Blog Author | UC Davis Graduate School of Management

Profile

John Risner MPAc 26

I chose UC Davis for its community, campus and reputation. After earning my undergraduate degree here, the MPAc program offered the perfect opportunity to gain stability, career readiness and lasting connections.

Student Leadership

Supervisor and Manager for Club Sports

Previous Education

B.A. in economics, UC Davis

Previous Work Experience

Manager, UC Davis Campus Recreation
Teaching Assistant, UC Davis Graduate School of Management
Business Analysis Intern, Nexseer Capital

Fun Facts

I’ve never been off the mainland U.S., but that will change this winter when I travel to Hawaii!
I love playing sports

Andre Paradiang MBA 27

Profile

Andre Paradiang MBA 27

I chose UC Davis because of its close-knit community and great opportunities offered by the Graduate School of Management!

Previous Education

B.S. in business quality management, Southwestern College

Previous Work Experience

Strategic Partnerships, Google
C-17A Crew Chief, United States Air Force

Fun Facts

I have a dog named Kona.
I love the sport of boxing.
I know how to brew beer.

Sarah Deng MBA 27

Profile

Sarah Deng MBA 27

I chose UC Davis for its leadership in food, agriculture and sustainability. As a former chef and strategist, I wanted a program connecting innovation, business and science with real-world impact.

Student Leadership

Net Impact Vice President

Previous Education

B.A. in international relations; Fordham University

Previous Work Experience

Strategic Communications Consultant, Ceres Food Film Festival
Social Media and Content Partnerships Strategist, Asia Society
Creator, Rooted Eats

Fun Facts

I trained as a professional chef and once cooked in the VIP kitchen at Coachella Music Festival.
I used to compete as

Selina (Yingxuan) Bian MSBA 25

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Selina (Yingxuan) Bian MSBA 25

I chose UC Davis for its fantastic San Francisco location, which aligns with my interests in the tech industry and entrepreneurship. The year-long practicum project offers immersive, hands-on opportunities to apply the skills and knowledge gained in class.

Current Position

Solution Engineer, LiveX AI

Previous Education

Master of Science in Business Analytics, UC Davis Graduate School of Management
Bachelor's Degree in applied economics, Chinese University of Hongkong Shenzhen

Fun Facts

I’ve had a preference for even numbers since I was five years old.
I love making fancy coffee and matcha drinks.
I'm a

Olga Novoa Cipriani MBA 26

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Olga Novoa Cipriani MBA 26

I chose UC Davis for its collaborative MBA program emphasizing leadership, strategy and people management. The rigorous, community-driven experience and Salesforce internship prepared me to advance into inclusive, innovation-focused HR leadership.

Student Leadership

Hispanic Scholarship Fund Scholar (2025)
Chicana Latina Foundation Scholar (2025)
Teaching Assistant, UC Davis Graduate School of Management (2025)
UC Davis Ideas Competition Winner (2024)
Graduate Student representative, UC Chicanx/Latinx Leadership Summit (2024)

Previous Education

B.A. in psychology; minors in

Rushikesh Choudhury MBA 26

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Rushikesh Choudhury MBA 26

UC Davis Bay Area MBA balanced rigor with relevance, combining analytics, leadership and innovation. Collaborative peers and accessible faculty created an environment where bridging business and technology felt possible from day one.

Previous Education

Bachelor's of technology, Biju Patnaik University of Technology

Previous Work Experience

Senior Manager, Workday

Fun Facts

I spend time gardening, and we have 20 fruit trees that produce year-round.
I enjoy traveling and have visited six countries.
I also like cooking and often make special dishes for friends and family

Chris Ngan MPAc 26

Profile

Chris Ngan MPAc 26

I chose UC Davis because it was the opposite of UC Riverside, where I did my undergraduate studies. I wanted something fresh, and UC Davis provided that with its strong reputation and world-class faculty.

Student Leadership and Experience

Welcome Chair, UC Riverside Vietnamese Student Association
Co-founder and Secretary, UC Riverside Adventure Club
Tutor, UC Riverside University Writing Program

Previous Education

B.S. in business administration, UC Riverside

Previous Work Experience

IT Communications Intern, Seagate Technology
Head Writing Tutor, UC Riverside

Fun

Verenice Andrade MBA 24

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Verenice Andrade MBA 24

I chose UC Davis for its staff. They made me feel welcome and heard, even before I applied. I also wanted a career pivot and the curriculum aligned with my goals. Davis was a great fit for me.

Current Position

Principal Program Manager, PG&E

Previous Work Experience

Senior Paralegal, PG&E

Previous Education

Master of Business Administration, UC Davis Graduate School of Management
B.A. in international political economy & ethnic studies, UC Berkeley

Fun Facts

I’m Bad Bunny’s biggest fan—yes, I went to the residency in Puerto Rico.
I continue to do my own nails at home

Nathaniel Wentland MBA 26

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Nathaniel Wentland MBA 26

I chose UC Davis for the world class cows.

Student Leadership and Experience

UC Davis Veterans Success Center

Previous Education

B.S. in logistics and intermodal transportation, United States Merchant Marine Academy

Previous Work Experience

Supply Chain Intern, Intel
Operations Officer, Navy Reserve
Chief Mate, Merchant Mariner, Military Sealift Command
Second Mate, Merchant Mariner, Crowley Maritime

Fun Facts

I enjoy baking for my family and classmates.
My best ideas always seem to find me in parking lots.
My biggest hobby is sleeping in.

Marissa Hernandez MBA 25

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Marissa Hernandez MBA 25

I chose UC Davis for its strong leadership culture and people-centered community, preparing me with the business acumen to launch my career in healthcare finance at an institution I deeply believe in.

Current Position

Finance Administrative Fellow, UCLA Health

Previous Work Experience

Administrative Supervisor, UC Davis Health

Previous Education

Master of Business Administration, UC Davis Graduate School of Management
Health Professions Post-Baccalaureate Certification, San Francisco State University
Bachelor’s in biological sciences, UC Davis

Fun Facts

My fantasy

Shrishti Gupta MSBA 25

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Shrishti Gupta MSBA 25

I chose UC Davis for its blend of technical rigor and real-world application. The practicum project, Bay Area connections and small cohort size offered the perfect balance of collaboration, career growth and hands-on experience.

Previous Work Experience

AI Strategy Intern, Bevalty Inc
Product Data Analyst, Standard Insights
Founder, Finanacial Consultancy
IT Risk Analyst, KPMG LLP

Previous Education

Master's of Science in of Business Analytics, UC Davis Graduate School of Management
Master's in economics, Mumbai University
Bachelor's in business administration, Mumbai

Koji Hasegawa MBA 26

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Koji Hasegawa MBA 26

I chose UC Davis for its strong presence in agriculture, flexible program format, hybrid of in-person and online classes, affordable class sizes and the strength of the UC brand.

Student Leadership and Experience

Bay Area MBA Ambassador

Previous Education

B.S. in mechanical engineering, Kansai University

Previous Work Experience

General Manager, Innovation Center Silicon Valley, Kubota Corporation

Fun Facts

I love running and have completed more than 20 marathon races.
I love traveling and trying new dishes around the world.

Jaimie Asakawa MBA 24

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Jaimie Asakawa MBA 24

UC Davis provides the opportunity to make a positive impact and be the change I want to see!

Current Position

Media & Communications Director, Western Regional Alliance for Pediatric Emergency Management, UC Davis Health

Previous Work Experience

Communications Officer, Pediatric Pandemic Network
Business & Organizational Specialist, UC Davis School of Medicine

Previous Education

Master of Business Administration, UC Davis Graduate School of Management
Modern Languages (French & Spanish), University of Massachusetts, Lowell

Fun Facts

I love to run! I've run three half

Daniel Vaziri MBA 27

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Daniel Vaziri MBA 27

I chose UC Davis for its unique curriculum, strong community and career focus. The program sharpens critical thinking, supports career goals and fosters camaraderie—helping students enter the workforce prepared and ahead of the competition.

Student Leadership and Experience

Division I athlete

Previous Education

B.S. in business administration, Pepperdine University

Previous Work Experience

Digital Media Coordinator, WME

Fun Facts

I'm a huge video game nerd.
NYT mini games should always be played in this order: Mini Crossword, Connections, Wordle and Strands.

Nabarjun Vashisth MBA 26

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Nabarjun Vashisth MBA 26

I chose UC Davis GSM because of the boutique MBA experience here, and to make a career transition in the west coast.

Student Leadership and Experience

Director, GSM Ambassador Program
President, Net Impact Club
MBA liaison, Associated Students of Management

Previous Education

Master of Science, civil engineering, Clemson University, South Carolina
Bachelor of Science, civil engineering, Amity University, India

Previous Work Experience

Operations manager, Amazon
Project analyst, Sacramento Clean Cities Coalition
Civil engineer II, AECOM
Transportation engineer, Gresham

Carolyn Gruebele MBA 26

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Carolyn Gruebele MBA 26

I chose UC Davis because of its welcoming and close-knit MBA program, which has allowed me to build strong relationships with both students and faculty.

I was also drawn to the unique courses offered, such as the Industry Immersions, Collaborative Leadership and the Integrated Management Project. These opportunities allow me to strengthen my skills while gaining real-world experience in a classroom setting.

Student Leadership and Experience

Co-president of the Marketing and Product Management Club, UC Davis
Open house event operations lead, Cal Poly
Orientation facilitator, Cal Poly

Eduardo Casarubias MPAc 24

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Eduardo Casarubias MPAc 24

I chose UC Davis because I knew I wanted a master’s in accounting. The MPAc program made the path clear because earning a CPA requires additional units. The program’s strong job pipelines and hands-on learning sealed it. Best of all, the tight-knit cohort felt supportive and inclusive.

Current Position

Tax Staff 2

Previous Work Experience

Teacher Assistant, UC Davis

Previous Education

Master of Professional Accountancy, UC Davis Graduate School of Management
B.S. in business administration, accounting and finance, California State University, Monterey Bay

Fun Facts

Linda Trinh MBA 10

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Linda Trinh MBA 10

I chose UC Davis for its collaborative, real-world focus, high-caliber faculty, diverse cohort and broad concentrations. The close-knit setting lets me build meaningful relationships with classmates and professors.

Current Position

Senior Director, Salesforce

Previous Work Experience

Director, Enterprise Transformation, Salesforce
Director, Finance Transformation, Salesforce

Previous Education

Master of Business Administration, UC Davis Graduate School of Management
B.A. in American Studies; minor in education, UC Santa Cruz

Fun Facts

I’m basically IMDb with a heartbeat

Ian Tarter MBA 25

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Ian Tarter MBA 25

I chose UC Davis because the program offered a unique blend of hand-on experience and flexibility combined with their well-recognized and respected brand.

Student Leadership and Experience

Lead, Integrated Management Project (IMP)
President, Sigma Tau Delta Honors Society
Editor, The Watermark

Previous Education

B.A. in English literature, University of Massachusetts, Boston

Previous Work Experience

CEO and Co-Founder, Up Left Media
Store Manager, Apple Inc.

Fun Facts

I have lived on both coasts and traveled to over 39 states.
I have run two full marathons and over

Zeel Shah MSBA 25

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Zeel Shah MSBA 25

I chose UC Davis for its MSBA program’s technical depth, real-world application, collaborative culture and proximity to San Francisco, with the yearlong practicum as a standout feature.

Current Position

Consultant, Grant Thornton Bharat LLP
Manager, YES Bank Ltd.

Previous Education

Master of Science in Business Analytics, UC Davis Graduate School of Management
Integrated BBA-MBA in finance, Nirma University

Fun Facts

I love desserts and visiting every new dessert shop in the city.
I love baking cheesecakes and brownies.