Yitzy Rosenberg, Berkeley Haas MBA Class of 2028
Age: 30
Hometown: Miami, FL (born in Colombia)
Undergraduate Institution and Major: Cornell University College of Engineering, Bachelor of Science, Environmental Engineering Cornell University College of Engineering, Master of Engineering, Systems Engineering
Pre-MBA Work Experience: Founder, Consulting, YYR Consulting (2026 to present); Co-Founder, AI Clinical Diagnostics, Astrid (2025 to present); Head of Special Projects and Asset Manager, Real Estate Private Equity, Woolbright Development (2024 to 2025); Director of Operations, E-Commerce Startup, Gearsupply (2023 to 2024); District Resiliency Project Manager, Water Infrastructure, South Florida Water Management District (2021 to 2023); Venture Capital Analyst, Venture Capital, Chloe Capital (2020 to 2021)
Why did you make the decision to attend business school? Why now?
Business school was always on my radar. I have a long engineering background, but I’ve spent most of my professional life in business operations, and I felt there was a great deal of business knowledge I was missing. An MBA also gives me the chance to recruit with a formal education layered on top of the skills I’ve built over my career.
Why did you choose Berkeley Haas? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend?
I chose Haas because of my experience at Days at Haas and because of how honestly its values guide the admissions process. I met extremely capable people at other schools, but the people who make up my class here truly hold to Haas’s Defining Leadership Principles, and I believe the admissions team is very intentional about selecting for that. Confidence Without Attitude and Beyond Yourself create an environment of exceptionally good people, and I want to surround myself with people like that. The West Coast and Bay Area network also mattered. My background is on the East Coast, and I wanted to broaden that as I move further into tech. After a short time on campus, I know I made the right call.
What do you think is your most valuable or differentiating contribution to the Class of 2028?
My lived experience and the values it has shaped. I was born in Colombia, raised in Miami, and left an extremely insular ultra-Orthodox world. I never went to high school, so I taught myself the material, put myself through community college, then Cornell, and now Haas. Along the way I’ve had to build community over and over again across very different worlds, and I’ve learned a great deal about what it takes to support people. I bring that to my class.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself that didn’t get included on your application:
I am terrified of heights. I get heart palpitations and sweat profusely. To challenge that fear, I learned how to fly a plane. Turns out you never get over it.
Post-MBA career interests:
My immediate plan is to go into management consulting or a high-growth startup role to learn what the larger startup ecosystem looks like from the inside. Long term, I want to build. I’ve failed at funding three startups, worked in venture capital, and spent a lot of time in the deep tech innovation ecosystem, and I want to do it successfully. There’s no better place to learn how than the world’s top public university and the top institution for entrepreneurship.
Advice for Current Prospective Applicants:
–What is one thing you would absolutely do again as part of your application process?
Talk to second years, the people who just went through the process, and talk to them early. They are the best source of knowledge: which programs to apply through, how to apply, which schools matter, and the real ins and outs. There’s only so much you can get from reading online, and it’s tempting to stop there, but there’s no substitute for someone who recently lived it.
–What is one thing you would change or do differently?
I would take my test scores more seriously. I assumed we were still in a post-COVID era and didn’t study nearly enough. Had I dedicated more time to it, I likely would have received more funding, more offers, and an easier ride through the cycle. It feels silly, but this part of the game is real, and you’re competing against people who commit the time and resources to make that piece of their application stand out.
–What is one part you would have skipped if you could, and what helped you get through it?
The exams. I think they’re a poor way to measure who you are, and they’ve been shown again and again to be a deep source of inequality. What got me through was grit and a strong support system. I held myself accountable by checking in with family and friends, breaking the studying up, and turning my study patterns into challenges so the process was actually enjoyable. I found myself learning along the way, which was fun. But I still wish I hadn’t had to do it.
What is your initial impression of the Haas students/culture/community?
There are few places in the world I’d rather be than among my classmates. They are brilliant, conscientious, caring, fun, down to earth, and not egotistical. Just a good hang. I feel like I’m missing out whenever I’m not with them. The admissions process does an incredible job of finding people who fit the culture, and the small class size means you actually get to know most of your class, especially your cohort. Being surrounded by this city and this landscape also draws people who care about those things. The nature is unparalleled, and the talent that comes to the Bay Area means the people here are phenomenal.
What student organizations have you joined/are you hoping to join and why?
I love hosting dinners, so I’m joining the dinner party and wine communities. Sitting at the doorstep of Sonoma and Napa, Haas has a strong wine culture. Redwoods at Haas covers the nature side. I’m also part of the Consortium, which has been an incredible source of like-minded people and a deep source of friendship early on. And I plan to get involved with AI at Haas. I like to vibe code and build tools, and engaging in that world is a lot of fun.
What is one thing you have learned about Haas that has surprised you?
I didn’t realize how strong the academic side of Haas is. I walk through the halls and see the names of Nobel laureates lining the banisters. It’s incredible to be somewhere that’s not just professionally capable but academically far ahead of many other institutions, and it creates an academic community that’s a lot of fun to engage with.
What is one thing you are most excited about in your first year?
Getting to know my classmates. I wrote down my number one goal, which was to build community, and I already feel it happening. Everywhere I go, I know people who make me feel welcome. I’m most excited to build deep relationships, make memories around the milestones that matter, and show up for each other when it’s hard. That’s what makes community real.
