Best Rice Business Alumni Podcasts (2024)

1
From Boxing to Business School feat. DeRae Crane ’22 53:55

24h ago53:55

53:55

Our guest is an Army veteran, a world-class boxer, a father, a strategic credit advisor at BP, and on top of all that, a Rice Business alum. DeRae Crane '22 was raised in Davenport, Iowa by a single father, and began boxing at the age of 9. He was awarded the Bart Stupak Scholarship to attend Northern Michigan University (NMU) for boxing, which is …

1
Kenneth Ali, managing director, Rock Gate Partners 39:00

2h ago39:00

39:00

On this episode of Beyond High Street, Farmer School of Business dean Jenny Darroch and 1990 marketing alum Ken Ali talk about the history of starting businesses in his family, how learning is different as you get older, and what he thinks makes Miami standout as a university experience.By Jenny Darroch

1
What Practicing DEI in the Workplace Really Means feat. Professor Mikki Hebl 38:31

3d ago38:31

38:31

Mikki Hebl, an industrial organizational psychologist and the Martha and Henry Malcolm Lovett Chair of Psychology – Professor of Management at Rice University, has been studying workplace discrimination and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) for 30 years, well before DEI became the widely discussed topic it is today. In March of this year, Mikki…

1
From Nepal to Nanotech feat. Suman Khatiwada ’13 35:59

17d ago35:59

35:59

In this episode of Owl Have You Know, we explore the journey of Suman Khatiwada, from his roots in Nepal to becoming a trailblazing force in the chemical manufacturing industry. Suman is the co-founder, chief technology officer (CTO), and board director at Syzygy Plasmonics, focusing on using light-driven chemistry instead of combustion to power a …

1
Lance Theobald, CEO, Miami Nation Enterprises 26:31

19d ago26:31

26:31

Farmer School dean Jenny Darroch talks with 2010 accountancy alum Lance Theobald about his early years as an entrepreneur, his work on behalf of the Myaamia people as a member of the tribe, and what happened to the car he had during a trip to New Zealand.By Jenny Darroch

1
Evolving Perspectives on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Rice feat. Professor Alex Byrd & Professor Connie Porter 32:24

2M ago32:24

32:24

The topic of DEI is all over the news lately. But what are we talking about when we say “diversity, equity, and inclusion?” And why has it become such a charged topic? Joining us today to discuss these questions and more are Alex Byrd and Connie Porter. Since 2020, Alex Byrd has been the vice provost for diversity, equity and inclusion at Rice Univ…

1
A Mother-Daughter MBA Journey feat. Misty Fehler ’24 & Alexis Weaver ’24 34:26

2M ago34:26

34:26

We have plenty of Rice families in our history. But it's rare to see a mother and daughter earn their Professional MBAs at the same time. Misty and Alexis graduated in May and co-founded La Mer Macaron, offering an assortment of homemade macarons for home delivery. Misty is the CEO of La Mer Macaron. She spent most of her career as an independent p…

1
Innovating Out of a Crisis feat. Professor Scott Sonenshein & John Mangum 1:02:43

2M ago1:02:43

1:02:43

Eager to learn how organizations can innovate their way out of a crisis? You may be surprised that the key to this comes from an arts organization. Tune into a special live recording of our podcast, with John Mangum, the executive director/CEO of the Houston Symphony, and Scott Sonenshein, the Henry Gardiner Symonds Professor of Management – Organi…

1
Gopa Dobson, Chief Revenue Officer at MJ REIT 22:08

3M ago22:08

22:08

On this episode of Beyond High Street, Farmer School dean Jenny Darroch's guest is Gopa Dobson, a 1990 marketing alumna, with whom she talks about being industry agnostic, the importance of customer service, and advice for someone just starting their career in marketing.By Jenny Darroch

1
Innovation Across Generations feat. Adrian Trömel ’18 & Klaus Trömel ’85 32:55

3M ago32:55

32:55

For Adrian and Klaus Trömel, getting an MBA from Rice Business was a family affair. Klaus Trömel served as the secretary general of the European Investment Bank (EIB) until his retirement in March 2018. He began his career as an analyst at Hewlett-Packard’s European headquarters in Geneva before working as a trade and pre-export finance officer. Ad…

1
Jillian Griffiths, Chief Financial Officer at Clayton Dubilier & Rice 25:36

3M ago25:36

25:36

On this episode of Beyond High Street, Farmer School dean Jenny Darroch talks with Jillian Griffiths, a 1992 FSB accountancy alumna, about the importance of giving feedback, what Jillian did during a sabbatical from work in 2000, and why Sunday night was her favorite night of the week while she was at Miami.…

1
Swapping Lab Coats for Lip Gloss feat. Ashley Henry ’22 35:24

3M ago35:24

35:24

From an early age, Ashley Henry was interested in beauty. Despite getting her bachelor’s degree in chemistry and working for the CDC in epidemiology, her childhood dreams never faded. After her stint in public health, Ashley went on to work as a hairstylist before getting her MBA and fully committing to beauty and luxury goods. Ashley is now the gl…

1
I Learned the Most at My Lowest feat. Brian Jackson ’21 28:21

4M ago28:21

28:21

Brian Jackson is an expert when it comes to challenging himself in unchartered waters. Brian is the manager of renewables origination at TransAlta Corporation, where he oversees the company's renewable energy power purchase agreement origination activities in the United States. Brian has a well-rounded roster of degrees from Texas institutions, beg…

1
The Fundamental Principles of Disruption feat. T. Canady Barton ’10 33:12

4M ago33:12

33:12

Looking at T. Canady Barton’s resume, she has some of the biggest company names on the list. After a few years doing chemical engineering, oil and gas, T. pivoted to consulting, tech and entrepreneurship for the bulk of her career. In 2014, she moved to the U.K., where she was the vice president of portfolio management, digital strategy and transfo…

1
Mary van Praag, Global Chief Executive Officer at Milani Cosmetics 30:40

5M ago30:40

30:40

Mary van Praag, 1987 Farmer School of Business marketing graduate, talks with FSB dean Jenny Darroch about why she went into consumer products, being named "Brand Builder of the Year," and why the Western Campus is her favorite place at MiamiBy Jenny Darroch

1
The Pancake Princess Talks Building Authenticity Online feat. Erika Kwee ’16 27:09

4M ago27:09

27:09

Rice Business is known for producing top industry leaders and 2016 full-time MBA graduate, Erika Kwee is no exception. Erika Kwee is the creator, photographer and writer behind The Pancake Princess, where her colorful, mouthwatering “bake-off” blog compares popular baking recipes side-by-side to help readers and aspiring bakers find recipes that ar…

1
Mike Smerklo, Co Founder & Managing Director, Next Coast Ventures 30:05

5M ago30:05

30:05

Mike Smerklo, an entrepreneur, investor, and author who graduated from the Farmer School of Business in 1991, joins Farmer School dean Jenny Darroch to talk about being first in his family to go to college, being a fan of morning classes, and how he spent his Sundays during the Bengals' seasons.By Jenny Darroch

1
Navigating the Energy Transition feat. Diana Khandilyan ’20 28:52

5M ago28:52

28:52

Diana Khandilyan is an energy industry expert who dedicated more than 20 years to the international oil and gas exploration industry, focusing on emerging technologies, process optimization and corporate sustainability. The energy transition motivated her to pursue an MBA degree from Rice Business to explore the business viability of emerging trend…

1
Kia Nalls, Work-based Learning Solutions Creator at Sinclair Community College 31:45

6M ago31:45

31:45

On this episode of Beyond High Street, Farmer School of Business dean Jenny Darroch sits down with Kia Nalls, a 2001 finance and accountancy graduate, to talk about the scholarship that brought her to Miami, the importance of proper etiquette, and how she transitioned to working in higher education.By Jenny Darroch

1
The Misconception of Constructive Conflict feat. Professor Daan van Knippenberg 54:55

5M ago54:55

54:55

Conventional wisdom says that conflict and dissent among an organization’s top leaders can improve strategy and performance. But new research indicates the opposite is true. In fact, dissent at the top often damages working relationships, communication and decision quality. In this episode of Owl Have You Know, Daan van Knippenberg joins host Scott…

1
Roger Howe, U.S. Precision Lens (retired) 33:09

6M ago33:09

33:09

Farmer School of Business dean Jenny Darroch talks with Roger Howe, retired owner of U.S. Precision Lens and philanthropist, about his time in Oxford, his 60 years of friendship with Dick Farmer, and how he and his wife helped create the Howe Center for Writing ExcellenceBy Jenny Darroch

1
Half of the World Population Does Not Have Access to Clean Cooking feat. Dymphna van der Lans ’02 33:25

6M ago33:25

33:25

Rice grads end up all over the world, and Dymphna van der Lans is no exception. Dymphna has worked and lived in China, India, and Kenya and engaged with island nations in the Caribbean and the Indian and Pacific Oceans to support their transition away from polluting diesel fuels to renewable sources of energy. Dymphna brings more than 25 years of e…

1
Amy Armstrong, Co-Parent Coach, Coach Trainer, Mediator at The Center for Family Resolution 35:28

7M ago35:28

35:28

Farmer School dean Jenny Darroch talks with 1983 Miami University secondary education graduate Amy Armstrong about her pivot to adult education, her interest in how we learn, and the importance of allowing ourselves to be comfortable in being uncomfortable.By Jenny Darroch

1
Understanding Healthcare Through a Different Lens feat. Keri Sprung ’22 37:04

7M ago37:04

37:04

Keri Sprung ’22 is the vice president for education and director of the Women’s Center at the Texas Heart Institute. She provides strategic direction to the physicians and scientists leading innovative research, education, and clinical programs at the Institute in partnership with regional, national, and international collaborators. During her stud…

1
I Started My Business Because I Made a Huge Mistake feat. Wendy Fong EMBA ’13 32:23

8M ago32:23

32:23

Many of us have probably had that moment – where you quit one job because you found your “dream” job. But that second place wasn’t everything you thought it would be. So what comes after that? Wendy Fong decided to start her own company to fulfill her search, and to help others with theirs. Wendy is a business coach and talent optimizer, with a pas…

1
John Altman, serial entrepreneur and business leader 36:14

8M ago36:14

36:14

Farmer School dean Jenny Darroch chats with 1960 grad John Altman about the reason he came to Miami instead of joining the Navy, why he feels he didn't thrive in big companies, and his longtime passion for flying.By Jenny Darroch

1
A Commitment to Community Brought Our Provost to Rice feat. Amy Dittmar 42:36

8M ago42:36

42:36

From the president to the provost, a lot of people are working behind the scenes to make sure our university runs smoothly. As the Howard R. Hughes Provost of Rice University, Amy Dittmar oversees Rice’s academic enterprise, including direct reporting relationships for the deans of eight schools, the dean of undergraduates, the dean of graduate and…

1
The Intersection of Art and Business feat. Alison Weaver and Dean Peter Rodriguez 39:31

8M ago39:31

39:31

McNair Hall is home to an impressive collection of public art. With 19 installations that have been an intentional element of the building renovations since 2018, Rice is proud of the diverse permanent collection, which represents artists of a number of different ages, countries, genders and backgrounds. The new art helps communicate our philosophy…

1
George Heath, Board of Directors of Sea-Land Chemical Company, former group president at Sherwin-Williams 35:19

9M ago35:19

35:19

George Heath, 1990 Farmer School MBA graduate, talks with Farmer School dean Jenny Darroch about his pivot from graphic design to business, the impact of former dean James Robeson on him, selflessness vs. selfishness, and the sport he dreamed of going into as a pro.By Jenny Darroch

1
You Get Out What You Put In feat. Jan Goetgeluk ‘10 and Jesús Patiño ‘10 39:59

9M ago39:59

39:59

The Rice Energy Finance Summit (REFS) is an annual student-led conference promoting forward-looking discussions on the most relevant energy finance, investment and strategy topics affecting the global energy industry. And founders Jan Goetgeluk and Jesús Patiño say it's just another example of what you can do with the support and resources found wi…

1
Wealth Management Is All About Relationships feat. Crystal Maxwell '03 24:42

9M ago24:42

24:42

Crystal Maxwell was born in Texas but raised in Saudi Arabia as an "oil brat." Both her parents worked for Aramco. Exploring different cultures developed her global perspective that helps shape her investment recommendations even today. She moved back to the U.S. for college and earned her bachelor’s degree in hotel restaurant management from the U…

1
The Sky Is Not the Limit feat. Rawand Rasheed 27:39

9M ago27:39

27:39

Rawand grew up watching his father's passion for engineering. Despite avoiding the field at first, Rawand developed a similar passion for the craft. Rawand is a Ph.D. candidate at the Rice University George R. Brown School of Engineering and has more than five years of experience at NASA, first as a graduate research fellow, then as a life support …

1
How Two Years at Rice Alliance Became 22 feat. Brad Burke 30:28

10M ago30:28

30:28

For our final episode of season 3, we wanted to bring you one last conversation from this year’s Alumni Reunion. Brad Burke is the managing director of Rice Alliance, Rice Business’ flagship entrepreneurship initiative launched in 2000. Brad has led Rice Alliance since 2001, helping the Rice Business Plan Competition become the world’s largest and …

1
Cooperation in the U.S. - Mexico Border Region feat. Daniel Gutierrez ‘14 25:22

11M ago25:22

25:22

Born and raised in Mexico, Daniel Gutierrez knew from an early age he wanted to build a career in economics. In 2009, Daniel and his wife moved to San Antonio to join the North American Development Bank as a senior analysis and structuring specialist. North American Development Bank is a binational financial institution, established by the governme…

1
Clean Tech, Climate Change, and the Future of Energy feat. Phoebe Wang ’13 14:06

11M ago14:06

14:06

Climate change is on the news and in our faces every day, from wildfires to record-breaking heat waves. And today, we are talking to a Rice grad who’s working to combat these developments, through clean energy, carbon management and venture capital investments. Phoebe Wang is a cleantech venture capitalist who serves as an investment partner at the…

1
Everything Is a Business, Including Journalism feat. Kalyn Norwood '22 30:23

11M ago30:23

30:23

It’s not everyday you talk to a reporter with an MBA. Kalyn Norwood is Hearst Television’s White House Correspondent. She joined the company’s Washington Bureau in July 2022, right after earning her MBA at Rice Business. An Emmy award-winning journalist, Kalyn landed in Washington D.C. after a stint in Albuquerque, where she worked as an anchor/rep…

1
I See The Benefits of my MBA in Everything I Do feat. Tracy and John Dennis, FTMBA ’00 and ’93 16:50

1y ago16:50

16:50

We’re so excited to bring you another conversation from this year’s alumni reunion! Tracy Dennis `00 and John Dennis `93 met the first week of freshman year as undergrads at Harvard and have been together ever since, even both eventually coming to Rice Business for their MBAs! Tracy is a lecturer of management at Rice Business, teaching Principles …

1
Everybody’s Got To Eat feat. Turner Hoff ‘13 28:45

1y ago28:45

28:45

Turner Hoff grew up in a family of real estate entrepreneurs. When he was young, his goal was to work in construction like his father. After undergrad, he spent two years working with his father, redeveloping and flipping single-family homes in Houston, and joined Rice Business’ Full-Time MBA program in 2011, seeking a deeper understanding of real …

1
His Passion for ALS Research Starts at Home feat. Daniel Barvin '18 30:58

1y ago30:58

30:58

During this year's alumni reunion Partio, we caught up with some alums right on campus. One of those alumni was Daniel Barvin ‘18. Daniel has held many different roles, in both financial advising and oil and gas sectors, and eventually earned an MBA from Rice Business in 2018. But in December of that same year that he tested positive for the C9orf7…

1
Giving Entrepreneurs the Tools to Change the World feat. Hesam Panahi, Taylor Anne Adams ‘23, and Delaney Berman ‘22 47:35

1y ago47:35

47:35

In another installment of Owl Have You Know’s Flight Path Series, where guests share their career journeys and Rice insights, we speak to three innovators connected to the Liu Idea Lab for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. The Liu Idea Lab is a hub for entrepreneurship and innovation at Rice University. Its director of strategic innovations is Hesam…

1
Failing Forward feat. Ben Clemenceau ‘21 42:47

1y ago42:47

42:47

In another installment of our live Owl Have You Know recording series, we invited Ben Clemenceau ‘21 back to McNair Hall to discuss his career in market research, and how earning his MBA at Rice catapulted his pivot into consulting. In December of 2022, Ben received an accelerated promotion from senior strategy consultant to business strategy manag…

1
When War Broke Out, This Alum Flew Straight to Ukraine feat. Radu Filip ‘08 40:32

1y ago40:32

40:32

Many of us watch developments in the war in Ukraine on TV, and we get updates on Twitter. But for Radu Filip, who grew up behind the iron curtain in Romania, the conflict resonates deeper. So much so that he boarded a plane in late December 2022 to head into the war zone and help with relief efforts near Kharkiv with the nonprofit Elevate Ukraine. …

1
A Former Fourth-Grade Teacher Is Working To Ease Your Migraines feat. Jillian Levovitz Fink ‘17 31:45

1y ago31:45

31:45

When she joined Rice Business in 2017, Jillian Fink was in the process of founding OcciGuide, the first device used in the emergency care setting to treat migraines, a neurological condition that disproportionately impacts women. In her role as CEO, Jillian navigated the complexities of the healthcare system to get her medical device approved by th…

1
The Tools For Strong Leadership Are Right In Front of You. feat. Ruth Oh Reitmeier and Brent Smith 56:17

1+ y ago56:17

56:17

We’re back with another live edition of Owl Have You Know! And this time, we welcomed two leadership experts to the show, Ruth Reitmeier, director of coaching at Rice Business, and Brent Smith, the senior associate dean for executive education and associate professor of management and psychology at Rice Business. Certain topics, like cryptocurrency…

1
Human Moments Are Not Always Pretty feat. Dan Purvis ‘05 44:32

1+ y ago44:32

44:32

Dan Purvis says his passion for working for himself started in junior high when he began selling pieces of gum to classmates. Six companies later, it is safe to say Dan is a certified serial entrepreneur. Dan graduated with honors in electrical engineering and an undergraduate fellowship from Texas A&M and was a Jones Scholar at Rice Business, wher…

1
Francie Henry, Regional President at Fifth Third Bank 37:11

1+ y ago37:11

37:11

On this episode of Beyond High Street, 1986 Farmer School graduate Francie Henry talks with FSB dean Jenny Darroch about meeting clients where they are, relationship building, and the class she wishes she'd have taken while at Miami.By Jenny Darroch

1
Taking DEI Into the Future feat. Amanda Stewart ‘08 35:32

1+ y ago35:32

35:32

These days, you don't often find someone who's been with their job for maybe 5 or 10 years. Well, Amanda Stewart has been at Constellation for 15 years now and is still committed to helping the company grow. Amanda earned a BBA from UT Austin in 2002, with a concentration in marketing, and an MBA from Rice Business in 2008. She is the vice presiden…

1
Encore Episode of The Index - Unmarketing: A Guide To Not Buying Anything 29:00

1+ y ago29:00

29:00

Every March, South By Southwest brings together innovators, changemakers, and leaders from all over the world to Texas. To celebrate, this month we are revisiting episodes from The Index, a podcast collaboration between Texas Monthly and Rice Business at the 2019 South by Southwest festival, where the two entities co-hosted a pop-up experience in a…

1
The Value of a Kind and Collaborative Community feat. Joanna Nathan ‘19 33:54

1+ y ago33:54

33:54

Joanna Nathan has been pretty busy since earning her MBA 2019. A biomedical engineer by trade, visionary, and serial entrepreneur, Joanna most recently became the CEO of Prana Thoracic, a Houston-based medical device startup dedicated to developing solutions for the detection and intervention of early-stage lung cancer. She was formerly the manager…

1
Encore Episode of The Index - The Strangely Immovable Economics Of Live Performance 24:33

1+ y ago24:33

24:33

Every March, South By Southwest brings together innovators, changemakers, and leaders from all over the world to Texas. To celebrate, this month we are revisiting episodes from The Index, a podcast collaboration between Texas Monthly and Rice Business at the 2019 South by Southwest festival, where the two entities co-hosted a pop-up experience in a…

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