The UC Berkeley Haas School of Business has announced two key leadership appointments aimed at strengthening its MBA admissions and program experience. Sabah Khan has been appointed assistant dean of MBA Admissions and Enrollment Management, while Julia Hwang will serve as assistant dean of MBA Programs, with both roles taking effect this spring.
The appointments underscore Haas’s continued focus on enhancing the student experience and attracting candidates aligned with the school’s leadership principles. Haas Dean Jenny Chatman comments that both leaders embody the school’s unique culture, saying, “Haas has long held that the Defining Leadership Principles, Question the Status Quo, Confidence Without Attitude, Students Always, Beyond Yourself, are not just aspirational values but a genuine differentiator, a secret sauce that shapes who thrives here and what they go on to build. Attracting students who embody those principles, while ensuring the MBA experience delivers measurable returns on a significant investment, is central to our vision for the school.”
Leadership History & Future
Khan brings significant experience in MBA admissions strategy, as part of her leadership history includes a decade managing enrollment efforts at Stanford Graduate School of Business. While there, she spearheaded record improvements to application volume and class diversity. At Haas, she will serve as chief enrollment strategist for the full-time, evening/weekend, and Executive MBA programs, shaping how the school recruits and selects candidates in alignment with Haas’s culture and long-term goals.
“Admissions is where a school’s values are realized,” Khan notes. “Every class we build is a statement about who belongs in business leadership and what we think the world should look like. I couldn’t imagine a more meaningful place to do that work.”
Hwang, meanwhile, returns to Haas with nearly 30 years of higher education leadership experience. She previously spent more than a decade at the school, where she served as executive director of the Full-time MBA Program Office and later as assistant dean of the Career Management Group. During that time, job placement rates for graduates rose by eight percent.
“Returning to serve this incredible community of learners, faculty, and staff is a moment of pure gratitude for me,” Hwang says. “I’m so inspired by the leadership of both Dean Chatman and Chancellor Rich Lyons. With our world-class MBA program team and Haas faculty and staff, I am ready to continue building the future of Berkeley Haas.”
Her broader experience includes leadership roles at NYU Stern School of Business and the UCSF School of Dentistry, where she focused on integrating admissions, student affairs, and academic services. In her new role, Hwang will oversee the strategic direction of curriculum delivery, academic policy, and student affairs across Haas MBA programs, spanning full-time, evening/weekend, and executive formats.
Strategic Context
The appointments come as Haas prepares to roll out a new strategic plan and refreshed brand narrative, reflecting both the school’s legacy and the evolving demands of business education in the age of AI.
By appointing seasoned leaders to oversee both admissions and program delivery, Haas is signaling a dual focus: refining how it attracts top MBA candidates and enhancing the experience those students receive once on campus. Together, these moves position the school to remain competitive while reinforcing its distinctive culture and approach to leadership development.
