fellow reviewing applications and interviewing candidates. His academic concentrations were Analytic Finance and Economics. While attending Booth, Mr. Sarfaty was a member of the Investment Banking Group and served as a Research Assistant to Professor Randall Krosner, former Governor of the Federal Reserve System. Mr. Sarfaty has worked in trading and equity product development for Barclays and Deutsche Bank. His professional experience also spans the hedge fund, software and transportation industries as well as serving with distinction as a military officer.  Mr. Sarfaty’s SEC licenses include Series 7, 63 and 55. He earned a bachelor of arts degree from Tel Aviv University with a dual major in computer science and economics.

Shashank Verma

An MBA graduate of Oxford University Said Business School, Mr. Verma has assisted the Oxford Admissions Committee in interviewing applicants for its MBA program. He has advised a variety of MBA applicants who gained admission to Oxford, Cambridge, Tepper and other top-tier schools. Mr. Verma is a social entrepreneur and has more than 5 years of experience in the renewable energy sector. He is a also chairman of non-profit organization that has planted more than 500,000 trees in rural India to help mitigate climate change. Mr. Verma earned a Bachelor of Technology degree with honors in Information Technology and has traveled to more than 15 countries.

Rui Di

An MBA graduate of Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, Ms. Di majored in Marketing, Finance, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Management and Organizations. Her professional background spans executive search, the food services industry and technology sector (Yahoo!) with a focus on human resources planning and management. While attending Kellogg, Ms. Di analyzed applications as a member of the MBA Admissions Committee and served as VP of the Business Leadership Club and Co-Chair of the Women’s Business Association Conference. She also participated on the winning team in the UNC Kenan-Flagler Marketing Case Challenge. Prior to earning her MBA degree, Ms. Di graduated with a bachelor of science degree in Business Administration from Washington University in St. Louis, with majors in Business and Organization Management, Marketing, and Human Resources. She is fluent in Mandarin.

Lauren Lehner

An MBA graduate of the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, Ms. Lehner served on the Student Admissions Committee where she reviewed applicants and made recommendations for admission. Following business school, she was an alumni interviewer for MBA applicants. Professionally, Ms. Lehner has worked at American Express, in both marketing and human resources, recruiting MBA and undergraduate students into the company. Prior to attending business school, she worked in IT and management consulting for IBM and PricewaterhouseCoopers. Ms. Lehner graduated from Washington University in St. Louis with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. 

Steven Hooper, Jr.

An MBA graduate of the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, Mr. Hooper served as an Admissions Associate and Host, interviewing applicants and working with the Admissions staff throughout the application process.  At Tuck, he also served as President of the Student Board and a member of the Technology, Entrepreneurship, VC/PE and Tripod Hockey Clubs as well as the Dartmouth Graduate Student Senate.  Mr. Hooper's professional background spans investment banking and venture capital, advising and investing in companies of various stages and industries, and entrepreneurship in the food and beverage industry.  He has worked, traveled and studied extensively throughout Europe, Africa and Asia.  Mr. Hooper graduated cum laude from Colby College where he received his degree in Economics with distinction and minored in Computer Science.  He also participated on Colby's crew team.

Taneka Francis

An MBA graduate of Harvard Business School, Ms. Francis has advised a range of applicants with diverse backgrounds in gaining admissions to top-tier graduate schools. While attending HBS, she was a consultant to non-profit organizations and wrote one of the first web-based cases now taught in a second-year course. Ms. Francis's professional history includes equity research, private equity, asset management marketing, and management consulting at leading companies such as Accenture, Goldman Sachs, The Hartford, and T. Rowe Price. She graduated from Columbia University with a bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research.

Jeff Phillips

An MPA graduate of Harvard’s Kennedy School and MBA graduate of Northwestern’s Kellogg School, Mr. Phillips serves both dual- and single-degree applicants. His extracurricular background includes the position of Admissions Adjunct for Kellogg, a role in which he interviewed applicants on behalf of the admissions committee. His professional background spans the for-profit, not-for-profit, and public sectors and includes the co-founding of a successful financial services firm. In addition to graduate degrees from Harvard and Northwestern, Mr. Phillips has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin at Madison.

Nandeeta Seth

An MBA graduate of the Columbia Graduate School of Business, Ms. Seth introduced prospective applicants to the MBA program as President of the Hermes Society. She has interviewed and assessed numerous candidates as an alumna. Ms. Seth's professional experience spans transaction advisory services at Ernst & Young and management consulting at AT Kearney and Wellspring Consulting. Her clients represented healthcare, consumer goods, publishing, refinery, chemicals industries.  She has a strong interest in the social sector, having volunteered and worked with nonprofits across the globe. A published author, Ms. Seth earned her undergraduate degree in economics from the Lady Shri Ram College at Delhi University, and speaks fluent Hindi. She has lived and worked in Europe, North America, Asia and Africa.

Brad Pearson

Mr. Pearson’s background includes over 11 years in graduate management admissions and administration. He was Associate Director of MBA Admissions for the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business, overseeing approximately 4,000 applications per year. In addition, Mr. Pearson served as Director of MBA Admissions and Financial Aid for Washington University in St. Louis. Prior to that, he worked in corporate recruitment screening, interviewing and testing executive and technical personnel. He earned a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Business Administration from Lewis University, an MBA degree in Marketing and Human Resource Management from Governor’s State University, and completed post-graduate studies at the University of Chicago and Washington University.

Jennifer Manter

A JD graduate of the Duke University School of Law, Ms. Manter was an editor of the Duke Law Journal and interned for two federal district court judges. She went on to practice law for ten years in New York City and Chicago, initially as a commercial litigator at Winston & Strawn LLP and then as a commercial real estate attorney at Pircher, Nichols & Meeks.  At PNM, she recruited summer associates and associate attorneys from top-tier law schools around the country.  In addition to her experience in both litigation and transactional law, Ms. Manter has in-depth knowledge of recruiting and working practices of both large and boutique law firms.  She has taught literature, composition and analytical writing at a university level.  Prior to earning her juris doctorate, Ms. Manter earned a master’s degree in English Literature from Washington University in St. Louis and a bachelor’s degree in English Literature from Northwestern University.

David Beaird

An MBA graduate of The Wharton School in finance and marketing, he also served on the Admissions Committee. Mr. Beaird’s professional background includes working at the Boston Consulting Group advising clients in the manufacturing, quick printing, airline, storage and transportation, and consumer retail industries. At BCG he focused on cost benchmarking, cost reduction and operational improvements, pricing strategy, process improvement, and valuation assessment for acquisition target. Previously, Mr. Beaird served as a Captain in the US Army. He is a graduate of the US Military Academy, where he was named to the Dean's List and Commandant's List for excellence in academics and leadership.

Abhilash Padival

An MBA graduate of the Indian School of Business (ISB), Mr. Padival majored in analytical finance, strategy and leadership. He was a member of the Student Application Review Committee and subsequently has helped numerous individuals gain admission to top-tier business schools in the US, Canada, Asia and Europe. Mr. Padival’s professional experience includes corporate strategy and investment banking with exposure to the IT, utilities, automotive, aerospace, telecommunication, transportation, and business process outsourcing sectors including entities in India, Spain and Latin America. At Infosys, he worked with board members and senior management implementing key strategic initiatives. Before that, he was instrumental in launching agribusiness startups. Mr. Padival earned his Bachelor of Engineering, Information Science degree from NMAMIT with First Class distinction. He was an award-winning competitive swimmer.

Jacques-Olivier Isman

An MBA graduate of London Business School, Mr. Isman has collaborated with the LBS recruiting team and conducted applicant interviews in Europe. He also initiated interview training during his exchange program at SDA Bocconi School of Management (Milan, Italy). After earning his MBA, Mr. Isman joined Lazard & Co where he worked in origination and execution of M&A transactions in the utilities-energy and real estate sectors. Previously, he served France’s securities regulation agency (Autorité des Marchés Financiers) leading compliance reviews for corporate and capital markets transactions, including public takeovers and Initial Public Offerings. He also assisted the Bank of Georgia (ex-USSR) in preparation of its IPO on the London Stock Exchange. Mr. Isman has advised a range of MBA applicants targeting top-tier programs. In addition to his MBA from London Business School, Mr. Isman earned a Master’s Degree in Management Science with major in Finance from the University of Paris Dauphine. He speaks fluent French, English, Italian and conversational German.

Amy Blumkin

An MBA graduate of Harvard Business School, Ms. Blumkin reviewed applications at HBS as an admissions counselor and served as an advisor for prospective students. She worked extensively in strategic marketing and professional development, including sales and marketing positions within AT&T, Salomon Brothers, American Express and the Walt Disney Company. Ms. Blumkin has interacted with diverse groups including women, undergraduates and athletes through the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) and the Forte Foundation. She has served as a consultant to the GMAC (Graduate Management Admissions Council) and was chosen as a panelist for the Columbia Women in Business Annual Conference. Ms. Blumkin earned her Bachelor of Business Administration degree and the University of Vermont, where she was also an admissions counselor.

Melinda Mathias-Porter

Ms. Mathias-Porter has been affiliated with The MBA Exchange since 1999. Prior to that, she worked in editing and document production at McKinsey & Company, Inc., Chicago. Ms. Mathias-Porter orchestrates a number of key processes for the organization, reporting to the managing director. Previously, she was primary interface between MBA Exchange consultants and editors, initiating improvements and facilitating work flow for client deliverables. She holds a Certificate in Basic Manuscript Editing from the University of Chicago and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Indiana University where she majored in English and Journalism. 

Colleen Douglass, Career Advisor

With over 15 years of experience in all areas of human resources, Ms. Douglass specializes in career development. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business and Organizational Behavior from Indiana University and an MBA degree, concentrating in Human Resources, from the University of Texas at Austin. Ms. Douglass is certified to administer top-rated assessment instruments, including The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and The Strong Interest Inventory.

Our Client Alumni

Our international network includes current first- and second-year business school students at leading schools. Former clients of The MBA Exchange, these outstanding students provide us with timely insights and lessons learned from their recent successes, and those of their classmates, in the fierce competition for business school admissions. In appreciation for the contributions of The MBA Exchange to their success, these individuals voluntarily share their school-specific knowledge to benefit our current clients. Such relationships with business school students help make us far more than just an admissions consulting service -- we are truly "The MBA Exchange."