Leadership Summit Digital Program

A Lifetime of Leadership

FEBRUARY 23, 2023

Dear Trojans and Friends,

On behalf of the Marshall Volunteer Leadership Council (MVLC) we are pleased to welcome you to the 2023 Marshall Leadership Summit!

This year’s theme, A Lifetime of Leadership, reminds us of the important role leadership plays throughout our careers. Today's programming is designed to position you at the forefront of emerging trends and respond to current challenges facing business leaders. We have assembled a dynamic group of speakers and are grateful for their shared insights. In addition, a special thank you to USC Marshall Dean, Geoffrey Garrett, for sharing his leadership vision and to USC Trustee, Oscar Munoz, for delivering the keynote address.

Over the past several months, a dedicated committee of MVLC members has worked tirelessly to organize the 2023 Leadership Summit. A full list of those committee members appears below. We appreciate your dedication and contributions.

Large scale events like the Marshall Leadership Summit are made possible by the generous support of our sponsors. We thank our silver sponsors – dot cards, JP Morgan Chase, and USC Marshall Executive Education; and our bronze sponsors – Optum and Silicon Valley Bank – for their generous support in making this event happen

Finally, thank YOU for attending. It is our desire that you leave the 2023 Marshall Leadership Summit energized by both new ideas and Trojan connections.

Fight On!

Alex Blecksmith MBA ’12

Howard Kern ’89 Chair, Marshall Volunteer Leadership Council Chair, Leadership Summit Planning Committee

2023 Leadership Summit Planning Committee Members

Alex Blecksmith MBA ’12

John Buchanan ’96

Christopher Gopal PhD ’84

James Goswiller MBA ’74

Janette Gradney MBA ’16

Yash Gupta ’18

James Haskell ’04, MBA ’13

Howard Kern ’89

Mark Muller ’81

Tess Shih ’05

Kayla Singer ’16

Barbara Sladeck ’91, MBA ’18

Gail Stevens MBA ’86

SCHEDULE

All sessions will be held in Trojan Ballroom AB unless otherwise noted

8:15-9:00am Check In/Continental Breakfast

9:00-9:30am Welcome Remarks

• Geoffrey Garrett, Dean, USC Marshall School of Business

9:30-10:30am Keynote Speaker

• Oscar Munoz, Former CEO, United Airlines

10:30-10:45am Break

10:45-12:00pm Breakout Sessions (attendees will choose one)

• Leading Your Business Through a Changing Landscape (Forum Room)

• Case Studies: Real World DEI Strategies with Impact (Franklin Suite)

• Web3 - What leaders need to know about the next iteration of the internet (Trojan Ballroom CD)

12:00-1:00pm Networking Lunch

1:00-2:00pm Fireside Chat Session

• The Business of College Athletics

2:00-2:15pm Break

2:15-3:30pm Breakout Sessions (attendees will choose one)

• From Start Up to Finish: The Entrepreneurship Journey (Trojan Ballroom CD)

• How do you lead in a category and a world that is not yet defined? (Forum Room)

• Doing Good by Doing Well: How businesses can extend their impact beyond their bottom line (Franklin Suite)

3:30-4:00pm Closing Remarks

4:00-5:30pm Networking Reception

WELCOME REMARKS

9:00 – 9:30AM

Geoffrey Garrett Dean

Robert R. Dockson Dean's Chair in Business Administration Professor of Management and Organization

USC Marshall School of Business

Dr. Geoffrey Garrett holds the Robert R. Dockson Dean’s Chair in Business Administration and is Professor of Management and Organization. Since his arrival at Marshall, Garrett has been at the forefront of redefining modern business education and has drawn transformational investment to the school for supply chain and risk management institutes. He previously served as dean of the Wharton School from 2014 until 2020.

Garrett taught at USC from 2005-2008 as a professor of international relations, business administration, communications, and law while also serving as the President of the Pacific Council on International Policy. Before that, he was the founding Dean of the International Institute and Vice Provost of International Studies at UCLA.

In his native Australia, Garrett was the founding CEO of the United States Studies Centre and dean of the business schools at both The University of Sydney and UNSW. A distinguished international political economist, Garrett has held academic appointments at Oxford, Stanford and Yale universities.

Garrett holds a B A (Honors) from the Australian National University, and an M A and Ph D from Duke University, where he was a Fulbright Scholar.

KEYNOTE ADDRESS

9:30 – 10:30AM

Oscar Munoz

Former CEO and Chairman, United Airlines

Oscar Munoz served as CEO and Chairman of United Airlines, from 2015 to 2021.

During his tenure, United achieved a rapid turnaround, delivering industry-leading operational reliability as well as sustained financial success, with stock value increasing 54 percent during that period. Mr. Munoz formally retired as Executive Chairman in May 2021.

Previously, Oscar served as President and Chief Operating Officer of the North American rail-based transportation supplier CSX Corp. A decade of excellent financial performance, including a boost in operating income of nearly 600 percent, earned CSX recognition on the list of Most Honored Companies by Institutional Investor magazine.

His earlier career took him to AT&T and Coca-Cola, serving as Chief Financial Officer and Vice-President of Consumer Services, and Regional Vice President of Finance and Administration, respectively. He’s also worked at PepsiCo and served as Senior Vice President of Finance and Administration for U.S. West. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Salesforce, CBRE, TelevisaUnivision, and Archer Aviation, a leading Urban Air Mobility company and developer of all-electric vertical take-off and landing (“eVTOL”) aircraft. He is an Independent Trustee on Fidelity’s Equity & High-Income Funds Board and sits on the Pentagon’s Defense Business Board, which is responsible for providing independent advice on business management issues to senior leaders within the Department of Defense.

He is a member of the Board of Trustees for the Brookings Institution and is also a Trustee of the University of Southern California, where he earned his undergraduate degree in business. He also received an MBA from Pepperdine.

Born in Mexico and raised in Southern California, Oscar went on to become the first in his family to attend college. He founded Pave It Forward, a foundation that raises scholarship funds for students who are also the first in their families to attend a four-year university. Hispanic Business magazine twice named Oscar one of its ‘100 Most Influential Hispanics, honoring his journey as an immigrant who, to this date, remains the only person of Hispanic heritage to run a US airline.

BREAKOUT SESSIONS

10:45AM – 12:00PM

Leading Your Business Through a Changing Landscape

Major events that impact the economy and how we do business challenge us in ways we never thought possible. These disruptions seem to occur more frequently whether it's the recent pandemic or the housing crisis in 2009. What if there was a way to be better prepared for the next disruption? Hear from a panel of business leaders who faced upheaval during the pandemic, how they persevered and their game plan to best prepared for the next disruption.

Meghan Hart, MBA ’17 Manager, Domestic Marketing Strategy for Universal Parks & Resorts, NBCUniversal

In the business of marketing fun! Meghan Hart has spent the past 5 years developing and executing global marketing campaigns to drive demand to meet revenue, attendance, and occupancy targets for Universal Parks & Resorts. Highlights include attraction launches, new event development, and reopening a theme park.

Stennett Rey, Current MBV Student

Command Senior Enlisted Leader, United States Marine Corps Stennett Rey is an active-duty Marine with 28 years of service. His current role is as a Command Senior Enlisted Leader advising the senior executive for the largest Marine Corps logistics unit west of the Mississippi consisting of 8,500 personnel and 13 business organizations. Since 2020, Stennett has performed organizational development consultant functions enhancing the workplace by providing advice, guidance, and oversight to cross-functional leaders and managers solving typical business and people-related issues.

David Wani, MBA ’01 CEO, Twenty Four Seven Hotel

The co-founder of Twenty Four Seven Hotels, David Wani serves as the company’s Chief Executive Officer. David directs all company operations, including property management, development and investment including acquisition and disposition activity.

Sharon Wang, MBA ’18

CEO/Founder, Pragmatic Strategy Co. (Moderator)

WIth over two decades of experience in large-scale, complex transformations, Sharon Wang focuses on helping organizations execute corporate strategies that help evolve the organizations.

10:45AM – 12:00PM

Case Studies: Real World DEI Strategies with Impact

Incorporating DEI into your leadership approach can seem overwhelming. In this session, you will learn about real-world strategies implemented by organizations and their impact on culture, employee morale and overall bottom line. Walk away with action items to help elevate your DEI strategy beyond the basic elements and implement meaningful programs and services.

Marya Bangee, MPA ’15

Vice President of Representation, Inclusion Strategies and Engagement, The Walt Disney Studios

In her current role, Marya Bangee works as a creative thought partner with the heads of the different studios under the Disney umbrella, including Marvel, Lucas, Pixar, 20th Century, and Searchlight, on telling culturally representative stories through film that are seen by billions of people globally. Her team is responsible for furthering representation across the Studios through content advisement; market strategies; talent acquisition and retainment; and Disney's Launchpad, which is an incubator for diverse emerging filmmakers. Previously, Marya built a national cultural nonprofit, ran her own company, and worked as a community organizer with impoverished communities.

Janelle Metzger, MBA ’04

Vice President, People Team, Optum

Janelle Metzger is a global Human Resources executive that builds and executes people strategies that create environments where people believe in the mission, are empowered to act on it, and feel like they belong. As the VP of People for Optum California, she has stewarded organizational design programs to improve shared service effectiveness and built the DEI strategy that has led to nationwide changes in LGBTQ+ healthcare at Optum. Janelle also holds board positions for non-profits that support women to become financially independent.

Joan Son, MBA ’16

Vice President & Director, HR Strategy & Business Operations, Capital Group

Joan Son is an HR Strategy and Business Operations director at Capital Group, home of American Funds. She has 14 years of industry experience and has been with Capital Group for 12 years. Earlier in her career at Capital, Joan worked as a Senior Program Manager for the Enterprise Change Office and as a senior business planning and analysis manager for North America Client Group.

Michele Turner, BS ’81, EdD ’14

Associate Vice President, Office of Business Diversity and Economic Opportunity (BDEO), University of Southern California

Michele Turner is currently tasked with building and leading the University of Southern California's Office of Business Diversity and Economic Opportunity (BDEO), reporting under USC Civic Engagement and Economic Partnerships, University Relations. In this role Michele is creating anchor institutional policy, strategies and frameworks across USC’s academic and healthcare enterprise focused upon targeted business diversity outreach, utilization and impact.

Naomi Warren

Associate Professor of Clinical Business Communication, USC Marshall School of Business (Moderator)

Naomi Warren is an educator, mentor, coach, and consultant with expertise in communication, diversity, equity, and inclusion. Recent partnerships include the city of Los Angeles' Civil + Human Rights and Equity Department (LA Civil Rights), the California Association for the Education of Young Children, and several non-profits

BREAKOUT SESSIONS

10:45AM – 12:00PM

Web3 - What Leaders Need to Know About the Next Iteration of the Internet

Web3 is being touted as the future of the internet. At its core, Web3 uses blockchains, cryptocurrencies, and NFTs to give power back to the users in the form of ownership. Hear from a panel of leaders working in the Web3 space and their thoughts on what all business leaders need to know about this emerging concept.

Evan Greenberg, MBA ’14 Business Development, POAP - Bookmarks for your life

Evan Greenberg began his career in Web3 when he co-founded Blockchain Beach, a Web3 focused media company. He then consulted for companies like Gemini and Vatom, prior to joining POAP.

Grady Hua, BA ’09 Director, Web3 & Digital Assets, PwC

Grady Hua is a Director within PwC's Web3 practice, focusing on Metaverse and Digital Assets strategy. Grady guilds new products and strategies for brands to create transformative consumer experiences, and new ways to transact and transfer value. His capabilities span across emerging tech, CX, marketing & sales, product / NFT design, marketplace design & management with industry focus across CPG, FinTech, Automotive, and Private Equity / Asset Wealth Management.

Michael Jenson, BA ’05, MBA ’13 Founder and CEO, BlueBird Labs

Michael Jenson is an accomplished media and tech executive, entrepreneur and content producer. He is a 2x startup founder, former Warner Bros executive, Strategy Consultant and is an expert in building operating businesses at the intersection of tech and digital media. He is professor at USC Cinema, member of TV academy and Producer Guild.

Anthony Borquez, BS ’94, MS ’98, MS ’06, MS ’23, PhD ’03 Professor of the Practice, Lloyd Greif Center for Entrepreneurial Studies, USC Marshall School of Business (Moderator)

Anthony Borquez is a tech entrepreneur, investor, and educator. He is founder of multiple video game startups, managing partner of Moon Holdings (over 80 investments across media, tech, and Web3), and a Professor at USC for 20+ years. He was recently promoted to Professor of the Practice in Entrepreneurship at Marshall and teaches Technology Entrepreneurship and a new course on Web3 & Blockchain.

1:00 – 2:00PM

The Business of College Athletics

The college athletics landscape has experienced monumental change in the past few years. From major shifts in conference realignment resulting in record-breaking media rights deals to student-athletes being able to monetize their name, image and likeness (NIL) rights while maintaining their eligibility to compete, the intersection between college athletics and business continues to grow. Hear from a panel of experts on the challenges and opportunities created by these recent developments and look ahead to what may be on the horizon.

Michael Ehrlich ’06

Head of Athlete Engagement, MarketPryce; Founder and CEO, Playbook Marketing

Michael Ehrlich is a strategic global brand marketing, communications executive and producer of integrated campaigns, talent partnerships, digital and creative content across the sports, entertainment, lifestyle and technology landscapes. Currently the Head of Athlete Engagement for NIL platform MarketPryce, Ehrlich educates student-athletes on how to connect, create and grow through brand partnerships. His goal is to provide the 98% of college athletes that won’t make it to the next level the keys to their own personal brands, setting them up for long-term success outside of sports. As Founder and CEO of brand consultancy Playbook Marketing, his recent clients have included Netflix, Nike/Converse, Red Bull, Autograph, Beyond Meat and Blue Wire Podcasts, among others.

Jeff Fellenzer ’77, MA ’80

Associate Professor of Professional Practice: Sports, Business, Media, USC Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism

Jeff Fellenzer has more than three decades of experience in sports management, news media, higher education, and as an entrepreneur. His “Sports, Business, Media” class averages about 125 students each semester. “Sports and Media Technology,” which he designed to focus on the tech sector’s impact on sports, launched in 2014. Fellenzer has been a Heisman Trophy voter since 2007, one of only 43 in California and 925 nationally who have been invited to participate in the selection process for the most prestigious individual award in sports. Among the prominent sports figures Fellenzer has interviewed as part of his classroom experience for students are: John Wooden, Jerry West, Bill Walton, Pete Carroll, Al Michaels, Scott Boras, Leigh Steinberg, Keyshawn Johnson, Larry Scott, Lynn Swann, Baron Davis, Byron Scott, Kevin Love, Shelley Smith, Lee Jenkins, Jeanie Buss, George Raveling, Casey Wasserman, Bill Plaschke, Sam Cunningham, Jamaal Wilkes, and World War II hero/U.S. Olympian Louie Zamperini.

Fellenzer was honored in 2022 for outstanding leadership and service to USC with his initiation into Skull and Dagger, the all-university honor society. In summer 2021, he was an instructor in the inaugural USC Annenberg Student-Athlete Multimedia Playbook Boot Camp for Trojan athletes. He worked again with USC football players in summer 2022, designing and co-teaching a course on brand-building, storytelling and name, image, likeness education. Fellenzer also teamed with USC Annenberg colleague and ESPN reporter Shelley Smith in summer 2022 to teach a sports storytelling class for college credit to selected high school students from around the country.

Katie Ryan MS ’22 Director of Football Communications, USC Athletics

Katie Ryan serves as the Director of Football Communications for the USC football team. Katie began her career at USC as summer intern in the sports information office at USC in 2013 and 2014, then continued as a fulltime intern in 2014-15. She was hired on fulltime in the summer of 2015. She received her bachelor’s degree in journalism and public relations from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in 2014, where she founded a blog on the Mustangs’ football team. She played volleyball at Cal Poly SLO and North Carolina State.

Katie earned her master's degree in strategic public relations from USC in 2022.

BREAKOUT SESSIONS

2:15 – 3:30PM

From Start Up to Finish: The Entrepreneurship Journey

Starting a business is a journey with unique challenges and opportunities along the way. Our panel of successful entrepreneurs share their experiences from the initial startup phase all the way through achieving success.

Brandon Hill CEO, Vori

Brandon Hill is the CEO of Vori, the only modern B2B operating system for the grocery industry. Their technology democratizes access to the local, national, and global food supply, and streamlines operations for grocery retailers and suppliers–reducing the time it takes them to manage the inventory ordering process by up to 80%.

Clara Paye CEO, UNITE

As the CEO and founder of UNiTE Clara Paye’s mission is to build a bigger, more inclusive wellness table one where everyone is invited to have a seat. On a mission to prove diversity is delicious, UNiTE launched in March of 2020 with a line of protein bars in culturally diverse flavors. Since then, the Brand has been quickly growing and UNiTE is sold in major retailers nationwide and online.

Steven Tang

Co Founder, CEO, Drunkfruit

Steven Tang is the founder and CEO of Drunk Fruit, a startup bringing Asian alcoholic beverages into the mainstream US retail market. Before starting the company, Steven built consumer tech products at places like Instagram and Twitch.

Subriana Pierce

Managing Partner, Navigator Sales & Marketing (Moderator)

Subriana Pierce is a sought after thought leader in the grocery industry. Over 25 years in the grocery industry, both at Albertsons as Senior Vice President and various sales and marketing roles at Frito Lay, Subriana embarked on a vision with her husband and launched Navigator Sales and Marketing. Navigator is a full service brokerage and merchandising company representing about 30 consumer packaged goods brands across over 18,000 stores nationally. In addition, they launched a 501c3 foundation to support more early stage women and minority CPG entrepreneurs to help them get the education needed to succeed in grocery.

2:15 – 3:30PM

How do you lead in a category and a world that is not yet defined?

How business is conducted is continually evolving with new terminology and sectors emerging on an annual basis. Who was familiar with cryptocurrency, blockchain, bitcoin and NFT a few years ago? Furthermore, companies like SpaceX are paving the way for businesses to enter a field that was previously inaccessible to private companies. And technology advances in the areas of virtual reality and artificial intelligence have expanded opportunities. Learn about the unique challenges facing leaders in these emerging fields and how they will help us prepare for the next wave.

Ramsay Brown, BA ’07, MS ’15

CEO, The AI Responsibility Lab

Over the past decade Ramsay Brown has had the privilege to lead where technology, innovation, and human flourishing meet: including pioneering work in brain architecture, theoretical chemistry, behavioral engineering, digital therapeutics, and artificial intelligence safety. As a technical executive, his passion lies in fusing business acumen and technical expertise with foresight and servant leadership to turn science fiction into science fact. Guided by an intergenerational commitment to the promotion of truth and beauty, Ramsay animates his highest calling in leading teams that improve the state of the world by accelerating the state of the art.

Josh Sackman, BS ’04

President and Co Founder, Applied VR

Josh Sackman is the President and Cofounder of AppliedVR, a digital health company developing a new category of immersive therapeutics. AppliedVR developed the first FDAauthorized virtual reality therapeutic medical device for the treatment of chronic low back pain. Josh’s own experience with childhood chronic pain shaped his career path towards wanting to create a positive impact on the health of others. He quickly transitioned from leading digital technology development and marketing teams for consumer health and technology companies scaling businesses from $30M to $600M to starting his own entrepreneurial journey. Josh’s firm belief in the power of technology to create meaningful connections, tools, and access to information to positively change our health and behavior shaped his vision for AppliedVR.

Gefferie Yee-Madera, BS ’86, MS ’90

Vice President of Engineering, Strategic Space Systems Division, Northrop Grumman

As the VP of Engineering for the Strategic Space Systems Division, Gefferie Yee-Madera is responsible for leading the engineering execution across all programs and new business activities across the division. She is also responsible for engineering strategy, resources, training and career development, implementation and effectiveness measurement, as well as processes and procedures across the division.

Nathanael Fast

Jorge Paulo and Susanna Lemann Chair in Entrepreneurship and Associate Professor of Management and Organization; Director of the Neely Center for Ethical Leadership and Decision Making; Co-Director of the Psychology of Technology Institute, USC Marshall School of Business (Moderator)

Nathanael Fast studies the psychological underpinnings of power, leadership, and technology adoption. His research examines how power and status hierarchies shape decision making, how people’s identities shape their professional networks, and how AI is shaping the future of humanity. He received his PhD in Organizational Behavior from Stanford University and has been on the faculty at USC since 2009.

2:15 – 3:30PM

Doing Good by Doing Well: How Businesses can extend their impact beyond their bottom line

In today’s competitive market, how companies lead influences how they attract and retain employees and customers. Businesses are evaluated based not only on their products and services, but on how they contribute to the overall good of society. Organizations that promote sustainability, encourage employee wellness and support philanthropic efforts are just a few examples. Hear from a panel of leaders empowering organizations to have meaningful social impact.

Sally Chan, BS ’02, MBA ’11 Vice President, Community Engagement, Warner Bros. Discovery

Sally Chan is a seasoned Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) executive with more than 20 years of experience in social impact marketing, multi-stakeholder engagement (investor relations, employee and community engagement, etc.), supply chain management, sustainability, philanthropy and reporting. In her current role as Vice President, Community Engagement, Sally is responsible for working with government and community leaders to oversee community outreach efforts on behalf of film and television shows, creating workforce training and development opportunities for underrepresented groups, and guiding transportation demand management strategies.

Patty Covarrubios, BS ’02, MA ’08 Director, Rise Program, Redfin

Patty Covarrubias is the Director of the Rise Program at Redfin where she is responsible for developing and executing the company’s philanthropic initiatives. In this role, she builds partnerships with nonprofit organizations, manages team member engagement opportunities, directs program marketing and communication efforts, and oversees key strategies to support underserved and low income communities. She is a seasoned professional with experience in leading key programs and initiatives that have advanced the performance and recognition of various companies as responsible and sustainable.

Stephanie Lomibao, MPP ’05 SVP/Philanthropy Program Director, Bank of America

Stephanie Lomibao is a philanthropy director for the Bank of America Charitable Foundation. As part of the Environmental Social Governance team, Stephanie helps deliver the bank’s signature philanthropic initiatives and programs and integrate them across the company’s global enterprise platforms including diversity, equity & inclusion, local market engagement, employee volunteerism and thought leadership. In her current leadership role as the community program owner for the Foundation’s Leadership Pillar, Stephanie works with a team to leverage Neighborhood Builders, Student Leaders, Better Money Habits, and Driving Impact Webinar Series to help advance social progress and economic mobility.

Greys Sošić Department Chair, E. Morgan Stanley Chair in Business Administration and Professor of Data Sciences and Operations, USC Marshall School of Business (Moderator)

Greys Sošić holds a PhD from the University of British Columbia, and a master's and a bachelor's degree from the University of Zagreb, Croatia. Her research interests include supply chain management, sustainability, competition and cooperation in supply chains, with emphasis on coalition stability. Her work has been published in journals such as Management Science, Operations Research, M&SOM, and POMS. She has been teaching courses on supply chain management, sustainability, and sourcing.

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