Sloanies Talking with Sloanies - podcast cover

Sloanies Talking with Sloanies

MIT Sloan Alumnimitsloan.mit.edu

Sloanies Talking with Sloanies is a conversational podcast with alumni and faculty about the MIT Sloan experience and how it influences what they're doing today. Over the course of this podcast, you will hear from guests who are making a difference in their community, including our own very important one here at Sloan. Sloanies Talking with Sloanies is produced by the Office of External Relations at MIT Sloan School of Management. Support for this podcast comes in part from the Sloan Annual Fund, which provides essential flexible funding to ensure that our community can pursue excellence. Make your gift today by visiting giving.mit.edu/sloan.

Episodes

Henna Karna, EMBA ’18, on Innovation, AI, and the MIT Sloan Experience

In this episode of Sloanies Talking with Sloanies , Christopher Reichert interviews Henna Karna, EMBA ’18, who reflects on her academic and professional journey. Karna discusses how Sloan’s blend of quantitative and qualitative learning has shaped her approach to innovation, emphasizing engineering new patterns over relying on existing use cases. With a PhD in applied mathematics and a career spanning roles at the NSA, Google, and AXA, she shares insights on cryptography, behavioral modeling, an...

Dec 03, 202432 min

A Conversation with Admiral Thad Allen, SF ’89, and Frank Finelli, SM ’86

In this special episode of Sloanies Talking with Sloanies , host Christopher Reichert, MOT ’04, sits down with two distinguished guests: Admiral Thad Allen , SF ’89, former Commandant of the United States Coast Guard, and Frank Finelli , SM ’86, a senior advisor at The Carlyle Group and founder of the MIT Sloan Veterans Fund . Together, they discuss their experiences at MIT Sloan, the complexities of leadership in the military and private sector, and the challenges of technology adoption in gove...

Nov 14, 202444 min

A Conversation with Stephen Boyer, SDM ’08

In this episode of Sloanies Talking with Sloanies , host Christopher Reichert, MOT ’04, interviews Stephen Boyer , SDM ’08, co-founder and chief innovation officer at Bitsight . The conversation reflects on the evolution of cybersecurity, including the complexity of cyber threats and the challenges companies face in managing risks. Boyer shares insights from his career, discussing the importance of transparency in cybersecurity incidents and the role of AI in enhancing security practices. He als...

Aug 30, 202433 min

A special conversation with host Christopher Reichert, MOT ’04

In this special episode of the podcast, Andrew Husband (Senior Writer & Editor, Office of External Relations) briefly assumes hosting duties to discuss five years of Sloanies Talking with Sloanies with host-turned-guest Christopher Reichert, MOT ’04. Reichert reflects on some of his most cherished and memorable conversations with MIT Sloan alumni and faculty—including the late Ed Roberts, SB ’57, SM ’58, SM ’60, PhD ’62, and his son, Mitch Roberts, SM ’92; as well as a joint conversation wit...

Jun 26, 202440 min

MBA Impact and Career Evolution: Creative Storytelling, and finding your North Star with Jawad Ahsan, EMBA ’14

Join host Christopher Reichert, MOT ’04, in a candid conversation with Jawad Ahsan, MIT Sloan Executive MBA alum, as they discuss the transformative power of an MBA, Ahsan's career growth from GE to entrepreneurial ventures, and the role MIT Sloan played in shaping his path. Discover how System Dynamics and MIT Sloan's collaborative ethos inspired Ahsan to pursue a portfolio career, balancing corporate success with creative storytelling and societal impact . Reichert and Ahsan talk abo...

Feb 06, 202426 min

Talking Intelligent Automation with Ian Barkin, MBA '06

On this episode of Sloanies Talking with Sloanies , host Christopher Reichert, MOT ’04, interviews Ian Barkin, MBA ’06, co-founder of 2BVentures. Barkin discusses his experience at MIT Sloan and how it influenced his career in consulting and outsourcing. He also talks about the concept of robotic process automation (RPA) and its role in intelligent automation. Barkin shares insights from his book Intelligent Automation and discusses the democratization of technology tools and the importance of h...

Oct 23, 202332 min

Leading with the Right Brain with Yda Bouvier, MBA '98

A conversation with Yda Bouvier, MBA ’98, on her new book, Leading from the Right Brain , gleaned from her studies in applied physics, and years of coaching executives seeking to strengthen and transform their leadership style. Yda discusses how many leaders are especially capable in left-brain functioning, which serves them well in building strong strategic, problem solving, and goal-achievement track records. And yet, when left-brain functioning gets stuck, it can only be unlocked through brin...

Aug 30, 202335 min

Shawna Young, EMBA ’15, talks about access to advanced learning opportunities for children of color.

A conversation with Shawna Young, EMBA ’15, on her experiences from North Carolina to Cambridge, from teaching high school to reinvigorating the Scratch Foundation at MIT and advocating for her community. A graduate of Howard University, Shawna tells us about being in a space where her classmates could be themselves, “unapologetically black and ambitious.” It set her on a path to focus on the access to advanced learning opportunities for children of color early in their educational journey. Shaw...

Jun 19, 202330 min

Creating a sustainable food supply eco-system, with Alexander Borschow, SB ’06, MBA '14

A conversation with Alexander Borschow, SB ’06, MBA ’14, on his journey from Puerto Rico to MIT undergraduate studying chemical biological engineering in Course 10B, then on to New York as a banker at BNP Paribas. On a trip in 2011 to northern Argentina, Alexander had a life-changing realization that the global food system was not sustainable. He returned to MIT Sloan for its strong program in sustainability. While at MIT Sloan, Alexander was president of the Food and Agriculture Club. After gra...

May 26, 202338 min

A conversation with Roberto Rigobon, PhD ’97, and Juan Pablo Armas, SM ’92

A conversation with Roberto Rigobon and Juan Pablo Armas, on the 10th Anniversary of the MIT Sloan Latin America Office. Professor Rigobon and Juan Pablo share the experiences of creating and building the Latin American office, the first of its kind, the challenges of creating a unified and impactful venue for sharing ideas on such a large continent, with disparate economies, education systems, and politics. They share how Andrónico Luksic pitched the idea to the Dean, and how local families and...

Apr 24, 202340 min

Ricard Huguet, MOT ’04 talks about. the lessons and confidence gained from attending MIT Sloan and the lasting value in the community

A conversation with Ricard Huguet, MOT ’04, from his start as Director of Innovation for the City of Barcelona, to following his vision of leveraging LEGO robotics for innovation in STEM education in both classrooms and executive suites. Ricard speaks about listening to his customers for ideas, the pivot he made in his company in 2008—in the face of the global economic downturn—and the latest addition of an online platform that has extended his reach exponentially. Ricard also talks about the le...

Mar 26, 202330 min

A conversation with Naji Gehchan, EMBA ’22

Naji Gehchan, EMBA ’22 joins Christopher Reichert, MOT ’04, to talk about the life experiences that led him to study medicine, and eventually start Sohati , a comprehensive website in Arabic that provides information about the health medical field, and informs his oncology work at Eli Lilly. Naji talks about his chronic condition, which he calls “Impatientitus” and how he balances purpose with speed to build a team culture where he is striving to get things done fast while at the same way the te...

Feb 16, 202341 min

A conversation with Captain Brian Erickson, SFMBA ’21

Captain Brian Erickson, SFMBA ’21, joins Christopher Reichert, MOT ’04, to talk about his career from a 17-year-old service member in the Coast Guard to its first Chief Data Officer. Capt. Erickson explores leadership and innovation in a 233-year-old organization. He talks about growing up in a small town in Washington State, and the opportunities and experiences of serving in the U.S. Coast Guard for over 30 years. He’s been an engineer and pilot and had participated in the rescue of over 35 pe...

Jan 20, 202338 min

A conversation with Ohad Tzur, MBA ‘12

Ohad Tzur, MBA ’12, joins Christopher Reichert, MOT ’04, to talk about his startup Kahoona ( www.kahoona.io ) which is dedicated to helping individuals and companies traverse the disruptive online changes for online privacy and data mining. Ohad talks about growing up in Israel, the transformational experiences of serving in the Israeli Defense Force, working at Google and learning to manage and embrace the sometimes-overwhelming opportunities at Sloan, in particular Action Learning. Ohad closes...

Nov 10, 202238 min

Aditi Javeri Gokhale, SB ’96, MBA ’99

Aditi Javeri Gokhale, SB ’96, MBA ’99, joins Christopher Reichert, MOT ’04, for a discussion on her role as the most senior female leader at Northwestern Mutual, where she holds the title of chief strategy officer, president of retail investments, and head of institutional investments. They also discuss her journey from India to MIT, her dedication to leadership and mentoring fellow women, and her commitment to establishing gender equity. Support the show Thanks for listening! Find more episodes...

Jul 21, 202232 min

Rachel Stevens MBA '15

Rachel Stevens, MBA ’15, joins Christopher Reichert, MOT ’04, for a discussion about her journey from corporate mainstream, working at Apple and Tatte; to starting her own business, VIENVIE, a women's fashion marketplace startup that brings together existing designers and consumers—working to solve the problem of fit, style, and discovery for the modern woman. Support the show Thanks for listening! Find more episodes on our website Sloanies Talking with Sloanies . Learn more about MIT Sloan...

Feb 15, 202239 min

Ken Pucker, SM ’90

Ken Pucker, SM ’90, joins Christopher Reichert, MOT ’04, for a discussion about corporate sustainability efforts, climate change, and what he believes needs to be done to address these issues. Currently a senior lecturer at The Fletcher School at Tufts University, Ken shares how system dynamics and his time at MIT Sloan influenced his last decade of working at the intersection of climate and capitalism. Support the show Thanks for listening! Find more episodes on our website Sloanies Talking wit...

Oct 13, 202143 min

Jossy Lee, MBA ’12

Jossy Lee, MBA ’12, joins Christopher Reichert, MOT ’04, to share how her time at MIT Sloan has impacted her current work as a founding member of the New England Innovation Academy , the first middle and high school using human-centered design to prepare future innovators. She is also the founder of Woom , an incubator dedicated to nurturing working moms, and author of "Mommy Goes to Work," a forthcoming storybook celebrating working moms. Support the show Thanks for listening! Find mo...

Sep 27, 202134 min

Sunish Gupta, SDM ’12

Sunish Gupta, SDM ’12, joins Christopher Reichert, MOT ’04, to share how his diagnosis of retinitis pigmentosa in 2001, as well as his background in technology and engineering, served as his motivation to focus his work on enhancing the design and implementation of assistive technologies for all disabilities. MIT alumni are invited to email Sunish for a complimentary accessibility consultation for their company’s website or app, including a 30-minute Simple Experience Evaluation for Disabilities...

Sep 15, 202130 min

TJ Leonard, MBA ’08

TJ Leonard, MBA ’08, joins Christopher Reichert, MOT ’04, to discuss his career in the marketing industry and how that led to his current role as CEO at Storyblocks , a stock media subscription service dedicated to providing accessible, affordable stock for creatives. Support the show Thanks for listening! Find more episodes on our website Sloanies Talking with Sloanies . Learn more about MIT Sloan Alumni on X (Formerly known as Twitter ), Facebook , Instagram , Threads , and LinkedIn . To suppo...

Aug 12, 202136 min

Khalid David, MBA ’19

Khalid David, MBA ’19, joins Christopher Reichert, MOT ’04, to share how his journey working in the construction industry led him to MIT Sloan, where he was able to begin building TracFlo, an online financial tool designed to help contractors manage project risk. Support the show Thanks for listening! Find more episodes on our website Sloanies Talking with Sloanies . Learn more about MIT Sloan Alumni on X (Formerly known as Twitter ), Facebook , Instagram , Threads , and LinkedIn . To support th...

Jul 26, 202134 min

Kimmy Paluch, MBA ’11

Beta Boom co-founder Kimmy Paluch, MBA ’11, joins Christopher Reichert, MOT ’04, to detail her work taking on the racially-biased venture capital model to help underrepresented entrepreneurs succeed. Support the show Thanks for listening! Find more episodes on our website Sloanies Talking with Sloanies . Learn more about MIT Sloan Alumni on X (Formerly known as Twitter ), Facebook , Instagram , Threads , and LinkedIn . To support this show or if you have an idea for a topic or a guest you think ...

May 27, 202131 min

Daya Fields, MBA ’07

Daya Fields, MBA ’07, joins Christopher Reichert, MOT ’04, to discuss her career journey in the world of corporate cosmetics. She shares how a trek she went on while at MIT Sloan led her to begin a career in the beauty and personal care space, where she is now the President of Pipette and Purecane at Amyris. Support the show Thanks for listening! Find more episodes on our website Sloanies Talking with Sloanies . Learn more about MIT Sloan Alumni on X (Formerly known as Twitter ), Facebook , Inst...

May 18, 202139 min

Edward Crawford, EMBA ’17

Edward Crawford, EMBA ’17, joins Christopher Reichert, MOT ’04, to discuss his role as co-founder and president of Coltala Holdings . He also shares lessons from his time in the Peace Corps, the U.S. Navy, and his experience in the Executive MBA program at MIT Sloan. Support the show Thanks for listening! Find more episodes on our website Sloanies Talking with Sloanies . Learn more about MIT Sloan Alumni on X (Formerly known as Twitter ), Facebook , Instagram , Threads , and LinkedIn . To suppor...

Apr 27, 202131 min

Perrin Quarshie, MBA ’16

Perrin Quarshie, MBA ’16, joins Christopher Reichert, MOT ’04, to discuss his career evolution from working as a civil engineer to becoming an entrepreneur in the financial services space. He is now the founder and CEO of RealBlocks , a technology platform that connects advisors and investors to the best alternative investment managers. Support the show Thanks for listening! Find more episodes on our website Sloanies Talking with Sloanies . Learn more about MIT Sloan Alumni on X (Formerly known ...

Apr 08, 202138 min

Christina Gordon, SM ’92

Christina Gordon, SM ’92, joins Christopher Reichert, MOT ’04, to discuss her role as Co-Founder and CEO of the Women’s Foundation of Boston, a nonprofit organization working to make an impact in the economic empowerment of women and girls in the Greater Boston area. Support the show Thanks for listening! Find more episodes on our website Sloanies Talking with Sloanies . Learn more about MIT Sloan Alumni on X (Formerly known as Twitter ), Facebook , Instagram , Threads , and LinkedIn . To suppor...

Mar 24, 202139 min

Kaushik Joshi, MBA ’05

Kaushik Joshi, MBA ’05, joins Christopher Reichert, MOT ’04, to share learnings from his role as a Global Managing Director at Equinix and provide insight on the future of 5G and the impact it will have across sectors, particularly in tech and real estate. Support the show Thanks for listening! Find more episodes on our website Sloanies Talking with Sloanies . Learn more about MIT Sloan Alumni on X (Formerly known as Twitter ), Facebook , Instagram , Threads , and LinkedIn . To support this show...

Feb 22, 202140 min

Ore Adeyemi, SB '00, MBA '06

Ore Adeyemi, SB ’00, MBA ’06, joins Christopher Reichert, MOT ’04, to discuss his journey to MIT Sloan and his rise through the ranks at HSBC, where he currently serves as the Global Head and Managing Director for Strategic Innovation of Investments. He also shares how his leadership skills have evolved and his commitment to working on diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. Support the show Thanks for listening! Find more episodes on our website Sloanies Talking with Sloanies . Learn more abo...

Jan 22, 202138 min

Richard Resnick, MOT ’04

Richard Resnick, MOT ’04, joins classmate Christopher Reichert, MOT ’04, to reflect on his career that began in computer science and evolved into senior management roles, including his current position as CEO at Cureatr. He also details the evolution of his management style and his desire to be a leader that transforms the culture of the organization. Support the show Thanks for listening! Find more episodes on our website Sloanies Talking with Sloanies . Learn more about MIT Sloan Alumni on X (...

Dec 16, 202035 min

Monica Lee Foley, EMBA ’19

Monica Lee Foley, EMBA ’19, joins Christopher Reichert, MOT ’04, to discuss her time in MIT Sloan's Executive MBA program, the importance of mentoring, and her career at NASA, where she currently serves as chief of staff at the Johnson Space Center. Support the show Thanks for listening! Find more episodes on our website Sloanies Talking with Sloanies . Learn more about MIT Sloan Alumni on X (Formerly known as Twitter ), Facebook , Instagram , Threads , and LinkedIn . To support this show o...

Nov 18, 202031 min