GSM Student Association Sacramento
Mission, Purpose & Objectives
Mission
The Graduate School of Management Student Association Sacramento (GSMSA Sacramento) aims to improve the experience of students in the UC Davis Sacramento MBA program in order to prepare exemplary business leaders who make an impact in the global marketplace.
Purpose
The purpose of the GSMSA Sacramento is to serve as a liaison between the Sacramento MBA students and the administration of the UC Davis Graduate School of Management. Specifically, members of the GSMSA Sacramento are student advocates, communicating the viewpoints and suggestions of their classmates to the Dean and GSM Administration.
Objectives
The objective of the GSMSA Sacramento is to act as a strategic advisory board with the intentions of (a) improving the quality, value, and community of the Sacramento MBA Program, and (b) providing a platform for the discussion and action around student concerns.
Additionally, GSMSA Sacramento seeks to grow the value of the Graduate School of Management (GSM) in the U.S. and internationally by finding ways to increase the value proposition of the program for prospective students and employers. The GSMSA Sacramento hosts a variety of networking events, career workshops and social gatherings for students to connect with both alumni and other MBA students at the San Ramon & Davis campuses.
Board Members
Current Board Members
President
Brandyn Duvall Lee
Brandyn Lee is currently a Financial Advisor Consultant at Franklin Templeton Investments. At Franklin Templeton, Brandyn provides financial advice and market research to financial advisors in Michigan. For undergraduate studies, Brandyn obtained a Bachelor of Science in Managerial Economics with a minor in Communications from University of California - Davis. While excelling in the classroom, Brandyn also participated on the collegiate football team that won the first Big Sky championship for the university. Further, Brandyn plans on graduating from his alma mater with an MBA concentrated in Business Analytics and Technologies. Besides his academic and athletic achievements, Brandyn has a passion for music where can play four different instruments. Brandyn is a leader, hard worker, and dynamic person who has a bright future ahead of him.
Vice President of Internal Affairs
Leticia V. Garay
Leticia V. Garay is a 2024 Sacramento MBA candidate. A Bay Area native, she graduated from UC Davis with a BA in Psychology and a minor in Human Development in 2015. She has seven years of increasing accessibility and diversity through strategic recruitment and communication planning at her alma mater’s Undergraduate Admissions office. Within her advising role, she has discovered a love for marketing and strategy. In her freetime, she writes, travels, bakes, gardens, or cycles.
Director of Finance
Alice Vega
Alice Vega is a 2024 Sacramento MBA candidate. Coming from the Central Valley, she graduated from San Jose State University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a Concentration in Accounting and a minor in Spanish in 2014. Alice has over six years’ experience working in Public and Private Accounting. She recently moved to Sacramento in 2022 to pursue her MBA at UC Davis. Given her breadth of knowledge and experience she pursued the Director of Finance position with UC Davis GSM Student Association. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, spending time with her dog, cooking, and baking.
Director of Professional and Career Development
Esther Muriithi
Esther Muriithi is a 2024 Sacramento MBA candidate. Esther graduated with her Bachelor of Nursing degree in 2012. She is currently an administrative nurse at UC Davis Medical Center in the Radiology department. In her role, Esther aims to improve operational workflow and quality improvement. Esther also serves as a clinical trial liaison and resource nurse for the department. Esther also has Bachelor of Arts degree with a concentration in Health and Psychology from the University of Missouri-Columbia. Esther is passionate about promoting healthcare equity and increasing diversity with providers. Esther hopes leverage her MBA to accomplish these goals. Besides school and work, you will find Esther spending time raising her 2 kids, learning new makeup tips or dances, or having movie marathons. Esther is also an adventure seeker.
Director of Academic Affairs
Yi Li
Yi Li is a 2024 MBA candidate. After getting his B.S. statistics from University of Washington, he has been working in Japan/USA in data analytics field. He has interest in data analytics, machine learning, and healthcare.
In his free time, he currently plays fantasy football. He developed his own model to predict player points. He crushing his competition and is expected to get 1st place again.
Director of Signature Events
David Galanti
David is a 2023 MBA Candidate, concentrating his studies in Strategy and Organizational Behavior. For his undergraduate education he received a BA from the University of the Pacific, where he majored in Liberal Studies with an emphasis in General Science. David served over 12 years in the United States Navy where he worked as a Supply Corps Officer managing logistics and operations. Currently, he works for Amazon as a Program Manager responsible for facilitating fleet maintenance for middle-mile assets across the northern Midwest. In his free time, David enjoys traveling and spending time with his family and friends.
Incoming Board Members
President
Jaimie Asakawa
Jaimie is a first year MBA student in the Sacramento Part-Time program and intends to graduate in 2024. She received her B.A. in Modern Languages (French & Spanish) from the University of Massachusetts. Jaimie currently works at UC Davis Health at the School of Medicine. She would like to make an impact to the world of healthcare through innovative technology solutions and AI.
Vice President of Internal Affairs
Dani Jordan
Dani Jordan is a 2025 MBA candidate at the University of California, Davis. Her early career experiences as a human resources professional informed her decision to pursue this degree. Through the completion of an MBA program, Dani hopes that she will be further empowered to create positive change and belonging in the workplace. Having already benefited so much from her time in the program, she is also a student ambassador and loves to share her experience with potential students. Dani looks forward to bringing her passion for team building and collaboration to the GSMSA as the Vice President of Internal Affairs. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Political Science from Loyola Marymount University.
Vice President of External Affairs
Jenaye Shepherd
Jenaye is a first-year MBA student in the Sacramento Part-Time program. Jenaye has spent the last 15 years in the nonprofit sector and currently is the Advancement Director for the Central Valley Region at The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. She received her BA in Economics and Communications from UC Davis. In her free time, Jenaye enjoys traveling, spending time with her family and friends, and sailing having recently received her ASA Sailing Certification.
Director of Finance
Payton Marcu
Payton Marcu is part of the Sacramento Part-Time MBA program, graduating in 2025. She received her BA in Business Management Economics from UC Santa Cruz, and currently works as an analyst with the California Department of Finance. While she’s lived in many states, she’s originally from Las Vegas, NV.
Events and Activities
Capital Connections
Every Spring Quarter GSMSA Sac hosts a networking event to connect students with alumni, faculty, and business leaders. This event offers students the opportunity to expand their professional network, gain insightful perspectives from seasoned alumni, and co-mingle with the Davis and San Ramon students.
Monthly Career Development Presentations
GSMSA Sac, along with Jennifer Tucker (Sacramento Career Counselor), hosts monthly presentations to help students establish their “brand”. Presentation topics range from interview preparation, maximizing networking opportunities, and self-promotion.
Career Change Workshops
Ever feel like you are in the wrong industry? GSMSA Sac has developed a new workshop series to help students pivot into their dream job. Please contact Jason Choi for more information.
Contact Us
If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please email the GSMSA Sacramento President, Margaret (Meg) Lee.