Diversity Symposium
 October 15, 2022

Mingle with current students, alumni, and fellow attendees over light food and refreshments during this networking reception.

Meet Chief of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Élida Bautista and our student Vice Presidents of DEI and learn about Haas’s DEI strategy.

ÉLIDA BAUTISTA CHIEF DEI OFFICER, BERKELEY HAAS

Currently serving as the Berkeley Haas Chief DEI Officer, Élida M. Bautista, PhD initially joined Haas in January 2018 as the Director of Inclusion and Diversity. In that inaugural role, she led the implementation of the 2018 Haas DEI strategic plan, and was an integral member of the 2019 Haas DEI Action Plan. Élida has delivered curriculum for students and alumni, and developed training opportunities to equip staff, faculty, and leadership with an understanding of diversity concepts.

Prior to Haas, Élida was an Associate Professor in the University of California, San Francisco’s School of Medicine in the Department of Psychiatry. There, she served as the Director of Clinical Training for the UCSF Multicultural Clinical Training Program, focused on trauma-informed culturally congruent practices for underserved communities. She also developed and taught the UCSF Diversity and Inclusion Certificate Program for staff and led UCSF’s campus-wide Unconscious Bias training initiative for UCSF faculty and leadership. Élida continues to serve in the community with her contributions to the boards of Women Organized to Make Abuse Nonexistent, and the National Coalition on Youth Law. She also serves as an Advisor for Skillful.ly and for The Black Fund.

Join us in welcoming Kenny Vaughn, FTMBA 16, our Keynote Speaker! Kenny is a Senior Manager at Indeed, where his current focus is workplace culture, technical recruiting, and employee representation.

KENNY VAUGHN SENIOR MANAGER, INDEED

Kenny Vaughn is an eternal optimist whose professional career is rooted in a deep desire to make the world a more equitable place for future generations.

In 2008, Kenny commissioned as an Air Defense Officer in the United States Army, serving in numerous leadership positions to include Company Commander, where he was responsible for the training, readiness and welfare of 115 Soldiers, 11 families and over $140 million of military equipment.

Kenny formerly served as West Point’s Director of Diversity Admissions and Outreach, where he led the effort to matriculate 3 of the 4 most diverse classes in the Academy’s 200+ year history. He recently joined Indeed, as a Senior Manager, where his current focus is workplace culture, technical recruiting, and employee representation. 

Kenny’s educational background includes a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Management from the United States Military Academy at West Point and an MBA in Healthcare and Entrepreneurship from the University of California-Berkeley’s Haas School of Business.

He is happily married with two amazing children.

Meet current students and ask your questions about their experience as members of underrepresented groups, find out where they have found community, and get their honest insight into why they chose Berkeley Haas and how it has impacted their career and life.

Hear from Haas alumni about their experiences as members of underrepresented groups in business, their experiences at Haas, and the impact all of these factors have had on their careers.

LAURA SNOW BENOIT ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, MBA CAREER COACH

Laura Snow Benoit (she/her/hers) directs the DEI programming for the Career Management Group (CMG) at Haas. She has spent the past 9+ years in the Bay Area helping MBAs navigate their career choices by harnessing their diverse identities and experiences to find meaningful work and avoid burnout. She works closely with the Consortium and Forté Fellows throughout their MBA journeys, and partners with the affinity clubs at Haas to create new workshops and events specific to their members’ career development needs.

Formerly, Laura worked in human resources at a large mental health non-profit in Chicago and volunteered with the AIDS Foundation of Chicago. She has a bachelor's degree in psychology from Colorado College and a master’s degree in counseling and organizational psychology from Alder University.

RENEE REYNOLDS MFE 21 DATA SCIENTIST, EARNEST

Renee Reynolds, MFE 21, is a pricing data scientist at Earnest, a fintech firm specializing in private student loan originations and refinancing. Prior to Earnest, she was a foreign exchange derivatives trader at UBS, where she had previously interned during her graduate studies at the Berkeley Haas Master of Financial Engineering program. Renee also holds a Bachelor of Science in Mathematical and Computational Science from Stanford University. Outside of work, she enjoys puzzles of many kinds, mixing cocktails, and being outdoors.

JOSEPH HASSINE FTMBA 21 PROGRAM MANAGER, GOOGLE.ORG

Joseph Hassine, FTMBA 21, is a program manager at Google.org, where he's responsible for deploying Google's products for social good in cause areas including equity, sustainability, and health. He first joined Google as an MBA intern while at Haas, where he was part of the Consortium and Q@Haas. Prior to Haas, he completed the Coro Fellowship in Public Affairs and worked as the senior manager of strategic operations for KIPP DC Public Schools. Joseph is a CA native and UCLA alum, and outside of work he enjoys running, reading, and arts and crafts.

KELLY CURE FTMBA 21 CO-FOUNDER, SKILLFUL.LY

Kelly Cure, FTMBA 21, is the Co-Founder of Skillful.ly, The Equitable Employment Marketplace, which she started in her time at Haas. Her professional journey includes working in local governments, renewable energy, management consulting and micro-forestry. In hiring for her first venture in, Kelly saw the benefits of skills-based hiring and became fixated on ways to move beyond academic pedigree and resume based hiring. This curiosity led to the launch of Skillful.ly during her time at Haas, who have now supported over 3,000 learners and just closed their Seed round of funding. Kelly has lived and worked in 6 countries across Europe, the UK and most recently Africa and now lives in the Oakland!

STACEY KING FTMBA 20 SENIOR DATA ANALYST, VANGUARD

Stacey King, FTMBA 20, is a Senior Data Analyst at Vanguard with STEM and financial services background and passion for equity. She worked in manufacturing, engineering, and supply chain before attending Haas. In addition to being a Haasie, she also holds a BS in Chemical Engineering from North Carolina State University. She is learning the fundamentals of starting and running a venture capital fund through a fellowship with the California Innovation Fund and her long term vision is to launch a fund that strategically invests in Black entrepreneurs who build businesses, ecosystems, and communities meeting the most pressing needs of Black people in the US

Originally from, Chicago, IL, Stacey lives in Oakland, CA and enjoys spending time with friends and family, reading, practicing Spanish, skiing, and exploring the Bay Area.

LAURA TECLEMARIAM EMBA 18 DIRECTOR OF PRODUCT INNOVATION, NETFLIX

Laura Teclemariam, EMBA 18, brings over 17 years of high-tech experience working in product management, interactive media design, and software engineering to Netflix. She has hands-on experience in leading consumer product development and has innovated strategic products from games to ad-tech platforms. At Netflix, Laura is currently responsible for the product management direction for Animation. In addition to championing the product vision, she is responsible for ensuring the studio organization establishes the right key metrics to showcase confidence and entertain the world. Laura goes beyond herself by advising non-profits, including Gameheads and Black In Gaming. She is a regular speaker in gaming, diversity in tech, and the intersectionality of tech and entertainment.

Enjoy a mock class by Haas Faculty members, Professor Conrad Miller, Professor Elizabeth Kovats, or Professor Solène Delecourt.

CONRAD MILLER ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR

Conrad Miller is an associate professor at the University of California, Berkeley in the Haas School of Business and a Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research. He is a labor economist who studies inequality between social groups. His research pursues three broad research questions: (1) what role do firms play in producing labor market inequality between social groups? (2) what are the consequences of discrimination? and (3) what are the effects of policy responses to discrimination? He received his PhD in economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

ELIZABETH KOVATS LECTURER

Elizabeth Kovats is on the faculty of the Berkeley Haas School of Business, in Innovation and Design. Her area of interest is in design and ethics, and how we can design products and/or processes to advance the common good. Prior to academia, Kovats worked in the high technology industry in Silicon Valley. Joining a start-up as the eighth employee, she helped scale operations through to an IPO. She attended the Jesuit School of Theology, focusing on philosophy and design, and studied creative writing at the University of Arizona and the University of Iowa.

SOLÈNE DELECOURT ASSISTANT PROFESSOR

Solène Delecourt is an Assistant Professor at UC Berkeley in Management of Organizations (Haas School of Business). She holds a PhD from the Stanford Graduate School of Business (2020).

She studies social inequality in business performance and online using field experiments and novel survey data. Drawing on sociology and organizational behavior, she focuses on understanding the causes of this inequality. She is passionate about using the most rigorous social scientific theories and methods to understand this phenomenon, particularly among entrepreneurs in emerging economies. Her research agenda focuses on what drives variation in profits across firms and how we could reduce inequality in business performance among entrepreneurs in different market settings, including India, Uganda, and the US. She is also a Faculty Affiliate at the Center for Effective Global Action and an Invited Researcher as part of the Gender and Economic Agency Initiative at J-PAL.

Learn more about your program of interest while connecting with Admissions Directors and current students, or take a student-led campus tour.

CINDY JENNINGS MILLETTE SENIOR ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, FULL-TIME MBA ADMISSIONS

Cindy joined the admissions team at Berkeley Haas in 2000. As a member of the Admissions Committee, Cindy recruits students both in the US and internationally, evaluates applications, and selects students for the Full-time Program. Cindy currently leads the Haas Student Ambassador, International Student Representative, alumni and student interview teams. Cindy has a Bachelor’s in Psychology from UC Berkeley and a Master’s in Counseling from The School of Education at Saint Mary’s College. While pursuing her graduate degree, Cindy worked in law admissions at John F. Kennedy University and as a Career Counselor at UC Berkeley’s Tang Center. Outside of her work in admissions, Cindy enjoys live music, walking her dog Beau, and spending time with her family – husband, Ted; and son, Cole.

JENNY CLARE SENIOR ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, MBA PROGRAMS FOR WORKING PROFESSIONALS ADMISSIONS

Graduate admissions is a second career for Jenny Clare. She worked for many years in brand management at General Mills after earning my MBA, then worked as a part-time marketing consultant while her kids were young. Through each stage, her degree has opened doors and enabled her to pave her own path. She switched to MBA admissions because she wanted to work with others navigating their MBA journey and help them realize how a Haas MBA will have a lifelong impact. It is so rewarding getting to know the talented professionals that apply to Haas and having a small role in helping them pursue their goals.

ANNE MARIE GALLAGHER ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, MBA PROGRAMS FOR WORKING PROFESSIONALS ADMISSIONS

Anne Marie is responsible for DEI Admissions Strategies in the EWMBA Program. She was a Haas MBA application reader for four years and an undergraduate admissions reader at her alma mater, Stanford University. Anne Marie has a Bachelor's degree in Linguistics from Stanford, an MBA from the Anderson School at UCLA, and both Strategy Management Consulting experience and years spent as a Nonprofit Leader in education and healthcare access. She's drawn to Haas Admissions by the opportunity to help candidates meet their potential through earning an MBA, knowing they’ll change the world with it and leave us better for having known them.

DIANE NGUYEN SENIOR ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, MASTER OF FINANCIAL ENGINEERING ADMISSIONS

Diane joined the Berkeley Haas MFE team in 2005. Diane currently manages the admissions, marketing and operation, in addition to assisting the team in providing excellent student services. Diane enjoys working closely with students and helping them realize their career goals.

Diane holds a Bachelor of Arts in Legal Studies from UC Berkeley and a Master of Arts in College Student Services and Career Counseling from Saint Mary's College of California.

We rarely focus on our own personal brand and story. You are the CEO of Brand You. In this session, you will develop your key brand attributes and design your authentic brand story.

KELLIE MCELHANEY LECTURER; FOUNDING DIRECTOR, CENTER FOR EQUITY, GENDER, AND LEADERSHIP

Kellie McElhaney is on the Berkeley Haas faculty as a Distinguished Teaching Fellow and the Founding Director of the Center for Equity, Gender and Leadership (EGAL).

Launched in November 2017, EGAL’s mission is to educate equity fluent leaders to ignite and accelerate change. Equity fluent leaders understand the value of different lived experiences and courageously use their power to address barriers, increase access, and drive change for positive impact. McElhaney helped develop the equity fluent leadership concept and teaches it across the country and around the world.

In 2003, McElhaney founded the Center for Responsible Business, solidifying corporate responsibility as a core competency and competitive advantage for the Haas School. Haas was rated #1 in the world for corporate responsibility by The Financial Times. She received the Founder and Visionary Award at Haas in 2013 for this work.

McElhaney wrote a book entitled “Just Good Business: The Strategic Guide to Aligning Corporate Responsibility and Brand.” She writes case studies of companies who are investing in women and equity-fluent leadership (Wal-Mart, Gap, Inc., Boston Consulting Group, Zendesk), and conducts research in the area of equal, pay, conscious inclusion, equity fluent leadership, and value-creating strategies of diversity and inclusion.

McElhaney consults and keynotes for Global 1000 companies and organizations all over the world on her areas of expertise, and has a TED talk. She is the mother of two incredibly strong teenage daughters.

Meet Executive Directors of Admissions Eric Askins and Marjorie DeGraca as they reflect on the weekend and leave you with some lasting advice.

ERIC ASKINS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, FULL-TIME MBA ADMISSIONS

Eric Askins leads the Full-Time MBA Admissions team. He partners with students, faculty and staff to recruit a diverse student body that enhances our community through innovative leadership and academic excellence. Eric values the opportunity to connect prospective students to the Haas community through events, inclusive outreach, and highlighting the programmatic strengths of The Haas School. He describes himself and The Haas School as values forward and believes each of us has a role to play in crafting the future of business and business education. Go Bears!

MARJORIE DEGRACA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MBA PROGRAMS FOR WORKING PROFESSIONALS ADMISSIONS

Marjorie DeGraca oversees admissions for the Evening & Weekend MBA and the Berkeley MBA for Executives programs. In her time at Berkeley Haas, she has helped launch the Weekend MBA, the Berkeley-Columbia Executive MBA, the MBA for Executives, the Management, Entrepreneurship, & Technology program (dual business/engineering undergraduate degree), and most recently, our new EWMBA Flex cohort.  Prior to Haas, Marjorie worked in marketing at Nestle, Broderbund Software, and J. Walter Thompson and in full-time MBA admissions and recruiting at UCLA Anderson and Stanford Business School. Marjorie has an MBA from UCLA Anderson and a BS in Finance and Marketing from Berkeley Haas. She is a mom of three teenagers.

Join us as we celebrate a wonderful weekend and network with fellow event attendees, current students and staff.