Student Teams Compete for Capital in Pitching to the Stars

By William Rindfuss, executive director of strategic programs and Lecturer, Haas Finance Group

Team Blue was feeling good following its investment strategy pitch…

They executed back-tests instead of back-flips, sought “alpha” instead of fame, and competed in suits rather than…  what they wear on that show.

MBA teams in the Haas Investment Fund course pitched their investment strategies to a panel of judges on May 6^th, competing for allocations of capital from a dedicated fund that the teams will now use to execute those strategies.  HIF is the finance experiential learning course in the Innovative Leader curriculum, in which students explore their own areas of unique insight, anticipate catalysts for change in those areas, and train on portfolio analytics tools — all to develop unique investment strategies. In working as members of teams they also develop the capabilities of framing problems and opportunities, experimenting to learn, managing complexity and uncertainty, and influencing beyond authority.

The three judges — including a hedge fund manager and a former chief investment officer and with two Berkeley MBAs and two PhDs among them – were a bit unnerving before the competition but then wholly inspiring during the presentations.  Feedback was equal parts praise and constructive suggestions, with a particular focus on prospects for achieving true “alpha” — or market-beating returns — through the strategies, while closely evaluating and managing risk.

Team Blue pitched a multi-manager strategy that capitalizes on areas of experience and insight among the teammates, identifying potential price catalysts through fundamental analysis and selecting a portfolio of under-covered small-cap stocks.  Team Gold focused on the semiconductor and biotech spaces, gearing buy/sell decisions off an aggregator of mentions in online media — following extensive testing of this data.

One member of Team Blue who found it “extremely valuable to be in a professional setting pitching our investment ideas,” said the feedback was “concrete and actionable, and will definitely make our portfolio perform better over the next six months.”

…while members of Team Gold were feeling even better at the post-pitch celebration, here with judge Minder Cheng.

A member of Team Gold added that it was “invaluable that the judges had direct experience with our specific type of strategy and could pass lessons on to us.”

In the end, the judges admired both strategies almost equally, and allocated the fund 55/45 between the two teams.  After some adjustments based on the insights and suggestions of the judges, the teams will implement their strategies starting this month and will continue to monitor and manage their positions until December. The three judges were Minder Cheng, MBA 89, PhD 94, a former chief investment officer at BlackRock; Joel Drescher, MBA 05, co-head of equities and a portfolio manager at Symphony Asset Management; and Stephen Malinak, global head of investor analytics at Thomson Reuters.

This one-year, three-unit course is cross-listed between the Full-time and Evening & Weekend MBA Programs and is led this year by Finance faculty member Bill Rindfuss.

First-year MBA Students to Second-years: You are HAASome!

A wave of appreciation is sweeping through the full-time Berkeley MBA program; Some 80 small bears were given by first-year students to thank second-years who have had an impact on their time at Haas. Noa Elan, Jasen Bell, and Anthony Valente, all MBA 14, were behind the ursine appreciation campaign, which came with a “You are HAASome” tag.

“We really wanted to thank second-years and, at the same time, build their commitment to staying engaged with the school and our own commitment to being involved with the upcoming class,” says Elan. “They went beyond themselves to help us and we will do the same.”

Sarah Morra, MBA 13, received a bear from first-year student Ellen Vanderwilt. “At Haas, your work never goes unnoticed,” says Morra. “Your classmates make sure you feel appreciated: anything from a hug after class, to a nomination for a scholarship award, to receiving this Haasome Bear from Ellen.”

Robbie Lizares prepares to part with his bear

Robbie Lizares, MBA 14, gave a bear to Minnie Fong, MBA 13. “We were both the only ones from the Philippines in our classes, so it was natural for me to seek her out,” says Lizares.  “Meeting her was like finding a piece of home…someone who understood me well in a very different place.”

Says Elan, “I joined Haas because I saw the four Defining Principles in every aspect of the school and have only realized, now that I am here, that it’s a stronger force that I could have imagined. The culture and atmosphere have really made me flourish.”

Testing Limits in an Escape from Alcatraz

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On Saturday, April 27, 27 Berkeley MBA students tested their limits with a swim through cold bay waters from Alcatraz to San Francisco. Here’s what it was like to take the plunge:

By Guest Blogger Minnie Fong, MBA 13

It’s 7:00AM, and it’s a cold, foggy, San Francisco morning. We huddle at the Fisherman’s Wharf, with wetsuits up to half of our body, warm jackets to protect our torso, and loud dance music to pump up our spirits courtesy of Bri’s “jammy” pack. Today was D-day: a culmination of two months worth of hard work and training for many of us.

 We sign ourselves in, get numbers on our hands, and listen to a short briefing. We try to protect our skin from chafing with body glide, use wax as ear plugs to protect our inner ears from the cold water, and give each other hugs both to warm up and pass on encouragement. Before we know it, we are getting on the boat, and heading out to Alcatraz.

 At 8:00AM, we were ready. One last briefing – instructions to aim for Fort Mason and Ghirardelli Square – and then the big jump. One by one, we climbed up the steps, held on to our goggles, and jumped off the boat and into the icy water.

 Surprisingly, the water wasn’t as cold today. Perhaps it was because the weather outside was really cold, so the shock wasn’t too bad. Maybe it’s because this is actually my fourth time in the bay already, and my body has gotten used to the cold. Or maybe it’s the adrenaline keeping us pumped. Whatever it was, as soon as you get in the water, you just swim.

 One arm in front of the other, breathing in between: I begin to hit a rhythmic stride. At first I’m surrounded by my peers, then everyone begins drifting apart. Before I know it, it’s just me and my little head, bobbing up and down the bay. I know the support boats and kayaks are around, but there are moments when I look up, and don’t see anyone else beside me. I begin to feel so tiny in the middle of everything. The waves are strong, and I swallow a mouthful of salty water every once in a while. Then I start thinking of sea otters. And jellyfish. And sharks. So I keep going. Because I can. Because I need to. Because I am stronger than I think I am.

 As I keep swimming, I feel the skin on my neck start to sting. Chafing. #$%*. Lauren said this will look like a hickey afterwards.

 The next time I look up and stop to take a break, a voice on a boat provides me with a little reassurance. You’re doing great, sweetheart. Just a little bit longer. You’re almost there.

 I begin to see the walls to the Aquatic Park in the distance. Finally.

 And as I swim to shore on the last stretch, I see my classmates who finished ahead, huddled together and celebrating. As I get closer, I realize that the noise I hear is them cheering for me.

 I finally get close enough to stand up, run to shore, and get swept off my feet by my classmate to celebrate the fact that I finished.

 We all did.

 Despite all the fear and uncertainty we felt this morning mixed with our excitement, we realized today that we are stronger than we think we are.

 And this, once again, is a reminder of why I love Haas. Because two years ago, I would never have thought that I would have the strength and courage to swim across the freezing, shark-infested bay.

 Today, a month before graduation, I found myself swimming across the San Francisco Bay, truly embracing one of Haas’ defining principles: Question the Status Quo.  But pushing myself further than I would ever have imagined was only possible because I swam today with supportive classmates in front of me, ready to provide anything from swimming tips, encouragement, good cheer, warm hugs, and the occasional celebratory lift to make sure we all cross the finish line. Together.

Congratulations to: Alia Al Kasimi, Levent Besik, Ben Buchanan, Borja Carol, Samir Das, Minnie Fong, Suresh Krishnamoorthy, Gerald Matthe, Elsita Meyer-Brandt, Dominik Sanya, Carla Vazquez, and Andrew Wisnewski, all MBA 13, and to Caroline Bas, Gustavo Brandileone, Pablo Cuaron, Stephanie Curran, Yuval Gez, Chao Li, Luis Lopez Nieto, Bri Treece, Yoni Shiran, Christine Tringale, and Nikita Zhilin, all MBA 14, and to partners Marina Brandileone, Rudy Ramirez, and Sebastiaan Verhaar.

Five Things: Women in Leadership (WIL) Conference

Keynote speaker Heidi Roizen

1. Leadership: Co-chairs Ruth Duggan and Jane Wong, both MBA 13.

2. The mix: Among the more than 400 attendees was a nine-year-old, who asked speaker Heidi Roizen, venture partner at Draper Fisher Jurvetson, “How do you get better at your job?”

3. Themes: What paths are you driven to bend? Is dreaming big and being a leader selfish?

4. Inspiration: Amanda Pouchot, founder of Levo League, an online community of professional women, challenged the audience to “ask for more” on Equal Pay Day (which was April 9), and Roizen shared war stories from the male-dominated VC world of the 1980′s, then inspired the audience by sharing how she negotiated a four-fold increase in compensation.

5. Perspective: “Today gave me a lot to think about.”–comment from male attendee.

Just another Wednesday in the Berkeley MBA Program

Guest Blogger Kyle Rudzinski, MBA 14

A Day in the Life at Berkeley-Haas

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At Berkeley-Haas, we’re “overwhelmed by opportunity.” Every day is filled with something new.  Something different. Some way to grow. There’s nothing special about the day chronicled below. Just a another Wednesday in beautiful northern California.

6:00 a.m.     Wake up to “Suit and Tie.” Get the day going right.

6:02 a.m.     Eat a Berkeley breakfast. Yes, it involves granola and fresh, local, organic, non-GMO fruit.

6:24 a.m.     Head to Hearst gym’s rooftop pool. Way behind on training for the Berkeley-Haas swim from Alcatraz in April.

8:00 a.m.     Berkeley breakfast part two. Plug into the world… meaning spending way too much time on Flip Board and Facebook. Check out the day’s calendar.

8:27 a.m.     Watch Khan Academy video on macroeconomics. Finish macro readings. Feel up to speed.

9:18 a.m.      Bike to MBA Lounge. Meet classmates Samantha and Aisha (from Canada). Refine and prepare our macroeconomics presentation.

10:03 a.m.   Scurry to the Bank of America forum to dispense “invaluable” career advice to Paul, an undergrad leader of the Net Impact club.

10:19 a.m.    Remember I had no clue what I wanted to do at 22. Send Paul a follow up email reaffirming he’s headed in the right direction because, well, he has a direction.

10:20 a.m.    Collaborate with Professor Omar Romero-Hernandez and my Tesla Motors consulting team–Shelley and Eileen from the Goldman School of Public Policy, Vu from the graduate Chemical Engineering program, and Bart (from Belgium), a fellow MBA–on our carbon neutrality strategy.

11:09 a.m.    Slip into Strategic Corporate and Social Responsibility class just before it starts. Thankful for “Berkeley Time” (classes start 10 minute after the hour).

11:17 a.m.    Listen to Kellie McElhaney, founder of the Center for Responsible Business, connect sustainability and value creation in branding. A positive message to achieve positive CSR ends.

12:30 p.m.    Chat about my summer internship projects with Alumna Kimberly Petska of Dow.  Feel encouraged that big companies make scalable, positive impacts on the planet–and that I have a summer offer.

12:48 p.m.    Get inspired by Salman Khan at the International House with 400 classmates. The Khan Academy founder shares his dream and results to change education for the better by providing a free world-class education for anyone anywhere.

1:43 p.m.     Pledged to donate to the Haas Social Impact Fund, a fund in which students promise to give 1 day’s summer internship salary to support classmates interning with nonprofits. Received free CREAM* for the pledge. Great trade. * CREAM serves ice cream between two fresh baked, warm cookies. The store on Telegraph Ave has a line around the block all the time.

1:55 p.m.     Review that macroeconomics presentation one more time. Head to class.

3:17 p.m.     Nail the presentation. Sam and Aisha demonstrate unflappable poise. Every day my classmates impress.

4:05 p.m.      Catch up on emails. Hang out with classmates Kate and Richard (from Australia) in Bank of America Forum. Brad (second year MBA) stops by to set up a carpool to drive us to the Design and Innovation Strategy Club’s tour and happy hour at Stanford’s D-School on Friday.

4:37 p.m.     Chris Curtin, Senior Vice President for Marketing Strategy and Innovation at HP regales us with HP’s re-branding strategy and tagline, “Make it Happen.”

5:56 p.m.     Chat with Chris about HP’s sustainability and marketing integration alongside Professor William Pearce (former Chief Marketing Officer at Del Monte and Taco Bell).

6:02 p.m.     Reflect on no more first semester FOMO (fear of missing out) as I’ve found my own groove at Berkeley-Haas. Tonight I’m skipping the Berkeley Energy & Resources Collaborative, Entrepreneurs Association, and Marketing Club happy hours and a presentation at Haas on Social Bond Markets because other opportunities abound.

6:13 p.m.     Head to Berkeley Law with classmates Lindsay and Steffanie to pick up Jan (from Trinidad and Tobago) for dinner.

6:14 p.m.    Tiny puppy on campus briefly derails our journey.

6:17 p.m.     Stop. Breathe. Admire the beautiful sunset over the Bay with the Golden Gate Bridge in the distance. Smile because living the California life is good.

6:29 p.m.     Eat authentic Latin America cuisine at Platano in downtown Berkeley with nine classmates. Plan our itinerary for a Spring Break trek to Cuba. Thank you, Berkeley-Haas independent study opportunity.

8:02 p.m.     Stroll to Haas Pavillion to meet Haasies for the Cal-Stanford basketball game (Go Bears!). It’s the first basketball game for classmates Vivek (from India) and Sandra (from Bulgaria via England). Exciting game.

9:38 p.m.     Brand management teammate Zeke (from Argentina) reminds me I need to finish demand forecasting for our team paper on a pharmaceutical case.

10:58 p.m.    Rush home. Turn in the assignment 2 minutes before deadline.

11:03 p.m.    Receive pearls of wisdom from MBA/MPH roommate Ashlee on the Southwest Airlines and Zara cases for legendary professor Terry Taylor’s operations class.

11:08 p.m.    Briefly catch up with my other roommate, Katie (we’re working on our third degree together after undergrad at University of Virginia and Langley High. Virginia’s well-represented at Haas!) and neighbors Jenn and Sakshi.

12:07 a.m.    Write this blog. Go to bed happy because it’s the people at Haas, my friends and classmates, that make it matter. Plus, tomorrow’s another day.

Backstage: Salman Khan’s Meet-up with MBA Education Club

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The student-led spirit at Haas recently resulted in a Dean’s Speaker Series event featuring Khan Academy founder Salman Khan, whose simple YouTube tutorials to help young cousins with homework exploded into a “one-world schoolhouse” with 3,900 lessons viewed more than 230 million times.

With an introduction made by Bryan Wong, MBA 14, Co-presidents of the Berkeley-Haas Education Leadership Club (ELC), Erica Butow and Tom Pryor, both MBA 14, took on the initial outreach and legwork to connect with Khan. The Dean’s office then helped to make the talk a Dean’s Speaker Series event—attended by more than 400 people. (Catch Khan’s lecture in the Haas video room.)

Butow introduced Khan before the lecture and says, “While I was thinking on what to say, I started to wonder how this was possible. How was I able to come from Brazil, from a non traditional background, and suddenly be there introducing Salman Khan to the Haas Community?”

“Thinking about it, I got to the core of what I am passionate about,” says Butow. “All of this was only possible because one day I was given opportunities and these opportunities opened doors, including Haas. As with most of us at Haas, I want to make sure I don’t forget about those who are not given the same chances.”

Khan stayed after his lecture to meet with members of the Education Leadership Club in a more intimate setting, an experience called “amazing” by ELC member Mike Ciccarone, MBA 13.

“At one moment, Sal Khan was trying to describe the way in which he thought virtual education might impact the labor market, and you could tell he was going into ‘teacher mode’ like in his videos,” says Ciccarone. “He asked for a piece of paper to diagram on and I was lucky enough to be sitting next to him. He drew a few scribbles in my journal to illustrate his point, and only afterwards did I realize that I now had an original Salman Khan teaching aid. I’m thinking of getting the page framed.”

“For someone like me, who wants to build a career working in the education space and bringing the lessons learned at Haas to bear on the problems of education equality, getting to meet Sal Khan was nothing short of getting to meet a celebrity or a hero,” Ciccarone says.

Butow says Khan exemplifies the mission of the ELC. “We believe that in order to have the impact we want, we need to multiply the effect we could have on our own by empowering others who will empower others and so on. We believe education has the greatest potential to change lives and break the cycle of poverty.”

Adds Butow, “We are really thankful to Deans Lyons and grateful for being part of this incredible and student lead community that keeps opening doors for us.”

MBA 12s at Work: The Strategic Side of Gucci

Grad: Eamonn Courtney, MBA 12.

Working as: Business Analyst to Gucci President & CEO, Patrizio di Marco in Milan. “At a high level, my role is to support Mr. di Marco with analysis that enables him to make data-driven decisions on strategic business issues. In practice, my responsibilities range from ideating on new services that can enhance customer experience to evaluating the financial productivity of our stores across the world.”

Gucci because: “Gucci’s management team is incredibly accomplished. The opportunity to work closely with these industry talents directly out of business school is truly special.” Courtney also appreciates Gucci’s active adaptation to the new ways clients shop and interact with brands.

Fabric cutting in Italy for ready-to-wear

Inside Gucci: “I travel to HQ in Florence quite a bit for work. When I’m there my colleagues and I will sometimes head over to product development to watch Gucci’s artisans at work. On one visit, the artisans happened to be making Blake Lively’s shoes for the Gucci Premiere commercial, so we were able to get a sneak peek before the rest of the world!”

Job search strategy: “Following my heart. I had to wait until mid-June for my offer from Gucci , which was incredibly stressful at times, but I knew it was what I wanted. I can’t tell you how it felt when I finally got that call.” Mock interviews were one tool Courtney used to prepare. “The Career Services staff has an adept lens through which to view you as a potential candidate since they are constantly talking to recruiters to understand the qualities that really resonate with interviewers.”

Classroom lessons in action: “One that I consider almost every day—and studied in Leading People with Prof. Don Moore—is bias and how it can impact data and behaviors. I frequently come across qualitative studies produced from numerous sources, and for each it is necessary to critically consider the source and how perspective might bias what they say. Otherwise, taking action on the data could be quite detrimental.”

The BILD approach:  “As an MBA, there are skills that are simply expected of you, and rightfully so. Thus to create unique value for your company you must be able to innovate. PFPS is an asset to Berkeley MBAs because the skills taught can differentiate you at any company, in any position, at any stage of your professional career.”

The Milan life: “Shopping. Milan is world-renowned for design across the board—fashion, industrial, etc.—so there are amazing local shops for all sorts of products. The people in the shops here also have incredible passion for their craft, so you can learn a tremendous amount at the same time.”

One of Courtney’s favorite shops in Milan–in addition to Gucci, of course!

Winning Approaches: Understanding Both Patient and Physician Pain Points

Second Place in Emory’s Leadership in Healthcare Case Competition: Felice Espiritu, Christine Chu, Alana Tucker, and Alex Leung.

The competition: Emory Leadership in Healthcare Case Competition at Goizueta Business School, Feb. 15.

The outcome: Second place.

The team: Alex Leung, MBA 15 in the Evening & Weekend MBA Program, and Christine Chu, Felice Espiritu, and Alana Tucker, all MBA/MPH 14.

The field: Included Emory, Vanderbilt, and USC, with Vanderbilt coming in first.

The challenge: Provide a recommendation on whether to implement a Computerized Provider Order Entry (CPOE) system at a hospital in the Emory Healthcare system (CPOE provides for electronic entry of physician instructions for patient care). In the final round, the top three teams presented their recommendation and strategic plan to hospital physicians to gain buy-in for CPOE implementation.

A winning approach: “We addressed the impact of a CPOE on both patient care and physician workflows,” says Tucker. “Physician resistance appeared to be the biggest hurdle, so we conducted root cause analysis to understand underlying concerns and developed corresponding recommendations.” The team’s ideas included providing on-the job training rather than classroom training to save physician time and engaging peer champions to promote adoption. In Round 2, Berkeley-Haas was the only team to create an entirely new presentation in the hour allotted. “We completely tailored our tone, presentation format, and content to physicians rather than hospital administrators,” says Tucker.

A winner because:  Judges hailed the team for understanding the pain points for both patient and physician and the resulting opportunities for a CPOE to improve their experiences. They also called out the team’s grasp of current healthcare regulations.

The H factor: “Not only were we able to bring our own work experience to the case, but we also tapped into the work experiences of our classmates,” says Tucker. “These included a physician who had practiced in the UK’s National Health Service and a former employee of a leading electronic health record software company.” Tucker also notes that Haas Healthcare Association activities, such as career treks, enabled their team of like-minded people to find each other from across programs.

 

Career Changes: From Grant Applications to Music Apps

Student: Stephanie Lai, MBA 14 in the Evening & Weekend MBA Program.

Then: Grantmaking Operations Coordinator at The David and Lucile Packard Foundation

Now: Marketing specialist at Smule, creator of social music-making apps such as Magic Piano, Glee, I Am T-Pain, and Ocarina. “I manage customer acquisition and app monetization. Internally, I work with product managers to optimize advertising, publishing, and cross-promotion of our apps. Externally, with mobile ad networks and monetization platforms.”

Why Smule: “Smule’s mission to connect people through music resonates with my own life mission. As an avid cellist, I’ve longed for people to experience the joy of making music. With our apps, you don’t need an instrument or musical talent – all you need is your mobile device.”

Inside Smule: “Our SF office has a grand piano, guitars, and drum set, and we periodically rock out in impromptu jam sessions using our apps and real instruments. While most company holiday parties involve hiring a band, the staff at Smule perform their own acts, including opera, jazz, rap, and a homegrown musical!”

Call them Maybe: Lai (lower l.) with the Smule band. Video here.

How she did it: “After spending 5 years in philanthropy, I realized I wanted to make a direct impact on people’s lives, rather than funding others to make a difference,” says Lai. “Given my passion for music, I searched for an innovative music start-up with a fast-paced, creative environment.” Lai say Luke Kreinberg of the Career Management Group encouraged her to network and ask friends about any music-related start-ups. “It turned out that my college pianist friend knew the CEO of Smule, and he introduced us via email. Without this connection, I doubt I would have gotten my first interview!”

Haas connections: Two Haas alums work at Smule – the Chief Financial Officer and Director of Marketing. “I met Jessica Wan, Smule’s Marketing Director, when we performed at the same wedding in 2009. When I applied, she kindly helped me prepare for my interview by answering my questions about the company. In addition, Smule’s CFO, Sunil Pareenja has shared tips on the Berkeley MBA courses he’s found to be most valuable in his career.”

Life Lessons: “From Mark Rittenberg’s active communications class, I have applied Rule #6 — don’t take yourself too seriously! This reminder has been especially helpful as I learn the ropes of the mobile ecosystem. When making a career transition, it is important to be open to change, new ideas, asking questions, and receiving feedback.”

Winning Approaches: First AND Third Place, Kellogg Biotech & Healthcare Case Competition

First place winners Yelena Bushman, MBA 13, Kristian Lau, MBA/MPH 13, Ken Su, MBA/MPH 13, Brian Feth, MBA 13, Ji-Hong Boo MBA/MPH 13

The competition: Kellogg Biotech & Healthcare Case Competition, held on Jan. 26.

The outcome: Haas teams placed first and third.

The teams: First place: Yelena Bushman, MBA 13, of the Evening & Weekend MBA Program; full-time MBA students Ji-Hong Boo, Kristian Lau, and Ken Su, all MBA/MPH 13; and Brian Feth, MBA 13. Third place: In third place were Nick Mascioli and Darya Rose, both MBA 13; Anthony Baldor and Chris Burke, both MBA 14; and Alana Tucker, MBA/MPH 14.

The Field: A total of 38 teams applied, from which 10 teams were selected to compete: two teams each from Haas, Booth, and Kellogg, plus teams from Harvard and Cambridge.

The challenge: “We were asked by a large pharma to value the lead drug in development at a smaller biotech acquisition target,” says Brian Feth. “The drug was in development for obesity and had a number of risks that made the valuation not straight-forward. “

The winning approaches: Team Goldenbear Biosciences, which placed first, built a bottoms-up valuation model based on narrowing the potential patient population to an addressable market and ultimately to revenues. “Given the short timeline, and the nature of the deliverable (powerpoint presentation), we realized that the ability to communicate the process clearly would be far more important than getting every detail of the model perfect,” says Feth. “We spent the early part of the week preparing and reviewing the model together, and the latter half of the week building the story and populating slides. We did make sure to sense check assumptions and try and triangulate various assumptions against each other. It was clear that some teams had not done this by the unrealistic valuations they presented.”

What made them winners: “We were told by the judges that we had the best overall mix of logical valuation methodology, communication style, strategy, and patient understanding,” says Feth. “One judge told me that we built the model and told the story in exactly the same way that they would at Abbott/AbbVie.

The H factor: “Confidence without attitude helped us to present our findings and answer questions candidly and with confidence, as we would with a client or management,” says Feth. We were noted for discussing the “patient journey” which is something that has roots in the course Problem Finding Problem Solving, as well as being discussed regularly in pharma companies as a key element of their customer focus. Tucker says skills from PFPS and Leadership Communication also played a role in the third-place team’s strong showing and in their ability to put together a succinct and compelling story. “Most importantly,” she says, “we worked well as a team to test one another’s assumptions and come to consensus, which Haas emphasizes throughout the curriculum.”

Why it matters: “The increasing rates of obesity in the US are driving much of the increasing healthcare costs – obesity is one of the huge problems facing our generation that will require path-bending leaders to solve.,” says Feth.