Community Stories
"Bumps in the road are inevitable," says Vicente Capital Partners co-founder Jay Ferguson ('94)
Nike Irvin ('89) knows that "doing good" is simply "doing business"
UCLA Anderson taught Jeffery Keys ('96) you can’t be a wallflower in B-school or business
Now headed to Accenture in her sweet home Chicago, Colleen Thomas ('17) came to UCLA Anderson a former competitive figure skater
What drives Blair Taylor ('90) to bridge communities of social difference?
Jessica Kimball ('15) went from graduation to head of global diversity at Mattel in two short years
5 Questions
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Read MoreConnie Knight (’98)
Head of Multicultural Content Partnerships, YouTube
Connie Knight (’98)
Head of Multicultural Content Partnerships, YouTube
I manage content partnership strategy and licensing negotiation for the distribution and monetization of video content based on ad-supported and subscription revenue models.
What’s your one-sentence definition of success?
Getting up every day to do something that I’m passionate about, that inspires me, and I can see where my efforts have contributed to changing the world in some way. Fortunately, I get to do that every day at YouTube.
What is the most important class we should be teaching our students today?
I think it’s personal finance. I was surprised that although I was a finance major, I had never been exposed to best practices for managing my own finances. I knew how to make the stock market work for a corporation but I was very uncomfortable and uncertain about what I needed to do to make it work for myself. To my knowledge, business schools don’t teach you that. Also, students need to be up to date with their technical skills —I think that’s a given today.
What three things did you learn at Anderson that have been most helpful to you in your career?
The most important one is to step out of my comfort zone, which is always a challenge for me. I’m a fairly reserved person. But in the real world, you have to involve yourself in the politics of business if you want to move ahead, you absolutely have to make yourself visible. The second is to align yourself with the business priorities of the company to advance your career. I’m very fortunate, in that I’m passionate and excited about what I do; but if I were in a company where my passion wasn’t a priority, I would have to look for another job. Third, Anderson taught me the value of entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship. I’m in a role that enables me to be an intrapreneur, and I’m really able to present and run with new ideas that have added value to my company and also created a sense of personal fulfillment.
What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve ever gotten?
Be flexible, because your career path won’t necessarily be linear — and mine certainly hasn’t been. Don’t expect that you’ll always be on an upward trajectory. You’ll have bumps in the road that require you to pivot or even take another lane. As long as you work hard, continue to move forward and remain focused, you’ll reach your goals.
What advice do you have for students or alumni who may be in situations where they are the first or only African-American making milestones in a professional role?
It’s funny you asked this question because I just achieved one recently at YouTube. The company had never had an OKR (objective and key result) around diversity in content. Our position as a democratic platform was always that the best content will rise to the surface. But I noticed that we were funneling resources to those creators who had been on the platform since the early days. In general, it wasn’t the smaller creators of color. I’ve worked with other cross-functional stakeholders to implement a companywide OKR at the highest level to ensure that the entire company took responsibility for making sure that YouTube is representative of all the users we serve. My advice is to always support your position with data. Often our viewpoint is dismissed as bias, but metrics and data will always be indisputable.
Read MoreGene Alston (MBA/J.D. ’97)
VP of Marketing Partnerships, Facebook
Gene Alston (MBA/J.D. ’97)
VP of Marketing Partnerships, Facebook
“Being the first doesn’t need to mean being alone. Finding allies and sponsorship both inside and outside the company is super important.”
What’s your one-sentence definition of success?
Willingness to fail, determination to keep trying.
What are the three things you learned at UCLA Anderson that have been most helpful to you in your career?
1) The power of learning from your peers; 2) finding people with complementary strengths to work with; and 3) working through conflict within teams. I’ve built on these experiences from Anderson and use all three practices in my work today.
Who do you admire most in the business world today and why?
Well, if I had to choose, it would be Colin Powell because he’s an independent thinker and authentic leader. That said, I admire several leaders I’ve worked with over the years for the different superpowers they possessed.
What can we each do today to begin to build an inclusive community at Anderson?
Be a more active moderator in conversations. Two specific practices I use are to actively solicit diverse perspectives in the conversation and check people interrupting each other. We have so many conversations in a day and it’s something that everyone can do to build an inclusive environment from the ground up.
What advice would you give students or alumni who may be in situations where they are the first or only African-American making milestones in a professional role?
I don’t know if I achieved any “one of the first” milestones but I do have the constant feeling of being “one of the few,” especially as a senior leader in a major tech company. At Facebook we’ve made some solid steps in having more representation at the senior leadership level, and even the board level. Many folks have played a role in helping me succeed, and sometimes this comes from the most unexpected places. I feel lucky to have a great “board of advisors” that I can tap, and I’m always looking to expand my board.
Read MoreTazia Middleton ('18)
Certified Financial Planner
Tazia Middleton ('18)
Certified Financial Planner
Co-President, Black Business Students AssociationI enjoy understanding clients’ financial needs and developing custom solutions for them. I’m looking to leverage my analytical and problem solving skills in a consulting or internal strategy role.
What’s your one-sentence definition of success?
Success is when doing what you love enables you to live the life you want.
Why did you decide to get an MBA?
After college, I was fortunate to work in asset management, and I learned a lot about the world of finance. That experience sparked my interest in the larger world of business. I decided to pursue an MBA as a way to broaden my knowledge base in an environment that would also allow me to grow as a leader.
What are you learning at Anderson that you think will be most helpful to you in your career?
One of my goals was to strengthen my leadership skills and learn more about my leadership style. Through my leadership involvement in the student clubs and initiatives I’m passionate about, I am learning how to manage groups of my peers while maintaining personal relationships.
What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve ever gotten?
The best piece of career advice I’ve received was actually from my parents. They taught me that it’s important not to count yourself out. Show up and take a chance. You might actually surprise yourself!
What is one thing that we each can do today to begin to build an inclusive community here at Anderson?
UCLA Anderson has laid a good foundation for inclusion, with a very supportive environment for diversity in all forms. We can continue to develop the skills for all students to become allies for the underrepresented. Knowing how to effectively and proactively speak up for others, even those you don’t personally know, is a skill that I believe is necessary for the leaders of tomorrow.
Read MoreLandon Medlock ('18)
Senior Product Manager
Landon Medlock ('18)
Senior Product Manager
Technically minded, socially driven and always looking for the intersections of finance, education and technology — I see every day as an opportunity to learn.
What’s your one-sentence definition of success?
“Success is the attainment of sustainable community.”
How did you get involved with Black Girls CODE, helping pre-teen girls of color learn skills in technology and computer programming?
“When I worked for ThoughtWorks, employees were highly encouraged to find volunteer opportunities they were passionate about. I volunteered with Black Girls CODE in Chicago through ThoughtWorks and later, enlisting collaborations with local community partners, I got a new chapter up and running in my hometown of Dallas. Doors have been opened for me because of my tech background, and it was important for me to address issues of access. Down the line, I’d like to start an incubator in Dallas with the intention of providing resources to groups who have historically been under-resourced.”
What are you learning at Anderson that you think will be most helpful to you in your career?
“There are more people in business school interested in pro-social causes than I expected. Whether in our Business School Chapter of the Year Net Impact group or through the Riordan Programs, there are people actively thinking about impact in business. I’m also a naturally shy person. Anderson has provided me with me a space where I can grow into my voice.”
What is the most important skill we should be teaching our students today?
“Empathy. It becomes much easier to make purpose-driven decisions when you empathize with the people supporting and driving your business. As a Black male, I know what it feels like to be marginalized. As a result, I recognize situations were groups are not given a voice, and I am intentional about making sure they are heard. When you get in someone’s corner, you earn an ally. And it was all possible because you were empathetic.”
What does Black History Month mean for you?
“Black History Month was important to me during my entire childhood. I attended a private Black elementary school where we were exposed to the full breadth of African-American accomplishments. I found out later in Teach for America training that people preparing to educate inner city kids with culturally relevant curriculum didn’t know there were any Black scientists! Being a minority can be a source of strength when, in professional settings, everyone’s been socialized in what seems like the same way — you can bring a unique perspective if you’ve been forced to look at the world differently.”
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Read MoreGhermayn Baker ('18)
Product Marketer and Online Content Strategist
Ghermayn Baker (’18)
Product Marketer and Online Content Strategist
“I chose Anderson because of the people. The collaborative and student-run nature of the school made me feel at home from the very first time I visited.”
What would you like prospective African-American students to know about your UCLA Anderson experience?
I think the school does a good job of making the students feel welcome. The (Black) community is small and it is very tight knit. There are classes that I’m taking now where I’m the only Black student in the class, but I don’t think people expect me to be the representative of the entire community. I think Anderson’s diversity in other ways — specifically in professional backgrounds — mitigates that expectation from a race or cultural perspective.
What are you working on now?
I’m working on a new business idea, a travel startup, with some classmates of mine. We’re hoping to be able to get the financial resources to continue it after we graduate.
Career-wise, where would you like to be in five years?
My answer now is probably completely different than when I came to Anderson. Now my answer is, to be a successful entrepreneur. In an ideal world, I would have had some success in entrepreneurship in the past and I think that I would like to use that as a platform to really focus professionally on companies that are in social impact and the education space.
What’s something that Anderson could do better?
UCLA is a world-class institution and I think that there is a lot of great knowledge to be gained from students outside the Anderson community. I wish I had the opportunity to learn from students from other disciplines, to learn from engineering students how their jobs kind of relate to product marketing and tech, and to interact and network with law students, medical students — to learn more about the intersection of business and all these other industries.
Do you see yourself more as a builder of companies or a manager?
Probably closer to manager; I really enjoy working with people. I think that’s one thing I’ve enjoyed at Anderson, all the group-based work, and trying to work with teams to get things done. It’s managing, but it’s also leaning more toward the mentorship and education side as well, which also helped sparked my interest in the education space.
Read MoreJason Cole ('19)
Financial and Accounting Analyst
Jason Cole ('19)
Financial and Accounting Analyst
I am looking to leverage my financial services experience and analytical skills, along with my entrepreneurial spirit and passion for financial literacy, into a career in private wealth management.
What’s your one-sentence definition of success?
My definition of success is setting and accomplishing a series of short-term goals that lead to the accomplishment of an overall long-term goal.
What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve ever gotten?
Be adaptable, and prepare for your plans not to go as planned.
Why is Black History Month important today?
Black history, which is often neglected in school curriculum, is the root of civilization as well as modern history. It’s important to recognize and celebrate the past to build self-awareness and guide the future. I celebrate Black History Month year-round, and use February to bring additional awareness to positive events and leaders, past and present.
What’s one change you’d like to see happen in business today?
I want to see more African-Americans in the financial services industry — and I will be a part of driving the change.
What lessons have you learned from being a person of color in the business world today?
Be yourself unapologetically; people respect authenticity. Someone before you created an opportunity for you; therefore, you are indebted to help provide a ladder that creates an opportunity for another.
Community Leadership
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Watch VideoDean Al Osborne
Dean Al Osborne told Poets & Quants how Anderson leverages UCLA's "cluster of brain power" to be an entrepreneurial epicenter
Read MoreKaren Williams ('93)
Karen Williams is steering UCLA Anderson's 5As to expanded reach and goals
Read MoreJay Tucker ('09)
Center for MEMES' executive director Jay Tucker is a relentless problem solver and unrepentant optimist
Read MoreAndrea Wade ('96)
Andrea Wade walks her talk as she helps alumni tap into the lifelong value of their MBA
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Read MoreMonique Jones ('93)
How the film industry reeled in Anderson alumna Monique Jones
How the film industry reeled in Anderson alumna Monique Jones ('93)
Read MoreRon Chandler
Meet Anderson’s new Chief Information Officer, Ron Chandler, techie and diversity advocate
Read MoreAlex Lawrence ('99)
Assistant dean of admissions and financial aid is taking on the sensitive topic of diversity recruitment
Read MoreGary Fraser
Anderson's assistant dean of student affairs says every American can learn something new about Black history and the positive impact of African-Americans
Riordan Programs
Providing a pathway for underrepresented students to excel in business and leadership
Tomorrow's leaders emerge from a transformational experience with Riordan mentors, educational workshops and community service. The Riordan Scholars Program, College to Career Program and MBA Fellows Program provide leadership and management training to diverse individuals all over the country.
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Guest Speakers
Field Study in African Countries
Whether evaluating new models for microfinance, improving foreign supply chain efficiency or evaluating growth and expansion strategies, UCLA Anderson's pro-social international field study projects make a real, immediate and often profound impact.
How can modern cattle farming and preservation of wild elephant habitat coexist?
In Botswana, UCLA Anderson field study team recommends technology solution to tackle market access for cattle farmers
Social impact focus applied to after-school programs
Anderson’s Center for Global Management supports projects that require students to understand the complex history of South Africa and think critically about how to address its specific challenges.
Improving health outcomes for a community in need
Working with the Human Sciences Research Council, a diverse field study team collaborated in South Africa to develop a sustainable non-communicable disease screening model.
UCLA Optimists
On one of the most beautiful campuses in the country, in a global city teeming with energy and brimming with opportunity, risks are taken, doors are opened and anything is possible. In ways large and small, across the street or around the world, UCLA Optimists are making the world better for everyone.
Learn How We Champion and Celebrate Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
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