Where Academic Learning Meets Career Success
Wednesday, 18 March 2026
10:30 AM EDT
Zoom
Laura Oknefski
Senior Director of Graduate Academic Programs and Student Services
University of Pittsburgh- Katz Graduate School of Business Experienced higher education administrator with proven success in the areas of curricular, co-curricular, and administrative assessment, student success, and enrollment management. Skilled in coordinating with diverse stakeholders to balance multiple priorities with a focus on program effectiveness and student achievement.
Rebecca Badawy
Associate Dean for MBA and Specialty Masters and a Clinical Associate Professor of Business
University of Pittsburgh- Katz Graduate School of Business She serves as Associate Dean for the MBA and Specialty Master’s programs at the University of Pittsburgh, where she leads student-facing initiatives across the Full-Time MBA, Part-Time MBA, and Master of Science programs at the Katz Graduate School of Business. In her role, she oversees the academic and overall student experience, including key experiential learning components such as capstone trips, while providing curriculum leadership and strengthening alumni engagement. As a Clinical Associate Professor, she teaches and mentors students, with research published in outlets such as the Journal of Business and Psychology. Her work focuses on bridging academic theory with real-world business practice, frequently collaborating with industry leaders to enhance hands-on learning opportunities.
Prof. Nayaran Ramasubbu
Professor of Business Administration
University of Pittsburgh- Katz Graduate School of Business Narayan Ramasubbu is the Samuel A. McCullough Professor of Business Administration. His research program is anchored in the conviction that human flourishing through technology-driven innovation is not a given; it requires deliberate design, economic, and social choices. Narayan’s research interests span technology-driven innovation and its associated communities of practice; analytics and AI applications for business value and social good; user behavior within digital platforms; software product development and service delivery; and the design, implementation, and governance of enterprise information systems. Adopting a sociotechnical perspective, his research integrates design- and community-based principles for developing solutions that address persistent trade-offs and paradoxical tensions faced by organizations pursuing digital transformation initiatives. He embraces methodological pluralism, employing design science, case studies, field and lab experiments, causal inference from observational data, and simulation approaches to inform the deliberate choices that transform technological potential into sustainable business and societal progress.
Dr. Hongjun Ye
Clinical Assistant Professor of Marketing
University of Pittsburgh- Katz Graduate School of Business Hongjun Ye joined the faculty of Katz School in 2022. Previously, she taught at Drexel University and Clarkson University. Hongjun enjoys collaborating with researchers from different fields, such as information systems, food science, and organizational behavior. Her interdisciplinary research has been published in journals such as Psychology & Marketing, Food Quality and Preference, and Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. Hongjun has experience leading research projects for industry clients ranging from local business to Fortune 100 companies. Hongjun is a research fellow at the Upcycled Food Association.
Senior Director of Graduate Academic Programs and Student Services
University of Pittsburgh- Katz Graduate School of Business Experienced higher education administrator with proven success in the areas of curricular, co-curricular, and administrative assessment, student success, and enrollment management. Skilled in coordinating with diverse stakeholders to balance multiple priorities with a focus on program effectiveness and student achievement.
Associate Dean for MBA and Specialty Masters and a Clinical Associate Professor of Business
University of Pittsburgh- Katz Graduate School of Business She serves as Associate Dean for the MBA and Specialty Master’s programs at the University of Pittsburgh, where she leads student-facing initiatives across the Full-Time MBA, Part-Time MBA, and Master of Science programs at the Katz Graduate School of Business. In her role, she oversees the academic and overall student experience, including key experiential learning components such as capstone trips, while providing curriculum leadership and strengthening alumni engagement. As a Clinical Associate Professor, she teaches and mentors students, with research published in outlets such as the Journal of Business and Psychology. Her work focuses on bridging academic theory with real-world business practice, frequently collaborating with industry leaders to enhance hands-on learning opportunities.
Professor of Business Administration
University of Pittsburgh- Katz Graduate School of Business Narayan Ramasubbu is the Samuel A. McCullough Professor of Business Administration. His research program is anchored in the conviction that human flourishing through technology-driven innovation is not a given; it requires deliberate design, economic, and social choices. Narayan’s research interests span technology-driven innovation and its associated communities of practice; analytics and AI applications for business value and social good; user behavior within digital platforms; software product development and service delivery; and the design, implementation, and governance of enterprise information systems. Adopting a sociotechnical perspective, his research integrates design- and community-based principles for developing solutions that address persistent trade-offs and paradoxical tensions faced by organizations pursuing digital transformation initiatives. He embraces methodological pluralism, employing design science, case studies, field and lab experiments, causal inference from observational data, and simulation approaches to inform the deliberate choices that transform technological potential into sustainable business and societal progress.
Clinical Assistant Professor of Marketing
University of Pittsburgh- Katz Graduate School of Business Hongjun Ye joined the faculty of Katz School in 2022. Previously, she taught at Drexel University and Clarkson University. Hongjun enjoys collaborating with researchers from different fields, such as information systems, food science, and organizational behavior. Her interdisciplinary research has been published in journals such as Psychology & Marketing, Food Quality and Preference, and Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. Hongjun has experience leading research projects for industry clients ranging from local business to Fortune 100 companies. Hongjun is a research fellow at the Upcycled Food Association.Artificial intelligence is no longer a future concept; it is actively reshaping how organizations compete, allocate resources, manage risk, design products, and serve customers. For today’s business leaders, the question is no longer whether to engage with AI, but how to deploy it strategically, responsibly, and at scale. This high-impact, executive-style masterclass features a fireside conversation with faculty experts in strategy, analytics, and technology, drawing on real organizational examples and research-grounded insights to explore how AI is transforming enterprise decision-making across functions—and what capabilities tomorrow’s leaders must develop to remain competitive. The discussion will examine how AI is redefining core business areas such as strategy, operations, analytics, and leadership; how graduate business education is evolving in response; the hands-on experiences professionals need to build genuine AI capability; the emerging roles shaped by AI-enabled organizations; and the skills employers now expect from business graduates. Rather than focusing on specific tools, the session centers on the broader strategic and leadership implications of AI adoption, including how organizations evaluate investments, build new managerial capabilities, distinguish experimentation from true transformation, and define the competencies required in an AI-enabled economy and modern graduate business education.
Learn how to Lead with AI
Learn how to accelerate Your AI Leadership Journey
Learn how to master Strategy in the Age of AI
Prepare to Compete in Intelligent Markets
Program Insights
Access to Career Management Insights
Clarity on Industry-Specific Training and Skills Development
Exclusive Application Fee Waivers
Pitt Business is firmly embedded in the business community, with a longstanding legacy of shaping and educating influential business leaders. The school prides itself on providing students with direct access to an extensive network of alumni who are not only highly successful but also actively engaged with current students. These alumni, who are accessible and deeply invested in the success of Pitt Business students, play a vital role in recruiting talent for full-time positions and internships, ensuring that students are connected with meaningful opportunities early in their careers. The reach of Pitt Business alumni is truly global, with graduates working at leading companies across nearly every industry. Alumni can be found in nearly 90 countries and all 50 states, contributing their expertise in a wide range of sectors, from technology to finance, healthcare to manufacturing, and beyond. In addition to excelling in business leadership, Pitt graduates also make significant contributions to their communities, serving as community champions and advocates for positive change. Moreover, Pitt Business alumni are not only successful practitioners but also pioneers in academic and applied research, advancing cutting-edge knowledge that shapes the future of business. This combination of real-world expertise and academic excellence makes the Pitt Business community a dynamic force in the global business landscape, with a continued commitment to shaping the next generation of business leaders who will drive innovation and contribute to societal progress.
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17 March 2026
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