Dean’s Speaker Series

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.

From PhD to CEO: Aravind Srinivas on Reinventing Search with Perplexity AI

Aravind Srinivas co-founded Perplexity in 2022 because of his own curiosity about a more transparent and verifiable AI-powered search experience while he was a researcher at OpenAI, Google, and DeepMind. Through his leadership, Perplexity is one of the largest AI companies, with a base of over 30 million active users and 780 million inquiries. His work Questions the Status Quo in the constantly evolving landscape of AI.

In a fireside chat format, Aravind discusses his journey as a founder, shares insights on the expansion of the AI landscape, and reflects on the impact of Perplexity’s mission to support the world’s curiosity. The session concludes with an audience Q&A.

Listen to the full conversation here.

How’s your battery? Calm CEO David Ko on normalizing mental health at work

David Ko, CEO of the sleep and meditation app Calm and author of the book Recharge, shares his leadership journey from investment banking to purpose-driven leadership. Since 2022, he’s guided Calm’s work in over 190 countries, supporting millions of people seeking to improve their wellbeing.

Ko describes “the battery check,” a simple framework for starting conversations about mental health, describes how burnout happens when leaders don’t explain the “why” behind decisions, and shares some candid personal anecdotes.

The conversation is hosted by Professor Sameer Srivastava and led by UC Berkeley Haas students Avanika Lal and Esa Tilija, both MBA 26. The joint Dean’s Speaker Series and Berkeley Center for Workplace Culture and Innovation event took place at the Haas School of Business on September 30, 2025.

Reimagining Meat: Peter McGuinness on Leading Impossible Foods and Transforming Brands

Peter McGuinness, CEO of Impossible, is leading the company in its goal to produce sustainable meat-replacement products. Over the course of his over 30-year career, including leadership roles at McCann Erickson, DBB, and Chobani—which he grew to the No. 1 yogurt brand in the U.S.—he has driven profits and transformed brands.  

In this fireside chat, McGuinness discusses remaining persistent and learning from his mistakes as he leads Impossible’s mission to reduce the amount of meat people eat with food that is delicious, nutritious, and accessible. The session concludes with an audience Q&A.

• This talk at the Haas School of Business was originally live streamed on May 1, 2025.
• Read more about the UC Berkeley Haas Dean's Speaker Series and upcoming speakers.
• Read more about the Haas School of Business.
• Read the full transcript here.