2021 MBA to watch: Kristen Little, Emory University (Goizueta)

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“Intensely passionate, constantly evolving, community driven. “

Hometown: Gurnee, Illinois

Fun fact about yourself: I featured in a nationwide ad campaign and my face was on city buses but didn’t know it until friends and family started sending me pictures

Undergraduate School and Diploma:

University of Illinois Chicago, BA, Anthropology and International Studies

DePaul University, MS, International Public Service – Global Policy Analysis

Where was the last place you worked before enrolling in business school? Corporate Citizenship Associate, KPMG

Where did you do your internship during the summer of 2020? Summer Consultant – Business & Growth Strategy, EY-Parthenon (Chicago, IL)

Where will you work after graduation? Senior Consultant – Corporate & Growth Strategy, EY-Parthenon (New York, NY)

Community work and leadership roles in business school:

  • President, Goizueta Black MBA Association
  • Social enterprise researcher, Roberto C. Goizueta Business & Society Institute
  • Partner, Goizueta Impact Investors
  • Team Captain, MBA Impact Investing Network & Training Competition
  • Associate Managing Director, John R. Lewis Racial Justice Case Competition
  • First Year Representative, Goizueta Healthcare Association
  • Forté Foundation grant recipient
  • Robert Toigo Foundation (Toigo) scholarship recipient and school captain

What academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of in business school? It’s hard to choose, but I’m very proud of my efforts around diversity. This includes serving as associate managing director and host of the inaugural John R. Lewis racial justice competition, consulting with Emory so the university can better engage with the thriving black entrepreneurship ecosystem of ‘Atlanta, creating a mentorship program between Emory and Morehouse / Spelman. , and the development of a new student-run venture capital fund for Goizueta targeting founders of under-represented minorities – the Goizueta Minority Venture Fund

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? At Rabin Martin, I advised a large pharmaceutical company on their market access, public engagement and social impact strategies so that they could better respond to the ongoing HIV epidemic in the United States. . Although I was junior to the rest of the team, I was selected to lead the project research workflow and create the solutions and programming that were successfully implemented by our client. This was one of my favorite client projects, as I was able to advise a global company on how it should address health disparities, increase access to high quality HIV care, and help reduce the social and environmental factors that influence health care for people living with HIV in the United States

Why did you choose this business school? In addition to the career opportunities, the culture of the school, the Consortium group and the location, I chose Goizueta because I knew it was an environment in which I could flourish. One of my goals was to become a better leader, and Goizueta gave me the opportunity to do that and more. If you have the desire to build something here, the school will do everything possible to support you and your vision.

Who was your favorite MBA teacher? Professor Lynne Segall definitely stands out for me. She is the originator of IMPACT360, an experiential course in which MBA students work on one-semester consulting projects with real companies, which was a highlight of my first year. She is also passionate about helping her students and was instrumental in the creation of the John R. Lewis Racial Justice Competition.

What was your favorite MBA event or tradition at your business school? My favorite MBA event was the Global Experiential Module. My group traveled to several cities in Brazil and did a mix of business tours and cultural / tourist activities. It was great to see how business is going in South America and to get to know my classmates more outside of school.

Thinking back to your MBA experience, what is one thing you would do differently and why? I can confidently say that I would do nothing differently. I was very careful that I got everything I wanted from my MBA experience.

What’s the biggest myth about your school? I think the biggest myth about Goizueta is that it’s a regional school. A lot of my classmates stay in Atlanta after the MBA, but that’s because it’s a great place to live and people choose to stay, do not because we have to because of the availability of work!

What surprised you the most about business school? As a liberal arts major, I was surprised at the difficulty level of some of my quantitative courses, but I’m so glad I took them.

What was one of the things you did during the application process that gave you an edge in your chosen school? I did extensive research on Goizueta and was able to explain how I would leverage its resources for my career and how I would contribute to the community. I also spoke with many people at the school – students, admissions and The Roberto C. Goizueta Business & Society Institute.

Which MBA classmate do you admire the most? I admire a lot of my classmates, but Willie Sullivan comes to mind because of the impact he had not only in Goizueta but on the business world in general thanks to the John Racial Justice Competition. R. Lewis. I worked alongside Willie on the creation of the contest, and it was amazing to see him take his idea and make it a national event. In a matter of months, we were able to secure the support of six Fortune 500 companies (HP, Johnson & Johnson, Salesforce, Southern Company, Truist and Walmart) and attract more than 500 students from 52 universities to apply to compete.

How disruptive has the switch to an online or hybrid environment been after the COVID hit? Going online was difficult as it happened in the middle of the Spring 2020 semester. The biggest adjustment was not seeing my classmates and missing out on events in person which really made the fun business school experience. However, I think Goizueta did a good job in the transition and I feel like I still have a lot of my academic experience.

Who most influenced your decision to pursue business in college? My mother – who is a scientist and has never worked in the private sector – always encouraged me to get an MBA. Once I decided to take her advice, she was my greatest lawyer. I wouldn’t be here without his support!

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list?

  1. Bring venture capital into a large tech or healthcare company, or run a social impact venture capital fund
  2. Work abroad for a short period, preferably in West Africa

What made Kristen such a valuable addition to the Class of 2021

“Each year, some students go above and beyond their homework, which translates into improvement for the community. During a most trying year for many around the world, I have discovered that one person’s zeal can benefit the masses and that our close-knit community of Goizueta has benefited from the work of Kristen Little.

Kristen’s business acumen and problem-solving ability truly inspires. Last summer, Kristen came up with an initiative and worked with the dean’s office as an advisor to challenge the business school to better support black entrepreneurs, both on campus and in the larger community of ‘Atlanta. Kristen continues to lead the project, which resulted in thirteen actionable recommendations. Kristen’s goal is to develop strategies that create access to capital through an alumni-backed investment fund for black-led businesses.

In addition to a rigorous MBA course load, Kristen is concurrently President of the Goizueta Black MBA Association and co-founder of a national collective of Black MBA associations, connecting business schools across the country. Kristen also plays a role as the co-captain of the National Impact Investing Network & Training (MIINT) MBA Competition. His Goizueta team is competing for a $ 50,000 investment in the company of his choice, based in the Southeastern United States. They say the pressure bursts pipes but also makes diamonds – and Kristen Little shines brightly in Goizueta. “

Irving williams III
Associate Director of Student Life and Engagement

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