Hulu’s Jenna Cavelle (’23) and McKinney’s Anita Schillhorn van Veen (’23) compare notes on how their Anderson MBA has influenced the way they work in Hollywood and Advertising

Featuring: Muhammad “Mo” Shahzad (’09), President and CFO of Relativity Space

With no prior experience, Muhammad “Mo” Shahzad (’09) immersed himself in the rocket industry and secured a top role in the field. An immigrant to the U.S., he embraces the mentality of openness, curiosity and results-driven leadership. Lessons from Anderson fueled his mission to pioneer reusable rockets and make life interplanetary.

Singapore-based Savita Iyer (’05) has worked in finance at the Walt Disney company for 15 years. But she’s had so many opportunities in different roles worldwide that she doesn’t feel like she’ll ever get stuck doing the same thing for long. Now CFO of Southeast Asia and Head of Finance APAC Media Networks at The Walt Disney Company, Iyer was the commencement speaker for her FEMBA class at Anderson, and worked as a consultant in Sweden following graduation. She recommends that MBAs who want an international career be rigid in their goals but open to the path they take, and make it known early to employers that they’re seeking assignments overseas.

Featuring: Jon Niermann (’95), Co-Founder and CEO, Loop Media Inc.

From a pivotal leadership role at Disney to hosting a late-night show in China to co-founding Loop Media, Jon Niermann’s (’95) professional journey transcends borders and defies convention. His unique and influential career is marked by cultural understanding and reciprocity.

Featuring: Melanie Auguste (MBA/J.D. ’13), VP of Global Brand Narrative, Purpose and Athlete Marketing, Nike

Melanie Auguste (MBA/J.D. ’13) harbors a deep-seated passion for sports and a gift for understanding people and trends. From aspiring pro athlete to influential leader in the sports marketing industry, she transformed her career goals into her dream job at Nike. Her secret? Shift from thinking about your work as a “job” to viewing it as mastering a craft. It also helped that she found, in UCLA Anderson, a graduate school that valued exactly what she wanted to do.