Who is the MBA Exchange, Ltd ® ?

Our consultants are experienced MBA graduates or former admissions officers from Harvard Business School, The Wharton School, Stanford Graduate School of Business, Columbia Business School, Chicago Booth Graduate School of Business, Tuck School of Business, Kellogg Graduate School of Management, University of Michigan Ross School of Business, Duke University Fuqua School of Business and other leading MBA programs. We have admissions committee as well as admission consulting experience that can make the difference for you.

Dan Bauer, managing director and founder

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.

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.

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.

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, including Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, Kellogg, Haas, Texas and Purdue. 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.

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.

Kristyn Eisenschmid

An MBA graduate of the Richard Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario, Ms. Eisenschmid has helped a variety of applicants gain admission to Harvard, Stanford, Haas, Kellogg, Chicago, London Business School and others. Prior to joining The MBA Exchange, her advisory experience spanned full-time, part-time and executive MBA programs. She served as an Admissions Advisor on the staff at Ivey, ranked among the world’s top 6 international business schools by The Wall Street Journal. Her business background includes international brand management for Colgate-Palmolive as well as marketing and entrepreneurship. Ms. Eisenschmid earned an Honors Degree in Business from the Ivey School. Her language skills include some French and German.

Leah Taylor

Prior to joining The MBA Exchange, Ms. Taylor had 7 years of experience in graduate and undergraduate admissions. Most recently she served Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management as Assistant Director of Admissions and Recruitment for the Executive MBA program, consistently ranked as the #1 program of its kind. In that role, she interviewed and assessed US and international applicants as well as interacting directly with recommenders, faculty and alumni. Previously, she served as Assistant Director of Alumni Education, Alumni Relations and Development. Ms. Taylor's admissions career began at her alma mater Clarke College and then Loyola University Chicago. Her post-graduate studies were in non-profit management covering finance, accounting, contracts and strategic planning. She is a former member of the EMBA Council and the National Association of College Admissions Professionals.

Joanne Garcé-Rodríguez

Ms. Garcé-Rodríguez has been an admissions professional for the past decade. Prior to joining The MBA Exchange, she served Columbia Business School as Admissions Manager for the Executive MBA Program reviewing applications, interviewing applicants and managing waitlisted candidates. Ms. Garcé-Rodríguez was also an Assistant Director of Operations for Columbia undergraduate admissions and then Director of Admissions for a small private college. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture from Barnard College and Master’s in Higher Education Administration from Teachers College at Columbia University. Ms. Garcé-Rodríguez is fluent in Spanish.

Dawn Clare

After graduation from Harvard Business School, Ms. Clare entered the entertainment industry. As a vice president at Warner Bros., she focused on mergers and acquisitions, business development, marketing strategy and new ventures. At Paramount Pictures, Ms. Clare’s duties as a VP included channel and joint venture management, international business development, and global programming. She previously worked as a management consultant in the entertainment group of Booz Allen Hamilton. As a life and career coach, Ms. Clare has advised numerous applicants seeking admission to top-tier MBA programs. Prior to joining The MBA Exchange, her background included serving as an admissions panelist for prospective students, including women and minorities. Ms. Clare earned her MBA from Harvard with concentrations in finance and marketing. She also graduated from Pace University with a Bachelor’s of Business Administration degree magna cum laude.

Jessica Burlingame

Ms. Burlingame has advised healthcare organizations nationwide on financial, clinical and organizational strategy and performance since earning her MBA from Columbia Business School. Prior to joining The MBA Exchange, her experience included private and investment banking, as well as editorial and business development roles with The Condé Nast Publications and Vault.com. Ms. Burlingame began working with prospective MBAs as a GMAT instructor for The Princeton Review, and interviewed candidates for Columbia Business School. She speaks fluent Italian and conversational Spanish and French. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Comparative Literature from Columbia University.

Sona Gandhi

Having graduated with an MBA from The Wharton School in Finance and Public Policy, Ms. Gandhiʼs background includes international development specializing in microfinance, management consulting at Andersen, government/politics in the office of a United States Congressman, and investment banking at UBS. She is also a guest lecturer at The Wharton School and Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service. While attending Wharton, Ms. Gandhi worked in the MBA Admissions Office assisting non-traditional applicants. She has continued to advise a variety of candidates, enabling them to gain admission to prestigious MBA programs. Ms. Gandhi holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance from the University of Maryland at College Park. She speaks fluent Gujarati and conversational French and Spanish.

Alex Min

An MBA graduate from the MIT Sloan School of Management, Mr. Min’s background includes sales, sales management, corporate strategy, and international business development for Fortune 200 companies such as global semiconductor distributor Avnet and $15-billion conglomerate Textron. He served in the United States Marine Corps as a pilot and staff officer throughout Asia and the Middle East. Prior to joining The MBA Exchange, Mr. Min helped numerous MBA applicants gain admission to top-tier business schools by providing application assessment, mentoring, and interview preparation. As an applicant, he earned acceptance to INSEAD and IMD, as well as MIT Sloan. While in business school, Mr. Min was an entrepreneur, co-founding a company in the general aviation industry. In addition to his MBA degree, Mr. Min holds a Bachelor of Science degree in art and design from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is fluent in Korean.

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 Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, Kellogg, Michigan, Yale, UCLA, USC and Texas. 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.

Ajoy Reddi

Prior to graduating from the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business, Mr. Reddi's background included strategy consulting as well as equity research at Credit Suisse First Boston and Price Waterhouse. He has been directly involved in many aspects of the admissions process – from recruiting and interviewing applicants for the Chicago GSB to providing GMAT instruction and private tutoring on behalf of Kaplan Test Prep. In addition to his MBA, Mr. Reddi holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations from Johns Hopkins University. He is fluent in French.

Yaron Sadan

A graduate of Columbia Business School with an MBA in finance, Mr. Sadan has over a decade of value equity investing, trading, algorithmic modeling, asset allocation and financial advisory experience. Prior to founding his own boutique money-management firm, Mr. Sadan worked for Goldman Sachs and Sanford C. Bernstein. Before joining The MBA Exchange, he was an independent MBA admissions consultant and GMAT tutor. Mr. Sadan has achieved success with a wide variety of business school applicants, including military veterans and other career changers. In addition to his MBA from Columbia, Mr. Sadan earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology & Society from Cornell University. He speaks fluent Hebrew.

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.

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.

Dora Fang

A graduate of the Tuck School of Business, Ms. Fang’s background includes sales, marketing, and strategy in the automotive, motorsports and medical devices industries for companies such as 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 Chinese.

Kavita Singh

An MBA graduate of Columbia Business School, Ms. Singh has been involved in the MBA admissions process since 2003. Prior to joining The MBA Exchange, she interviewed applicants for her alma mater and served as an independent MBA admissions consultant. Ms. Singh is a Columbia Business School Ambassador and an Alumni Adviser. With over 12 years of marketing strategy consulting, brand management and sales experience in the US and India, Ms. Singh's professional background spans consumer packaged goods, media and real estate development. She has worked for industry-leading companies such as M&M/Mars, Colgate-Palmolive, and WebMD Health. In addition to her Columbia MBA, she holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from Oxford University. Ms. Singh has lived in the US, Belgium, Dubai, India and the UK.

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.

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.

Stacy Silverstone

A graduate of the University of Chicago Law School, Ms. Silverstone's career has included litigating at two prestigious law firms, focusing on intellectual property and product liability. She also has recruited lawyers for one of the world's largest law firms, where her responsibilities included recruiting, interviewing, managing summer associates, and building relationships with law schools. Ms. Silverstone also worked as a legal search consultant, providing strategic advice for candidates and clients. In addition to her Juris Doctor, she holds a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from the University of Michigan and a Master of Arts in Literary and Cultural Theory from Carnegie Mellon University. Ms. Silverstone’s professional affiliations include membership in the National Association for Legal Career Professionals.

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 including Wharton, Tuck, Columbia and Marshall. Ms. Lubkemann graduated from the Pennsylvania State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications.

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.

Jason Freedman

An MBA graduate of the Tuck School at Dartmouth College, Jason Freedman worked directly in his alma mater’s admissions process and has supported hundreds of business school applicants. He also taught in Tuck’s highly respected “Bridge” program for future MBA applicants, leading sessions for attendees in essay writing and interview preparation. Jason has studied at Instituto Empresa (IE) in Madrid, one of Europe’s highest ranked business schools. His professional background includes strategic management consulting and venture-backed Internet startups, including an innovative Web 2.0 market research services company that he founded. Jason has lived in the US, Sweden, Japan and Scotland. In addition to his MBA from Tuck, Jason earned a Bachelor’s degree in Public Policy, with minors in English and Economics, from Duke University.

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.

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. Johson’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.

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 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 at the University of Vermont, where she also was an admissions counselor.

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 Advisors

Our international network includes 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 in the fierce competition for business school admissions. Many of them work in the admissions process. In appreciation for the contributions of The MBA Exchange to their success, these individuals volunteer to share their school-specific knowledge to benefit our current clients.