Wisconsin School of Business Executive MBA students are a diverse group of experienced professionals, executives, and entrepreneurs who are focused on career advancement, professional growth, and increasing their earning potential.
Nearly half are in executive leadership positions when they enroll, representing a broad range of professions, such as manufacturing, finance, engineering, technology, healthcare, and more. While no two are alike, each student brings unique perspectives and specialized knowledge to the classroom.
By exploring the backgrounds of students and recent graduates featured below, you will understand why so many seasoned business executives choose the Executive MBA at UW–Madison to transform their careers.
Grow Your Expertise to Lead a Startup
Brock Hensen (MBA ’21) started his career at Epic, bringing transformative technology to health care. Now he’s the COO of an early stage digital health startup. He joined the Wisconsin Executive MBA Program to connect with fellow executives and gain strategic knowledge to help grow his company.
Complement Your Skills, Expand Your Corporate Impact
Jen Torbeck (MBA ’20) is a lawyer working in compliance and risk management. A lifelong learner, Jen is earning an executive MBA to expand her professional options and allow her to rise to an executive leadership level where she can make a big impact on organizations’ success.
Run a Business, Run for Office
Badri Lankella (MBA '19) has operated his own business for 12 years and has over 20 years of computer engineering experience. He was looking for new business ventures and wanted to expand his horizons as a leader.
Expand Your Influence With Enhanced Leadership Skills
Mike Kottmer (MBA ’20) spent much of his career in the military. Now, Mike is focused on sharpening his business and leadership skills for his position with the FBI. His executive MBA gives him a competitive résumé that relates his military background to more advanced government and private sector roles to expand his career options—with a goal of eventually starting a nonprofit to support the veterans.
Impact the Future of Health Care
Elsa Jacobson (MBA ’20) is a health care leader and Wisconsin native. She’s worked all over the country—first for Epic, and later in a role leading digital health at Stanford Health Care. When a leadership role opened up at UW Health, the Wisconsin Idea drew her back. Then the Wisconsin Executive MBA Program drew her in as well.
Land a Promotion With Strategic Business Skills
Michael Hornung (MBA ’18) gained leadership skills and enhanced his business management knowledge, earning him a promotion before he finished the program.
Master Health Care's Financials
As a surgeon and emerging leader, Neel Karne (MBA ’19) looked for a program that emphasized leadership education, finance, and economics to transform his role at Beloit Health System.
Reinvent Your Career
Yevgeniya Rudnytsky (MBA ‘19) wanted to earn an MBA with a strong academic foundation and diverse experiences to reinvent herself, evolve as a professional, and advance her career as a strategic decision-maker.
Discover a Personal Leadership Style
Alba Rosales (MBA ’19) is driven to enhance her leadership style and is earning her MBA to challenge the status quo, get out of her comfort zone, and diversity her skill set to become a more versatile executive.