How Three GSM Alumni Are Redefining What It Means to Lead

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A digital twin startup on the other side of the world. A decade of showing up for incoming students. A leadership role touching millions of lives in healthcare. Three very different careers, built at the UC Davis Graduate School of Management.

The GSM Alumni Association (GSMAA) has selected Harpreet Singh MBA 10, Lawrence “Larry” Yee MPAc 13 and Sara Howard MBA 19 as the 2025–26 recipients of the Alumni Association Awards, recognizing their professional achievements, commitment to community and dedication to advancing the Graduate School of Management mission.

Each year, the Alumni Awards selection committee, composed of 10–12 alumni volunteers, reviews nominations and selects recipients in three categories: 

• Distinguished Achievement
• Outstanding Service
• Rising Star

The awards honor graduates who embody GSM’s values of passionate and energetic leadership, collaboration and service.

Distinguished Achievement Award: Harpreet Singh MBA 10

The Distinguished Achievement Award honors alumni who have distinguished themselves through their professional and personal accomplishments.

Harpreet Singh MBA 10 has built a career at the intersection of entrepreneurship, technology and innovation. Since graduating from the UC Davis Full-Time MBA program, Singh has founded and scaled companies that have successfully navigated multiple acquisitions, including acquisitions by Target and Yum! Brands.

For Singh, entrepreneurship has been about more than building successful companies—it has been about creating value, developing teams and opening doors for others.

Singh reflected on how GSM shaped his career trajectory and provided a foundation that extended far beyond the MBA curriculum.

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“Receiving this award from the UC Davis Graduate School of Management is a tremendous honor and a meaningful affirmation of the journey I’ve been on since my time there. The GSM gave me more than an education—it gave me a way of thinking about leadership, collaboration and impact that continues to shape the decisions I make in my career.”

—Harpreet Singh MBA 10

Singh credits the GSM community, including faculty, alumni and classmates, as one of the most influential parts of his experience.

Today, Singh continues to drive innovation from Melbourne, Australia, where he is developing artificial intelligence-driven digital twin technology designed to improve media operations and supply chain logistics.

His commitment to UC Davis has continued well beyond graduation. Singh has remained engaged with students and faculty, including teaching a course in 2018 when the GSM launched the Master of Science in Business Analytics program.

Outstanding Service Award: Larry Yee MPAc 13

The Outstanding Service Award recognizes alumni who demonstrate exemplary support of the GSM through their time, expertise and commitment to the community.

Larry Yee MPAc 13 has spent more than a decade giving back to the Master of Professional Accountancy program that helped launch his career.

As a member of the inaugural MPAc graduating class, Yee quickly emerged as a leader among his peers. After graduation, he continued supporting the program by helping create an alumni panel designed to provide guidance and resources for incoming students.

For every year of the MPAc program’s existence, Yee has volunteered at MPAc Orientation, sharing his experiences and insights with students as they prepare for graduate school, the CPA exam and their transition into the workforce.

Drawing from his experience at PwC and at venture capital and financial technology companies, Yee provides students with practical advice on career development, leadership and navigating the challenges of the accounting profession.

Today, Yee leads customer success efforts at Foresight, a fintech company, where he continues to combine his expertise in finance, technology and relationship building. 

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“I’m very appreciative of being the first MPAc graduate to receive an Alumni Association Award. The program gave me a network, technical guidance and a foundation to give back to the community.”

—Lawrence “Larry” Yee MPAc 13

Beyond his work with current students, Yee continues mentoring MPAc alumni and maintaining connections with graduates across multiple cohorts.

Rising Star Award: Sara Howard MBA 19

The Rising Star Award honors alumni who have contributed to their profession or to the GSM and larger UC Davis community during the early or mid-portion of their career.

Sara Howard MBA 19 was recognized for her leadership in healthcare, entrepreneurial accomplishments and continued commitment to building communities where people can thrive.

Howard has advanced rapidly in her career as chief of staff at Signify Health, a CVS Health company, where she partners with executive leadership to advance strategic initiatives focused on improving health outcomes at scale. Her work supports millions of health plan members and thousands of colleagues while helping drive innovation across the healthcare ecosystem.

During her time at the Sacramento Part-Time MBA program, Howard demonstrated a passion for leadership and community building. She co-founded the GSM Pride Network, creating opportunities for connection and belonging among LGBTQ+ students, and contributed to committees and initiatives that strengthened the student experience.

Her entrepreneurial mindset also led her to co-lead Cognivive Inc., a UC Davis-linked digital therapeutics startup focused on cognitive health interventions. The team earned recognition through competitive pitch events, including the ROMBA StartOut Pitch Competition, and achieved success in the UC Davis Big Bang! Business Competition.

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“I am deeply honored to receive the Rising Star Award and sincerely grateful to the Graduate School of Management and GSMAA for this meaningful recognition. UC Davis has been a true catalyst in my professional development, challenging me to grow as a leader, think more strategically and pursue opportunities with confidence and purpose.”

A Legacy Built One Leader at a Time

Singh, Yee and Howard arrived at the GSM at different points, in different programs, chasing different goals. But their stories share a common thread: each found something worth carrying forward, whether that was a framework for leadership, a network worth investing in, or the confidence to build something new.