Full-Time Programs: New Student Information
Emerging Leaders Mentorship Program
The "Emerging Leaders" mentorship program is a student-based initiative designed to enhance the overall Pepperdine experience for Full-time Graziadio School students. The mentorship program is created and run by the Emerging Leaders, a faculty selected group of second year students. These individuals work closely with the student recruitment staff and faculty to develop programs and activities designed to assist you, the new students, as you transition into this MBA program. The mentors consist of members of the Emerging Leaders team, as well as the MGBS student body officers. We are here to assist you with anything from academics (concentrations, workloads) to getting around in LA and introducing you to all that the Graziadio School has to offer.
To reach a specific mentor, or to ask any general questions regarding all things Graziadio, please write to elmentors@gmail.com.
Visit our blog! http://el-08.blogspot.com
2009-2010 Mentors
Meghan Barnes was born in Seattle and obtained her undergraduate degree in psychology from Holy Cross in Massachusetts. After graduation she spent four years as an event planner in Boston. A 20-month MBA student, Meghan seeks to get involved in corporate stewardship and organizational development after graduation. She is currently interning in Northern California with the AT&T Leadership Development Program. During her second year she plans on staying busy as the vice president of Pepperdine's NAWMBA chapter (National Association of Women MBAs) and as the student body community chair specializing in all on-campus events, fundraising, and the overall experience with all of the Pepperdine clubs. Meghan lived on campus her first year and enjoyed the convenience, but plans on living in Santa Monica for her 2nd year. She loves the beach, hiking, good food and wine, traveling the world, and exploring all the neighborhoods of LA.
Alix Batty is a 15-month Full-time MBA student concentrating in entrepreneurship. Prior to attending Pepperdine, Alix worked in healthcare and finance with roles in both sales and marketing. She graduated from Johns Hopkins University with a B.A. in English and psychology. She is originally from upstate New York but has lived in Connecticut, Maryland, San Diego, and currently resides in Santa Monica. Alix enjoys playing soccer, running, skiing, going to the beach, reading, traveling and spending time with her friends.
Tim Benson has lived in Los Angeles all his life and joins us from the world of education. Graduating from UCLA with a degree in political science and history, Tim began his career as a teacher with the Los Angeles Unified School District in grades 4 and 5, before earning a master's degree in educational administration and leadership from Pepperdine's Graduate School of Education and Psychology. Shortly after, he became an administrator at a west side elementary school and later recruited to be principal of a private school that focused on gifted and talented education for grades 6-12. Realizing he wanted to open more doors to influence the lives of children, he decided to earn his MBA. He is part of the 15-month program, planning to graduate in December 2009 with a concentration in leadership and organizational change. Tim is honored to be a member of TEC (The Executive Committee) 2008-2009, as well as an Emerging Leader. Tim prides himself on being a family man and looks forward to future opportunities that allow him to positively affect the lives of children.
Trey Best is a 20-month Full-time MBA student concentrating in finance. The summer between first and second year, Trey will be working as an intern at Bank of America. He has five years experience in politics and government. During that time, Trey worked at the Department of Commerce, the White House, and on several statewide and national campaigns. Trey received a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania in 2002 with a major in political science. A native of Villanova, PA, Trey spends a majority of his free time on the golf course.
Shivani Chandar is a 20-month Full-time MBA student from India. She received her master of commerce degree with specialization in accounting and financial management from Maharaja Sayajirao University, Gujarat, India in 2006. She has three years of work experience in corporate finance where her main role and responsibility was to assist in financial management functions, analyze strategic policies and assist in business process redesign. Upon completion of the MBA degree from Pepperdine University, Shivani aims at working in M&A, strategy or financial services sectors of the consulting industry. She is also an active volunteer of "The Art of Living" foundation, an international charitable organization and organizes workshops for a broad spectrum of people. In her free time, Shivani loves to spend time with family and friends, watch movies and participate in adventurous sports.
Nia Chen is a 20-month Full-time MBA concentrating in finance. She finished her master of dispute resolution law in 2007. After that, she worked as an assistant to the CEO for an apparel manufacture company in Beverly Hills. From 2005 to 2006, she worked for the Culture Ministry of China, Center for Cultural Market Development, where she attended and organized many cultural events including the China Digital Expo. She graduated from East China Normal University with a major in Chinese and a minor in law and economics. Nia likes playing tennis, swimming, walking her dog and playing poker with her friends.
Ken Ellsworth is originally from Seattle, Washington, and has an undergraduate degree in business management with a finance emphasis. He spent five years as an independent contractor in Las Vegas, specializing in financial analysis and residential lending. Concentrating his MBA in finance, he is seeking a career in corporate finance. He was recently elected as the MGBS student body treasurer, and also serves as vice president of the Finance club.
JC Garrett is a 20-month MBA student pursuing concentrations in entrepreneurial management and marketing. He currently serves as the student body president for the Full-time MBA program, is captain of the Pepperdine Case Competition Teams and is actively involved in Pepperdine intramural sports activities. An aspiring entrepreneur, he will be using his summer internship opportunity to launch a new business venture focused on educating homeowners on how to make environmentally conscious and sustainable renovations to their properties. Before enrolling at Pepperdine University, he received his B.S. in communications from Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee. After finishing his undergraduate studies, he worked for two years in the non-profit management industry in Chicago, Illinois. He enjoys camping, traveling, sports, and volunteering for his college fraternity, Sigma Chi.
Caryn Golub was born and raised in Granada Hills, CA and received her undergraduate degree in communication studies from UCLA. After graduation, Caryn worked as an event planner where she executed a wide range of corporate, social, and charity events. She is in the 20-month MBA program, concentrating on leadership and organizational change. Caryn is excited to be MBGS social chair and cannot wait to plan a new year of social and networking events for the incoming class. She is also very active in Challenge for Charity, NetImpact, NAWMBA, and Marketing Ambassadors. She loves playing soccer, being outdoors, and trying new restaurants. Caryn lives in West Hollywood.
Radek Havlin is a 2010 MBA candidate with a focus on entrepreneurial management. Radek graduated from the University of Life Sciences in Prague, Czech Republic with an MSc. in business and economics. Prior to attending Pepperdine, Radek was a vice president at Citigroup, working for more than 10 years in the Czech Republic, United Kingdom and the Netherlands while holding various positions in areas of risk management, marketing and lastly sales and business development, where he covered Citigroup's business relationships with its top tier Global Corporate Clients across the Europe, Middle East and Africa region, as well as globally. Besides school related activities, Radek works on several business ventures and enjoys outdoor sports, reading, travelling and spending time with friends.
Tim Kim was born and raised in the San Fernando Valley. He received his undergraduate degree in economics from the University of California at Irvine and then started a music production company, which he helped run until 2005. Prior to enrolling in the 20-month MBA program at the Graziadio School of Business and Management, he worked at Countrywide Financial as a compliance agent. He is currently serving as an intern in the ELABS division at Universal Music.
Justin Malik was born and raised in Orange County, CA, getting his undergraduate degree in business administration (with emphases in entrepreneurship and management) from Chapman University. After graduating, he worked at the Hot Topic corporate office in planning and allocation. Shortly after, he launched his own online e-commerce solution for musicians: MyFavoriteBand.com. As you can probably guess, much of his background has come from music-he plays the guitar, drums, and saxophone, and has played in bands (jazz, ska, punk, funky-rock) for more than 10 years. Keep an eye out for some MP3s floating around the internet from his last band, conveniently named "My Favorite Band" (CDs available upon request!). Currently living in Santa Monica, Justin is hoping to secure an internship with Warner Bros. Records. Outside of school, Justin likes bowling, ping pong, Microsoft Excel, and Guitar Hero/Rock Band-he will happily challenge anyone who has the guts.
Kasie Okoro is a 20-Month Full-time MBA student at Pepperdine, with a concentration in marketing. He has five years of media experience, selling commercial inventory for broadcast TV stations nationwide (including ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, CW, and MyNetwork affiliates). Prior to that, he attended the University of Southern California and received his B.A. degree in 2003 with a major in psychology and a minor in interactive multimedia. A native of Los Angeles, CA, Kasie enjoys reading, watching TV, socializing, and staying active. Favorite quote: "Your future is so bright, it burns my eyes." (Quincy Jones to Oprah Winfrey.)
Justin Razavi, originally from St. Louis, Missouri, graduated from Lindenwood University in 2004 with degrees in psychology and philosophy, and a business minor. At Lindenwood, Justin was a member of the Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity and graduated with honors, finishing as a finalist for "Most Outstanding Graduate." After graduation, he worked as an event marketing manager, traveling the United States on behalf of brands such as Shell, Corona, Wachovia, Careerbuilder.com, and Hasbro. During this time he visited 45 of the 50 states. Justin has a broad range of extracurricular interests and spent the summer prior to entering business school playing a villain in an independent feature film and backpacking across Europe. At Pepperdine, Justin is the communications director for MGBS, plays club lacrosse, and plans to graduate with a marketing and/or entrepreneurship concentration in 15 months. Justin lives in Malibu and spends what little free time he has working out, laying on the beach, and hanging out with friends.
Jordan Rockwell is a 20-Month Full-time MBA student at Pepperdine, concentrating his studies in marketing. He obtained an MFA in screenwriting from the American Film Institute in 2002, and spent six years as a writer before realizing that he was meant for bigger and better things. Prior to that, he attended the University of Pennsylvania and received his B.A. degree in 2000, with a major in English and a minor in theater arts. A native of Baltimore, MD, Jordan bartends from time to time, hangs out with friends and family, and truly believes that future favors the bold.
Chip Thresher is a 20-month Full-time MBA concentrating in finance. Chip spent the last five years in government and politics in Washington, DC at the White House and the Department of Commerce. Through his work in DC, Chip traveled extensively throughout the world. Chip's love of travel has also influenced his decision to study abroad Fall '09 in Ireland. Prior to DC, Chip attended the University of Colorado Boulder, with a major in economics and a minor in philosophy. Chip is a native of Miami, FL and enjoys snowboarding, surfing, and spending time with friends. Chip currently lives in Santa Monica.
Jori Victor is a 20-month MBA student interested in pursuing a career in corporate social responsibility. This summer, Jori will be interning at Patagonia, headquartered in Ventura, CA. Jori moved to Los Angeles in August 2008 and has fallen in love with the diversity and richness the city and surrounding areas have to offer. Life as a student is certainly busy, but a ton of fun as well! She is currently the president of the National Association of Women MBAs (NAWMBA), curriculum chair of Net Impact, and a consultant for the non-profit organization, SparkSeed. Locally, Jori also works as a consultant for Piece by Piece, a dynamic microfinance non-profit and as a community volunteer for Susan G. Komen. Prior to business school, Jori spent time traveling around Asia and the South Pacific.. She was a communications and marketing specialist at 5W Public Relations, Scripps Health, and Meredith Corporation in New York City and San Diego. Jori is a University of Colorado, Boulder graduate with a B.A. in Journalism. She loves seeing the world, practicing yoga and pilates, baking, and reading.
Wyatt Walker is an International MBA student at Pepperdine. Born and raised in Sacramento, Wyatt's family moved to Utah while he was in high school. He stayed in Utah for his undergraduate degree at Brigham Young University, where he majored in international relations. Wyatt worked for three years in business development helping the company he worked for expand throughout Asia. As an IMBA, Wyatt gets the opportunity to visit and take classes at the prestigious Oxford University as well as study abroad for the fall of 2009 at Tsinghua University in Beijing. Over the summer, Wyatt is interning with Bank of America in their Leadership Development Program. Wyatt lived in West LA his first year and is anxiously looking forward to his transition to living in China. He likes to play all kinds of sports, but particularly tennis and golf, and is a frequent movie and restaurant goer in his spare time.
Frankie Warren was born and raised in beautiful San Diego, CA. Frankie is a 20-month MBA concentrating in finance who lived on campus for his first year. At Pepperdine, Frankie serves the student body as the chairman of the Emerging Leaders and president of Net Impact, a student club focused on sustainability and corporate social responsibility. Frankie received his bachelor of arts in economics in 2007 from Boston College with a minor in "Faith, Peace and Justice," where he researched economic growth in developing nations. Prior to Pepperdine, Frankie worked at La Jolla Bank where he spent time in both the accounting and appraisal departments. For fun, Frankie enjoys playing roller hockey and DJ-ing (his neighbors on campus loved him). Frankie is the oldest of four siblings.
Patrick Woodward did his undergraduate work at Lebanon Valley College in Pennsylvania, where he studied music and sound recording. As a recording engineer in New York City and Los Angeles, Patrick has worked with artists like Matchbox Twenty, Rob Thomas, Gloriana, Ryan Star, and Hikaru Utada. In addition to working in the studio, Patrick has started a few ventures including AjiSignal.com and 54Connection.com. Today, he can be found blogging at PatWoodward.com, podcasting at ArtistDish.com and studying for his MBA at Pepperdine University. Patrick is aiming to use his MBA skills to help build the new music industry. If you have any questions drop them at patrickcwoodward@gmail.com. He is a big-time restaurant lover; among his favorites are: Father's Office, Bay Cities, R23, Tacos Por Favor, Terroni, and Mozza. If you have some faves, please share!
Mathieu Zamanian is a 15-month MBA student at the Graziadio School of Business and Management. Prior to attending Pepperdine, he co-founded BSEEN International, a global sales and marketing consultancy company with a presence in 15 countries. He worked for IBM's European headquarters in Paris for several years, where he headed a variety of global accounts such as BNP-Paribas, LVMH, Metro Group, DANONE. He has an engineering degree from Orsay University, France.
Bryan Zirkel is a Southern California native, born and raised in San Diego. After graduating from UC San Diego in 2002 with a degree in computing and the arts and a double minor in computer science and psychology, Bryan went on to work in information technology doing systems administration, networking, and consultancy for the next five years. After a year in San Francisco working for Advent Software's Investment Management Group, he realized how much he missed the sunshine and was overjoyed to attend Pepperdine's Full-time, 20-month program here in Malibu. Bryan is concentrating in finance and plans to work in private wealth management upon graduation. Bryan is currently the vice president of the Malibu Graduate Business Society, the Graziadio School's student government, and sits on the board of Fonkoze USA, a not-for-profit microfinance institution that serves women in Haiti. Bryan lives in Marina del Rey with his fiancé, Emily, and loves to travel, ride his beach cruiser down to Venice and Santa Monica, and is a die-hard Chargers fan.
