alumni stories

Applying an MBA To Make a Difference

cfabi002 — Fri, 17 Oct 2025 20:28:23 +0000

Applying an MBA To Make a Difference cfabi002 Fri, 10/17/2025 - 13:28 More News Darin Estep October 17, 2025

Wendy Romero ’19 BA ’22 MBA

Wendy Romero ’19 BA ’22 MBA arrived at UCR with plans to become a doctor. She also had a passion for a cause she had championed since middle school: preventing bullying and suicide.

The passion won out. Romero soon changed her higher education plans to focus on ways to grow and sustain the organization she had founded in high school, the Love 4 Life Association.

“I realized at some point that this nonprofit work is what I want to do for the rest of my life,” Romero said. “There's nothing more rewarding than ending a day and feeling happy with what you did that day. And when you start to see the difference you can make through your education and your hard work, nothing is more valuable than that.”

As a sophomore at UCR, she incorporated Love 4 Life as a nonprofit and changed her major from biochemistry to political science/public service. All the while, she kept working on Love 4 Life.

“I remember thinking, ‘Well, if I want to do this for the rest of my life, I have to figure out a way to make Love 4 Life sustainable in a way that it can grow,’” Romero recalled. “And I thought, ‘UCR has one of the best MBA programs out there, so I would like to continue here.’”

Love 4 Life student ambassadors at Innovative Horizons Charter School in Perris host a campaign encouraging their peers to say kind things to themselves.

Resolving to make a difference

The lessons Romero learned at the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management had a profound influence on her role as CEO of the nonprofit, which was inspired by a deeply personal experience.

While attending middle school in Perris, less than 20 miles away from Riverside, Romero noticed a classmate had stopped showing up for class. Her teacher would only say the student could use some prayers. Romero reached out to the student but didn’t get a response. Only when the classmate returned to school weeks later did Romero learn she had tried to take her own life.

“I was shocked that one of my classmates was going through so much, and I didn't even notice,” she said. “I felt like, ‘How is it possible? We're a classroom of just 30 students, we see each other all day every day, and no one noticed that she was going through something?’”

Romero resolved to do something about it. The next year, as a high school freshman, she began Love 4 Life as a club with just five members. It doubled the next year. By her junior year, they needed two classrooms to have enough space for club meetings. Other schools started
asking about getting involved.

That resolve to make a difference followed her to UCR, where she gained new tools to help Love 4 Life reach even more people. Today the organization, headquartered in Perris, provides evidence-based anti-bullying, suicide prevention and mental health programs for schools,
students, parents and families across the region. Romero credits her MBA experience with a restructuring that has allowed the group to reach more lives.

Student ambassadors at Rancho Verde High School who are part of Love 4 Life’s student program to create a positive school climate. Love 4 Life was founded by Wendy Romero ’19 BA ’22 MBA.

‘They cared about my dreams’

“The education I got truly aligned with the work I was doing,” Romero said. “UCR helped shape me into the leader that I am today, which aligns very closely with the spaces that I like to create in Love 4 Life — spaces of safety, positivity, growth, being there for one another, making a
difference.”

Romero said she never felt a disconnect at UCR between a business education and its application to the nonprofit world.

“I was never told, ‘Oh, it’s all about business and making a profit,’” she said. “It was always, ‘Make a difference in other people's lives.’ And that's why I felt like I belonged there.”

Romero gave an example: In one class project about internships and creating proposals for specific companies, she asked the professor if she could apply her project to Love 4 Life.

“He was so supportive about it, and every time I would make a presentation, he would give me advice,” she said. “I think that's when I learned this was a place where they cared about my dreams and goals. At UCR, you're able to tailor your dreams and that education and information into your own.”

Wendy Romero ’19 BA ’22 MBA, founder and CEO of Love 4 Life, participated on the Entrepreneur Panel at the AGSM Women’s Conference.

Family ties and enduring connections

Romero also is quick to credit the inspiration and support she has received from family.

“My grandmother always told me to not give up, and I always saw her give back to her community by giving food, helping with medical bills, and more. She inspires me every day,” Romero said. “My parents supported me from the beginning by sponsoring all the materials and snacks for the students, transportation and more. They always believed in me.”

Her appreciation extends to other types of family — the city of Perris and the community of UC Riverside — that have contributed to the success of Love 4 Life.

Last spring, the AGSM Graduate Student Association partnered with Love 4 Life on a day of giving. The students designed and hosted a mental health workshop at a high school.

“It was so impactful,” Romero said. “One of the high school students told me, ‘I really appreciated and connected with the UCR students because I felt like they cared.’ Some of the students were really nervous about life after high school, so they felt understood.”

As CEO, Romero devotes a lot of her time to administrative work, directing the organization’s strategy. But she still makes a point to stay involved with services to remain mission-centered.

“It reminds me of how valuable our work is,” she said. “Whether it's a student who was quiet for so long and at the end of the week we finally made them smile, or when you see a kid sitting at lunch alone and you inspire other students to go and make friends with them.

“That always fills my heart. I love it,” she said. “When you start to see the difference you can make through your education and your hard work, nothing is more rewarding and valuable.”

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“Supersafe Beauty” at Juice Cosmetics

cfabi002 — Fri, 17 Oct 2025 20:23:33 +0000

“Supersafe Beauty” at Juice Cosmetics cfabi002 Fri, 10/17/2025 - 13:23 More News October 20, 2025

Simran Kamra ’24 MBA

Juice Cosmetics is a family affair, and Simran Kamra ’24 MBA grew up in the business.

“I was always surrounded by colors, creativity, and conversations about beauty,” says Kamra. “Makeup was a natural part of my environment, and from a young age, I was fascinated by how it could empower and transform.

“This early exposure shaped my interest and passion for the industry.”

Today, Kamra is director of innovations at Juice Cosmetics, a “clean” beauty brand focused on safe ingredients with superior performance, based in her hometown, Mumbai, India.

“Juice cosmetics is deeply rooted in family legacy and vision. My grandfather dreamed of creating beauty that was bold, safe, and affordable,” says Kamra. “That dream was carried forward by my father who founded Juice Cosmetics in 2014 with the goal of bringing clean, accessible, and expressive beauty to the Indian consumer.”

The name, “Juice,” reflects that brand’s personality, she adds: “Vibrant, energetic, and inclusive—just like the kind of beauty we want to encourage.”

An MBA to Juice Her Career

Kamra had a plan when she enrolled in the MBA program at UCR’s A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management (AGSM). “My long-term vision was always to return to India and contribute meaningfully to the family business,” she says.

“However, I wanted to step outside my comfort zone first and learn from global business environments, build an international perspective, and understand how innovation drives brand growth.”

As she reflects on some of the most valuable experiences at AGSM, the range of views she encountered among fellow students and faculty was significant. “The exposure to working and collaborating with people from diverse cultural backgrounds broadened my perspective, improved my communication s skills, and helped me develop a more inclusive and global approach to leadership,” she says.

“The experience also sharpened my marketing acumen and strengthened my ability to innovate within the beauty and wellness space.”

Now steadfastly anchored in that space as she had planned, Kamra leads new product development initiatives in her position as director of innovations. “My role covers the entire product lifecycle—from trend research and identifying market gaps, to formulation, packaging, sampling, color curation, branding, and launch planning.”

She also develops go-to-market and market entry strategies to make sure each product aligns with consumer needs and business objectives, she adds. Kamra works closely with cross-functional teams to make sure every product delivers on performance and the company’s “clean beauty values.”

‘Supersafe Beauty’

The company’s slogan is “Supersafe Beauty,” and underscores Juice’s commitment to their clean beauty values. “Very few brands in India manufacture their own makeup, but we do,” says Kamra. “We combine modern biochemistry with the ancient wisdom of Ayurveda, ensuring every product is clean, effective, and trustworthy.”

Juice has also launched a transparency program called “Label Padho, Hoshiyaar Bano,” which means “Read the Label, Be Smart.”

“We maintain full transparency and traceability, knowing every ingredient used,” she says of their in-house R&D, which includes claims testing (confirming what is promised on the label is true). “Our approach is deeply personal, and the team and I test products ourselves before launch to ensure they meet our safety, performance, and sensorial benchmarks.”

Developing Strong Ties with Customers

Currently, Juice is available online and in more than 30,000 stores across India and on Amazon.com in the United States. The company is also expanding internationally.

“A fun and surprising part of the process is that some of our best ideas have come from spontaneous customer feedback or late-night team brainstorms,” says Kamra. “What I enjoy most is seeing an idea come to life and being embraced by customers.”

The most challenging part of the fast-changing, trend-conscious cosmetic industry? “Timing and launching the product at the right moment,” she says.

“Juice is a personal dream, and I’m excited to keep pushing boundaries and making beauty better, cleaner, and more empowering.”

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‘There Was No Fear of Failure’

cfabi002 — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 17:16:50 +0000

‘There Was No Fear of Failure’ cfabi002 Wed, 06/25/2025 - 10:16 More News Darin Estep June 25, 2025

Jagat Bakeri ’94

Jagat Bakeri ’94 MBA arrived at UCR from India eager for an education that would help him follow the family tradition of entrepreneurialism. Walking to class during his first week on campus, new accounting books in hand, an unexpected sound stopped him in his tracks.

“I heard some jazz from somewhere and I just followed the music,” Bakeri recalled. “I opened the doors and there were students playing cello, saxophone, drums. For a second, I thought, ‘Did I enroll in the wrong master’s program?’”

On the contrary: As his education and business career would prove, he was in the right place.

Still, the chance encounter was a turning point. Already an accomplished musician, Bakeri began frequenting the school’s music library, where he discovered a book that changed his perspective on music — and business.

“That book pretty much taught me how every instrument adds up and how can you differentiate them while listening,” he said. “It doesn't start with the whole orchestra. It's maybe just you and the pianist, and then slowly the band keeps on increasing. Every instrument comes in slowly and builds the momentum.

“That's also how you grow a business.”

Coincidentally, the name of the company where he applies his skills today is Symphony Limited.

Professional, personal, practical

Bakeri is director of Global E-commerce and Direct to Consumer sales for the world’s largest manufacturer of air coolers, with headquarters in India and a presence in more than 60 countries, including Australia, Brazil, China, Mexico, and the United States.

He credits his MBA experience with preparing him for his current role in corporate leadership, as well as the entrepreneurial journey that preceded it. But at first, he just needed to find a way to pay for his education.

Although he arrived at UCR with a degree in mechanical engineering (along with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music), he applied for a job as a university groundskeeper. He was promptly told he was overqualified.

“And then I got a teaching assistantship because of my mechanical engineering background,” he said. “I was lucky I could get that and cover most of my education expenses.”

Meanwhile, his pursuit of an MBA was an eye-opening experience for someone who had studied engineering but had no interest in that as a career. He connected with professors who kept open-door policies and taught not just concepts but real-world applications.

“The method of education was so professional, yet personal and practical,” Bakeri said. “I could see that if these principles were put to good use in a methodical manner, then you could save so much time in building up a business in a much shorter period of time.”

Family influence

He also started to see parallels to his family’s entrepreneurial experience, something he credits to the pioneering influence of his grandmother.

"Her husband, my grandfather, worked for the government of India during the Imperial period, and she wanted all her sons to be businessmen!" he said. “She said, ‘I'm going to make sure that my kids become educated so they can own a business.’ So she saved money and got to see all her sons, one by one, become businessmen.”

Bakeri grew up hearing his parents discuss business. But as he studied at UCR, his appreciation grew for what it takes to succeed. He especially enjoyed courses on consumer behavior and welcomed opportunities for practical application on projects with product research, development, and marketing.

“It taught me how to communicate my ideas, put them in the right place, formulate them, do the methodical planning, and then execute them,” Bakeri said.

He was drawn to Riverside because of a brother’s experience studying at USC, but also for the robust business climate of Southern California. At the same time, he always knew he would take his education back to India to start his own business. And that is what he did.

Renewed appreciation for UCR

In 1994, while he and his wife were still engaged, they began setting up their business, a children’s clothing company — an innovative concept for India, where children’s wear at the time typically was made in the home by a visiting tailor.

She managed the operations, including design, development, and manufacturing, while he covered sales, marketing, and finance. An enduring partnership with his wife has been the most important aspect of his career, Bakeri said.

“She has been my rock and my strongest pillar of support throughout my journey of 30 years,” he said. “I am very lucky to have someone by my side who is my best critic and my best cheerleader.”

The company was one of the fastest growing indigenous clothing chains in India. As it grew, it began adding its own retail stores. That carried its own leadership challenges.

“You are a trainee as well as a boss and you're manufacturing and you're marketing and you're looking at the business verticals, team building, getting everyone aligned to your vision, building up leadership within them, charting out their career paths so that they also move up in life,” he said.

The experience renewed his appreciation for his time at UCR.

“To see a university operate with such precision, there has to be a wonderful backend setup and organizational behavior where everyone aligns to what the students are there for,” he said.

Navigating turbulence

Over the course of 25 years, the company persisted through multiple challenges: The Sept. 11 attacks, the Great Recession, political unrest, and dramatic tax changes that made inventory unsellable.

“It sends shivers up your spine when it happens,” he said. “How to manage in those times is something that education helps. When you've gone through crazy business cycles where you pretty much lost all your net worth twice and you bounce back, I think that's where the foundation of education helps.”

Still more dramatic disruptions were coming, though. Founded as a brick-and-mortar company, the business adapted to digital marketing and e-commerce around 2018. But then came the pandemic.

“We actually grew during COVID because of e-commerce, but we did not grow profitably,” he said. “So my passion changed, and I got a huge opportunity with Symphony Limited, which had a nascent digital e-commerce vertical.”

But before he took that job, he had another to finish.

Respect for workers

Bakeri said the culture of his company was to always respect everyone who worked there. Business was conducted with integrity, in good times and bad.

“We made sure that we did not delay any bank payments. We never filed for bankruptcy. We made sure that every employee was paid,” he said.

That philosophy did not end when the business wound down. Many of his employees had been working with him for more than a decade, and Bakeri knew they lacked experience in finding a new job.

“I brought all their resumes up to date. I walked through interviews with them so they would know what kind of questions they would be asked. I set up the interviews for them, and then finally I negotiated the salaries for them. Once everyone got settled, that's when I moved to my new job.”

Time-honored practices for a new era

Though he earned his MBA more than 30 years ago, Bakeri still draws on the lessons he learned then — along with the new ones he is learning and the enduring principles that have guided his career.

Music remains “the backbone” of his life. For someone who began studying classical Indian music at age 7 and learned more than 100 Hindu ragas, he has broad tastes. Before he left the U.S., he made a point to attend concerts of Elton John, Eric Clapton, and Dire Straits — and he changed his flight home so he could see Pink Floyd perform. Most recently he saw singer-songwriter Dua Lipa and the Phantom of the Opera.

(Some side advice he offers to business students: “When you are traveling for business, if you have the flexibility of changing dates, make sure you are watching a good concert when you're there!”)

In his three years at Symphony, he has seen the company grow across the world. And it is well-positioned to weather the current uncertainty of global trade. Even so, he sees one common thread through his business career: “There was no fear of failure.”

His daughter, who recently followed the family tradition by launching her own beauty tech company, confirmed this in a recent conversation.

“I just asked her, ‘What was one thing visible to you when we were building our business?’ She said, ‘We were pretty much the same whether we had money or we did not have money,’" he said.

“Now, ambition is very important to make money, but having no fear of failure was also important,” he said. “I think integrity, persistence, patience, our belief regarding failure, and honesty — these are pretty much the foundation of what we have done in all these years.”

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Bringing Nepal’s Tea and Coffee to the U.S.

cfabi002 — Wed, 28 May 2025 18:12:52 +0000

Bringing Nepal’s Tea and Coffee to the U.S. cfabi002 Wed, 05/28/2025 - 11:12 More News Laurie McLaughlin May 26, 2025

Nitesh Kapuri '25

The idea for Himalayan Blends premium tea and coffee brand began to take shape for Nitesh Kapuri ’25 MBA during a summer trip back home to Nepal while studying at UCR.

“As I was traveling around, meeting people, and talking to farmers, I began to understand the struggles they face despite producing the finest tea and coffee,” says Kapuri. “These farmers work tirelessly cultivating some of the highest altitude regions with no pesticides, no shortcuts, just pure craftsmanship.

“Still, they are seen as just another group of producers, when in reality, they are among the best in the world.”

Nepal’s tea farmers won multiple awards at the 2024 World Tea Expo in Las Vegas, and with that news, Kapuri says he “realized that after winning such a prestigious global award, the farmers weren’t receiving the recognition or financial rewards they truly deserved.”

So, Kapuri continued talking to farmers at tea estates and coffee farms to see their methods firsthand. “I wanted to know how the tea was handpicked, hand-rolled, and processed using traditional methods,” he says. “And how high-altitude coffee was grown, harvested, and sorted.

“The more I learned, the more I felt the lack of acknowledgement needed to change. Someone had to bring Nepalese tea and coffee to the global stage and make sure the farmers got recognition and compensation.”

According to Kapuri, most consumers think of South America or Africa when they are looking for premium coffee. “Nepalese coffee is among the rarest in the world, contributing to only 0.003% of global production,” he says, adding that 95% of Nepalese coffee is exported to the Asian market.

Changing the Narrative

“Himalayan Blends is here to change the narrative,” says Kapuri, who founded Kapuri Group in the U.S., which holds Himalayan Blends. He researched exportation to the U.S. and the best way to ship products while maintaining quality. He also met with shipping experts and learned about import regulations, logistics, and packaging requirements.

Kapuri registered Himalayan Blends in the U.S., and says: “I built everything from scratch, from branding and website to packaging design and sourcing directly from farmers.”

For Kapuri, it was important to collaborate directly with farmers to guarantee fair trade and ethical business practices. “I wanted to stay true to my vision of creating something exclusive, rare, and globally recognized,” he says.

At the start, he was handling everything, but as the business grew, he needed employees. “Now, I have a team in Nepal that looks after the day-to-day operations, sourcing, and quality control on the ground. They work closely with our farmers, suppliers, and logistics partners,” he says. “Himalayan Blends is built on strong relationships with our suppliers and distributors. Having reliable team in Nepal helps ensures everything runs smoothly.”

In the U.S., Kapuri focuses on expanding the brand, marketing, distribution, and strategic partnerships.

Supporting Female Employment

Himalayan Blends tea is sourced mostly from female-run farms. Single mothers are 99% of the workforce.

“We are committed to supporting them beyond just employment. We ensure they have food, shelter, and access to education for their children,” says Kapuri. These women are the backbone of our operations; they handpick and hand-roll some of the finest tea in the world, but their work often goes unnoticed.”

With a concentrated effort to tell the stories of these workers and farmers, Kapuri says the company is “creating an opportunity to earn fair wages, gain stability, and secure a better future for their families.

“We want the world to see the faces behind the tea, understand the passion and craftsmanship that goes into every cup, and be part of a movement that empowers these women.”

The same goes for highlighting the male coffee farmers he works with to showcase the craftsmanship and dedication required to produce high-altitude, organic, handpicked coffee. Many of these stories are told on the Himalayan Blends website , where coffee beans, tea sachets, and loose-leaf tea are currently available for purchase, and coffee drip bags will soon be for sale.

Combining Entrepreneurship with an MBA from UCR

After graduating in fall 2025 with his master’s degree, Kapuri plans to help expand his family’s unrelated business in Nepal in addition to expanding Himalayan Blends globally.

Graduate courses at the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management helped him create Himalayan Blends—including Entrepreneurial Management, Strategic Management, and marketing courses.

“Networking opportunities through UCR connected me with mentors and industry experts,” he says. “The hands-on learning approach at UCR allowed me to apply business concepts in real time—branding, sales strategies, supply chain management, and international trade.

“Most importantly, my education has given me the entrepreneurial mindset and resilience to scale Himalayan Blends.”

His father, also an entrepreneur, has been his biggest inspiration, says Kapuri. “I’ve watched him build everything from scratch, turning nothing into something. His journey taught me the value of hard work and thinking differently.”

This summer, Kapuri will also support part-time UCR student interns, who will receive academic credit for their work in various departments: Jasvir Kaur Bhandaal ’26, B2B strategy and partnerships; Isabella Lamberson ’25, content and brand communications; and Nicole Naupari ’25, influencer and social growth. UCR computer science graduate Vasanth Shanmugavadivel is also contributing to tech and strategy efforts.

The Perfect Cup

When asked about the perfect cup of tea, Kapuri says: “Tea is best enjoyed when you slow down, whether it’s the first cup in the morning or a moment of relaxation in the evening. It’s not just about the taste, it’s about the ritual.

On the practical side, he adds: “The best tea begins with fresh, whole leaves, preferably handpicked and organic. Avoid tea bags filled with dust and broken leaves.”

Tea is a way for Kapuri himself to connect with nature, culture, and people, he says. “It carries a story, from the hands that plucked the leaves to the moment you take the first sip.

“I’m passionate about bringing Nepal’s’ hidden gem to the world because every cup should be an experience worth savoring.”

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“Learn Your 'Why"

cfabi002 — Wed, 28 May 2025 17:30:31 +0000

“Learn Your 'Why" cfabi002 Wed, 05/28/2025 - 10:30 More News Darin Estep May 29, 2025

If Breanna Wright ’11 had followed her mom’s plan, she would have become an engineer.

Growing up in the Bay Area, her mother signed her up for summer programs usually focusing on science and math. In her junior year of high school, she enrolled in a Carnegie Mellon University math and science program. She joined the National Society of Black Engineers the same year.

Wright was planning to go to college out of state, but her academic achievements drew the attention of UC Riverside. The university wrote and encouraged her to consider its highly regarded engineering program. With the added attraction of being able to graduate without loans, Wright enrolled as a bioengineering major.

That all changed when she took her first economics class at UCR.

“I loved it. I was like, ‘Oh, this is my language. This is fun. I'm enjoying this,’” Wright said. “And so from there I decided I would switch majors to business. My mom cried as though I was dropping out of college. It's a running joke to this day.”

Her mother eventually came around as Wright leveraged her business degree with a focus on marketing into a career that took her across the globe — including two stints with the Peace Corps — working in international development, agribusiness, and federal policy.

Today she is vice president of talent for The Management Center, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit providing best management practices for nonprofits that work in progressive or educational equity spaces.

Motivated to serve others

The common denominator in all those roles was a desire to be of service — something else Wright’s mother instilled in her from a young age.

“She is very much community driven, and I would tag along with her to meetings,” she said. “I was raised in a household that believed you are a part of a community, and it is your job to support and serve the community in ways that you can lend your skills.”

Her skills were sharpened at UCR, where Wright found a new community of her own.

“Riverside is unique,” she said. “Not only is it academically rigorous, but it is a place with a lot of different communities and culture. You'll find your community, without feeling like you're the only one in the classroom.”

Another reason Wright chose to study business: She knew she could apply her education widely, even beyond corporate settings.

“I knew that those skills would always be relevant,” she said. “I have always been able to trace the skills that I've learned from school to different professions, even if it wasn't creating my own business or working in very traditional business fields.”

Connecting to expertise

For example, during her first service with the Peace Corps, in Southern Ethiopia, she taught basic business concepts to rural women business owners, helping them improve inventory tracking and budgeting. Wright also brought in agriculture experts to help female heads of households — most of them HIV-positive — to gain skills in sustainable gardening.

“My project was focused on helping them strengthen their gardening, get connected with seeds from different resources so that they're able to meet their nutritional needs for their family,” she said. “I don't know the seeds. I don't know the farming. But I was able to bring in ag experts from the community as well as from Peace Corps to help with those aspects.”

That turned into a real-world application of the business and leadership principles she gained at UCR.

“I learned I don't have to be the expert in everything, but I can be the vessel,” Wright said.

She continued to lean into agribusiness and international development, supporting programs at Catholic Relief Services in the capitol of Ethiopia, in her return to the Peace Corps in Washington, D.C., and at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. While working full-time in Washington, she earned her master’s degree in development management from American University in 2019. She joined The Management Center in 2021.

Learn your ‘why’

Wright traces that rewarding career path — which included meeting her future husband in the Peace Corps — to her decision to attend UCR. She also credits the courage to change her major to business and encourages all students to give themselves enough latitude to explore their options.

“It's OK to not know what the next step is or not to know why you chose this specific degree,” she said. “It's not the end of the world if you switch majors. If you don't know exactly what you want to do after you finish school, it’s OK. All you need to do learn your ‘why’ and you'll be surprised how it follows you.”

These are uncertain times for the nonprofit sector Wright now serves — as well as for the federal workforce in her new hometown and wider economy — amid program closures, budget cuts and layoffs. As a former federal employee, she’s aware of the challenge laid-off workers face in marketing their skills to new roles.

She’s also concerned about the impact on universities that receive federal funding, and for the future of initiatives like the African Student Program she embraced at UCR. Nonetheless, Wright works to maintain a positive outlook, based on her own experience, that the next generation of students and graduates will find their place in the world.

“I graduated right around the Great Recession, and friends were either staying in school or moving back home,” she said. “The point being, if you're graduating during a tough time, things will be OK. They'll work out.”

While Wright is no longer working directly in agribusiness, the seeds that were planted in Ethiopia took root. She is an avid urban gardener and has even started beekeeping in her backyard in Washington. She also has started teaching agriculture and nutrition in an after-school youth program.

Breanna Wright ’11 joined the Peace Corps after earning her business degree. She served in Southern Ethiopia, where she worked with community partners to improve gardening skills and teach basic business concepts to rural women business owners.

“I'm looking at the business side of it and considering becoming a garden consultant,” she said.

“People have been asking me how to start their garden. I'm thinking about selling the honey from my bees. I'm in a course right now to get further certified, but the business skills that I learned from UCR are still there.

“Business follows you no matter what you're doing,” she said.

As for another constant in her life, Wright’s mother could not be prouder of the daughter who chose not to become an engineer.

“She finally got over it and now she calls me for gardening tips all the time,” Wright said. “My family was very excited that I went into Peace Corps. It changed my family. Everyone travels now. They met me in Thailand when I graduated from undergrad. They visited me in Ethiopia.

“It just opened the world for everyone in my family to see what we can do and where we can go and the experiences we can create.”

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Staying Positive, Staying Connected

cfabi002 — Mon, 19 May 2025 18:02:01 +0000

Staying Positive, Staying Connected cfabi002 Mon, 05/19/2025 - 11:02 More News Darin Estep May 19, 2025

Andrew Pramschufer ’98, ’98 MBA

Every time Sunday rolls around, Andrew Pramschufer ’96, ’98 MBA can’t wait to get back to work.

“What I’ve really enjoyed in my roles as a CEO is putting together strategies to drive business growth,” he said. “When you grow, it's an awful lot of fun. And I’m extremely happy with what I'm doing. I love every Sunday when I wake up.”

He currently applies that enthusiasm as chief executive officer at HC Pacific. The thriving aerospace supplier is based in Ontario, Calif. That’s just a half-hour drive from his alma mater, but his ties to UC Riverside run deeper than geography. His ex-wife is also a graduate, one of their two sons is finishing up his MBA there, and he returns to campus frequently.

While there are plenty of reasons for Pramschufer’s deep appreciation for the School of Business, he is the first to admit his academic career did not start as successfully as his professional path has proved.

“My first year was horrific,” he said.

Even though he had always done well in high school, at one point in college he was facing academic dismissal.

“I took a year off and then I sent a letter back to UCR and I said, ‘Hey, I got my act together, please give me another shot.’ And they did,” Pramschufer said.

“So failure was a very big part of the beginning part of my college career, and I didn't ever want to experience that again,” he said “I continued that philosophy through business. You're always going to have down points. You just have to be optimistic and try your best to overcome.”

Fundamental and leadership skills

His freshman lesson in perseverance paid off. He earned good grades and gained fluency in the functional and technical aspects of business and accounting. Along the way, Pramschufer realized he was simultaneously growing other skills that would reinforce his leadership ability.

“I learned to think about and solve problems not only analytically, but also from an emotional intelligence lens,” he said. “I learned how to become a polished, professional executive. Our instructors taught about what dress codes should look like, how you speak to employees, how to motivate. Quite frankly, as I've gone through my career, these skills are probably more important than the baseline knowledge.”

When he finished his undergraduate degree, Pramschufer considered his professional offers. He and his wife had married and had their first child right out of high school, so he had a young family to consider. After consulting with trusted faculty members, he decided he could improve his options by earning his MBA.

“I applied only to UCR, got accepted into the program, got offered a fellowship and teaching assistantship,” he said. “I quit my job and took the challenge and went full-force into getting my MBA in two years.”

That proved to be the right decision, opening doors to a series of leadership positions with increasing responsibilities. When he started at HC Pacific, it was a $9 million company that was losing half a million dollars a year, he said.

“Today we'll do $65 million of revenue and have become a dominant player in military distribution. We hired folks as we grew, and we were able to sell the company,” Pramschufer said, noting the new owner, Proponent, is an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) company. “So now we're all employee owners and we have some wonderful ownership and leadership that have helped provide more capital, and we're continuing our growth.”

‘The harder you work, the luckier you get’

Every job on the way up wasn’t so rewarding and the path wasn’t always easy, he said. So his advice to anyone starting out in business: Keep in mind what you really want from life.

“There have been a company or two where I knew I needed to get out, where I didn't have that feeling on a Sunday,” he said. “I've always thought that the harder you work, the luckier you get, and that really is the truth. But there also are sacrifices you have to make as well. My biggest advice is that you have got to really think about what's important to you.”

Staying close to UCR has provided Pramschufer with greater appreciation for the School of Business, both in his own time and now, as his son studies at the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management.

“Around the ’96 through ’98 timeframe, we were small and nimble, the teachers were excellent, and I got a great education,” he said. “Today, it's like a steroid injection, with the number of students, the new School of Business building that’s best in class, the technological sophistication, the course offerings. It's an entirely different school, and I mean that in the most positive sense.”

‘A willingness to learn’

Pramschufer also sees a lot of positives in the growing Inland Empire and Riverside County economies. He hopes to capitalize on connections to UCR to help drive his company’s continued success.

“Nobody does anything for an entirely unselfish reason, so part of me wanting to be involved with the school is I really want to hire more graduates from UCR,” he said. “We have hired a few and we hope to hire a few more.”

What is he looking for when recruiting candidates? Some of the same attributes that helped him advance in his own career, including perseverance through adversity and the hard work that leads to better fortunes.

“The most important thing to me is a willingness to learn — the fortitude to take something, to be accountable for something, to be OK to make decisions, humble enough to make mistakes and learn from them,” Pramschufer said.

“In the business environment today, you can bring in the very best, the very brightest and you just mentor them along,” he said. “You want them to make mistakes. You want them to learn for themselves. That's very important to me. I want somebody who is going to fly on their own eventually.”

The most important thing to remember — the key to that Sunday eagerness to get back to work — is keeping a focus on what you want from life, he said.

“In the end, the title and the money mean nothing. It’s just about your happiness.”

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Career Pivot to a “Life That Actually Feels Good”

ilseu — Wed, 19 Mar 2025 00:03:17 +0000

Career Pivot to a “Life That Actually Feels Good” ilseu Tue, 03/18/2025 - 17:03 More News Laurie Mclaughlin March 18, 2025

Matt Gerlach '05

Matt Gerlach ’05 started in sales within the metal distribution sector right after graduation from the UCR School of Business, and as he attained a number of other sales leadership positions at varying companies, he grew ever more successful.

After a decade working for other companies (including national sales manager positions at aden + anais, OXO, and Skip Hop), he founded in 2016 his own thriving consulting service, M.G. Sales, specializing in helping consumer packaged goods companies with marketing and revenue growth.

These endeavors earned him the considerable wealth he was pursuing, but not the happiness that continued to elude him. After intense therapy and personal examination, Gerlach changed direction both professionally and personally.

“I left the consulting business I grew—which was making $1 million a year—to start a coaching and mentorship business because I realized that business and life success are totally intertwined,” says Gerlach, who lives in Hancock Park, California.

Since June 2024, he’s worked to build his own lifestyle brand: At Home with Matt—for which he is founder, head chef, head curator, and head coach—and he has married personal and professional growth with his love for gathering like-minded individuals around the dining room table in his own home. He describes this new venture as “business, executive, and life coaching for high-achieving entrepreneurs and executives struggling with anxiety, burnout, and loneliness to create authentic personal and professional lives overflowing with abundance, alignment, and fulfillment they truly love while deeply connecting over upscale and homecooked meals.”

In January 2025, he also launched The Friday Brunch Club. “I host local purpose-driven entrepreneurs and business executives—for no charge—at my home with a breakfast that I prepare,” he says. The endeavor, he adds, is not about growing a business; it’s about growing as a person.

For about a year, he’s fine-tuned At Home with Matt and The Friday Brunch Club. “It doesn’t even feel like work,” he says. “I love, love, love cooking, and I love being at home now. It’s morphing into helping other high-achievers learn to be happy at home—with themselves and their lives. I’m truly creating a lifestyle business that I love while showing others how to do it and vulnerably sharing the ups and downs from this journey.”

Gerlach candidly talks about the trials and triumphs associated with this significant pivot with UCR Business:

Why is helping others improve their professional and personal lives important to you?

Because too many people feel stuck in lives they don’t actually want. Success isn’t just about making money—it’s about feeling good in your life. Money is important. I don’t know anyone who’s done better than me at valuing myself, finding clients that will pay for my services, and setting boundaries. I feel called to help people make a lot of money while not joining the “grind” culture. The grind works when you’re young, but eventually, we burn out. That’s why I’ve found my footing in helping high-performing folks—like I am!—who have proven they can do it but need help slowing down for the next chapter in life.

What are the benefits of The Friday Brunch Club gatherings?

The other day, someone asked me if it’s a “networking” event, and I quickly corrected them. No, this is not networking. We’re not trying to sell anything; this is a community aimed at becoming a better version of themselves. It’s not even about goal-achieving—sure, that’s part of it, but if you walked in this room and said your main priority was to grow your business from $10 million to $20 million in two years, this would not be the room for you.

It’s not that the folks at my table aren’t super successful. It’s that they are coming to my home because they want help with enjoying their lives and businesses more.

Everyone tells me I should be charging to attend The Friday Brunch Club, but it’s just something I don’t want to do. I guess I can’t promise that forever, but I can’t imagine the day when that will change—it’s been so incredible for me to meet new people all the time, and I just love it.

How are you approaching the development of your own lifestyle brand, At Home with Matt?

I see so many stories about brands that sell tangible assets to folks, but I have never seen a story about someone who is starting a lifestyle brand like am; so, I’m excited to talk about it.

I’m still building the brand, and I’m really comfortable sharing the process of starting this whole thing. I don’t know exactly where it’s heading, and it’s messy, and there are constant mistakes and learnings to be gleaned.

Overall, I see three pillars within At Home with Matt:

1. Food, cooking, health, wellness, and home, but told in a super attainable way. This isn’t about chia seed pudding and kale smoothies. It’s about how to create a home that feels as good as it looks while giving people tools to do so.

2. Personal and professional development, which incorporates all that I’ve learned with the $200,000-worth of therapy and coaching I’ve invested in. Rather than just achieving goals, I’m helping others learn what they need to do to build lives they love.

3. Something to do with family: My partner and I are on our surrogacy journey right now and expecting to be dads in about 11 months. I want to do something to help parents do the best they can. My own healing work was mainly around generational trauma and learning to break the cycles of that from generation to generation. As I’ve grown and brought what I’ve learned back to my family, I’ve helped them grow.

What drove the pivot to your new career?

I had hit every traditional marker of success and still felt empty. I realized I was chasing money and validation instead of living a life that actually felt good. I wanted more meaning, more alignment, more time to enjoy life.

When I started the consulting business, I suffered greatly from anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation, and it all led me down a path to where I had to address its root cause and realized that below it all were scars from my childhood that I’d never addressed.

After healing, my anxiety went away; my depression stopped; and I started making more money—$1 million—in less time—15 hours a week. It’s led me to want to help others meet their maximum potential and prioritize what’s most important to them.

The best part? By watching people finally give themselves permission to slow down, heal, and do what actually makes them happy, I’m more and more permitting myself to do the same, and my life gets better and better by the day.

What are some of the ways you have helped or guided others?

I’ve helped clients leave jobs to start their own businesses and make a lot of money while doing so and having totally free lives. I’ve also supported multiple leaders of companies scale to eight-, nine-, and even 10-digit figures—some of which are on the Fortune 500 and Inc. 5000 lists.

Through hosting The Friday Brunch Club and other one-on-one sessions, I lead folks through deep transformations, where they, for the first time, engage in conversations about what they really want for their lives. It’s just beautiful to see someone decide they’re going to take control and not accept that they have to stay in a miserable personal or professional life waiting for retirement.

What is your advice for people in varying stages of their careers?

For college students: Learn all you can, but don’t just chase a paycheck. Figure out what lights you up. I wish I would have invested more time and space in getting to know myself when I was in college. Nothing’s a waste, so I accept my journey, but if I’d have spent time traveling or in nature or even doing yoga and meditation when my bills were tiny, it would have been a lot easier.

For people five years into their careers: If you feel stuck, pivot early. Build strong boundaries now—you’ll thank yourself later. Take that break at five years if you need it—better late than never to figure out what you want. Save as much money as you can; your future self will be glad you did!

Mid-career: Don’t waste the second half of your career on something that drains you. You get to redefine success. You likely have more options, and while it might be a less glamorous life when you make a change, it will be worth it. And who’s to say it won’t be glamorous again soon? I’ve changed my career more than five times, and every time, I’ve made more money with more freedom in the matter of a few short months.

Looking back to your own time as a student, what did you gain from your UCR business education?

The biggest thing I took away was learning how to make money, and with sales, I could be in charge of my own destiny. UCR also helped me careerwise because I learned about different disciplines, and if I had learned just one, I would not have been set up as well for entrepreneurship.

What do you do to balance your life?

I make sure my work services my life, not the other way around. I love cooking and hosting intimate gatherings, bringing friends together over beautiful meals and meaningful conversations. I spend a lot of time at farmers markets, experimenting with new recipes, and creating an inviting space for connections.

I also prioritize growth—reading, writing, and reflecting on ways to live more intentionally. I’m big on exercise—yoga, weightlifting, hiking, and running. I think about it as movement for my mental health and have learned to really love being active.

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A Marketing Career Is the Right Fit

cfabi002 — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 21:25:26 +0000

A Marketing Career Is the Right Fit cfabi002 Mon, 03/17/2025 - 14:25 More Blog Posts Laurie McLaughlin March 18, 2025

Aura Rivera ’24

What Aura Rivera ’24 finds most rewarding about her job is having “the chance to support families during an important time in their lives,” she says. She is the director of admissions at the Palo Alto, California, campus of Fusion Academy, a private middle and high school with 80 campuses across the U.S.

“I work closely with families to help them find the right educational fit for their children,” says Rivera, who earned her UCR business degree in marketing. She appreciates seeing the positive impact on students as they gain confidence and thrive at Fusion Academy, which provides individualized learning for its students.

On the outreach side, she says her position “requires strong leadership, strategic planning, and relationship-building. I develop and execute initiatives to expand our referral network, positioning Fusion as a trusted educational resource within the community.

“This involves working closely with therapists, educators, and other organizations, and identifying opportunities for collaboration.” Rivera also represents the academy at industry events, along with analyzing market trends and community needs to refine her outreach, and she manages social media accounts, develops digital marketing content, and handles mass media communications.

“It’s a dynamic and varied role that pushes me to think critically, stay adaptable, and lead with a balance of empathy and strategy,” she adds.

The First in Her Family to Attend College

When she arrived at UCR, Rivera “was venturing into unknown territory” as a first-generation student, she says. “No one in my family could provide guidance along the way. I am the oldest of three daughters, and it felt like I was paving the way for my sisters, creating a path they could follow when it was their turn to start college.”

As she navigated through financial aid, course selection, and building a network, Rivera says, “the experience made me resilient, resourceful, and driven to make the most of every opportunity.”

Among those opportunities was helping other students. She took on leadership and advising roles because “I wanted to make the journey a little easier for those who came after me,” she says.

Doing so led to a string of award-winning endeavors. Rivera was honored with the Program of the Year Award from Residential Life: Her program invited participation from both engineering and pre-business students, who were required to collaborate and blend their skills to develop a product and pitch it to a panel of judges defending their pricing models and justifying their market allocation. “This challenged them to think critically about their value proposition, refine their selling points, and communicate their ideas persuasively,” she says. “It was an exciting opportunity to practice presenting in a high-stakes environment that they might encounter in their careers.”

Rivera also received the Rising Star Excellence Award for Extraordinary Contribution to Student Affairs, which recognized her leadership while organizing student meetings, planning and hosting events, mentoring fellow students, enhancing residential life, and willingly contributing in areas outside her official responsibilities. “I always tried to take the extra step to make things better,” says Rivera.

“Being recognized for my leadership and collaboration with others in different departments was really meaningful and a reminder of how important it is to take initiative, support your peers, and work together to create a positive environment.”

Choosing Marketing as a Career

Having always had an interest in business, Rivera’s college internship with Meta was pivotal: “My passion for business was cemented during that internship. While working with Instagram’s marketing department, I realized how much I liked marketing.”

On campus, she “thoroughly enjoyed” the courses taught by Assistant Professor of Teaching in Marketing Jonathan Lim and Management Professor of Practice Raj Singh. Through their courses and her leadership activities, she says she enhanced the ever-important soft skills alongside the hard skills, from software tools and data collection to report writing and team communication.

“My favorite courses were Consumer Behavior, Marketing in a Global Environment, Advertising and Communications, Brand Management, and Global Strategy,” she says.

So, it’s no wonder she embarked on a career in marketing. “I am deeply passionate about public relations, social media management, and community development,” she says. “It is crucial to contribute meaningfully to the growth and advancement of our communities.” Just as she did at UCR.

Sharing Advice

The list of activities and organizations Rivera was a part of during her years at UCR is long, and because helping others do their best is chief among her talents, she shares advice with current business students to maximize their own academic journeys:

Start networking early: Build connections with professors, advisors, and industry professionals. These relationships can be invaluable throughout your career.
Gain real-world experiences: Internships, research opportunities, and part-time jobs can give you a competitive advantage and hands-on knowledge.
Join student organizations: UCR offers fantastic resources—career fairs, résumé workshops, mock interviews, etc. Take full advantage of these opportunities to prepare for the future.
Step out of your comfort zone: Whether it is speaking in public, leading a project, or applying for a competitive internship, pushing yourself to face new challenges helps you grow personally and professionally.

Looking Forward

“I thrive when I can contribute to causes I care about and build positive relationships,” says Rivera, who plans to pursue an MBA degree. “While I love my current role, I’m eager to keep an open mind about new opportunities that an MBA could unlock, especially as I explore different industries.

“My goal is to continue growing professionally in a role that aligns with my personal values and allows me to make a meaningful impact.”

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Imparting Frontline Finance Experience

cfabi002 — Fri, 07 Mar 2025 19:47:02 +0000

Imparting Frontline Finance Experience cfabi002 Fri, 03/07/2025 - 11:47 More News Laurie McLaughlin March 05, 2025

Manasa Savanur ’23 imparted her expertise with students during the fall 2024 “Investment Strategies for Beginners” webinar—which was a meaningful way for Savanur to give back to her alma mater.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to share my journey and insights, hoping to inspire others, especially those facing challenges similar to what I experienced as a new investor,” she says. “During the webinar, I touched on foundational topics—building financial literacy, setting realistic investment goals, understanding risk tolerance, and the importance of patience and consistency.”

Savanur earned a Master of Finance at the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management and is currently a senior risk analytics consultant in home lending at Wells Fargo.

“I work between the engineering teams and business teams to ensure business requirements are effectively translated into development priorities and are delivered on a timely basis. I also design and conduct testing to ensure our data and risk models are accurate and reliable,” says Savanur. “It’s unique, and my role is different from others because working in fixed income and financial services industry requires exceptional understanding of technical concepts of the product you are working with, like value-at-risk and pre-payment models along with practical skills in Python, SQL, and Power BI.”

“The most challenging aspect of my work is acquiring industry knowledge and keeping up to date in a dynamic environment, particularly with the rapid pace of technological advancements.”

With this kind of day-to-day responsibility, Savanur is well-suited to share hard-earned knowledge from the front lines. This includes the TEDx WUSTL (Washington University in St. Louis) talk she gave in 2024 about the “sunk cost fallacy which is a finance/economics concept that is a cognitive bias. I explained how it also applies to our lives and how recognizing the bias helps with better decision making,” she says.

When she was studying at UCR, she also took advantage of similar learning experiences, and she found the Hylander Financial Group (HFG, a student club open to students of all disciplines and levels of financial expertise) beneficial in fine-tuning her finance skills. “HFG is a great place

to gain practical exposure to investing. It’s interesting to share and discuss finance with fellow grads, undergrads, and faculty at the same time,” says Savanur.

“Professor Jean Helwege has been a remarkable guiding light for me. What I appreciated the most is that she provided clarity and a realistic view of the economy.”

Savanur chose a graduate degree in finance at UCR because “the school has several active clubs that foster learning and networking even outside the classroom,” she says, and during her time at AGSM, she and fellow team members of the Hylander Student Investment Fund (managed by students with real money) won first place for Best Equity Report at the Chartered Financial Analyst Institute Research Challenge in Orange County with their presentation of a valuation of investment bank Houlihan Lokey. On a lighter note, she adds that she also loved working part time as a yoga instructor at the UCR Student Recreation Center.

As for her career expansion, Savanur says: “I look forward to working at the cusp of finance and technology, leveraging machine learning and Gen AI in the payments, risk, and fintech industries.”

Fortunately, Savanur’s parallel passion for her career and alma mater are paying dividends—both within her professional journey and for the students she mentors.

"Investment Strategies for Beginners" webinar UCR YouTube video

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