Hi, I’m Allison

The Wharton School MBA Office of Student Life – Philadelphia, PA

What began as a Student Life Fellowship evolved into something larger when I recognized a gap in the office's marketing and communications infrastructure and stepped in to fill it. I created the role, built the operational and content foundation from scratch by directing end-to-end content production for a community of 4,000+ followers, drove a record-breaking recruitment campaign that yielded 100+ applicants for the Student Life Fellows program, and spent my final semester executing a full succession plan so the team could run independently after I graduated.

Marketing and Communications Manager | 2025–2026 

• Identified a content strategy gap and built the Wharton MBA Office of Student Life's content infrastructure from scratch as sole creative lead, building scalable systems and documentation to hand off ownership, ensuring continuity upon departure

• Launched a video-first content strategy, driving 70,000+ quarterly views and 6,000+ unique accounts reached; ran a recruitment campaign generating 100+ applicants, the highest in organizational history

The Estée Lauder Companies – New York, NY

I came to Tom Ford Beauty through the Estée Lauder Companies' Global Presidential Leadership Program to explore what executive leadership and global brand-building look like on the consumer side, at a brand navigating a meaningful moment of transition in the era of AI. I developed high-impact executive media preparation kits and synthesized brand health data across 23 markets, with a focus on the fragrance and lip product categories.

• Presented a category expansion opportunity for Balmain through competitive benchmarking, consumer trend analysis, and internal performance metrics, and proposed a new lip product concept to the Global Interim General Manager for Balmain Beauty for consideration

• Synthesized insights across 23 markets using Power BI models for global market and retail performance alongside Tom Ford Beauty's marketing strategy, assessing brand health across categories

• Delivered a high-impact executive media preparation kit for the President and CEO of Tom Ford and Couture Brands, integrating brand heritage, product storytelling, and commercial insights for the global product launch of Black Orchid Reserve

Microsoft Corporation – Redmond, WA

I began my full-time technology career at Microsoft, where four roles across product marketing, executive communications, and business monetization product strategy placed me at the center of three defining shifts in how the company, and the industry, operated. I began my career at Microsoft as businesses adapted to remote and hybrid work, helping drive Azure adoption as customers rebuilt how their teams connected and collaborated. I witnessed the Metaverse's emergence as a space for global diplomacy, guiding 80+ world leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos through the first multilateral diplomatic session held there. I closed my tenure in the era of AI, first researching Gen Z AI engagement and shaping executive-ready AI strategy briefings for the CEO, then serving as Communications Manager for the Chairman and CEO of Microsoft as generative AI reshaped how the company worked internally and how its story was told to the world. In addition to my core roles, I served as Chair of the Internal Connections Committee for Blacks at Microsoft (BAM) Puget Sound in FY24, focusing on intentional employee connections and mentorship across the company.

Communications Manager for the Chairman and CEO of Microsoft (July 2023 – June 2024)

• Experimented broadly with Microsoft 365 Copilot across briefings, presentation copy, and executive recaps, identifying where AI could meaningfully improve daily workflows; advised regional communications leadership on Microsoft's AI strategy and product communications during CEO visits across MEA, APAC, and Europe

• Redesigned pre- and post-event communication strategy for a leadership summit that aligned Microsoft's 350+ person Executive Staff community on leadership vision and AI-driven product advancements; drove a 600% YOY increase in response rate and 95% participation, directly informing 2025 program strategy

• Analyzed viewer behavior and sentiment across flagship CEO keynotes (Microsoft Build, Inspire, and Ignite), presenting a formal data recap to the CEO Communications Team to enhance content delivered to millions of global viewers

Research, Insights, and Communities Manager for the Chairman and CEO of Microsoft (October 2022 – July 2023)

• Conducted in-depth research on Generation Z, presenting findings on Gen-Z AI engagement directly to the CEO to inform weekly strategy discussions with executive leadership across marketing, communications, product, and R&D

• Sourced 20+ daily news articles and research reports for the CEO, distilling industry shifts and macro trends across AI strategy, education, accessibility, and sustainability into executive-ready briefings that informed company-wide priorities

• Served as docent for 80+ global leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos, guiding them through the first multilateral diplomatic session in the metaverse via the Global Collaboration Village, a partnership with Accenture and the Forum

Business Planner for Security, Compliance, Identity, and Management (SCIM) (September 2021 – October 2022)

• Collaborated with cross-functional teams and external consultants to align on pricing strategy for a $1.7B product portfolio, shaping product inclusion and bundling decisions across four customer segments with distinct needs and product adoption barriers: Education, Nonprofit, Frontline Workers, and Government

• Shortened SKU launch timelines and automated government product launch processes by identifying and resolving compliance barriers across the segment portfolio

Relationship Marketing Manager for Azure (August 2020 – September 2021)

• Drove a 2.3-point increase in Azure product adoption and a 37% improvement in accessibility, including language expansion and webinar captioning, while reducing budget expenditure and broadening customer reach

The Wharton School’s Global Modular Course – Johannesburg and Cape Town, South Africa

Teaching Assistant, The Role of Business in Societal Opportunity | 2026 Spring Break

I first traveled to South Africa as a student for the 2025 Spring Break course, drawn to visit the continent for the first time and understand the core question of the role of business in creating access and opportunity for people who have been systematically excluded. The conversations in Johannesburg and Cape Town are grounded in the long-tail consequences of apartheid and the compounding effects of generational inequality, which deepened my understanding of how historical policy shapes present-day economic realities, and how closely those dynamics mirror the United States legacy. Returning as a Teaching Assistant in my second year was a full-circle moment, and an early expression of a longer ambition to serve as adjunct faculty and use every platform I have to make knowledge more accessible.

• Collaborated with the teaching team to curate an immersive schedule for 35 students, coordinating with global stakeholders to ensure a seamless learning experience across sites that brought the course themes to life, including Constitution Hill and a tour of Soweto, Gordon Institute of Business, Raizcorp, African Leadership Academy, MTN Group, R Labs, and Stellenbosch University, spanning both the history of the region and the organizations actively working to unlock opportunity within it.

• Extended course learnings into an active independent research study for the 2026 Spring Semester, through the Wharton Reentry, Knowledge, and Skills (WORKS) program, exploring how technology access can support economic reintegration for underserved populations.

iXperience – Cape Town, South Africa (Remote)

Digital Marketing Teaching Assistant | 2020 

My first teaching experience came early in my career, supporting a Digital Marketing course for iXperience, a program connecting global students to immersive learning experiences in Cape Town. Delivering this remotely during the height of the pandemic required adaptability, clarity of communication, and a commitment to maintaining an engaging learning environment across time zones and screens while also preparing interns for summer internships at Accenture, Any.Do and more.

• Assisted in delivering digital marketing curriculum to a cohort of undergraduate and early-career students, reinforcing core concepts in strategy, content, and campaign execution.

• Provided real-time feedback and mentorship during a fully remote learning environment, developing the instructional communication skills

My foundation in storytelling was laid in high school, where I joined the Digital Media Academy and began reporting school news. That early exposure sparked my curiosity in journalism and led to my first internship experience—planting the seeds for what would become a career rooted in journalism with an emphasis in strategic communication. At the University of Missouri, Columbia, I deepened that passion through hands-on roles across campus and in the industry, interning at advertising agencies, media companies, leadership institutes, and technology companies. Before starting my full-time career, I also had the opportunity to support the next generation as a Digital Marketing Teaching Assistant, helping global students based in the United States and South Africa gain real-world experience and build confidence in their work.

• iXperience | Digital Marketing Teaching Assistant & Internship Coach (May 2020 – August 2020)

• Microsoft | Product Marketing Manager Intern (May 2019 – August 2019) 

• International Radio and Television Society Fellow: CNN – Great Big Story | Content Partnerships & News Solutions Intern (June 2018 – August 2018)

• The Novak Leadership Institute | Marketing, PR & Analytics Intern (January 2018 – May 2018) 

• Louis Carr Internship Foundation Fellow: Walton Isaacson Multicultural Advertising Agency | Strategy Intern (June 2017 – July 2017) 

• 104.1 KRBE Houston’s #1 Hit Radio Station | Promotions Staff (June 2015 – August 2016) and Intern (October 2014 – May 2015)

• Hightower High School | Digital Media Academy 

The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania | 2024-2026

Master of Business Administration, Major in Management

My path to business school began through the Moelis Advance Access Program, which granted me deferred admission to Wharton after four years of professional experience. That early acceptance gave me the space to be intentional in shaping my career by building a strong foundation in marketing, executive communications, and business planning strategy before returning to the classroom.

Now, as a Joseph Wharton Fellow, I’m expanding my business and financial acumen while exploring new industries and leadership development programs. I’m focused on how to apply the skills learned through the rigorous program in a more global, strategic marketing capacity post business school. 

The University of Missouri-Columbia | 2015-2019

Bachelor of Journalism, Major in Strategic Communication, cum laude

Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Major in Management, cum laude

At the University of Missouri-Columbia, I began my undergraduate journey studying Radio/Television Reporting and Anchoring, but shifted during my sophomore year to focus on Strategic Communication and added a degree in Business Management. That pivot opened the door to a broader exploration of storytelling, technology, and business. Outside the classroom, professional development programs like Management Leadership for Tomorrow’s Career Prep Program, the Executive Leadership Council’s Honors Symposium, Stanford Future Leaders, and Google BOLD Immersion introduced me to the business world and expanded my understanding of the pathways available after graduation.

On campus, I was deeply involved in communities that shaped my leadership, service, and commitment to supporting the next generation of Mizzou graduates. I coordinated media tours to New York and Washington, D.C. through the National Association of Black Journalists. I was initiated into the Epsilon Psi Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, and began my service on the National Membership Services Committee. As a scholar and intern with the Novak Leadership Institute, I learned the foundations of strategic communication leadership and the principle of “lead by taking people with you.” I also served on the Mizzou Alumni Association Student Board and worked in Mizzou Admissions, where I connected with prospective students and traveled the country to share my story and help others find their path to Mizzou.

Giving back through time, mentorship, and resources has been a core part of who I am since adolescence. I’m especially passionate about two areas that shaped my early development: arts and culture, and education.

The performing and visual arts community raised me. They gave me the tools to express myself with confidence and creativity, skills I still rely on today in writing, speaking, and photography. Equally, I’ve seen how education can expand minds, unlock opportunity, and change the trajectory of someone’s life.

Rising up and reaching back to impact these areas will remain consistent throughout my career, and I look forward to the extended impact I will be able to have further down the line.