New members of the Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management MBA Class of 2028 are here to share their stories in this edition of Real Humans: MBA Students.
To start, Courtney Ineson spent seven years at Deloitte as a human capital consulting manager in the government and public services sector. Having taken on increasingly significant leadership responsibilities, Ineson decided it was time to step outside her professional comfort zone, broaden her industry exposure, and intentionally develop her leadership skills. She chose Vanderbilt Business for its collaborative culture, small class size, and emphasis on continuous learning and innovation. Next, Joseph Benken joins the Vanderbilt MBA program after 4.5 years as a senior product owner and program manager at Cox Communications. Seeking to transition from a contracting industry into new professional opportunities, Benken saw an MBA as a way to advance his career while relocating with his fiancée to Nashville, a city they hope to call home long term.
We also meet Kana Fujimoto, originally from Osaka, Japan, with nearly a decade of experience spanning healthcare, medical devices, consulting, marketing, and business development. Having worked with companies including Nipro Corporation, Johnson & Johnson Japan, and Northsand, Fujimoto developed an appreciation for the different perspectives involved in solving business challenges. As her responsibilities expanded into project management and leadership, she recognized the need to strengthen her ability to bring people together and make strategic decisions. She chose Vanderbilt Business for its strengths in healthcare, Leadership Development Program, and welcoming community, which she experienced firsthand through interactions with alumni in Japan and students on campus. From Toronto, Canada, RJ Francis arrives at Vanderbilt after five years as a field artillery officer in the U.S. Army. Having grown up in Canada, France, and England before moving to the United States for college and military service, Francis brings a distinctly international perspective to the Class of 2028. His military career provided extensive leadership experience, but he recognized that an MBA would help him develop the finance, accounting, and strategy skills necessary to transition successfully into the civilian business world. Francis chose Vanderbilt Business primarily for its healthcare focus and location in Nashville, a major center for healthcare organizations and innovation.
Then, Tamia Potter, a neurological surgery resident at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, brings a distinctive clinical perspective to the Vanderbilt classroom. As a practicing physician in training, Potter has seen firsthand how medical decisions intersect with healthcare costs, insurance, policy, and patient outcomes. She decided to pursue an MBA with a healthcare concentration to better understand these relationships and develop a broader framework for improving patient care and healthcare equity. Vanderbilt Business’ collaborative environment, flexible curriculum, and extensive healthcare network made it an ideal complement to her surgical training. Rounding out the group is Vijay Naraharisetty, a Mumbai native and chartered accountant who worked as an equity research analyst at Barclays Investment Bank, covering European construction, infrastructure, and building materials. Through his work with corporate executives and institutional investors, Naraharisetty gained insight into the challenges of balancing long-term corporate strategy with shorter-term market expectations. He chose to pursue an MBA to broaden his expertise beyond financial analysis and develop the cross-functional leadership skills needed to drive strategic decision-making and organizational growth. Vanderbilt Business appealed to him for its collaborative community, accessible faculty and alumni, and location in the vibrant city of Nashville.
Together, these six students reflect the professional diversity, collaborative spirit, and leadership potential of the Vanderbilt Business MBA Class of 2028. Read on to learn more about their journeys, their first impressions of Vanderbilt Business, and the advice they have for future MBA applicants.
