Mission
The Women's Circle is dedicated to promoting and inspiring women in business by cultivating an engaged and supportive community across the School. It is committed to supporting CBS alumnae throughout the many phases of their personal and professional lives and advocating for equity in business leadership.
Vision
The vision of the Columbia Business School Women’s Circle is that through executing our mission, CBS will have the strongest alumnae community of any business school.
Alumna Spotlight, Emily O’Halloran (’07)
Emily spent over 27 years in strategy and technology consulting for Accenture. Her work spans industries including communications, media, digital platforms, utilities, oil and gas, chemicals, and retail. She retired as a Managing Director and is now leveraging her skills and network to pursue her personal passions, which include advocating for vulnerable youth, improving female financial literacy, and reducing homelessness. Emily recently completed her term as Co-President of the CBS Women’s Circle Board, where her leadership was instrumental in shaping the organization and building the strong, engaged community that continues to grow.
One of my favorite memories from my time at CBS is our EMBA international study week in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It opened my eyes to international business and to the joy of exploring a brand-new city with classmates. We even caught a Boca Juniors “fútbol” match.
Since graduating from CBS in 2007, I spent over 27 years at Accenture, working with Fortune 100 clients. After retiring, I re-engaged with CBS through the Women’s Circle and served on the Board for almost four years, ultimately serving as Co-President. I also dove into options trading as a new way to stay engaged in the business world and generate income in retirement. It’s now something I do every day and genuinely enjoy.
Outside my career, I’ve competed in close to 100 triathlons, heli-skied in British Columbia a few times, and helped raise millions of dollars for the Inspire Mexico Foundation Youth Center to build a brighter future for the children of Los Cabos. I’ve served as a court-appointed advocate for foster kids, made a lifelong friend from Kyiv through coaching English with ENGin, and traveled to incredible places with my partner, Greg Douglass, and his now adult kids.
When I’m not working on one of my passion projects you will find me outdoors with Greg. In the mountains, we love to mountain bike, trail run, and ski; when near the ocean, we swim, run, play golf, and pickleball. We’re sliding nicely into retirement.
My ideal Sunday afternoon includes a morning outdoors and then going for brunch at one of our favorite restaurants.
The last book I read and loved was Theo of Golden, a feel-good story about how one person’s kindness ripples outward and inspires others to do the same. There’s a life lesson in it for all of us, regardless of age or station in life.
My favorite thing to see in Dallas, Texas is Dallas Mavericks basketball, even without Luka Dončić, who I hope comes back to the team one day.
My go-to snack right now is a cappuccino. It’s my daily “guilty pleasure,” and I’d happily have more than one.
The best trip I’ve taken recently was to Niseko, Japan, for skiing. The best skiing ever, thanks to consistently fresh, deep “champagne” powder and stunning scenery. We even hiked to the top of Mount Annupuri for one of the longest and most spectacular experiences. I also fell in love with Japanese culture: polite, kind, clean, and centered on community over self.
And the place I’d like to go next is Shanghai, which we’ll be visiting this fall. I’m hoping to meet up with some fellow CBS alumnae while we’re there.
The most helpful career advice I ever received was from Diego Visconti, the head of Accenture’s Communications, Technology & Media practice, who told me that opportunities are like trains pulling into a station in that they keep coming, but it’s up to you whether you choose to jump on.
The most impactful life advice I ever received was from a book on eastern philosophy that showed me a way to look at my life. The first 25 years are for learning, the next 25 for producing, the following 25 for giving back and mentoring, and the final 25 for spirituality and reflection. It shapes how I approach retirement today. I look for small ways to help someone every day, whether that’s a sincere compliment or being a mentor to someone early on in their career journey. The other advice came from Greg, who taught me that with the right, positive mindset, you can achieve anything you set your mind to and that you’re responsible for your life, both career and personal.
Something I learned at CBS that significantly influences my approach to business is that how a company manages its finances can be just as important to growth as its core products or services. Smart financial management can meaningfully shape a company’s performance, which is something I didn’t fully appreciate until CBS.
If I could spend the day with one famous woman from history it would be Frances Perkins, the first woman to serve in a presidential cabinet. As Secretary of Labor under Franklin D. Roosevelt, she transformed labor law by championing Social Security, reshaping how government worked with unions, and helping build much of the New Deal. She was determined, never took “no” for an answer, and had a gift for winning over detractors to get things done. A true trailblazer.
Alumnae Voices
Coach's Corner
Renu Lala Vitale
CWC Board Member and Executive Coach, Renu Vitale, fields your burning career questions. Renu is a member of the CBS Sanford C. Bernstein and Co. Center for Leadership & Ethics coaching program, and has been helping clients develop winning strategies and make better decisions for over 20 years. To submit your career question for consideration, email Renu at [email protected]. Please include Coach's Corner in the subject line.
Question: My year-end review is a few months away. I always feel I should be doing something around now but am never sure what that is. Is there something I should be doing now to help my year-end review be as strong as possible?
From,
Getting Ahead of It
Response: Dear Getting Ahead of It,
Yes. You can assume that your leader is not thinking of you. At all.
Let go of the belief that your leader has been observing you and connecting dots about your growth, your conversations from three months ago, and your wins. They are not cultivating a narrative for you that neatly folds in evidence to support why you should get a high rating, raise, or promotion. That job belongs to you.
And most importantly, year-end reviews are shaped long before the year-end conversation happens.
Remember Cher Horowitz in the movie Clueless? She decides two of her teachers should fall for each other and starts architecting little moments to bring them together. A planted compliment here. A nudge there. She leaves breadcrumbs until they begin to see each other differently. And she steps in to give words to what is authentically developing, helping the two teachers see it too.
I am not suggesting you manipulate anyone into falling in love with you. But there is something useful in Cher’s approach.
Leave breadcrumbs, then help your leader connect them.
Before you start, get clear on three things you want to be known for. Not what you think a leader wants to hear. The things that are genuinely true about how you work and what you bring. If you try to engineer a reputation that doesn’t reflect who you actually are, people will feel it. And it will do the opposite of what you’re going for.
When someone has to champion you, you want to hand them a compelling story rather than a list of successes, one that makes it easy for them to speak on your behalf because the narrative is already formed.
Make it easy for your leader and others to see you how you want to be seen by strategically laying down evidence in the months before.
Your 1:1 with your leader is where all of this comes together. Think of it as the place where you help your leader accumulate a perspective, and everything else feeds into it.
When someone raises a problem that connects to a strength you want to be known for, offer to help. Don’t say “I’m great at cross-functional problem-solving.” Solve a cross-functional problem. Then bring it back to your 1:1.
In meetings, decide beforehand what you want people to experience from you. Strategic thinking? Calm under pressure? Curiosity? Then behave that way.
With older wins, give updates. Ask a follow-up question. Share what happened next. Connect an earlier project to a new issue. You keep the work alive without awkwardly resurrecting it for credit.
Every time you demonstrate your proof of concept somewhere, bring it into your 1:1. Share the business accomplishment and a quick summary of how. The accomplishment shows what you delivered. The how helps your leader see who you are when you deliver it.
Believing you have agency in how you’re seen matters for another reason. If you feel frustrated because you believe you’ve been overlooked, that feeling will sneak into how you proceed and undermine your results. Leave it at the door.
Before your year-end conversation, gather your breadcrumbs and organize them into the three things you most want your leader to walk away knowing about you. If you’ve been genuine, the story will feel coherent because it is.
The evidence is there. Make sure it’s pointing somewhere.
Shoutouts
Congratulations to:
- Piya Newkirk (’05) was named CMO of Orveon Global, parent company of bareMinerals, Laura Mercier, and Buxom
- Alexandra Ekpiken ('20) on her new position as Chief Operating Officer & Head of Capital Mobilization at GreenMax Capital Group, a fund management and advisory firm advancing sustainable development in emerging markets.
- Elizabeth Varghese (CBS ’07), former Women’s Circle Board member, was named one of the 100 Davos Women and recently appeared on ABC News Birmingham to discuss her book, Stellar Singularity: Navigating the Spacefaring Economy.
- Lorraine Marchand (CBS ’06) recently published No Fear, No Failure: Five Principles for Sustaining Growth Through Innovation, drawing on insights from 120 interviews with leaders — many of them fellow CBS alumni.
- Emily O’Halloran (CBS ’07), Women’s Circle Co-President, was appointed President of the Inspire Mexico Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to creating life-changing opportunities for vulnerable children and youth in Los Cabos. She was also honored with the Hugh Derham Award for Service from Cretin-Derham Hall.
- Didem Ün Ateş, Chief Executive of Lotus AI. LotusAI has been named "The Best AI Advisory Award 2025 - UK" by the Wealth & Finance International Magazine.
- Michelle Gaines '16 welcomed her second child Rory on Jan. 5. He was a little early but already 9lbs 1oz and thriving.
- Yvonne Fung '18 welcomed daughter Cora on February 11. She arrived with a strong pair of lungs and a kick that will knock anyone out.
- Holly MacDonald '08, will become CEO of Bessemer Trust when the current CEO retires in early 2026. She is presently Chief Investment Officer at Bessemer.
- Jennifer Prosek '99, Founder and Managing Partner of Prosek Partners, has been named to Observer's 2025 PR Power List.
- Christine Alemany '04, was recognized as one of the 30 most influential Fintech Marketers by Fintech Marketing Hub. These influential Fintech Marketers were chosen based on their degree of influence and achievements over the past year, including ability to shape trends and inspire others.
Please share your achievements with us! Email [email protected] with “Shoutouts” in the subject line or post on our Women’s Circle LinkedIn Group
Events Hub
Upcoming Events
Fall programming coming soon. Stay Tuned!
Regional Connections
To learn more about CBS Alumna events in your region or to host a regional event contact:
- Teresa Farmaki [ email ] - CBS Alumni Club of London Women’s Network
- Amy Fong [ email ] - Alumni Club of Hong Kong Women’s Initiative
- Diane Malcomson [ email ] - CBS Women’s Circle Boston
- Aynat Ravin [ email ] - CBS Women’s Circle Washington DC
- Jennifer Villarina [ email ] - CBS Women’s Circle San Francisco Bay Area
If you’d like to host a Women’s Circle event in a region not listed here contact Jennifer Villarina
Past Events
NEW YORK CITY - September 24, 2026
10:00 a.m.: How Business Is Meeting the Climate Resiliency Challenge Climate change has shifted from a theoretical future to an everyday reality, and businesses have altered their perceptions of risk and what investments will be needed to adapt.
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VIRTUAL - May 15, 2026
12-1pm: AI Technology in Your Life Featuring Vrinda Dabke ’07, VP of Global Technology Services for Total
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NEW YORK CITY - May 7, 2026,
6-8pm: Building With AI: From Storytelling to Real Products Featuring Silja Kim Bast ’14 (CBO, Breezm Eyewear), Sally Chung (AI Advisor, Parsons), and Meagan Dietz ’05 (Moderator)
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VIRTUAL - April 28, 2026
6-7pm EST: Leading Through Change: Reinventing Your Professional Path Featuring Anushka Salinas ’10 Featuring special guest Anushka Salinas ’10 (CEO, Nanit; former President & COO at Rent the Runway)
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VIRTUAL - April 23, 2026, 6-7pm: Career Conversations - Navigating the New Executive Job Search Featuring Tonya Berry ’05 in conversation with Andrea Henderson ’05 (Executive Talent Strategist at DHR Global)
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NEW YORK CITY - March 12, 2026, 6-9pm: AI Finds Her Voice | Women Leaders in AI Join the Women’s Circle as we mark International Women’s Day with a panel discussion and breakout sessions focused on leading through AI disruption.
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WASHINGTON DC - March 1, 2026, 1-3pm: Yoga, Snacks, Drinks, and Conversation Join fellow Columbia alumni on March 1st for a feel-good yoga session followed by snacks, drinks, and easy conversation. Whether you’re a seasoned yogi or just here for the vibes, this is your chance to stretch, sip, and meet new friends. Come for the yoga, stay for the community.
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VIRTUAL - February 24, 2026, 6-7pm EST: Pathways to Corporate Board Service Speed Networking event Join your fellow alumni in a virtual speed networking session after hearing from Maggie Benkert ’16 (Board and CEO Search and Assessment Professional, Russell Reynolds Associates) on the path to corporate board service.
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SAN FRANCISCO - February 12, 2026, 5:30-7:30pm: Leading in AI Featuring alumnae Daisy Cai ’10 Partner, B Capital, and May Wang ’21 Chair of CBS Bay Area Alumni Club.
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HONG KONG & VIRTUAL - November 4th, 6:30 pm, Two IFC, Hong Kong and Zoom - Speaker Panel: Women on Board featuring three accomplished alumnae serving on corporate boards.
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CHICAGO - November 6th, 5-7pm, The New Line Tavern - Join fellow Columbia Business School alumni for an evening of connection, conversation, and community.
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NEW YORK CITY - November 6th, 6-7:30pm, Columbia Business School - Path to Purpose an interactive workshop to reframe your career journey, realign with your values, and release expectations.
Meet the Board
The Women’s Circle is governed by a Board of Directors composed of 20 alumni dedicated to increasing alumna engagement. Their efforts include providing career development learning across all life stages, programming focused on entrepreneurship, innovation, and technology, as well as fundraising.
Board Briefing
June 2026 virtual board meeting briefing
FY26 board meeting recap: welcoming new leadership and celebrating progress
On June 16, the CBS Women’s Circle Board held its virtual year-end meeting where we reflected on a year of significant progress and community engagement.
FY26 highlights
- Launched a sold-out inaugural Women’s Circle Marquee Event
- Distributed our monthly newsletter, reaching 456 opt-in alumnae with a 76% open rate
- Grew our LinkedIn group to 1,825 members
- Hosted 18+ events with an estimated 1,000 attendees across the globe and life stages
- Continued our popular Speed Networking virtual series
Farewell and gratitude
We are also grateful for the commitment of four founding Board members completing their terms. Collectively, they helped launch the inaugural Women’s Circle Marquee Event, created the first Women’s Circle theme for our Board, and led both virtual and in-person activations that engaged thousands of alumnae across 18+ events. Their impact will be felt for years to come.
New leadership
We are excited to announce Sangita Popat (’06) as our new Co-President. A committed Board member, she has partnered over the past year to create memorable and impactful career development activations. She is an avid investor, recently investing in the National Women’s Soccer League through the Portland Thorns, reflecting a commitment to investing in women through women’s sports.
As we head into the new fiscal year, we’re energized by the momentum and the strength of our growing community.
Warm regards,
Aynat Ravin (’01)
Co-President, Columbia Business School Women’s Circle
Sangita Popat (’06)
Co-President, Columbia Business School Women’s Circle
Get Involved
The Women's Circle is funded by the CBS Annual Fund. Thank you for your contributions!