Dean’s Speaker Series

Just Do It Again: Nike CEO Elliott Hill on Rebuilding the $40 Billion the Brand Around Athletes

In this Dean’s Speaker Series podcast episode, Elliott Hill, President & CEO of Nike, Inc., reflects on his three-decade journey serving in various leadership roles across Europe and North America, including leading commercial and marketing operations for the Nike and Jordan brands.

Hill shares insights on how Nike integrates sustainability into product creation, staying connected to athletes and consumers, and leading with clarity, integrity, and curiosity in a highly competitive global marketplace.

Hill was introduced by Joe Wilson, MBA 26, and interviewed by Dean Jenny Chatman. The Dean’s Speaker Series brings in a diverse mix of top leaders for fireside chats with MBA students about their leadership journeys. 

The Dean's Speaker Series Podcast is produced by the Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley.

• Read the article and find the full transcript on today's episode on the Haas Newsroom. 
• Read more about the UC Berkeley Haas Dean's Speaker Series.
• Learn more about the Haas School of Business. 

The Business of Truth: NYT CEO Meredith Kopit Levien on Journalism, AI, and Building a 12-Million-Plus-Subscriber Media Company

Meredith Kopit Levien, president and CEO of The New York Times Company, joins the Dean's Speaker Series podcast to share her career journey in the media industry, navigating the shift from print to digital news, and how AI is impacting the way users access information & how the company is evolving to meet new paradigms.

Kopit Levien has previously served in a variety of roles at The Times, including head of advertising and chief operating officer. She leads the company's global operations and business strategy across all verticals of the company, driving digital transformation and subscriber growth while championing the value of its high-quality, independent journalism. 

The event was hosted by UC Berkeley Haas Dean Jenny Chatman at the Haas School on April 16, 2026. Kopit Levien was interviewed by MBA students Venkata Gadde and Ima Essien.

The Dean's Speaker Series Podcast is produced by the Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley.

• Read more about the UC Berkeley Haas Dean's Speaker Series.
• Learn more about the Haas School of Business. 

Disrupting Retail: Jennifer Hyman on Building and Leading Rent the Runway

Jennifer Hyman, co-founder and CEO of Rent the Runway, joins the Dean's Speaker Series podcast to share how she transformed a classroom idea into a publicly traded company that redefined the way people shop for fashion. From launching the world’s first “living closet” to becoming the first woman to IPO a company with an all-female executive team, Jennifer reflects on the pivotal moments that shaped her entrepreneurial journey.

In this conversation, she discusses what it takes to lead through different stages of growth, how to scale a mission-driven business, and why sustainability remains at the core of Rent the Runway’s model. Jennifer also shares lessons from her early career and insights on building with conviction in a rapidly evolving retail landscape.

The Dean's Speaker Series Podcast is produced by the Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley.

• Read more about the UC Berkeley Haas Dean's Speaker Series.
• Learn more about the Haas School of Business. 

From Facebook’s First Intern to Founder: Julie Zhuo’s Leadership Journey

Julie Zhuo, co-founder of Sundial and former Vice President of Product Design at Facebook, joins the Dean's Speaker Series podcast to discuss her journey from being Facebook’s first intern to helping shape some of its most iconic features, including the News Feed and “like” button.

Now leading Sundial, Julie shares her perspective on entrepreneurship, building products in the age of AI, and how leaders can stay grounded in integrity amid rapid technological change. She also reflects on the lessons behind her bestselling book, The Making of a Manager, and what it takes to lead teams effectively in today’s evolving workplace.

People First Leadership: How Cynt Marshall Transformed Culture at Scale

Tune in for an inspiring Dean's Speaker Series with Cynt Marshall—President & CEO of Marshalling Resources, consultant, author, and former CEO of the Dallas Mavericks. A BA 81 graduate in HR Management, Cynt made history as the first Black woman to lead an NBA franchise, setting a new standard for inclusion and organizational culture.

Previously, as Senior Vice President of Human Resources and Chief Diversity Officer at AT&T, Cynt championed equity and inclusion initiatives that helped earn the company a place on Fortune’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” list. Through Marshalling Resources, she continues to advise organizations on leadership development, culture change, and DEI strategy.

In this conversation, Cynt reflects on her dynamic career journey—from consulting to executive leadership—sharing lessons on inclusive leadership, people-first culture, and driving meaningful transformation at scale.

This episode is co-sponsored by the Center for Equity, Gender and Leadership and moderated by students Ravi Malhotra and Aman Tiku.

From Founder to Funder: Michael Stewart’s Path to Venture Capital

Join us for a conversation with Michael Stewart, MBA 15, Managing Partner at M12, Microsoft’s Venture Fund, recorded live on November 17 in the Spieker Forum at UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business. Stewart leads investments across generative AI, gaming, and systems, and since joining M12 in 2021 has overseen 16 deals while serving on the boards of several portfolio companies, including Quantum.

Before entering venture capital, Michael built a diverse career spanning startups, semiconductor technology development, and innovation—earning more than 40 patents along the way.

A scientist at heart, Stewart expected to spend his career on the technical side of things doing hands-on research—a career that led him to Applied Materials, where he spent nearly a decade working in semiconductor process engineering and later in solar and cleantech. 

“All I wanted to do for the rest of my life was work on clean energy,” said Stewart, EWMBA 15, in conversation with Haas students Gonzalo Vásquez and Rey Yruegas Almanza, both MBA 26. “I came to Haas to get to the bottom of how the various levels of that market might work.”

In this fireside chat, he shares his journey from founder to investor, breaks down his investment strategy at M12, and offers practical advice for students pursuing careers in venture capital. The session closes with an audience Q&A.

• Read the article and find the full transcript on today's episode on the Haas Newsroom. 
• Read more about the UC Berkeley Haas Dean's Speaker Series and upcoming speakers.
• Read more about the Haas School of Business. 

The UC Berkeley Dean's Speaker Series podcast is a production of the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley. 

 

Leading in Tech, Building for Tomorrow: A Conversation with Ana Corrales

In this episode, Ana Corrales, COO of Google Consumer Hardware, shares her journey from early-stage startups to leading global operations at one of the world’s most influential tech companies. She reflects on what it takes to lead in a male-dominated industry, how sustainability shapes her decision-making, and why responsible supply chains matter more than ever.

Drawing on her experiences at Google, Nest, Cisco, and HP—as well as her advisory role at Zero100—Ana offers a candid look at the future of sustainable hardware. The session concludes with an engaging audience Q&A.

• Read the article and find the full transcript on today's episode on the Haas Newsroom. 
• Read more about the UC Berkeley Haas Dean's Speaker Series and upcoming speakers.
• Read more about the Haas School of Business. 

The UC Berkeley Dean's Speaker Series podcast is a production of the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley. 

 

Entrepreneur, Diplomat, Innovator: Ambassador Trevor Traina on Leadership and the Future of Tech

Amb. Trevor Traina is a serial entrepreneur having founded and co-founded five successful technology companies, which were all sold to acquirers such as Microsoft, Mastercard, and Intuit. He is currently Head of Business Development and Partnerships for Tools for Humanity, a technology company focused on developing tools for digital identity and blockchain. Amb. Traina took a break from the tech industry to serve as the Ambassador to Austria from 2018 to 2021 and is credited with helping usher in an era of “new closeness” between the two countries.

In a fireside chat format, Amb. Traina discusses his entrepreneurship endeavors, the leadership lessons he has learned in both tech and public service, and where he sees the tech industry heading in the future.