In this episode of Sloanies Talking with Sloanies, host Christopher Reichert, MOT ’04, interviews Yurui (Rui) Tong, MBAn ’21, a graduate of the MIT Sloan Master of Business Analytics program. Tong, reflects on her educational and professional journey through a personal lens of self-discovery and curiosity. Though passionate about logic and reasoning, she shares her early struggles with math, eventually realizing that her strengths lie in storytelling and narrative-based problem-solving. This realization shaped her approach to data science and analytics, emphasizing clarity and meaning in complex concepts. At MIT, a key lesson came from Professor Dimitris Bertsimas, SM ’87, PhD ’88, who advised her to confront difficult problems head-on—a mindset that continues to guide her career. Tong’s path includes diverse roles, from WHO to Deloitte to Remitly, where she now serves as a senior product manager working on fraud detection powered by AI.

Rui explains that while AI is not new to data science professionals, its current wave of popularity stems from its broadened interaction with the public. At Remitly, she sees AI as a layered system—data, models, and decision-making—where the quality of data is as crucial as the model itself. She highlights the challenge of aligning business goals with probabilistic AI outputs, particularly in fraud detection, where trade-offs between customer experience and risk management are constant. Her podcast, Floating Questions (Spotify and Apple), reflects her wide-ranging intellectual curiosity, covering topics from energy policy to personal identity. Rui’s time at Sloan fostered a deep appreciation for principled innovation and collaborative learning—values she continues to carry forward.

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In this episode, Snejina Zacharia, SF ’13, a 2013 MIT Sloan Fellow from Bulgaria, transformed a personal insurance frustration into a $500 million business by founding Insurify, the "Kayak of insurance." After a minor car accident during her time at MIT caused her premiums to spike, she discovered the absence of a comprehensive insurance comparison platform and spent over a year convincing risk-averse carriers to join her marketplace. Despite facing significant challenges as a first-time female immigrant founder in a highly regulated industry, Zacharia built Insurify from a three-person team to nearly 200 employees through relentless persistence, strategic fundraising, and operational focus. Her journey exemplifies the MIT entrepreneurial spirit, emphasizing the importance of building the right founding team, maintaining financial discipline, and never giving up despite countless rejections—ultimately creating the largest online insurance comparison platform in the United States.

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In this episode of Sloanies Talking with Sloanies, host Christopher Reichert sits down with Raafet Azzouz, a 2024 Sloan Fellow at MIT Sloan, to explore his remarkable journey from a small town in Tunisia to global finance and entrepreneurship. Raafet shares how his early love for mathematics and humanities shaped his academic path through France, ultimately leading to senior roles at major financial institutions like JP Morgan and Bank of America Merrill Lynch. Despite his successful Wall Street career, he felt the need for a deeper sense of purpose, prompting his decision to step back, pursue impact-focused ventures, and enroll in the Sloan Fellows MBA program.

Raafet speaks candidly about the challenges and strengths of the immigrant experience—resilience, adaptation, and resourcefulness—which inspired his New Colossus Project. (YouTube) This initiative tells the stories of first-generation immigrant trailblazers in America, aiming to reframe the narrative around immigration and highlight its immense contributions to innovation and entrepreneurship. He also discusses how MIT Sloan became a space for personal transformation, where he stepped outside his comfort zone through courses in leadership, improvisation, and social media, all while reflecting on his identity and future direction.

Throughout the conversation, Raafet emphasizes the value of risk-taking, lifelong learning, and giving back to community. His evolving definition of success now centers on impact, connection, and legacy rather than titles or accolades. This episode is a powerful reflection on navigating change, finding one’s voice, and the importance of institutions like MIT Sloan in shaping not just careers, but lives.

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In this episode from 2019, Christopher Reichert, MOT ‘04, sat down with David Schmittlein, former Dean (2007–2024) and Professor of Marketing at the MIT Sloan School of Management, to discuss many topics, including where he found inspiration in his personal and professional life.

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In this episode of Sloanies Talking with Sloanies, Christopher Reichert interviews Henna Karna, EMBA ’18, who reflects on her academic and professional journey. Karna discusses how Sloan’s blend of quantitative and qualitative learning has shaped her approach to innovation, emphasizing engineering new patterns over relying on existing use cases. With a PhD in applied mathematics and a career spanning roles at the NSA, Google, and AXA, she shares insights on cryptography, behavioral modeling, and risk management. Karna advocates for empowering others, aligning short-term actions with long-term goals, and fostering sustainable innovation. Currently a Harvard fellow, she focuses on AI’s societal role, aiming to ensure its responsible and human-centric adoption. Karna defines success as finding joy in daily life and encourages prospective MBAs to embrace the rigorous yet rewarding Sloan experience.

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In this special episode of Sloanies Talking with Sloanies, host Christopher Reichert, MOT ’04, sits down with two distinguished guests: Admiral Thad Allen, SF ’89, former Commandant of the United States Coast Guard, and Frank Finelli, SM ’86, a senior advisor at The Carlyle Group and founder of the MIT Sloan Veterans Fund. Together, they discuss their experiences at MIT Sloan, the complexities of leadership in the military and private sector, and the challenges of technology adoption in government. The conversation explores the evolution of defense strategies, the importance of networks within the MIT and military communities, and the need for innovative approaches to address modern national security threats.

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In this episode of Sloanies Talking with Sloanies, host Christopher Reichert, MOT ’04, interviews Stephen Boyer, SDM ’08, co-founder and chief innovation officer at Bitsight. The conversation reflects on the evolution of cybersecurity, including the complexity of cyber threats and the challenges companies face in managing risks. Boyer shares insights from his career, discussing the importance of transparency in cybersecurity incidents and the role of AI in enhancing security practices. He also emphasizes the value of a mission-driven career and the need for continuous learning.

Boyer also discusses his experiences at MIT Sloan, highlighting the impact of the MIT 100K competition and the broader MIT ecosystem on his entrepreneurial journey. He offers advice to prospective Sloanies, encouraging them to immerse themselves fully in the MIT environment and to align their studies with their long-term career goals. The episode provides a blend of practical cybersecurity advice and reflections on the significance of strategic thinking and innovation in one's career.

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In this special episode of the podcast, Andrew Husband (Senior Writer & Editor, Office of External Relations) briefly assumes hosting duties to discuss five years of Sloanies Talking with Sloanies with host-turned-guest Christopher Reichert, MOT ’04.

Reichert reflects on some of his most cherished and memorable conversations with MIT Sloan alumni and faculty—including the late Ed Roberts, SB ’57, SM ’58, SM ’60, PhD ’62, and his son, Mitch Roberts, SM ’92; as well as a joint conversation with Juan Pablo Armas, SM ’92, and Roberto Rigobon, PhD ’97, to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the MIT Sloan Latin America Office.

After living and working in Australia for 13 years, Reichert decided to seek out an MBA degree to build on the skills he had developed while founding and managing an IT consulting company. The confluence of business and technology led him to MIT Sloan, where he initially considered the MBA program before a chance reading of a Management of Technology program brochure.

Reichert emphasizes the importance of volunteerism among alumni, and Husband highlights the former’s ongoing work with the MIT Sloan Boston Alumni Association, the MIT Sloan Alumni Board, and the MIT Sloan CIO Symposium. This naturally leads to a discussion of MIT Sloan Reunion 2024 and the need for the ongoing involvement of the alumni community at large.

Links:

• LinkedIn Profile
• MIT Sloan Reunion 2024

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Join host Christopher Reichert, MOT ’04, in a candid conversation with Jawad Ahsan, MIT Sloan Executive MBA alum, as they discuss the transformative power of an MBA, Ahsan's career growth from GE to entrepreneurial ventures, and the role MIT Sloan played in shaping his path. Discover how System Dynamics and MIT Sloan's collaborative ethos inspired Ahsan to pursue a portfolio career, balancing corporate success with creative storytelling and societal impact.

Reichert and Ahsan talk about Ahsan's creative pursuits, including his book "What They Didn't Tell Me," which became an Amazon bestseller, and his involvement in producing books, movies, and investing in startups through his ventures Light Mountain Creative, Light Mountain Capital, and Light Mountain Craft.

Links:

• LinkedIn Profile: www.linkedin.com/in/jawadahsan
• Website: http://www.jawadahsan.com/

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On this episode of Sloanies Talking with Sloanies, host Christopher Reichert, MOT ’04, interviews Ian Barkin, MBA ’06, co-founder of 2BVentures. 

Barkin discusses his experience at MIT Sloan and how it influenced his career in consulting and outsourcing. He also talks about the concept of robotic process automation (RPA) and its role in intelligent automation. Barkin shares insights from his book Intelligent Automation and discusses the democratization of technology tools and the importance of harnessing grassroots automation within organizations. 

He emphasizes the need for IT departments to adapt to the changing landscape and support the creativity and innovation of non-IT professionals. Barkin also highlights the evolving role of AI and the availability of big data in driving advancements in automation. 

He concludes by discussing the importance of staying connected with the MIT Sloan community and offering advice for prospective students and alumni.

Links:

• LinkedIn Profile
• LinkedIn Learning courses on Digital Transformation
• MIT Sloan Management Review Article
• Harvard Business Review Article
• Intelligent Automation

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© MIT SLOAN SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT

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© MIT SLOAN SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT

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© MIT SLOAN SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT

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Learn more about MIT Sloan Alumni on Facebook, LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and Threads.

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Naji Gehchan, EMBA ’22 joins Christopher Reichert, MOT ’04, to talk about the life experiences that led him to study medicine, and eventually start Sohati, a comprehensive website in Arabic that provides information about the health medical field, and informs his oncology work at Eli Lilly. 

Naji talks about his chronic condition, which he calls “Impatientitus” and how he balances purpose with speed to build a team culture where he is striving to get things done fast while at the same way the team shares a thinking process, what they believe in, and remains open to one another.  

He also hosts a podcast called Spread Love io, started while at Sloan, dedicated to highlighting the stories of leaders on how they spread love in organizations for people to feel safe to thrive and imagine a better world. Naji shares his insights after interviewing over 80 leaders. 

Finally, Naji talks about the experience of finally arriving on campus, after the mostly remote experience due to COVID, and the strong community of classmates and faculty that they built in that unique educational environment. Naji explains how MIT pushed him to go even deeper in thinking about his leadership style, leadership signature, and leadership beliefs. 

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Captain Brian Erickson, SFMBA ’21, joins Christopher Reichert, MOT ’04, to talk about his career from a 17-year-old service member in the Coast Guard to its first Chief Data Officer. Capt. Erickson explores leadership and innovation in a 233-year-old organization.

He talks about growing up in a small town in Washington State, and the opportunities and experiences of serving in the U.S. Coast Guard for over 30 years. He’s been an engineer and pilot and had participated in the rescue of over 35 people.

Just before Sloan, Capt. Erickson was a budget reviewer for Coast Guard headquarters operational capabilities offices and was responsible for program requests for $1.3B and over 14,000 personnel. He was the Commanding Officer of a 110-member Coast Guard Air Station serving the coasts of South Carolina, Georgia, and North Florida, before being selected for the MIT Sloan Fellows program in 2020, in the midst of the pandemic. 

He has some great insights into leadership and innovation as he reflects on his time at MIT Sloan and what it takes to succeed in ever-increasing positions of responsibility, leading to his current role as inaugural Chief Digital Officer for the U.S. Coast Guard.

Capt. Erickson can be reached on LinkedIn and welcomes talking with alumni and prospective students.

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Ohad Tzur, MBA ’12, joins Christopher Reichert, MOT ’04, to talk about his startup Kahoona (www.kahoona.io) which is dedicated to helping individuals and companies traverse the disruptive online changes for online privacy and data mining.

Ohad talks about growing up in Israel, the transformational experiences of serving in the Israeli Defense Force, working at Google and learning to manage and embrace the sometimes-overwhelming opportunities at Sloan, in particular Action Learning.

Ohad closes with some great tips for prospective students on the power of the community of your classmates, and how to prioritize your experience while at Sloan.

Ohad can be reached on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ohadtzur) and welcomes talking with alumni, prospective students, and anyone interested in online privacy and the new economic models being created that will reshape the Internet as we know it.

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Aditi Javeri Gokhale, SB ’96, MBA ’99, joins Christopher Reichert, MOT ’04, for a discussion on her role as the most senior female leader at Northwestern Mutual, where she holds the title of chief strategy officer, president of retail investments, and head of institutional investments. They also discuss her journey from India to MIT, her dedication to leadership and mentoring fellow women, and her commitment to establishing gender equity.

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Rachel Stevens, MBA ’15, joins Christopher Reichert, MOT ’04, for a discussion about her journey from corporate mainstream, working at Apple and Tatte; to starting her own business, VIENVIE, a women's fashion marketplace startup that brings together existing designers and consumers—working to solve the problem of fit, style, and discovery for the modern woman. 

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Ken Pucker, SM ’90, joins Christopher Reichert, MOT ’04, for a discussion about corporate sustainability efforts, climate change, and what he believes needs to be done to address these issues. Currently a senior lecturer at The Fletcher School at Tufts University, Ken shares how system dynamics and his time at MIT Sloan influenced his last decade of working at the intersection of climate and capitalism. 

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Jossy Lee, MBA ’12, joins Christopher Reichert, MOT ’04, to share how her time at MIT Sloan has impacted her current work as a founding member of the New England Innovation Academy, the first middle and high school using human-centered design to prepare future innovators. She is also the founder of Woom, an incubator dedicated to nurturing working moms, and author of "Mommy Goes to Work," a forthcoming storybook celebrating working moms. 

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Sunish Gupta, SDM ’12, joins Christopher Reichert, MOT ’04, to share how his diagnosis of retinitis pigmentosa in 2001, as well as his background in technology and engineering, served as his motivation to focus his work on enhancing the design and implementation of assistive technologies for all disabilities.

MIT alumni are invited to email Sunish for a complimentary accessibility consultation for their company’s website or app, including a 30-minute Simple Experience Evaluation for Disabilities (SEED).  

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TJ Leonard, MBA ’08, joins Christopher Reichert, MOT ’04, to discuss his career in the marketing industry and how that led to his current role as CEO at Storyblocks, a stock media subscription service dedicated to providing accessible, affordable stock for creatives. 

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Khalid David, MBA ’19, joins Christopher Reichert, MOT ’04, to share how his journey working in the construction industry led him to MIT Sloan, where he was able to begin building TracFlo, an online financial tool designed to help contractors manage project risk.

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