Gabelli School Executive M.B.A. Class of 2025 Welcomes Students with a Wealth of Experience and Ambitions to Inspire Change

Graduate | Sep 13, 2023 | Gabelli School of Business

One of the country’s top-ranked Executive M.B.As., the program attracts students from around the world and across industries

The Gabelli School of Business Executive M.B.A. program – ranked #11 Top US Executive MBA Program, Poets&Quants 2022-2023 and #19 EMBA Program in the U.S., U.S. News & World Report MBA 2023-2024, attracts seasoned professionals with substantial experience who are ready to take the next step in their career. Although students come from a wide range of backgrounds and fields of interest, members of the incoming Class of 2025 share a desire to build upon their experience by developing advanced leadership skills that are underpinned by a commitment to social responsibility. With an emphasis on management and providing a unique global business perspective, the program helps motivated leaders to realize their full potential and to make an impact through their professional roles and beyond.

Imelda Tavas emigrated from the Philippines as a physician but, after deciding not to retrain as a medical doctor in the United States, she pivoted to a management career in healthcare. Progressing through roles of increasing responsibility, she has risen to her current position as chief administrative officer of Essen Health Care, a premiere healthcare continuum in New York with over 500 providers. In this expansive role, Tavas has leveraged her medical background, combining it with her passion for making healthcare services available across underserved communities in the Bronx. She has utilized the leadership skills she has acquired to support and guide her staff at Essen for over 15 years. Tavas was inspired to enroll in the Gabelli School EMBA because of its grounding in Fordham’s Jesuit values of service, integrity and commitment—which are in direct alignment with the position she currently holds. She sees the program’s focus on exploring and embracing a personal mission, as well as its commitment to social responsibility in business, as playing a key role in furthering her own leadership development.

“One of my career goals is to create new jobs in my community and to develop the talents of the people I work with. While studying for my EMBA, I want to refine my leadership skills and learn how to have the most impact across the organization,” she said. “Although I had other options, I was drawn to the Gabelli mission and its reputation, as well as the structure of the program.”

A senior software engineering manager with a passion for leadership and innovation, Glaucia Santana has spent her career mentoring engineers, encouraging collaboration and contributing to the growth of the teams she has led, fostering cross-functional cohesion. She has held leadership roles throughout her career in São Paulo, Brazil, including senior software engineering manager/head of IT at iFood; senior IT and product manager, B2W digital; and IT project manager, Via Varejo/Banq. She chose to enroll in the Gabelli School EMBA because of its stellar reputation, rigorous curriculum, and deep industry connections, as well as its alignment with her own values and professional goals. While Santana’s career trajectory has been incredibly impressive, she has further ambitions to elevate her position to an executive level where she can have the most impact in driving technological innovation, shaping strategic direction, and nurturing a culture of excellence in her industry.

“Pursuing an EMBA at the Gabelli School is a pivotal step toward my career goals. It will equip me with the strategic mindset, leadership skills, and business acumen required for high-level roles such as chief technology officer. This program’s practical focus and networking opportunities align perfectly with my aspirations,” she concluded.

Written by: Michelle Miller, Associate Director of Communications, Fordham University Gabelli School of Business