MIT EMBA Executive Insights Blog

After more than two decades serving in the military, intelligence community, and the White House, Robert Bair, EMBA '23, turned to the MIT Executive MBA to prepare for his next chapter. In this Q&A, he shares how the program helped him bridge the gap between public service and business, reshape his ...

When Ryan Troy, EMBA ’24, joined the MIT Executive MBA program, he was leading global teams at Workday and looking to become a more strategic leader. The experience accelerated his career with a promotion, deepened his understanding of global strategy, and sparked the creation of Opdoc, an AI-powere...

After more than a decade in pharmaceutical business development, Bill Desmarais, EMBA '16, found himself caught between two identities—too scientific for the business side and too business-oriented for the scientists. Seeking the skills and credibility to bridge that gap, he enrolled in the MIT Exec...

Jacob Voorhees, EMBA ’13, shares how the MIT Executive MBA helped him evolve from investment banking executive to mission-driven entrepreneur. In this candid Q&A, he reflects on scaling and selling Capstone Partners, founding Navagant—the first B Corporation-certified investment bank—and redefining ...

Kosta Ligris, EMBA ’18, shares how the MIT Executive MBA challenged him to rethink his industry, embrace innovation, and ultimately transform his career. From leading a highly successful real estate law practice to co-founding a fintech company, Ligris reflects on how the program’s systems thinking,...

Melissa Estok, EMBA ’22, entered the MIT Executive MBA with decades of global leadership experience—and a desire to sharpen it with deeper, research-driven insight. At MIT Sloan, she found a collaborative, mission-driven community and frameworks that both challenged and validated her instincts. From...

Amy Blasco, EMBA '18, reflects on how MIT Sloan reshaped one leader’s approach to transformation in the age of AI. Drawing on lessons from world-class faculty, this piece explores why successful transformation goes beyond strategy and technology—requiring integration across teams, data-driven decisi...

Denis Lussault, EMBA ’20, has built his career at the intersection of engineering, entrepreneurship, and innovation, and turned to the MIT Sloan Executive MBA to strengthen his skills in strategy, finance, and leadership after recognizing gaps in his business knowledge. The program not only equipped...

After decades as a top healthcare HR executive—and already holding multiple advanced degrees—Jim Dunn, EMBA ’16, turned to the MIT Executive MBA to fill a critical gap: financial fluency. What followed was a transformative journey that challenged his confidence, reshaped his leadership identity, and...

Serial entrepreneur and MIT EMBA alum Andrea Guendelman shares how her mission-driven career—from expanding access to tech jobs to building inclusive hiring solutions—informs her leadership today. In this conversation, she reflects on the lessons she gained at MIT Sloan, the evolving role of AI in h...