The annual Leeds Sustainability Case Competition brought together 39 teams from top business schools to develop solutions for sustainability challenges in the age of artificial intelligence.
As AI technology expands, its energy consumption is growing exponentially, raising urgent sustainability concerns. How can companies embrace AI without compromising environmental responsibility?
That was the central challenge that MBA students from institutions like the University of California, Berkeley (Haas), The University of Chicago (Booth), Duke University (Fuqua) and Columbia tackled at this year鈥檚 Leeds Sustainability Case Competition.
欧美口爆视频 Boulder鈥檚 "For the Bees" team from the Masters of the Environment (MENV) program took first place, while Leeds鈥� "The Green Beans" team secured second place.
鈥淎ddressing environmental sustainability will be crucial for businesses over the next decade,鈥� said Vijay Khatri, Tandean Rustandy Endowed Dean of the Leeds School of Business. 鈥淟eeds is at the forefront of highlighting how sustainability is not only a competitive advantage for business, but also an opportunity to drive innovative solutions to global challenges.鈥�
鈥淔or 25 years, the Leeds School of Business has prioritized sustainability, ethics and social responsibility, and our students come here because of that focus,鈥� said Mike Leeds (Fin鈥�74).
Since 2001, the Leeds Sustainability Case Competition鈥攆ormerly known as the Net Impact Case Competition鈥攈as provided students with real-world business challenges focused on sustainability. The competition brings together graduate students, executives and businesses that share a common commitment to business practices that yield positive social, environmental and financial returns.
鈥淭his competition is a unique opportunity because students work in cross-functional teams, collaborating with peers from different disciplines to develop innovative solutions to sustainability-related challenges,鈥� said Kathryn Wendell, executive director of the Leeds Center for Ethics and Social Responsibility.
With AI rapidly transforming industries, this year's competition demonstrated how business leaders can balance technological progress with environmental priorities. In addition to fostering an environment of creative problem-solving, the annual event also strengthens students鈥� professional networks, giving them essential connections as they become next-generation business leaders.
The annual Leeds Sustainability Case Competition brought together 39 teams from top business schools to develop sustainable solutions to power the AI surge.Lola Lichtenstein (Mgmt鈥�25) will be joining Bloomberg in a sales role in New York City when she graduates this spring, thanks to a successful internship last summer. She says that the skills, knowledge and values she developed through the Social Responsibility and Sustainability Track at Leeds set her up for success and helped her to see that this opportunity would be a good fit.
鈥淭hroughout the hiring process, recruiters recognized the skills I鈥檝e developed through my focus on sustainability, like people-centered thinking and ethical decision-making,鈥� Lichtenstein said. 鈥淭hese things align well with the mission-driven, collaborative environment at Bloomberg. My strengths in communication and collaboration, which are important parts of their culture, have been shaped by my experiences in CESR courses, Sustainable Business Club, and team-based projects at Leeds.鈥�
"Recruiters recognized the skills I鈥檝e developed through my focus on sustainability."
Lichtenstein said that she was hesitant at first about the role with Bloomberg since she is not a finance major and initially wanted a role that focused on sustainability. A mentor helped her see that she had all the skills she needed to be successful, and that sustainability could be a part of jobs in many different fields, allowing her to seek companies whose values aligned with her own.
Guest speakers and peers in Sustainable Business Club, where she serves as the vice president of marketing, have inspired Lichtenstein to make a difference and helped her to see that there are many paths to impact.
鈥淚 am excited to work in an environment where my values align with others, and where there are many opportunities to learn and grow within the company,鈥� she said. 鈥淟ong-term, I aspire to create a positive impact on the world through my work. I have lots of ideas for making a difference, and I think Bloomberg will give me the perfect foundation to begin this journey.鈥�
Lichtenstein is passionate about using business to solve challenges like climate change, global inequality and waste. While studying abroad in South Africa, she witnessed the stark divide between wealthy people living in mansions just across a highway from people who were struggling with a lack of basic infrastructure in townships. Classes at Leeds taught her about business models that create positive social and environmental impacts. One day, she hopes to return to South Africa and start a business that would address inequality with long-term solutions.
鈥淭he most growth comes in uncomfortable situations, and it's important to explore diverse opportunities.鈥�
Lichtenstein sees building skills and staying true to her values as the key next steps on her career journey. She has advice to share with other Leeds students about pursuing rewarding opportunities and an impactful career.
鈥淚 think one of the most important things is to keep an open mind and step out of your comfort zone,鈥� Lichtenstein said. 鈥淭he most growth comes in uncomfortable situations, and it's important to explore diverse opportunities.鈥�
The Social Responsibility and Ethics Certificate prepares students with many of the skills that helped Lichtenstein land her job and, at just nine credit hours, it pairs well with any area of emphasis at Leeds.
Lola Lichtenstein was offered a role at Bloomberg, thanks to the skills, knowledge and values she developed through sustainability classes at Leeds that set her up for success.
By pursuing her MBA at Leeds, Mary Boling orchestrated a career pivot from education to a rewarding role in the clean energy field.
Right after graduation, Mary Boling (MBA鈥�24) started an exciting role as an associate with the (CEBA). She works on the market insights team tracking clean energy deals鈥攁n entirely new direction from her previous career in education.
So, how did she make such a dramatic shift?
For Boling, it boiled down to self-awareness and seizing opportunities.
鈥淣o one is going to work harder for you to get a job than you,鈥� she said. 鈥�You have to connect the dots.鈥�
Boling had been teaching in Houston for three years as part of the Teach for America program when she and her husband moved to 欧美口爆视频. She didn鈥檛 have a job lined up when they arrived, but through networking, she found roles in enrollment and student recruitment at Rocky Mountain Prep, a Denver-based charter school network.
After five more years in education, Boling felt ready to deepen her roots in 欧美口爆视频. It also felt like the right time for a career change. She saw how colleagues had expanded their skills through advanced degrees.
鈥淎 master鈥檚 degree is one of many levers you can use to help shape your career,鈥� she said. For her, pursuing an MBA helped craft a narrative around her career transition. It also created opportunities she knew would have been challenging to access or orchestrate without a program to offer resources.
But Boling didn鈥檛 go to grad school knowing she wanted to work in sustainability. She just knew she wanted to make an impact, and she believed she could do that outside of education. She approached the graduate school experience as an opportunity for self-exploration: What skills do I already have that are transferable? And where are my blind spots?
Then, she actively sought the answers.
鈥淣o one is going to work harder for you to get a job than you.鈥�
Mary Boling (MBA鈥�24)
She began to clarify her direction while attending conferences on combating climate change. She reflected on parallels she had noticed with how people advocate for educational equity, and it resonated with her background in teaching, advocacy and pushing forward efforts like DEI initiatives.
鈥淭he first thing that struck me was the clear action around procuring clean energy,鈥� she said. That ultimately led Boling to pursue the Clean Energy MBA Pathway through the Center for Ethics and Social Responsibility at Leeds.
鈥�CESR, in general, was a great resource,鈥� Boling said, pointing to the Energy Finance Bootcamp and networking events as highlights. She was even honored by the center with an Impact Buff Award in 2024 for her contributions.
Boling鈥檚 work experience had already helped her flex her networking muscle, but she further developed it at Leeds, she said. She was intentional about tapping into every available resource: career guidance, internships, conferences, one-to-one conversations and classes, such as one that involved a semester of consulting work with , a Leeds alumni-founded company, where Boling made great contacts and better understood which skills she could transfer to the climate tech space.
鈥淭here鈥檚 only so much you can learn on the Internet about a company鈥檚 culture or what they鈥檙e looking for,鈥� she said. Networking helped her discover job opportunities she might not have found otherwise. 鈥淵ou might know the shiny names of big companies, but through conversations, you find out about startups or smaller companies doing similar things.鈥�
In fact, it was through a conversation that Boling discovered the Clean Energy Buyers Association. A contact pointed out that Boling鈥檚 education experience was well aligned with the organization鈥檚 mission to create awareness around clean energy. She began monitoring CEBA鈥檚 job board, and when the right opportunity came along, she already had a networking connection to help her resume stand out.
Leeds also equipped Boling with two components required for her job application: For a presentation sample, she waa able to use material from the International Duke University Energy in Emerging Markets Case Competition, for which her team pitched to Okra Solar, an Australian climate tech startup. For her writing sample, she submitted a final paper from her Socially Responsible Enterprise MBA class.
Sustainability is a field with immense potential for growth. Green job seekers are 29% more likely to get hired, according to .
鈥淭here鈥檚 a great deal of momentum [in sustainability], so that means there鈥檚 also a lot of competition,鈥� Boling said. 鈥淵ou have to know what you鈥檙e going to provide. At the end of the day, they're paying you to help them push their work forward. Are you bringing in a network, or do you have experience solving similar problems?鈥�
During her internship as a change manager at , Boling鈥檚 manager helped her connect with the company鈥檚 sustainability team, and while onsite for a project in Vermont, she connected with the sustainability lead. She also talked with a fellow 欧美口爆视频 MBA student who was working there as a sustainability intern. Through her work and those discussions, Boling got to see how change management plays a crucial role in launching sustainability initiatives. She could frame her skills as a competitive edge.
Like most job seekers, Boling faced some rejections and lack of responses along the way. She learned not to take those as a sign of being incompetent or incapable, knowing they could be related to other circumstances, like an internal hire. Her friend gave her a great analogy: 鈥淎 job search is like water finding cracks to flow through鈥攜ou just need to keep moving.鈥�
As Boling dives deeper into the clean energy industry, her practice in resilience will come in handy.
She was inspired by a recent webinar that discussed mental fatigue when confronting the daunting task of climate change. 鈥淥ne thing they brought up is that to see progress, you need to make sure you鈥檙e replenished,鈥� she said.
鈥淚 think the questions I always have in the back of my head are, 鈥榃here can I be plugging in? Do I feel like what I've done has had an impact, whether it鈥檚 at a macro level, or even at a micro level?鈥欌€� It helps to focus on small, incremental wins to stay positive, she emphasized. 鈥淵ou have to pay attention to what you can control.鈥�
By pursuing her MBA at Leeds, Mary Boling orchestrated a career pivot from education to a rewarding role in the clean energy field.A graduating senior shares insights from a trip to India with the Dalai Lama Fellows program.
Nikki Bechtold鈥檚 spring semester is one for the books. Along with a group of students, faculty and staff from 欧美口爆视频 Boulder, the senior business major traveled to India in March for an unforgettable meeting with the Dalai Lama.
鈥淚t was just so humbling,鈥� said Bechtold, who is graduating in May. 鈥淚 learned so much from both a cultural and personal-insight perspective.鈥�
鈥淐ompassion in Action: A Conversation 欧美口爆视频 Leadership with His Holiness the Dalai Lama,鈥� was the result of a connection between 欧美口爆视频鈥檚 Ren茅e Crown Wellness Institute and the University of Virginia Contemplative Sciences Center. The event, held March 17-23 in India, gave students including Bechtold the opportunity to seek wisdom and guidance from the Dalai Lama and broaden their cultural perspectives.
Representatives from the Crown Institute, Leeds School of Business, Stanford University, and the Contemplative Sciences Center, along with faculty, staff and students affiliated with 欧美口爆视频鈥檚 Dalai Lama Fellows program, met with the Dalai Lama at his residence in Dharamsala for a series of conversations focusing on compassionate leadership.
Bechtold attended the trip as part of the Dalai Lama Fellows program, a one-year leadership program designed to help emerging social change makers cultivate self-awareness, resilience and compassion; broaden their cultural perspectives; learn how to engage with complex systems; and work with local communities in sustainable ways.
欧美口爆视频 Boulder entered into partnership with the University of Virginia and Stanford University in 2021 to deliver the global Dalai Lama Fellows program, which is headquartered at UVA. The 欧美口爆视频 Boulder program launched in 2022 and expanded in 2023 to include Leeds students as part of a three-year pilot focusing on nurturing compassionate and contemplative leaders with a focus on excellence in leadership development.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 really think I knew what compassion meant until these talks,鈥� Bechtold said. 鈥淚 took away that if I'm dealing with a conflict as a leader, I want to keep that mindset. Compassion is such an important thing that can often be overlooked in leadership. Because as the Dalai Lama mentioned, hierarchies can be really detrimental to compassion.鈥�
欧美口爆视频 Boulder Chancellor Philip DiStefano opened the meeting with the Dalai Lama, remembering when 欧美口爆视频 hosted him on campus in 2016 and when the Crown Institute hosted a virtual conversation with him in 2021.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a joy to be with you and Dalai Lama Fellows from the University of 欧美口爆视频, Stanford University and the University of Virginia,鈥� he said. 鈥淭his is an opportunity to shape tomorrow鈥檚 leaders.鈥�
Questions for the Dalai Lama were crafted by global fellows and four undergraduate 欧美口爆视频 Boulder DLF fellows around themes including climate, leadership, education, social and cultural change, and compassionate leadership.
The Dalai Lama highlighted the importance of compassion, humility and the shared human experience.
鈥淚 want to tell you how happy I am to be meeting with you here,鈥� he said. 鈥淏asically we have all been born of a mother and received maximum affection from her. It鈥檚 a natural response, we see other animals do this too. It鈥檚 an experience we all share in common, and it means we are all essentially the same. We survive because of our mother鈥檚 kindness. This is something very important to remember.
鈥淲hile we鈥檙e still young, the sense of our mother鈥檚 affection remains vivid within us, but as we grow up and go to school, it begins to decline. How much better it would be if we could keep our appreciation of her kindness fresh and alive until we die? One way to do this is to make an effort to nurture a sense of compassion and warm-heartedness.鈥�
Leeds Senior Nikki Bechtold snaps a photo near the entrance to the Kora Walk in Dharamsala, India, which surrounds the Dalai Lama鈥檚 residence.
Bechtold found the Dalai Lama鈥檚 remarks on maternal affection to be particularly impactful.鈥淢y mom passed away in high school, and we actually left (欧美口爆视频) on the anniversary of her death during this massive snowstorm,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e thought our flight was going to get canceled, but we actually left with no delay 鈥� So I felt like I really was supposed to be there.鈥�
One question the students asked the Dalai Lama was how to employ compassion as a leader when you鈥檙e feeling angry and frustrated.
鈥淚f we were to keep the basic sense of affection that we received from our mother alive, there鈥檇 be no reason to quarrel with anyone,鈥� he said. 鈥淗owever, instead of thinking about what we have in common with other people, we tend to focus on the differences between us.鈥�
Bechtold considered how these insights might influence her leadership style. 鈥淚f I can become a leader someday and a manager and all these things, I鈥檒l remember how important being compassionate is,鈥� she said. 鈥淚n the society that we have right now, sometimes it can be hard to be compassionate in all circumstances.鈥�
Vijay Khatri, Tandean Rustandy Endowed Dean of the Leeds School of Business, said meeting with the Dalai Lama was 鈥渢ransformational.鈥�
鈥淚 am filled with inspiration and gratitude after witnessing young social innovators who are creatively addressing global challenges in ways that are tailored to their local communities, all the while fostering the well-being of our planet,鈥� Khatri said.
A graduating senior shares insights from a trip to India with the Dalai Lama Fellows program.The B-school claimed three of 16 winners campuswide, who were recognized for outstanding character and exceptional service.
Leaders aren鈥檛 born鈥攖hey鈥檙e self-made. At Leeds School of Business, students are presented with countless opportunities to grow into leaders. That may explain why this year鈥檚 prestigious 欧美口爆视频 Student Leader of the Year award went to not just one Leeds student, but three.
Along with 13 other students from across campus, Kaela Gero (Fin, BusAn鈥�24 ), Meghan Fall (Mktg鈥�26) and Bianca Rubini-Tapernoux (Mktg鈥�25) were each named a 欧美口爆视频 Student Leader by 欧美口爆视频鈥檚 Center for Leadership. This year marked the sixth consecutive time that a Leeds Scholar has won the award.
鈥淚 am extremely proud of these three students, who embody our program鈥檚 values of community engagement, global awareness, inclusivity, ethically-driven leadership, and quite simply, being a good person who lifts up those around them,鈥� said Darrell Zechman, senior director of Special Programs at STEM Initiatives at Leeds.
Kaela Gero (Fin, BusAn鈥�24) was nominated by Zechman this year. 鈥淜aela is an inclusive person who listens to others and ensures that those around her find a general sense of happiness and belonging. Her ability to see an issue and find creative solutions that bring people together is admirable,鈥� he wrote in his nomination.
In addition to her role as a Leeds Scholar, Gero is a member of the Leeds Honors Program, a peer mentor and a teaching assistant. She has also completed prestigious internships at BlackRock and KSL Capital Partners, volunteered extensively, and gained experiential learning that has helped expand her global mindset.
She was recently recognized for her dedication and commitment to tutoring. She鈥檚 also heavily invested in mentorship and committed to instilling confidence in students.
鈥淎 good leader,鈥� she said, 鈥渋s someone who can naturally inspire and empower others, motivating them to achieve their full potential. They lead with empathy, inclusivity, and unwavering integrity, creating an environment where everyone feels valued and encouraged to participate.鈥�
Meghan Fall (Mktg鈥�26), a Leeds Scholar studying marketing with a minor in Italian, is a Dalai Lama Fellow with the Ren茅e Crown Wellness Institute and the president of the NMDP chapter at 欧美口爆视频 (formerly known as 鈥楤e the Match鈥�), which helps save lives through blood marrow donation.
She was nominated for the student leadership award by 欧美口爆视频鈥檚 Volunteer Resource Center (VRC), which praised 鈥渉er propensity for activation and a knack for building community among her peers.鈥� They described her as 鈥渢he type of person who connects to her values and lived experiences鈥攚ho embraces differences and uses them to strengthen a group.鈥�
The Miss 欧美口爆视频 Organization saw the same leadership aptitude in Fall and recently crowned her Miss Boulder. Inspired by the loss of her father when she was 16, she launched the 鈥楪ood Grief鈥� group through the Ren茅e Crown Wellness Institute at 欧美口爆视频 Boulder as her community service initiative, which focuses on supporting young adults experiencing grief. In addition, she spearheaded a new partnership with Judi鈥檚 House, which supports grieving children and their families.
鈥淔or me, a great leader leads with compassion and makes everyone feel seen and heard within a group,鈥� Fall said.
In less than two years at 欧美口爆视频, she has logged over 170 hours on five different service experiences with the Volunteer Resource Center (VRC). As a PALS Peer Mentor, a site leader for the inaugural Winter Alternative Break, and a facilitator of the Volunteer Placement Program with 欧美口爆视频 Reading Partners, her ability to embrace differences and use them to strengthen a group has contributed to each program鈥檚 success.
鈥淎 good leader is willing to acknowledge what they don鈥檛 know and willing to learn to achieve the best possible outcome.鈥�
Bianca Rubini-Tapernoux (Mktg鈥�25)
Bianca Rubini-Tapernoux (Mktg鈥�25) is working toward a marketing degree as well as certificates in Global Business and Social Responsibility, while also minoring in political science and international affairs.
Her involvement in Leeds Scholars has helped shape her leadership development through working cross-culturally with students from Japan and doing an 鈥極utdoor Access for All鈥� outreach project to improve access to outdoor recreation. In addition, her participation in the Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative's Ethics of Service Learning Cohort has reinforced her dedication to ethical leadership and social responsibility.
The Conference on World Affairs (CWA) nominated Rubini-Tapernoux for 欧美口爆视频鈥檚 leadership award after watching her in action for the last two years on the CWA business committee. She leads a team of students and community members in creating business-centric programming, which includes panel development, speaker recruitment, content and logistics.
CWA praised her for 鈥渆xceptional service to campus and community, exemplary character, and embodiment of the values of the campus 欧美口爆视频 Creed.鈥�
Rubini-Tapernoux explained that she鈥檚 recently taken on her most important role yet: the re-envisioning of the 76-year 欧美口爆视频 tradition for 2025 and beyond. She is the only student within a special task force that oversees conducting research and drafting a plan to present to the chancellor for the future of CWA.
鈥淚 believe a defining trait of a good leader is having a lifelong commitment to learning,鈥� she said. 鈥淎 good leader is willing to acknowledge what they don鈥檛 know and willing to learn to achieve the best possible outcome...Great leaders empower others using their knowledge and creativity; they can adapt to whatever challenge they are facing.鈥�
See how others at Leeds have learned to lead in the latest edition of Business at Leeds magazine.
The B-school claimed three of 16 winners campuswide, who were recognized for outstanding character and exceptional service. Traditional 0 On White ]]>How Leeds alumni are making the case for sustainability.
Megan Lorenzen (MBA 鈥�21)
Climate change, depleted natural resources and social inequality continue to put environmental, social and governance initiatives front and center.
Many professionals feel a sense of urgency and responsibility in adopting better business practices that benefit the environment. Since Leeds weighs environment, equality and sustainability as heavily as finance, marketing and accounting in creating academic programs, alumni often find themselves in corner offices鈥攐r just outside of them鈥攚here they have opportunities to advocate for practices and policies that create meaningful change.
For Megan Lorenzen (MBA鈥�21), the idea that her work can make a difference brought her to Salesforce, where she鈥檚 senior manager of sustainability. Her work involves collaboration with partners in various business units to understand needs and create impact.
鈥淲e believe we have a responsibility to help bring the entire community with us,鈥� said Lorenzen, who was named in the spring of 2023 to GreenBiz Badass Women, a power list of key players in environmental justice. 鈥淚f we reach our company targets and get to the finish line alone, we will have failed to actually impact climate change.鈥�
The good news, she said, is leaders are listening when it comes to not just setting targets but also the strategies that help companies meet emissions pledges and climate goals.
鈥淚 always say that accountants are going to save the world,鈥� Lorenzen said. 鈥淵ou are increasingly seeing accountants who are now ESG professionals. And our business partners鈥攍egal, government affairs, finance鈥攁re critical to our success.鈥�
鈥淏usiness partners鈥攍egal, government affairs, finance鈥攁re critical to our success.鈥�
Megan Lorenzen (MBA鈥�21), Senior Manager of Sustainability, Salesforce
Lorenzen and other Leeds alumni pointed out that a lot of leaders鈥� actions are being driven by changing regulations, whether from the Fed or SEC. That outside pressure helps provide a ready audience when presenting ideas to stakeholders.
Lorenzen believes that growing credibility has made it 鈥渁n incredible time to work in this industry,鈥� which wasn鈥檛 always the case. Just ask Kathryn Wendell (pictured left), executive director of Leeds鈥� Center for Ethics and Social Responsibility (CESR).
鈥淲hen I graduated from college back in 2000, I was very interested in corporate social responsibility and sustainability, but there was no clear career path to get there,鈥� said Wendell, whose work experience includes corporate responsibility roles at Chevron and World Bank.
鈥淭oday, this whole field is evolving so fast that even people like me are struggling to try to stay on top of what鈥檚 happening. But it鈥檚 exciting be颅cause, as we rethink risk, we鈥檙e seeing sustainability take on a stronger focus for private-sector leadership.鈥�
CESR plays a key role in helping prepare students to lead those conversations. In addition to student competitions, the center supports students enrolled in the social responsibility and ethics certificate and CESR Fellows organization for undergrads, as well an MBA pathway in ESG and sustainability.
Wendell said the center鈥檚 programming is an outreach of the clear strength in sustainability and ESG coming out of our faculty research.
鈥淭his deep caring about the environment and society is what brings a lot of people here to Boulder鈥攂oth faculty and students. It鈥檚 a shared passion and expertise that cuts across our school and makes us unique.鈥�
In fact, that helped bring David Drake (pictured right), associate professor of strategy, entrepreneurship and operations, to Leeds. Before moving into higher education, he was a director at Random House, where one of his projects was recommending whether to print books with recycled paper.
It turned into a much more involved project as Drake worked to understand the hurdles with partners鈥攍ike paper mills and customers鈥攁nd internal stakeholders. Ultimately, he advised the CEO to use recycled paper, though the economic case was unclear.
鈥淚t was a harder sell, at the time, because customers purchase based on the content of the book, not the paper it is printed on鈥攊f they want the new John Grisham, they generally want the new John Grisham whether or not it is printed on recycled paper,鈥� Drake said.
Random House went forward with the initiative, he said, because the cost was reasonable, the impact was significant, 鈥渁nd we were a privately held company whose owners cared about doing better. We felt the economic upside鈥攊f there was one鈥攚as through an improved potential of landing book deals with authors who shared that ethos.鈥�
Drake has brought lessons from that project to his research. He studies innovative business models that improve quality of life through resource preservation and greater access to products and services. His current focus is mobile money, which gives people in rural and underdeveloped areas access to banking services.
鈥淚t鈥檚 another example, like cases in health care and education, where people innovated in unique ways to bring products and services to people who haven鈥檛 had access to them,鈥� Drake said. 鈥淚f you design that business model well, it can be profitable as well as beneficial for society.鈥�
Even alumni who aren鈥檛 yet in leadership roles are finding ways to influence the C-suite. In his role as a deal advisory senior associate with KPMG, Alex Freimuth, CPA (Acct, Fin鈥�18; MAcct鈥�19) has carved out a niche in the energy space; 鈥渁t first, I was seeing more traditional oil and gas deals, but a couple years later, the majority of my work tends to have a renewable focus,鈥� he said.
Freimuth鈥檚 deal book tends to follow larger energy market trends. So oil and gas deals may be more prevalent as prices rise, while renewable energy deals are driven by a favorable regulatory environment and the associated tax incentives for those investments. He鈥檚 also seen traditional oil and gas companies spend more time analyzing and executing clean-energy investments.
鈥淧rofitability and sustainability do not have to be mutually exclusive. They can go hand in hand.鈥�
Alex Freimuth, CPA (Acct, Fin鈥�18; MAcct鈥�19), Deal Advisory Senior Associate, KPMG
鈥淭he main thing for leaders right now is balancing how to make decisions that promote sustainability while still remaining financially responsible to shareholders,鈥� Freimuth said. 鈥淭his allows executives to address stakeholders and communicate that these decisions are founded in the interest of our business and but that also accomplish something in the interest of the broader community.
鈥淧rofitability and sustainability do not have to be mutually exclusive. They can go hand in hand.鈥�
Learn More 欧美口爆视频 Sustainability at LeedsDrake leans on his industry experience to find effective ways to connect with students who take different paths to Leeds鈥� MBA classes.鈥�
Students will present David Drake with the Frascona Teaching Excellence Award at graduation this week. At MBA Last Lecture, in downtown Boulder, Drake gave a short talk to the graduates, encouraging them to maintain a sense of curiosity as they take their skills out into the world.
When he was a director at Random House, David Drake led a project team responsible for initiatives across the organization. And as you might expect from a publications empire, the company鈥檚 makeup could make that challenging.
鈥淵ou had some division leaders who were very business-minded, MBA trained, always focused on the bottom line,鈥� Drake said. 鈥淏ut you had other leaders who came up through editorial roles and who were more artistically trained. And since we needed buy in from everyone to move ahead, I had to learn how to present ideas to a wide variety of audiences with different skills.鈥�
That, he said, has proven invaluable in his role as a teacher.
鈥淓ach student has their own learning style and different strengths, and my job, is to find a way to present material in a way that is accessible to each of them,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 really think that makes a difference in helping people learn.鈥�
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At graduation, the first class of executive MBA students reflects on lessons learned at Leeds.
New award recognizes professor whose innovations tamed one of Leeds' most difficult courses.
That commitment to his craft鈥攁nd to the MBA students he teaches鈥攊s why Drake will be honored at commencement with the Joseph L. Frascona Teaching Excellence Award, presented annually by students to a Leeds professor who is a strong mentor, who encourages intellectual development and who creates lasting impact beyond the classroom.
For Drake, teaching excellence is about living up to the professors who inspired him as a student. He completed his undergraduate and MBA degrees from Vanderbilt, then headed to INSEAD for his PhD after six years working in industry.
鈥淚 think I鈥檓 like a lot of faculty in that I chose this career because I was inspired by those who taught me,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hen you鈥檙e in the classroom, and you sense that students are really dialed in and engaged, that鈥檚 the greatest feeling. And then, when you have a chance to truly make a difference for a student鈥攈elp them grasp something that they may have been struggling with and you see that 鈥榓ha,鈥� or when you are able to make a connection for them that helps them land a job or internship鈥攖hose moments stay with you, as a professor.鈥�
Drake uses the case method in teaching his MBA classes, in which students take on the role of leaders who faced difficult choices in guiding their businesses.
鈥淲hen you have a chance to truly make a difference for a student ... those moments stay with you, as a professor.鈥�
Professor David Drake
That鈥檚 not an unusual approach for graduate classes, but Drake said he appreciated it because it鈥檚 the best way to get students to bring their own perspectives and experiences to classroom discussions.
鈥淚 teach that way because there鈥檚 so much talent in that classroom that鈥檚 not necessarily at the podium,鈥� he said. 鈥淐ase discussions allow all students to benefit and learn from that collective talent.鈥�
That can lend a degree of authenticity to Drake鈥檚 classes.
鈥淲hen you鈥檙e teaching MBAs, sometimes there鈥檚 a dose of healthy skepticism鈥攊t鈥檚 not antagonistic, but it鈥檚 like, 鈥楬ow can I use this?,鈥� or 鈥楾hat isn鈥檛 my experience, why do you say that?鈥欌€� he said. 鈥淵ou have to stay real. You can鈥檛 just present this abstract theory, you have to be able to connect the dots and bring it back to what鈥檚 practical and pragmatic.鈥�
Just because MBAs are seeking practical skills for leadership doesn鈥檛 mean they don鈥檛 need to be reminded to bring perspective to their lives. Drake shared some of that during a meaningful, teachable moment at MBA Last Lecture, a Leeds tradition in which graduating MBA students enjoy a life lesson from one of their professors over drinks in a Boulder restaurant.
In his talk, Drake mentioned wonder and confidence as two values he hoped the graduates would continue to harness throughout their lives. He shared the story of rushing with his son, then 2, to day care on a fall day.
鈥淚 was running a bit late and, rather than being in the moment, I was in that zone, thinking about teaching and what was ahead for my day, when I notice my son had suddenly stopped and was just staring at the sky,鈥� Drake told the students. When he looked up to see what his son was watching, he saw brightly colored leaves dancing across the sky in a beam of sunlight.
鈥淟ook at the world with the wonder of a toddler,鈥� Drake said. 鈥淭hey go out into the world looking for what will amaze them.
鈥淲hen you look for wonder, you find it. Be in that moment, be present wherever you are. Curiosity does not have an expiration date.鈥�
Students nominated David Drake for the award, given annually to a Leeds professor who mentors and challenges in ways that extend beyond the classroom. Traditional 0 On White ]]>Since retiring from Accenture, Ellen Balaguer has created enormous impact in education, serving as a role model to countless Leeds students.鈥嬧€�
If you ask Ellen Balaguer what she鈥檚 most proud of in her philanthropic work, she鈥檚 quick to quip that鈥攖hanks to the efforts of the entire Leeds School of Business community to elevate its standing and impact鈥斺€渁 bum like me would never be accepted there today.鈥�
Rather than tout her own accomplishments, Balaguer (Fin, Psych鈥�82) points to 鈥渁 dramatic increase in the quality of the research and education at Leeds in the past two decades, which has allowed us, as a community, to significantly enhance the impact on the lives of our students, faculty and staff.鈥�
Balaguer鈥檚 compelling story鈥攁n impressive career with Accenture, her tireless work as a mentor and her emphasis on philanthropy that creates positive impact for others鈥攍ed to her selection as part of AACSB International鈥檚 2023 class of Influential Leaders. AACSB is the world鈥檚 largest business education alliance; this annual initiative honors notable alumni from AACSB-accredited business schools whose work inspires the next generation of business leaders.
This year, AACSB sought nominees who create positive impact through leadership that is compassionate, curious and resilient, with a focus on purpose, people and planet.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 do any of this for the recognition鈥攆or me, it鈥檚 about making impact and making the world a better place, and having fun doing it,鈥� Balaguer said. 鈥淎t the same time, it鈥檚 nice to know you鈥檙e making a difference. I was so honored to find out I鈥檇 been nominated, let alone that I鈥檇 been selected.鈥�
鈥淭he most rewarding part of working with Leeds is getting to talk with students and alumni, helping them figure out their own journeys.鈥�
Ellen Balaguer (Fin, Psych鈥�82)
After retiring from Accenture as a global managing director in 2009, she became a highly active board member and philanthropist whose service includes the Leeds Advisory Board, the 欧美口爆视频 Boulder Enterprise Corporation board, the 欧美口爆视频 Denver Business School board, the Jane Goodall Institute, the Florence Crittenton School Denver, World Pulse, ActivateWork, the 欧美口爆视频 Ballet and many others. She was presented with the Leeds Alumni Service Award in 2012 for her extensive involvement with the school, including mentorship of students and supporting initiatives related to women in business, career development, global learning and scholarships.
Her mentorship record is particularly impressive. Leeds is nationally recognized for its mentorship programs, but Balaguer has never been formally registered in the program. Get her in front of a class, though, and she鈥檚 liable to leave with a half-dozen鈥攐r more鈥攏ew prot茅g茅s.
鈥淭he most rewarding part of working with Leeds is getting to talk with students and alumni, helping them figure out their own journeys or sharing perspectives from my own career,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 joke sometimes that people my age say young people don鈥檛 want to work as hard as we did. But that鈥檚 never been my experience. I have so much confidence in today鈥檚 students to sustainably address our problems, and I look forward to the time when they are in charge.鈥�
At Accenture, Balaguer led many strategic growth initiatives for the organization and facilitated countless complex global deals. She successfully turned around several distressed business units and helped drive significant growth in outsourcing and consulting.
Her experience at 欧美口爆视频 was important preparation for her Accenture career. Balaguer got into business 鈥渂y accident,鈥� as she said, after taking an economics class in her first year: 鈥淚 have often said that in my career, I may have used my psychology degree more than my business degree鈥攅ven though when I was a college freshman, I would have told you business was the last career path I had in mind. That said, I have come full circle and now wholeheartedly believe that business can be a primary source for good.鈥�
The advantages her degree offered are a key reason she enthusiastically supports Leeds and other education-related causes.
鈥淓ducation, to me, is a root solution for addressing our biggest problems,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 want to make education far more accessible for far more students鈥攅specially underrepresented students鈥攖o help them obtain the same advantages I had through my own great experience at 欧美口爆视频.鈥�
At Leeds, Balaguer has established scholarships to support economically and socially disadvantaged students, while also providing funding for programming and activities that support students who have been historically excluded from accessing educational opportunities. Her impact goes far beyond 欧美口爆视频, though鈥攆or example, she sponsored a five-year pro bono project as part of a partnership between Accenture, the African Medical and Research Foundation and the Nursing Council of Kenya to educate 20,000 new registered nurses in Kenya, where the university system only had capacity to graduate 100 new RNs each year.
鈥淚 try to bring all the elements of the leadership and strategy skills I built in my career to bear in the nonprofit world,鈥� Balaguer said. 鈥淎nd it鈥檚 not always as different as it seems. You鈥檙e still trying to make an impact, to help an organization meet its goals. The way investments work are somewhat different, but how you build, hone and execute a strategy is very similar.鈥�
That enthusiasm was what made Balaguer an easy candidate for Leeds to nominate.
鈥淎 leader must be smart, strategic, energetic, trail-blazing, caring and thoughtful鈥攁ll qualities that colleagues and contemporaries use to describe Ellen,鈥� said Yonca Ertimur, Leeds鈥� acting dean. 鈥淓llen has given back so much to her alma mater, and the community has benefited immensely from her leadership.鈥�
鈥淓llen鈥檚 achievements demonstrate that success in business can also mean success for society,鈥� said Caryn Beck-Dudley, president and CEO of AACSB. 鈥淗er efforts to prioritize purpose, people and planet should inspire all of us to reorient our ideas about impactful leadership.鈥�
In honoring Ellen Balaguer, AACSB highlighted her service, leadership and commitment to creating impact, especially in business education. Traditional 0 On White ]]>Right Here, Right Now summit helps showcase the ways faculty, centers and alumni are taking on climate change. 鈥嬧€�
The Leeds School of Business will have featured discussions at Right Here, Right Now, but it's also long been integrating ideas like sustainability and ESG into its curricula, which helps prepare students for a business world of changing atttiudes and regulation. Below right is Kathryn Wendell, executive director of the Center for Ethics and Social Responsibility at Leeds and a moderator of a panel session.
For almost as long as climate change has been part of the global discussion, there has been the suggestion鈥攊f not outright blame鈥攖hat the crisis is largely the fault of business.
鈥淭hat narrative is starting to change,鈥� said Kathryn Wendell, executive director of the Center for Ethics and Social Responsibility at Leeds. 鈥淚ndustry leaders are increasingly vocal about how their businesses can play a role in solving this crisis in a socially just manner. There鈥檚 a business case and a moral imperative driving the private sector鈥檚 commitments and action.鈥�
As the University of 欧美口爆视频 Boulder and United Nations Human Rights kick off the Right Here, Right Now Global Climate Summit, Wendell said it鈥檚 important to understand that when it comes to solving this crisis, industry needs a seat at the table, rather than being told to stand in the corner.
鈥淲e are going to see a lot of change over the next decade, especially as companies integrate sustainability鈥攊ncluding climate and diversity, equity, and inclusion considerations鈥攊nto their core business strategies,鈥� she said. 鈥淔or business students, it鈥檚 an incredible time to learn about the issues and identify innovative solutions.鈥�
Wendell is facilitating a panel discussion on business鈥� responsibility in the climate crisis, especially from a human rights perspective, that will take place Dec. 3 at 4 p.m. The panel will be introduced by Yonca Ertimur, Leeds鈥� acting dean.
鈥淎t Leeds, we have had a strong focus on values-based leadership for over 20 years,鈥� Ertimur said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 integrated into our curriculum, faculty research, corporate partnerships and pretty much everything that we do.鈥�
A quick examination of Leeds鈥� unique differentiators bears that out. In addition to offering topical programming and events on business and climate, CESR serves as a bridge between Leeds and the sustainable business community in Boulder and beyond. The center also provides input that directs the creation of academic programs, including a new ESG and sustainability specialization for the MBA and a certificate in social responsibility and ethics.
If you go: Right Here, Right Now Leeds鈥� work and thought leadership in sustainability will be front and center at two sessions on Dec. 3. At noon, Kathryn Wendell will moderate a panel discussion featuring at McKinsey, Microsoft and elsewhere. Then, at 4 p.m., a CESR-facilitated panel on , especially from a human rights perspective.CESR also is an enthusiastic partner in working with other Leeds centers to address these pivotal issues. Last month, CESR and the Burridge Center for Finance hosted a panel discussion on careers in sustainability that featured professionals from Bank of America Merrill Lynch, PNC and others. The conversation touched on ESG, the financial innovations needed to make the case for so-called 鈥済reen portfolios鈥� and the changing regulatory environment around climate-related disclosures.
That impact goes far beyond Leeds鈥� centers, though. Last year, when 欧美口爆视频 Boulder cut the ribbon on the Rustandy Building鈥攖he campus鈥� newest academic facility鈥攊t marked the physical link between the business and engineering disciplines, which already were collaborating in service of solving complex problems.
Few problems are as complex as climate change, but the cross-disciplinary approach of Leeds and the College of Engineering & Applied Science has paved the way for impactful teaching and research.
Julie Gentile (EnvEngr鈥�24) is part of the BE Women in Tech program, a cross-disciplinary cohort that offers technical, business and leadership training to female students. She鈥檚 excited to use what she鈥檚 learning to create practical solutions to the climate crisis.
鈥淚 plan to develop products and systems that reverse or lessen the negative effects our industrial society has on the environment,鈥� said Gentile, a research assistant on campus who鈥檚 interned with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. 鈥淏ut there needs to be collaboration with business for success.鈥�
At a Right Here, Right Now kickoff event, 欧美口爆视频鈥檚 business and engineering faculty showcased some of the interdisciplinary research that鈥檚 addressing this crisis. Among the faculty presenting were Jeffrey York, research director for the Deming Center for Entrepreneurship and a firm believer in a future where founders figure out climate change.
York co-authored a paper, forthcoming in Organization Science, that examines how entrepreneurship is a promising, but often overlooked, force for mitigating climate change.
鈥淓ntrepreneurs create for-profit ventures that can address climate change in a way that government and activists cannot,鈥� said York, who also is chair of the division of social responsibility and sustainability at Leeds.
That entrepreneurial emphasis is clearly felt in the classroom, too. A team of Leeds students won the campus New Venture Challenge Climate Prize for their business concept, Aagraze, which produces seaweed feed pellets for cattle that could drastically curb emissions. Another recent graduate created a nonprofit to inspire children to become passionate about ocean conservation.
鈥淐limate risk and resilience鈥攏ot just how we reduce impact, but how we adapt鈥攁re moving to the forefront, which means new skills and ways of thinking are going to be valued.鈥�
Colette Crouse (MBA鈥�18), director of carbon services, Stok
In founding Sea the Change, Emma Pearson (Fin, EBio鈥�22) honed the business skills she used as an intern with Boston Consulting Group, which she was eager to join after graduation, thanks to the company鈥檚 work in sustainability.
鈥淏CG is really focusing on their climate practice and their sustainability measures and initiatives,鈥� said Pearson, an associate with the company. 鈥淚鈥檓 really excited to get involved in that, specifically in the conservation sector. It鈥檚 just so cool to work for a company whose values I really align with.鈥�
Alumni of Leeds graduate programs also are applying Leeds鈥� emphasis on sustainability and social responsibility at work, where their knowledge and skills help companies set and achieve ambitious climate goals that are as good for the planet as they are for profits.
Tim Weiss (MBA鈥�16) went to grad school to better immerse himself in the Boulder community, but it helped him build the skills and network needed to co-found Optera, of which he is also chief operating officer. The company is a sustainability software provider that works with companies in tech, retail, oil and gas, and mining.
鈥�We want to work with the companies that matter,鈥� Weiss said. 鈥淲hen we work with a major manufacturer, or someone at the foundation of the supply chain in the corporate world, our impact is so much bigger, and it matters so much more. We鈥檙e trying to go after those hard problems.鈥�
Colette Crouse (MBA鈥�18) had a career in sustainability, but it was mainly in government and nonprofit. She chose Leeds for her MBA so she could make a broader business case for sustainability and create larger impact through her work.
She鈥檚 director of carbon services at Stok, which offers clients expertise in areas like greenhouse gas accounting, regulatory and disclosure frameworks, supply chain strategy, and budgeting. Those kinds of services are poised to take off as regulatory conversations around climate impact start shifting.
鈥淭raditionally, the industry has been forward-looking, focused on climate mitigation and reduction. Now, the conversation is slowly shifting toward what do we do now鈥攂ecause we鈥檙e in trouble,鈥� she said. 鈥淪o climate risk and resilience鈥攏ot just how we reduce impact, but how we adapt鈥攁re moving to the forefront, which means new skills and ways of thinking are going to be valued. There will be a lot of opportunities for anyone interested in working in this space.鈥�
That鈥檚 a sentiment Weiss echoed.
鈥淢any people think of climate change as a geopolitical issue. We look at it as an economic issue,鈥� he said. 鈥淓ven if regulation were to help solve this problem, that regulation would require action among companies鈥攕o we鈥檙e going straight to the companies to help them do business better.鈥�
Business is finally getting a seat at the table in the conversation to fight climate change. Leeds has spent decades preparing professionals for that responsibility. Traditional 0 On White ]]>Leeds School of Business and the University of 欧美口爆视频 College of Nursing roll out a new Healthcare track within the MS Business Analytics degree.
Nurses, facing challenges to providing high-quality care to their patients, will now be able to improve outcomes by using data to inform pivotal decisions. The Leeds School of Business at the University of 欧美口爆视频 Boulder and the University of 欧美口爆视频 College of Nursing on the Anschutz Medical Campus have come together to offer a Master鈥檚 Degree in Business Analytics (MSBA), with a specialized track in healthcare.
For Kristi Ryujin, associate dean of Graduate Programs at Leeds, the partnership provides an exciting opportunity for both Leeds and College of Nursing students to enter a burgeoning field and make a difference. 鈥淒ata helps inform decisions that save lives,鈥� she says, speaking to students鈥� passion for patients.
The new MSBA Healthcare track prepares both nurses and non-healthcare students for careers in healthcare analytics, where they will turn big data into actionable insights that can improve outcomes for more patients.
Using data for good
鈥淗ealthcare analytics is really starting to explode. We need people who can look at big data across healthcare, manipulate it, and use it to make systematic changes that improve population health,鈥� says Sharon Giarrizzo-Wilson, PhD, RN-BC, CNOR; specialty director of the healthcare informatics program and assistant professor at the College of Nursing; and a practicing nurse herself.
She adds that with the MSBA Healthcare track, students can rise to leadership roles, improve the quality of care for many more patients, build better infrastructures, and influence government decision-making through advocacy and working on related contracts and grants. She points out that people with these abilities are hard to find and thus, in high demand.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a complex specialty,鈥� acknowledges Kelly Stamp, PhD, NP-C, RN, CHFN, FAHA, FAAN; associate dean of academic programs and associate professor at the College of Nursing. But it allows students to lead positive change and help more patients than they ever could before, she says.
鈥淲ith this new track in the MSBA, graduates will become pioneers in healthcare analytics.鈥�
Sharon Giarrizzo-Wilson, director, Anschutz College of Nursing
Swapping skills
The degree was designed so that business and nursing students could essentially take each other鈥檚 classes. Business students interested in the healthcare field can learn about healthcare technology and the environment by taking two of the College of Nursing courses; while nurses can learn business analytics through Leeds鈥� 10-month master鈥檚 program.
鈥淲ith data analysts from both nursing and business, it鈥檚 going to introduce a whole other level of collaborators that will help us see the vision of what is needed in healthcare. Together, they can solve great problems,鈥� says Giarrizzo-Wilson.
Courses are taught by top faculty from both schools. The 鈥渙nline+鈥� format, built with high-quality video content and remote synchronous lab time, allows students to engage with faculty and peers, cover technical skills, and learn from each other while receiving immediate faculty feedback and support. For nurses, the remote format means they can continue caring for patients, while also applying their new insights on the job.
This isn鈥檛 the first time Leeds and the University of 欧美口爆视频 Anschutz Medical Campus have partnered on education. In 2019, the University of 欧美口爆视频 School of Medicine and Leeds rolled out the MD/MBA degree for physicians. By teaching medical students business foundations, they鈥檙e empowered to positively impact patient care and health care delivery鈥攁 shared goal with the new MSBA in healthcare.
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