Admissions Director Q&A
Clear Admit’s exclusive interviews with admissions directors at the world’s leading MBA programs.
Published: August 31, 2026
Admissions Director Q&A: Eddie Asbie of Cornell Johnson
In this installment of our Admissions Director Q&A series, we welcome back Eddie Asbie, Executive Director of Admissions and Scholarship for the Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University. Eddie leads admissions, recruitment and scholarship strategy. He has more than 20 years of experience in higher education and has spent the past 14 years at Cornell. He earned a bachelor’s degree in communication from the University at Buffalo and a master’s degree in student personnel administration from SUNY Buffalo State College. Throughout his career, he
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Published: August 27, 2026
Podcast: Admissions Director Q&A with Donna Swinford of Chicago Booth
Donna Swinford, Associate Dean for Student Recruitment and Admissions for MBA Programs at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, is here to dig deeper into MBA admissions in this special edition of our podcast as part of our ongoing Admissions Director Q&A series. Donna Swinford, Associate Dean for Student Recruitment and Admissions, MBA Programs, Chicago Booth A longtime Chicago resident, Donna has been at Booth since 1997. In 2005, she joined the Office of Admissions, serving in several roles including head of Operations and Evaluation before transitioning to her
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Published: August 27, 2026
Admissions Director Q&A: Rodrigo Malta of Texas McCombs
We are back in Austin, Texas, at the University of Texas at Austin’s McCombs School of Business for another chat with Rodrigo Malta, Assistant Dean of MBA Marketing, Recruiting, and Admissions in today’s installment of our MBA Admissions Director Q&A series. Rodrigo has spent nearly two decades helping prospective students find their path into graduate business education. He leads a team overseeing recruitment, admissions, and marketing across five MBA programs, with a deep commitment to access, reducing bias in the admissions process, and building a community where people feel valued for
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Published: August 27, 2026
Podcast: Admissions Director Q&A with Shari Hubert of Duke Fuqua
In this special edition of our podcast as part of our ongoing Admissions Director Q&A series, Associate Dean of Admissions Shari Hubert shares more about the MBA program at Duke Fuqua. Shari Hubert, Associate Dean of Admissions, Duke Fuqua Hubert’s role is overseeing recruitment and admissions for the school’s portfolio of 10 business degree programs. Before Fuqua, she was in charge of admissions for the Full-time and Evening MBA programs at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business. Hubert has extensive experience in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors, and entered
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Published: August 26, 2026
Admissions Director Q&A: Alessandra Gazzola of SDA Bocconi School of Management
Welcome to Milan, Italy, where we meet Alessandra Gazzola, the Admissions Manager for Full-time MBA and International Masters Programs at SDA Bocconi School of Management for this installment of our Admissions Director Q&A. Alessandra Gazzola oversees the admissions strategy and selection process for the Full-Time MBA and International Master’s programs. With over 13 years of experience in graduate management education, she has dedicated her career to helping prospective students navigate the admissions process and building diverse, high-performing cohorts. Before joining SDA Bocconi, Alessandra spent more than a decade at London
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Published: August 20, 2026
Podcast: Admissions Director Q&A with Rupal Gadhia of Harvard Business School
We welcome back the Managing Director of MBA Admissions and Financial Aid at Harvard Business School, Rupal Gadhia, for a deeper dive into MBA admissions in this special edition of our podcast as part of our ongoing Admissions Director Q&A series. Rupal Gadhia, Managing Director of MBA Admissions and Financial Aid, Harvard Business School After graduating with an MBA from Harvard Business School in 2004, Rupal began her post-MBA career in brand management with Sara Lee and Campbell Soup Company, followed by a move to Booz & Co as
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Published: August 19, 2026
Admissions Director Q&A: Isabelle Perna of ESCP Business School
In this edition of our Admissions Director Q&A series, we welcome back Isabelle Perna, Global & Paris Head of Admissions & Recruitment for the MBA in International Management at ESCP Business School. Isabelle has been working at ESCP for more than 30 years and has led Recruitment & Admissions for the MBA Programme for the past seven years. With over 30 years of experience in higher education, she has played a key role in attracting and selecting talented professionals from around the world. Passionate about helping candidates find the right fit, Isabelle
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Published: August 17, 2026
Admissions Director Q&A: Jelena Pejic of Boston College’s Carroll School of Management
We welcome back Jelena Pejic, Associate Director, Graduate Recruitment & Admissions at the Boston College Carroll School of Management to talk about MBA admissions in this Admissions Director Q&A. In her role, Jelena manages the MBA program portfolio. With over 13 years of experience recruiting and advising graduate applicants and students, she is an international higher education professional who is motivated to meaningfully influence students at a pivotal time in their lives. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Boston University. Jelena grew up in the former Yugoslavia and relocated to the United States in
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Published: August 13, 2026
Admissions Director Q&A: Kate Murphy of Columbia Business School
In this installment of our Admissions Director Q&A series, we learn more about Columbia Business School (CBS) MBA admissions from Kate Murphy, Director of Recruitment and Yield. Kate Murphy serves on the admissions committee and leads the strategic planning and execution of initiatives for prospective and admitted students across the portfolio of CBS degree programs. Kate has worked in higher education since 2015 and joined the CBS admissions team in 2019. She holds a BA in Psychology and an MS in Higher Education Administration. Read on for
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Published: August 13, 2026
Podcast: Admissions Director Q&A with Lindsay Loyd of NYU Stern
Lindsay Loyd, Executive Director, MBA Admissions, NYU Stern Lindsay Loyd, Executive Director of MBA Admissions at NYU Stern, is back for the Clear Admit MBA Admissions Podcast to dig deeper into the MBA program and more in this Admissions Director Q&A. Lindsay leads the recruiting and admissions efforts for Stern’s Full-time MBA Programs, including the two-year Full-time MBA and focused one-year MBAs: the Andre Koo Technology & Entrepreneurship MBA and Luxury & Retail MBA. She joined NYU Stern in 2023 after a 20-year career in financial services, serving
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Published: August 13, 2026
Podcast: Admissions Director Q&A with Steve Thompson of Northwestern Kellogg
Steve Thompson, Senior Director of Admissions at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, is back to talk more about MBA admissions and trends in the latest episode of the Clear Admit MBA Admissions Podcast. Steve Thompson, Senior Director of Admissions, Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management At Kellogg, Steve leads talent acquisition strategy to draw the best and brightest candidates to the school’s portfolio of eight Full-Time MBA programs. Prior to his current role, he gained broad experience across both student and academic experience at Kellogg, serving as Director of the Executive
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Published: August 12, 2026
Admissions Director Q&A: Betsy Ryan of Minnesota Carlson
We are back with Betsy Ryan, MS, Senior Associate Director of Admissions for MBA & MS Programs at University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management, to talk about the MBA program in this edition of our Admissions Director Q&A. Betsy has been a member of the Carlson School of Management MBA & MS team since 2016. Before holding her current role, she worked closely with CSOM MBA students as an academic advisor. She holds an MS degree in Counseling and has 15 years of experience in higher education, with a particular focus
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Published: August 6, 2026
Admissions Director Q&A: Donna Swinford of Chicago Booth
We are back in the Windy City in this installment of our Admissions Director Q&A to chat with Donna Swinford, Associate Dean for Student Recruitment and Admissions for MBA Programs at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Donna is a longtime Chicago resident and has been at Booth since 1997. She joined the Office of Admissions in 2005 and has seen the admissions process at Booth from practically every angle over the course of her tenure, serving in several roles including head of Operations and Evaluation before transitioning to her current
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Published: August 6, 2026
Podcast: Admissions Director Q&A with Dawna Levenson of MIT Sloan
In the latest interview for our Admissions Director Q&A series, the Assistant Dean of Admissions at the MIT Sloan School of Management, Dawna Levenson, joins host Graham Richmond for a deeper dive into admissions in this special podcast episode. Dawna Levenson, Assistant Dean of Admissions, MIT Sloan School of Management As the leader of the admissions team at MIT Sloan, Dawna oversees all recruiting, evaluation, conversion, and marketing activities in support of the MBA, Sloan Fellows MBA, Master of Finance (MFin), Master of Business Analytics (MBAn), MBA Early Admission, and Master of Science in
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Published: August 5, 2026
Admissions Director Q&A: Ivone Foisy of Rochester Simon
In this edition of our Admissions Director Q&A series, we hear from Ivone Foisy, Assistant Dean of Enrollment at the University of Rochester Simon Business School. Ivone is a seasoned enrollment management professional with over 20 years of experience. She began her career in Boston where she worked at several undergraduate offices of admission including Stonehill College and Boston College. Most recently, Ivone led a graduate admissions team at Emory University. Ivone is committed to ensuring that all students are prepared to make a transformational and meaningful impact in an
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Admissions Director Q&A: Claire Fitzgibbon of Notre Dame Mendoza
We welcome back Claire Fitzgibbon, Senior Director of Graduate Enrollment at the University of Notre Dame Mendoza College of Business, to delve into the MBA program in this Admissions Director Q&A. Claire is responsible for the strategy and oversight of all aspects of the graduate admission process. She began her career at Notre Dame in 2023 after many years leading undergraduate admission teams. Claire graduated from Mendoza while also a member of the Notre Dame Drumline. She also holds an M.A. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from Hofstra University. Keep reading for her insights into
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Podcast: Admissions Director Q&A with Sabah Khan of Berkeley Haas
Hot off the heels of her Admissions Director Q&A, Sabah Khan, Assistant Dean of MBA Admissions and Enrollment Management at UC Berkeley Haas School of Business, joins host Graham Richmond for a deeper dive into admissions in this special podcast episode. Sabah Khan, Assistant Dean of MBA Admissions and Enrollment Management, UC Berkeley Haas Sabah is chief enrollment strategist for the Full-time, Evening/Weekend, and Executive MBA programs. She has 20 years of multi-sector leadership experience, including five years leading high performance talent strategies in high growth tech at Stripe, and a decade of MBA
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Admissions Director Q&A: Sabah Khan of Berkeley Haas School of Business
In this installment of our Admissions Director Q&A series, we meet Sabah Khan, the new Assistant Dean of MBA Admissions and Enrollment Management at UC Berkeley Haas School of Business. In this role, Sabah is chief enrollment strategist for the Full-time, Evening/Weekend, and Executive MBA programs. She has 20 years of multi-sector leadership experience, including five years leading high performance talent strategies in high growth tech at Stripe, and a decade of MBA admissions experience at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business. At Stanford she led a team that grew enrollment throughout the
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Admissions Director Q&A: Louise-Marie Fischer-Dallée of Imperial
In this installment of our Admissions Director Q&A series, we are back in the UK to meet Louise-Marie Fischer-Dallée, Recruitment & Admissions Director at the Imperial Business School in London. Louise-Marie oversees recruitment strategy and admissions operations across the Full-Time, Global, Weekend and Executive MBA programmes. Her career has been shaped by a deep passion for higher education and, more specifically, for the transformative power of MBA programmes. Prior to joining Imperial, she held the role of Admissions Director at HEC Paris, and earlier gained entrepreneurial experience co-founding two startups, one
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Admissions Director Q&A: Ali Elyassari of emlyon
In this installment of our Admissions Director Q&A series, we meet Ali Elyassari, Recruitment Manager for the International MBA at emlyon business school. While emlyon hosts six campuses, including Lyon, Saint-Étienne, Paris, Shanghai, Bhubaneswar and Mumbai, the business school is located in Lyon, France. Read on for Ali’s insight into the admissions process and highlights of the emlyon MBA program. Ali Elyassari, Recruitment Manager for the International MBA, emlyon business school Clear Admit: What is the one aspect of your program that you wish applicants knew more about? Ali Elyassari: What truly defines
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Podcast: Admissions Director Q&A with Tricia Baione of CBS
As part of our Admissions Director Q&A series, we welcome back Tricia Baione, Assistant Dean of Admissions for Columbia Business School (CBS), for a special podcast episode. Tricia Baione, Assistant Dean of Admissions, CBS As Assistant Dean of Admissions for CBS since 2023, Tricia provides strategic leadership, vision, and coordination of a centralized recruitment program and admissions office for the full-time MBA, Executive MBA, JD/MBA, Dual MBA/Executive MS: Engineering & Applied Science, specialized masters, PhD, and deferred-entry programs at CBS. Prior to Admissions, Tricia was the Executive Director of Career Education and Advising in
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Admissions Director Q&A: Lindsay Loyd of NYU Stern
We welcome back Lindsay Loyd, Executive Director of MBA Admissions at NYU Stern, to share insights into the MBA program, application strategies and more in this Admissions Director Q&A. Lindsay leads the recruiting and admissions efforts for Stern’s Full-time MBA Programs, including the two-year Full-time MBA and focused one-year MBAs: the Andre Koo Technology & Entrepreneurship MBA and Luxury & Retail MBA. She joined NYU Stern in 2023 after a 20-year career in financial services, serving in roles of progressive responsibility in analytics, marketing, and strategy at Capital One and American Express.
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Admissions Director Q&A: Maria Pineda of the UMD Smith School of Business
We welcome back Maria Pineda, Executive Director of Admissions at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business, in this edition of our Admissions Director Q&A. Pineda has been with UMD Smith for almost 20 years and manages the recruiting efforts for the MBA and Specialty Master’s Programs. Read on as Pineda shares what to expect from the admissions process at UMD Smith, the value of the MBA program, and how to prepare for your interview. Maria Pineda, Executive Director of Admissions at Maryland Smith Clear Admit: What is one aspect of
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Admissions Director Q&A: Becky Gallagher of the University of Bath School of Management
In this installment of our Admissions Director Q&A series, we welcome back Becky Gallagher, Head of MBA Admissions and Recruitment at the University of Bath School of Management in the U.K. Becky has worked within the University for over 20 years, spending time in the Students’ Union where she oversaw student development and leadership programs. She has worked in the role of Head of MBA Recruitment and Admissions since January 2021 and has built an impressive network of connections globally. Becky loves nothing more than taking a student through the journey from pre-applicant stage right through
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Admissions Director Q&A: David Simpson of LBS
In this edition of our Admissions Director Q&A series, we are back with David Simpson, the Recruitment and Admissions Director for the MBA and Masters in Finance (MiF) programs at London Business School (LBS). David is one of London Business School’s most experienced professional staff. Starting in admissions, moving through various roles in marketing and business development, he jumped at the chance to return to admissions. His undergraduate degree is in business, majoring in international marketing. In his time at London Business School, he has enjoyed travelling the world to meet prospective
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