Want to hear it from the best, what makes UCLA Anderson and FEMBA so great?

We’d love to host you Saturday morning (Jan. 24, 2015) for our Winter Quarter Open House. Here are the panelists who will join me on stage tomorrow. Send a colleague! Check-in starts at 9:00AM.

David D. Duong ’15 is a beach bum born and raised in sunny San Diego.  He made his move to Los Angeles to attend UCLA for undergrad where he studied Accounting and Economics. After graduation, David earned his CPA in public accounting while co-founding BakeGreek, a start-up CPG company that sold Greek Letter Cookie Cutters. Through BakeGreek, he realized his passion for marketing and started on his journey to make the switch.  After about 2 years of hustling in various marketing jobs, he landed at UCLA Anderson and shortly after that, was hired as a Strategic Marketing Manager for Electronic Arts.  In his final year in FEMBA, David has transitioned to Activision where is an Associate Product Manager on the Skylanders franchise. David is the FEMBA Council’s VP of Social and Networking Affairs where his objective is to extend the Anderson culture beyond the classroom. When he’s not studying, working on the next Skylanders game or planning the next big “networking event”, he enjoys skimboarding, choreographed hip hop, and reading comic books.

Heather M. Layne ’15 was raised in Alabama where she learned to appreciate sweet tea and SEC football. She received her undergrad and master’s degrees in Industrial and Systems Engineering from Auburn University. After graduation, Heather worked for ExxonMobil in the D.C. area supporting the company’s global supply chain strategy group. A promotion with the company moved her to Los Angeles, and she decided to pursue her part-time MBA at UCLA. While at Anderson, Heather has worked at The Walt Disney Company and Apple Inc. and currently serves as VP of the FEMBAssador Pre-Admit Committee. In her free time, she enjoys outdoor activities, trying new recipes, and traveling abroad. After graduation, Heather will work for a strategy consulting firm in Silicon Valley.

As Senior Account Manager for the advertising agency, TVGla, Kristen Palchak ’16 oversees client management and digital strategy for the television show, Jeopardy! She previously spent two years at Sony Pictures Entertainment directing marketing initiatives for Jeopardy!, Pottermore, People & Organization and Environmental Sustainability. Prior to joining Sony in 2011, Kristen worked in account management at Ogilvy and Mather advertising, developing 360 international creative campaigns for Cisco Systems, ARCO, ampm, TABASCO and Heal the Bay, Santa Monica. Her work on Cisco’s New York Times Takeover was shortlisted for the Cannes Lion Awards, CLIO A Kristen has been active in a variety of professional associations such as ThinkLA and the Sony Pictures Emerging Professionals. In 2010, she organized an art show to raise awareness for a local charity that brings art education to underprivileged youth. Kristen spends her free time painting furniture, attempting to master the yoga handstand, running 10Ks and traveling the world. Kristen earned her degree in Mass Communications and Italian Studies from the University of California, Berkeley.

Upon graduation from Virginia Tech, Ryan Swank ’15 started his career with GE Healthcare as a member of the Commercial Leadership Program. When the financial market collapsed in 2008-2009, he relocated to Southern California to take a position with one of GE’s primary competitors in the diagnostic imaging space. In 2012, Ryan enrolled in UCLA Anderson’s FEMBA Program in order to pursue a new career focused on general management and strategy. This past summer, he interned in AT&T’s Global Strategy and Business Development group as a part of the Leadership Development Program. At Anderson, Ryan has served as Co-Chair of the FEMBAssador Core Team, which is responsible for both the recruiting of prospective students and the welcoming of new admits. His work with this organization helped him receive the first ever “President’s Leadership Award,” which was voted on by members of FEMBA Council and awarded to 1 of 900+ current FEMBA students. In order to broaden his educational experience, Ryan also actively participates in several student clubs including MCA, HBA, MA, and IFA. When not working or attending school, Ryan enjoys running, playing competitive team sports, attending live music events, and golfing with friends and family.