Women in Leadership (WiL)

Women in Leadership (WiL) is an independent student club operated through the Associated Students of Management (ASM) at the UC Davis Graduate School of Management.

About Our Club

Our Mission 

The goal of Women in Leadership is to convene, connect, support, and develop GSM’s future women leaders and equip them with the tools to succeed through professional, educational, and social activities.

Women in Leadership will achieve this goal by:

• Developing leadership competencies and creating leadership opportunities for women
• Cultivating a spirit of collaboration and sharing success
• Organizing events aimed at mentoring & networking
• Striving to challenge the status quo
• Gaining insight into and educating GSM women on professional challenges faced
• Organizing discussions to help GSM women reflect on their own goals and status as they strive to move higher in their organizations

Board Fellowship Program

The UCD GSM Board Fellowship Program places students on the boards of partner nonprofit organizations as non-voting or adjunct members. The program expands the pipeline of qualified and experienced MBA students for future roles in business leadership. It also allows students to contribute their skills and time to help solve business challenges faced by partner organizations.  

Current Partner Organization

1. Puentes, Stockton
2. Watermark, San Francisco
3. Yolo Arts, Woodland
4. Developmental Disabilities Service Organization (DDSO) , Sacramento

Past Partner Organizations

1. Eskaton, Sacramento         
2. Passive House California, San Francisco 
3. Valley Vision, Sacramento
4. WEAVE, Sacramento
5. Women's Empowerment, Sacramento

Program Update

This program is open to all UC Davis MBA students, regardless of gender identity, but was launched by the Women in Leadership Club in 2015.

This is a one-year commitment with an obligation of about 10 hours per month or less. You are expected to attend monthly board meetings and may be assigned to work on a project or business issue faced by the partner organization.

Reach out to former WiL President Stephanie at saborgstein@ucdavis.edu for the application instructions. Applications are due May 15 and will be sent to partner organizations within the following week. 

Meet Our Board

Kate Capurso President Kate Capurso is a 2021 MBA candidate interested in strategy and innovation in the local food and agriculture space. She earned a Bachelor of Science from Clemson University in Park, Recreation, and Tourism Management. Prior to joining the GSM, Capurso worked with UC Berkeley’s Youth and Outdoor Programs to create and improve complex business systems and processes. Her curious nature led her to work in nearly every area of the programs, culminating in a position to lead projects that spanned across all teams. After seven years with UC Berkeley, Capurso parted ways to start new adventure supporting women as a labor and post-partum doula in Napa and Yolo Counties. Running her own business ultimately led to the long-awaited decision to pursue her MBA. When she is not at school, you can find Capurso breaking down gender stereotypes in activities like ranching, auto mechanics, shooting sports, and construction. She also enjoys taking the boat out to soak up the California sunshine, traveling around the world, baking sweet treats, and singing around the house. Whatever she is doing, she is almost always surrounded by animals. Connect on LinkedIn

Kalina Springer Vice President Kalina Springer is a 2021 MBA candidate with a passion for social justice, female empowerment, personal development, and mental health. Prior to moving to Davis, she worked in change management consulting, assisting consultants in leading operational and cultural transformations. She also competed at the state-level of the Miss America Scholarship Organization, one of the world’s largest providers of scholarship assistance to young female scholars. Through this volunteer-led organization, she honed her public speaking and interview skills and was heavily involved in community service work for organizations such as the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, and coached basketball and softball for Special Olympics. Since coming to Davis, she has volunteered as a special events volunteer for WEAVE in Sacramento and for the Yolo County SPCA. As the Vice President of the Women in Leadership Club, she plans to focus on community engagement, communications, and recruiting, and will host the WiL Book Club. She is looking forward to connecting with female leaders and UC Davis alumni as the ASM Student Director of Alumni Relations and as a Technology Change Management Intern for Intel’s Non-Volatile Memory Solutions Group (NSG) in Folsom, CA this summer. Connect on LinkedIn