The IBD Program is thrilled to have Bree Aronin, Berkeley Haas MBA ’23 candidate, join the IBD team as this year’s Graduate Student Instructor. Bree comes to IBD with a wealth of knowledge and experience as a Navy veteran and entrepreneur, holding a BS with a focus in International Relations.

We interviewed Bree recently to learn more about her background prior to attending Berkeley Haas, her IBD experience last year, advice she has for current IBD students, and her future endeavors.

Please enjoy our interview with Bree:

Q: Tell us about your background and what you were doing before coming to Haas to get your MBA?

• I majored in Political Science/ International Relations during undergrad and have always been very interested in the greater geopolitical arena. This interest ultimately inspired me to join the military, and I served as a Surface Warfare officer in the Navy before coming to Haas.

Q: What was your biggest takeaway from the IBD experience?  Did anything surprise you?

• One of my biggest fears was not figuring out how to add value to an organization I had no industry background on or expertise in. However, I realized that throughout the entire semester we were adding value. Every interview, presentation, client call, and beyond proved to not only further our project efforts, but immensely help the client every step of the way. In the beginning (and middle) it can be hard to see clearly what your end result may look like, but I was definitely surprised how great it ultimately turned out.

Q: Why did you want to be a GSI for the IBD program this year?  What do you think the biggest challenge or opportunity of the position will be?  

• IBD was certainly one of the most impactful experiences I’ve had at Haas and I knew it was something I wanted to be a part of the following year. I am definitely still no expert, so I was eager to continue learning about consulting and international business from the teaching team and inevitably the students, while also being able to support them throughout the semester.

Q: What advice do you have for current IBD teams and students?

• Go all in and think of the relationships you’re building with your clients and beyond as lasting relationships you’ll maintain even post-project. Try to hang out with your team outside of class before you travel together!

Q: What are your plans following graduation?  Do you think you will be able to utilize any of the skills or experiences you gained from IBD?

• I’ll be going into management consulting with Deloitte. Before IBD, I hadn’t known that I had an interest in marketing and customer strategy. But because of my project, I gained a new perspective and am excited to explore that field as a consultant post-graduation.