Class of 2020 Leadership Fellows on the Year Ahead
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“I am joining EDF because I’m passionate about working on solutions to protect our planet from climate change. Decarbonizing the energy industry while ensuring that society has access to sustainable, reliable, and affordable energy is one of the greatest, and most urgent, challenges of our time. EDF’s leadership in this transition, through research, advocacy, and partnership with business, is especially inspiring and exciting to me.” – ANDREW BAXTER, ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE FUND “I am thrilled to be joining the exceptional team at the Whitney Museum in New York. As an undergraduate double majoring in Art History and American Studies, I would not have drawn a straight line to an MBA from HBS. And yet here I am, excited to begin a fellowship year in a role positioned squarely at the intersection of my personal interests and professional pursuits. Since its inception, the Whitney has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to reflecting the evolving American identity through artistic expression. It is an institution with innovation at its core. Over the course of this year, as we embark on what will surely be a challenging new normal, I am excited to help reimagine the museum experience – in all respects – as we innovate, adapt, and continue to create value.” – MIMI DISIPIO, WHITNEY MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART “I will be joining Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts as a Special Projects Advisor. I believe that art has the power to unify people across vast differences by helping us to understand ourselves and to relate to each other. I am thrilled to be joining Lincoln Center during a time when the capacity of art to unify and uplift is more important than ever and must be fulfilled remotely and digitally. I am excited to see how the role of art in our communities might be amplified forever, past the restraints we face now with COVID-19.” – JADE ENNS, LINCOLN CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS “Having worked in education in my pre-HBS role, I could not think of a better organization to join after completing my MBA. Sesame Workshop and its enduring characters are American icons and are never more in-demand than in our current world of at-home learning and stressed-out kids. To contribute to the continuing story of Sesame Workshop is, frankly, a dream come true.” – SAM FELL, SESAME WORKSHOP “As a lifelong resident of Massachusetts, I am excited to be joining the Boston Planning and Development Agency as a Leadership Fellow. The City of Boston has undergone immense transformation throughout even just my lifetime, and I am looking forward to being a part of the change moving forward, especially in these uncertain times. With my background in transportation, I am hoping to think more critically about how the movement of people and goods impacts the development of a city, and how focused planning efforts can increase access to opportunity. I am very excited to be joining an organization committed to building a stronger and more inclusive Boston.” – REBECCA HANSEN, BOSTON PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT AGENCY “What drove me to pursue a role at the City of Boston was the opportunity to see how local government can help to create more equity through policies and public-private partnerships. My main interest is in promoting access to healthy, nutritious foods; and, with the COVID-19 crisis, these issues are even more amplified. I am excited to be participating in this Fellowship in a time where the role of city governments are even more central to the well-being of communities.” – ALEXXIS ISAAC, CITY OF BOSTON, MAYOR'S OFFICE “I worked in the technology industry prior to business school, and was exposed to both the innovation and inequality that exists in Silicon Valley. It's an honor to be able to return to California and support the Mayor of San Jose in his Technology, Innovation, and Digital Inclusion agenda. As a first-generation college student, I'm grateful to use my education to improve access to opportunity.” – CHRISTINE KEUNG, CITY OF SAN JOSE, MAYOR’S OFFICE “I'm joining the Draper Richard Kaplan Foundation because, as a recipient of support from nonprofit organizations in the past, I feel compelled and encouraged to support the growing field of social entrepreneurship. My goal will be to learn the process of searching, investing, and building boards of advisors and strengthen DRK's financial due diligence process.” – LEO LEAL, DRAPER RICHARDS KAPLAN FOUNDATION “I am joining the Governor's office because I have a passion for urban technology, and I believe the role that governments play in urban technologies will have an outsized impact on how quickly these technologies get adopted. Given 90% of the world's population will live in cities in the next thirty years, it is imperative that we work toward effective and equitable technologies quickly. We are living through an unprecedented time where the spotlight on government is amplified, and I see this as an opportunity to help drive real change.” – MIKAL LEWIS, CONNECTICUT GOVERNOR’S OFFICE “After working in biotech and health care consulting, I am really interested to see firsthand how the nonprofit sector influences the health care industry and can address some market failures. I am particularly excited to work with the Michael J. Fox Foundation because of the interesting and impactful research happening in the field today. The answer to Parkinson's seems closer than ever and being a part of the foundation that does such amazing work to bring about a cure is a once in a lifetime experience.” – STEFANIE MCDERMOTT, MICHAEL J. FOX FOUNDATION FOR PARKINSON'S RESEARCH “I am incredibly thankful for the opportunity to join the City of Detroit Mayor’s Office. Particularly in the wake of COVID-19, I feel beyond humbled for the chance to learn firsthand what it takes to address inequality and truly lead in times of crisis.” – SARIKA MENDU, CITY OF DETROIT, MAYOR'S OFFICE “I am excited to be joining the MBTA as an HBS Leadership Fellow. Throughout my career, I have had a passion for developing products and solutions for the transportation sector to reduce carbon and pollutant emissions. Joining the MBTA will allow me to have an impact as an operator executing these initiatives.” – MARK MOLEWYK, MBTA “I am excited to work alongside investors and businesses to accelerate the energy transition and help move the economy towards carbon neutrality.” – RATNIKA PRASAD, ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE FUND “I am joining Social Finance because I am passionate about innovative solutions that address economic disparities in the US. For the past decade, Social Finance has been a pioneer in in bringing innovative finance into the social sector, and I am particularly excited to be working in their rapidly growing portfolio of economic mobility and workforce development projects. The COVID-19 crisis has exposed how deep the US’s systemic inequality truly is and the need for new solutions that can turn the tide. It has given us an opportunity to rethink budgets and reimagine how economic mobility interventions are designed, measured, and scaled. I am thrilled to be joining an organization that will be a leader in this space in the years to come.” – DAVID REIFF, SOCIAL FINANCE “I knew coming into HBS that I wanted to work with an innovative health care services organization, and I'm excited to make that dream a reality by working with Boston Medical Center. BMC is driving innovation in health care delivery within the hospital as well as upstream by addressing the social determinants of health. The circumstances around COVID-19, especially when you consider the communities that are affected the most, highlight the importance of BMC's work. I cannot imagine a better place to start my post-HBS career and begin to make an impact in communities that I care about.” – PERRI SMITH, BOSTON MEDICAL CENTER “I am very excited to be joining a mission-driven organization with a focus on improving healthcare delivery outcomes and producing positive impact in the lives of children and adults alike. I hope to contribute to BCH’s digital health initiatives while learning more about the intersection of healthcare and technology.” – ELIZABETH SU, BOSTON CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL “For me as a European, it is a once in a lifetime opportunity to work for a US government agency. In particular, I think it will be a very unique and interesting time to be working at a public transit company given the coronavirus pandemic.” – WENDY YING, MBTA |
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