University at Albany MBA for Executives Program

05/19/2026

https://www.albany.edu/news-center/news/2026-ualbany-receives-insight-academia-magazines-inaugural-top-colleges-innovation

The University at Albany has received the inaugural Top Colleges for Innovation Award from Insight Into Academia magazine for its broad, institution-wide approach to innovation across research, academics, student success, community building, infrastructure and global partnerships.

05/13/2026

The University at Albany MBA for Executives Program's 2026 cohort recently welcomed Jahnel Group President Jon Keller into their Strategic Management class for a wide-ranging conversation on leadership, company culture, and the hard-won lessons of building a thriving organization.

Of the many insights Jon shared, one in particular landed:

"Leadership is not other people's experience of you. It's their experience of themselves in your presence."

A powerful reframe, and exactly the kind of perspective that makes real-world voices like Jon's so valuable to the MBA for Executives experience. University at Albany University at Albany School of Business The Graduate School at the University at Albany University at Albany Massry School of Business UAlbany School of Business UAlbany Alumni Association

05/12/2026

After class on Friday, May 8, members of the University at Albany MBA for Executives Program's 2027 cohort traded case studies for spares and strikes at a different kind of MBA, a Maximum Bowling Activity at Kingpin's Alley in Latham.

The evening had two missions: building camaraderie ahead of the group's upcoming international residency in the Moroccan cities of Casablanca and Marrakesh, and celebrating Atom Barnes' birthday.

Human Resources Management instructor Patrick Reuss joined in the fun, fitting for a night focused on team chemistry.

Shared learning is amplified by shared experience, and the bonds formed before a trip like this one carry well beyond the classroom. University at Albany The Graduate School at the University at Albany University at Albany School of Business University at Albany Massry School of Business UAlbany School of Business UAlbany School of Business

04/22/2026

Seven years in, and this event keeps getting better.

More than 50 members of the University at Albany MBA for Executives Program family gathered at Wolferts Roost Country Club last week for our 6th Annual Alumni Networking Event, and the energy in that room was electric.

Keynote speaker Darrin Jahnel, CEO and Co-Founder of Jahnel Group and one of the Capital Region's most compelling entrepreneurial voices, brought the house down. Seven consecutive years on the Inc. 5000. A culture-first company of 150 people. A University at Albany basketball career that landed him in the Upstate New York Basketball Hall of Fame. And a perspective on leadership that was worth every minute.

This is what the MBA for Executives Program is about. Not just the degree, the community. The conversations. The opportunities that it helps create. And the people who show up, year after year.

See you at the 7th! The Graduate School at the University at Albany University at Albany School of Business UAlbany School of Business UAlbany Alumni Association University at Albany Massry School of Business

04/15/2026

We are proud to celebrate 2019 University at Albany MBA for Executives Program cohort member Pam Fisher, on her appointment as Director, Field Marketing and Engagement at MVP Health Care! She oversees sponsorships, partnerships, and brand activations that deepen organizational presence across MVP's footprint, ensuring every initiative aligns with the company's growth priorities and brand vision.

Pam's path to this role reflects a career built on community connection and strategic communication. From managing membership at the Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce to nearly six years in employer outreach and strategic communications at Skidmore College, she has long understood how organizations grow through meaningful relationships. Along the way, she also contributed her content and marketing expertise as a Contributing Editor and Marketing Consultant at Mannix Marketing.

Most recently, she spent over four years at Hudson Headwaters Health Network, rising from Director of Community Relations to Director of External Affairs, leading community, media, and government relations across the region.

Pam credits her University at Albany MBA experience as central to her leadership approach: "The MBA for Executives Program reflected the importance of cross-functional collaboration and data-driven insights, tenets I rely upon every day to drive strategic decision-making."

We are grateful for her kind words and even more proud of the leader she has become.

04/07/2026

Jim Pascarell, President and CEO of Pivotal Optics, discusses Organizational Culture and Change with members of the 2027 University at Albany MBA for Executives Program cohort in Dr. Lisa Baranik's Organizational Behavior class. University at Albany The Graduate School at the University at Albany University at Albany School of Business UAlbany School of Business UAlbany Alumni Association University at Albany Massry School of Business

04/02/2026

Another milestone for the 2026 University at Albany MBA for Executives Program cohort: Change Management with Bob Downey is now complete. Over the past several weekends, this outstanding group dug into the dynamics of planned organizational change, examining how leaders recognize the need for change, create vision, navigate stakeholders and organizational politics, mobilize action, and help change take hold for the long term.

Courses like this are a powerful reminder that the University at Albany MBA for Executives Program is about far more than earning a degree. It is about sharpening the ability to lead through complexity, uncertainty, and transformation.

Congratulations to the cohort on completing another meaningful step in what continues to be an incredible journey. Onward! The Graduate School at the University at Albany UAlbany Alumni Association University at Albany Massry School of Business University at Albany School of Business UAlbany School of Business

03/18/2026

Associate Professor and Associate Dean of Research Dr. Lisa Baranik recently energized her University at Albany MBA for Executives Program Organizational Behavior class with the iconic Marshmallow Challenge, a hands-on activity that’s every bit as fun as it is insightful.

Teams raced the clock to engineer the tallest free-standing structure possible using only spaghetti sticks, tape, string, and one marshmallow that had to crown the top.

What looks like playful competition actually delivers powerful lessons in collaboration and communication, rapid prototyping and iterative problem-solving, challenging assumptions, and embracing failure as a stepping stone to growth.

By weaving this classic exercise into the curriculum, Lisa gave her students real-time experience with the dynamics of high-performing teams, the power of rapid experimentation, and the importance of open communication, essential skills that will help them lead confidently through today’s most complex organizational challenges. University at Albany University at Albany Massry School of Business The Graduate School at the University at Albany UAlbany Alumni Association UAlbany School of Business University at Albany School of Business

03/17/2026

We are incredibly proud to celebrate 2025 University at Albany MBA for Executives Program grad Tamika Richardson's appointment as Regional Manager, Field Marketing–Radiopharmaceuticals at GE HealthCare, where she is expanding access to advanced cardiac PET imaging and innovative radiopharmaceutical technologies across the Northeast.

She began her career as a Hospital Corpsman in the U.S. Navy, went on to serve as a Registered Nurse at Albany Medical Center, and built an impressive 8-year career at BD, rising to Senior Global Marketing Manager. Along the way, she has also continued to serve as an adjunct clinical faculty member at Excelsior University and a per-diem nurse through Tandym Group. Her professional journey speaks to a remarkable blend of patient care, leadership, and commercialization expertise.

"The University at Albany MBA for Executives Program strengthened my strategic thinking, business leadership, and commercialization skills. The format made it possible to attend every other weekend while continuing to lead in a demanding role with extensive travel and family commitments," she said. "I would highly recommend this program to working professionals seeking to advance their careers and earn an MBA without stepping away from their professional or family responsibilities."

Tamika also highlighted something we hear again and again from our graduates, the power of the cohort experience. The relationships built through in-person collaboration don't end at graduation. They last a career.

To any working professional wondering whether now is the right time to pursue your MBA, Tamika's story may be your answer. University at Albany Massry School of Business UAlbany Alumni Association The Graduate School at the University at Albany UAlbany School of Business University at Albany School of Business

03/11/2026

Kudos to 2015 University at Albany MBA for Executives Program graduate Patrick Spooner on his new role as Senior Product Manager–Life Sciences at Savillex.

Patrick has built an impressive career in science, innovation, and product leadership. After beginning his career as a molecular biologist and researcher at GE Global Research, he steadily expanded his scope into product management and strategic leadership roles across the life sciences sector. His journey has included product leadership positions with GE Healthcare, Taconic Biosciences, Resilience, and Sunflower Therapeutics, where he most recently served as Associate Director of Product Management.

Along the way, Patrick has helped bring advanced technologies in gene therapy, cell line development, and biotechnology to market, translating complex science into impactful products that support innovation across the life sciences industry.

Now at Savillex, Patrick will lead product strategy for life sciences solutions, continuing his work driving innovation in critical tools and technologies used across biotechnology and research.

We’re proud to see another University at Albany MBA for Executives alum making an impact in a rapidly evolving industry. The Graduate School at the University at Albany University at Albany Massry School of Business UAlbany Alumni Association University at Albany School of Business UAlbany School of Business