UCLA Anderson School of Management Blog

Alumna Bhavna Sivanand on UCLA Anderson's Social Innovation Programs

Bhavna Sivanand (’14) is the director of social innovation initiatives at the Price Center. With a background in public health, Bhavna is now merging her passion for making impact on a large scale with her business degree from Anderson. She has spoken about her passions in public health and the impact of projects she’s contributed to in various conferences, including TEDx Anderson. For more information on social impact at UCLA Anderson, visit the new website.   

Tell us about your background and what inspires you about social innovation? 

My background prior to business school was in public health. Coming out of undergrad, I was a biology and psychology double major, but instead of going the Medical route I started working locally and globally in public health. I was interested in having a population and policy level impact, and spent a lot of time figuring out how to distribute the burden of improving health across multiple sectors, including public, non-profit/non-governmental and private.

My work on various public-private partnerships led me to see the type of impact the corporate sector has on people and I started to explore how this impact could be used to improve social outcomes. I came to Anderson to learn how social innovation could benefit businesses, and so working at Anderson as the social innovation director seemed like a natural joining of my previous experience with my current interests.

I chose LA because there’s a lot of innovation happening in California. I wanted to merge my passion in global health with business principles. I was inspired by the rigor of the curriculum here at Anderson, and the ability to collaborate with like-minded professionals to create a better world to live in. 

How would you describe your responsibilities as director of social innovation initiatives? 

I manage social innovation programs for the Price Center at Anderson. What that means is essentially any program that enables the business world to create a social impact. Social innovation refers to any innovation (process, product, or program) that addresses and attempts to solve the most complex problems of our society in an effort to create positive social, environmental and economic change. You’ve probably heard of things like triple bottom lines, benefit corporations, mission-driven businesses, one-for-one, corporate citizenship, impact investing, social enterprises – these are all part of the solution. There’s a trend towards shifting corporations to think about more than just an economic impact, and my role is to promote thought leadership, partnerships and experiential opportunities for students at Anderson.

I’d like to put Anderson at the forefront of the discussion. We have the opportunity to shape the future generation of leaders, and stay ahead of the curve in the shifting role of business.

What are some of your goals to make an impact at Anderson?

I believe Anderson can help expose students to the ideologies of other graduate programs here. This helps break down silos. Sharing mindsets across disciplines makes it easier to work across different sectors!  The more we learn to think in different ways, the more we can innovate and solve crucial problems.

A Nonprofit Passion Project Enhances the Value of Clinical Care

After pursuing his medical degree Tony Hung (M.D., MBA ’13) decided to add an MBA to his repertoire. Upon graduating, he began his internal medicine residency at the Olive View-UCLA Medical Center, where he has continued to pursue his interest in oncology, as well as health care innovation and integrative east-west medicine. In the fall of 2015 he launched a nonprofit passion project, iCareX. Its first innovative program, Project Health Coach, is aimed to train student members as health coaches to enhance the value and improve the efficiency of clinical care for underserved populations by helping to coordinate their care. We spoke with Tony about the project and his pursuit of giving back.

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Q: You were trained as a physician, but decided to also pursue an MBA. What made you choose this path?

It was curiosity. With the transforming landscape of the U.S. health system, I knew I had to think differently to excel as a physician. So I took the leap to pursue an MBA like a curious traveler to a new country, looking for new insights. Little did I realize, I was immersed in an unfamiliar yet refreshing world of knowledge and expertise, and a network of talented mentors and colleagues. The business school experience has transformed who I was as a learner and has continued to shape who I am now as a physician. It has taught me to see and think in a different perspective, and as a leader. I hope to integrate the best of medicine and business to advance health care. I am proud to say that UCLA Anderson has supported me through this worthwhile journey.

UCLA Anderson Alumni Chapters Welcome the Class of 2015 around the Globe

Share your Worldwide Welcome Week photos! Follow us on Instagram and tag your snaps @UCLAAndersonAlumni and #BruinsWorldwide.

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UCLA Anderson MBAs become integral members of the school’s international alumni network the day they graduate. And Anderson doesn’t wait long to organize special events around the globe to help new alumni stay connected — to Anderson and to each other.

This fall, Worldwide Welcome Week offers opportunities for networking and socializing in cities across the U.S. and abroad, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, New York, Chicago, London, Paris, Zurich and Tokyo. Class of 2015 alumni attend most events for free.

Looking Ahead: UCLA Anderson Admissions Staff Recruit in Asia

In Tokyo, 15 Anderson alumni participated in an information session for prospective students

No sooner has Class of 2017 orientation begun than UCLA Anderson admissions staff are off to Asia to recruit members of future classes. Vickie Euyoque recently sent a blog postcard from Beijing, having already visited Tokyo, Taipei and Seoul.

Some of the most gratifying things about her trip? The large number of Anderson alumni who participate in or even host the recruiting events, and the satisfaction that she can tell folks in places like Japan, China and Korea that the caliber of L.A.’s Asian food rivals that of their home countries!

Read Euyoque’s full account of this year’s Asia recruiting tour so far on the MBA Insider’s Blog.

Anderson FEMBApalooza a Hit with 18 Class Years Represented

Enjoy the whole photo gallery from UCLA Anderson FEMBApalooza 4!

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UCLA Anderson celebrated another successful FEMBApalooza, with nearly 1,000 people in attendance, 131 of them kids. The fun-filled annual event brought together Fully Employed MBA students and alumni from 18 classes, starting with members of the Class of 1995 right on up to 187 students in the recently admitted Class of 2018.

“Great job Fembapalooza!!! The best one yet — thank you! ‪#‎fembalove,” wrote Kelly Stelbasky (’16) on her Facebook page. And Ed Duess (’18) posted, “FEMBApalooza was incredible; it was such a great day and so well executed. I am looking very forward to FEMBApalooza 2016!”

The Class of 2018 includes 35 nationalities, 26 active-duty military personnel or veterans, an Olympic gold medalist, and 108 women, the most in a FEMBA class.

As with Paloozas past, Teaching Under the Trees sessions proved popular — with Anderson Professors Ian Larkin, Miguel Unzueta, David Cooley, Corinne Bendersky and Gonzalo Freixes handling the teaching honors this year — as did photo ops with Dean Judy Olian. The show-stopper came when alumnus Abhilash Patel (’12) broke the exciting news that he sold two companies for $60 million.

These and other highlights of FEMBApalooza 4 are listed in Assistant Dean Dylan Stafford’s What I Love about UCLA FEMBA blog, starting with number 10, “No Rain.”

Cheng Siwei ('83): 1935-2015

Dean Judy Olian made the following announcement earlier today regarding the passing of UCLA Anderson alumnus Cheng Siwei ('83). To the UCLA Anderson community, It is with much sadness that I share news of the passing of Cheng Siwei (’83), a seminal figure in politics and markets in China. Professor Cheng was a renowned Chinese scholar with expertise in economics, finance, management and chemistry, the field where he began his long and illustrious career. He is among UCLA Anderson’s “100 Inspirational Alumni.”

For Entrepreneurial Alumni Erik and Kate Pletcher, Anderson and Southern California Were the Perfect Choice

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Erik and Kate Pletcher have much in common: their home in Venice, their rambunctious toddler, their feisty poodle-terrier, and their passion for the Southern California lifestyle. They’re also both members of UCLA Anderson’s class of 2007 who evolved into entrepreneurs. Kate is founder of Treehouse Partners, a firm that is transforming recruiting. Erik is a director at Ferrazzi Greenlight, a rapidly growing boutique change management consulting firm.

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Interviewed by Cheechee Lin

Q: Why did you choose Anderson?

Kate: Erik and I are originally from Minnesota. We were dating in college (Kate at University of Wisconsin-Madison, Erik at Bowdoin in Maine) and moved to Buffalo, New York, together after graduation. At the time, I was selling mattresses and Erik was working in banking while he prepared for the GMAT, and I had been helping Erik review the material — to the point where I just figured I would take the test and start exploring b-school myself.

We always knew we wanted to live in California and attend a top-tier business school, and the entrepreneurial-minded Anderson School of Management was the perfect choice. The California dream that embodied the spirit of being able to do anything we wanted out here was very appealing, as California offered a lot of opportunities to do cool things.

B-school for me consisted of three parts: social, academic and career. I gained a lot from each of these areas while I was here. I would say half of my business comes either directly or indirectly from Anderson alumni.

Erik: Coming to Anderson was also a lifestyle choice: Anderson is a high-caliber business school, but the lifestyle and culture of Southern California also suited us. After coming here, when I was thinking about what I wanted to do and how I wanted to get there, I realized the alumni network was amazing.

Innovator Craig Kreeger (’85), CEO of Virgin Atlantic Airways: “We Have to Win on Customers’ Loving Us”

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Want to keep up with Anderson Alumni Weekend? Download the UCLA Anderson Events app from the Google Play Store or iTunes.

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By Carolyn Gray Anderson

UCLA Anderson’s annual Alumni Weekend Conference, themed “Idea. Change. Impact.” opened with breakout sessions on topics ranging from smart personal finance to “Crafting a Compelling Career Narrative” to a spotlight on some of today’s most disruptive innovators. Class of 1985’s Craig Kreeger, CEO of Virgin Atlantic Airways, delivered the keynote address.

President of the UCLA Anderson Alumni Network Wendy Spinner (’89) briefly took the podium to acknowledge her fellow board members and to remind alumni to make the effort to connect with their global Anderson network. Following remarks by Anderson Associate Dean of Alumni Relations Jill Baldauf (’81) — who expressed excitement about the new Anderson Alumni Weekend app, the exclusive MBA lounge and the revival of the Anderson Beer Bus — Andy Howard (’16) introduced Kreeger.

Kreeger joined Virgin Atlantic in 2013, after 27 years with American Airlines, where he held commercial, financial and strategic roles in the U.S. and around the globe. Recruited on campus at Anderson, he joined American as an analyst not because he had always dreamed of world travel or being an airline pilot; he said he thought it was a “cool-sounding job.” And his career choice certainly panned out to become a true calling: he was appointed SVP of customer in 2012, having spent six years in London as SVP of international, responsible for operations and sales throughout Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the Pacific.

Anderson Gears Up for 2015 Alumni Weekend, Conference, Reunions, Networking, Golf and More

UCLA Anderson Alumni Weekend brings back 1,000+ Anderson alumni for four days of events that include the Alumni Conference, class reunions, executive recruiter networking opportunities, and the ever-popular Alumni Golf Tournament. Events start Thursday, April 30, and continue through Monday, May 4.

New to conference is alumni access to the renovated MBA Lounge, housed in Mullin Management Commons. It’s a space for relaxation with TVs, a view of the North Lawn and ping pong tables for students’ recreation. Plug in or chill out — this lounge is at your disposal on Friday.

We are also eagerly supporting our own: For breakfast at Alumni Conference, we’re serving Stumptown coffee from Alfred's Coffee, a hip, local coffee shop chain owned by alumnus Josh Akhtarzad (’06). And class reunion attendees will enjoy the cocktail candy dessert table provided by Rosie O’Neill’s (’05) Sugarfina.

Launching this week is the first-ever Alumni Weekend app, which will help users navigate Alumni Weekend events via both Apple and Android platforms. It serves as a tool to stay connected to the Anderson community and its features include the schedule, map, class notes, reunions (including throwback photos from students’ days at UCLA Anderson), domestic and international alumni chapter resources, a social feed, videos and information on how to support UCLA Anderson. Download the UCLA Anderson Events app from the Google Play Store or iTunes.

Anderson Alumni Share Success with Creative Donations to Alumni Weekend Golf Tournament

By Carolyn Gray Anderson

One of the most popular aspects of Alumni Weekend is its culminating event, the Alumni Golf Tournament, the brainchild of Chris Benedict (’98), Curtis Colon (’98) and Jim Hannon (’98) (who have recently been joined by co-chair John Kelly ’98). The nine-year-old volunteer-run tournament puts the “fun” in fundraising, with 45 golf foursomes competing as teams for a range of prizes and recognition. In a separate putting contest, all players get a chance to win private jet travel to Las Vegas, provided by Pride Flight Associates, a local company founded by Anderson alumnus Roger Behrstock (BS ’59).

Benedict, also the CFO of the UCLA Anderson Alumni Network Board, says, “As Anderson alumni, we should all embrace the spirit of giving back to help support and grow the brand that is UCLA Anderson. What is really effective about this tournament is that it enables this while bringing the full cross-section of constituents together in a great day of camaraderie and networking.”