Meet the 2018 International Business Development Full-Time MBA Team Leads
Every year we in the IBD program become more impressed with the quality of applicants for the IBD Team Lead position. This year was no exception, and we are proud to announce the 16 Full-Time MBA Student Team Leads for the 2018 IBD program. Below you will find a little bit about each of their backgrounds, as well as what excites them about the IBD program and their new Team Lead role.
2018 IBD Team Leads in Alphabetical Order by Last Name:
Elizabeth (Libby) Andrada: Libby’s last position before coming to Berkeley Haas was Director of Strategic Communications and Healthcare and Life Sciences at FTI Consulting, a global advisory firm, located in New York. She keeps her ties to New York as she is currently a writing buddy at the High School of Economics and Finance.
“I’m most excited about the opportunity to work with Haas classmates to make a real impact at an organization. I’m looking forward to building something tangible with our team and also to learning about what it’s like to work in an international context with teammates from all different backgrounds and with different experiences and passions.” – Libby
Melea Atkins:
Although Melea’s most recent role was as a consultant at MedStar Health Institute for Innovation, she spent the majority of her career in politics. She served as a Legislative Aide for the Office of U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren and Regional Field Director for Warren for U.S. Senate. Malea is a Forté Foundation Fellow and loves swimming.
“I can’t wait to identify and start working with my team! Leading a group of diverse, multi-talented, Haas MBAs to complete a meaningful project is exactly the type of leadership learning experience I was hoping to get as a student at Haas.” – Melea
Emily Atwood: Before attending Haas, Emily spent her career in Buenos Aires, working as a consultant at EY. In her first year at EY, she started weekly English- only lunches to help Argentine teammates practice language conversation skills.
“I’m most looking forward to being at the client as a team — getting to put in practice everything we’re learning at Haas and will have worked towards together.” – Emily
Natalie Bauman: 
Before coming to Berkeley Haas, Natalie started working at AlphaSights as an intern while she attended Colgate University, ending her long tenor there as a Manager of the Consulting Practice. AlphaSights is a global knowledge search firm that connects institutional investors with industry experts. Natalie was also the President of the Women’s Initiative Network at AlphaSights, which looked at diversity within the organization.
“I’m most excited about getting to work and bond with my team! I love how IBD gives us the opportunity to step outside of our comfort zones together.” – Natalie
Paola Blanco: Trained as an industrial engineer at the University of Puerto Rico, Paola’s career at Abbott Diabetes Care and Abbott Laboratories focused on medical devices and manufacturing. Paula was also the Team Lead for Abbott’s UPRM recruitment, ensuring that Hispanic talent was part of the pipeline to participate in internship and leadership programs.
“What excites me the most about IBD is the combination of creating great relationships with my team, having a meaningful impact on our client’s organization and having fun! As an IBD lead, I’m hoping to contribute to the success of our team and project, by keeping a positive working environment, leveraging each team member strengths, and listening to feedback.” – Paola
Michelle Boyd: Michelle’s most recent job was as a consultant with The Bridgespan Group, a social sector strategy consulting and research firm. She also worked as a consultant with Kiva and worked in India. An avid backpacker, Michelle has completed multiple 200+ mile backpacking trips, including the 210-mile John Muir Trail.
“I am most excited about working with an awesome group of Haasies in another country, and having a blast!” – Michelle
Jocelyn Brown: Jocelyn’s career focus has been global health. She has worked for two organizations: 3rd Stone Design, which is a medical device design company that focuses on development; and Rice 360 Institute for Global Health. In 2014 Jocelyn was named in Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list in the Science and Healthcare ibd_post_tag.
“In the IBD experience, I’m most excited about the opportunity to lead and work with a small team of amazing Haasies, to place ourselves in our clients’ shoes for a brief period and help solve a challenge they face, and to have a lot of fun working in an international setting!” – Jocelyn
Stan Cataldo: Stan’s career has been in wealth and asset management. He has worked for Deutsche Bank, JP Morgan, and RBC Capital Markets in Venezuela, Colombia, New York, and Miami. Stan has dual Italian-Venezuelan citizenship and was a violinist in the Arcos Juveniles de Caracas and Florida Youth Orchestras.
“ Whatever I decide to do after Haas will focus on bridging global barriers and bringing the world closer together; being an IBD Team Lead will allow me to hone the leadership skills needed to get there!” – Stan
Colin Dunn: Colin has worked in the retail management space since graduation from Notre Dame. He has been a buyer, merchant, and divisional merchandise manager for Guess?, Inc. and Abercrombie & Fitch. Colin was selected as one of 13 “young company leaders” and invited to complete the Guess Leadership Program. He is also an accomplished swimmer.
“I applied to be a team lead to get challenging, real-world consulting experience while leading some of the smartest people I know—my fellow Haasies!” – Colin
Sara Farsio: Sara is a MBA/MPH student with a background in biotech. She has worked at Genentech, the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, and most recently at Theranos Inc. as a Global Supply Manager. Sara enjoys Vinyasa yoga and completed the 2016 San Francisco Half Marathon.
“I’m thrilled to take on this experience alongside four of my Haasome classmates! I’m looking forward to putting our newly developed business skills to practice as we collaborate with our client to help them better realize their mission. Making an impact while creating unforgettable memories is what the MBA experience is all about!” – Sara
Francesca LeBaron: Francesca’s consulting career has led her to work in Turkey, India, and Africa. Most recently she worked at Accenture Strategy. Francesca has also volunteered all over the world, including in Greece, Tanzania, and Botswana.
“I am most excited about experiencing a different culture and business environment with my Haas team. Working in another country together is not only an incredible learning experience, but it is also an invaluable bonding experience.” – Francesca
Daniel Mombiedro: Daniel’s background is in private equity as an investment manager, and in corporate finance consulting. He has worked in London and Madrid. Daniel is passionate about soccer. He is the Founder of Independiente Football Club in Madrid, and was a member of the college soccer team at European Business School of London.
“IBD is a great opportunity to learn about global challenges and work together with local communities on real projects. I am excited to travel abroad, share the experience with my classmates, immerse ourselves into a new culture and contribute a positive impact.”
Michael Sahm: Michael’s background has been in consulting. He worked at Deloitte Consulting and Triage Consulting Group; most recently he worked as a director of managed care operations at Tenet Healthcare. Michael has also been a Big brother for the Big Brothers Big Sisters program, as well as an assistant varsity basketball coach.
“I am most excited to learn how to work across borders and cultures! I can’t wait to team up with my awesome classmates and deliver an excellent project for our client.” – Michael
Catherine Soler: Catherine’s passion is social impact and her career has been focused on organizations working towards these same goals. Before coming to Berkeley Haas, Catherine worked in New York as a freelance social impact consultant for global NGOs and social enterprises. She is a One World Ambassador and a Board member for Education Africa, a South African NGO.
“The year before Haas, I embarked on what I love to call “purposeful travel.” It was about having those awe-inspiring, perspective-shifting moments while discovering a new place, but also engaging with a community and with people in a way that creates shared value. When I look forward to IBD, I am humbled to be leading my peers and new client on a journey of exploration and contribution. To be able to help create purposeful and meaningful experiences for others will be both challenging and deeply rewarding!” – Catherine
Jorge Tellez: Jorge is a US Naval Officer and recently held a position in Washington, DC at the Navy Department Board of Decorations and Medals Washington. He has served on two aircraft carriers, including the USS MOMSEN and USS CURTIS WILBUR. Jorge is an avid runner and has completed the Kyoto, Seattle, and Marine Corps marathons.
“My classmates are some of the most interesting and impressive people I’ve ever met, so I’m most excited about being able to tackle a real-world problem with them. It’s an honor to lead a team of Haasies, and I hope we make a significant impact for our global client.” – Jorge
James Westhafer: James has a background in business strategy and management, focusing on start-up companies — especially in the energy industry. His last position was with 24M Technologies, a lithium battery start-up. James is also a pledging member of Toastmasters International and loves baking bread.
“When I was going through the application process for business school and talking to current students and alums, every single Haasie mentioned their IBD experience and how unbelievably memorable it was. It is so uniquely Haas and something I knew coming to Berkeley that I was not going to miss. The opportunity to consult on a real problem, outside my comfort zone of the United States and on a team with my fellow Haas classmates will be an experience that stays with me for years to come. I can’t wait to get started! “ – James
We know our IBD Team leads are anxious to learn about their IBD clients, their projects, and where they are going to spend their project time in-country. Stay tuned as we look forward to sharing more of these details in our February newsletter. For now, we in the IBD program feel confident that these 16 phenomenal MBAs will wow us next semester in their new Team Lead roles.
