Mission
The Women's Circle, encompassing all Columbia Business School alumnae, 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, Jennifer Radin
Each month we highlight a notable member of the Women's Circle. This month in recognition of National Innovation Day, we are pleased to spotlight Jennifer Radin (class of '98), Chief Innovation Officer for Deloitte Consulting Health Care practice. Jen advises and enables health executives to embrace and prepare for disruptive innovation. She is an acclaimed speaker and author of primary research on the topics of Future of Health, Nextgen and Digital Transformation, and Equitable Health. A lifelong New Yorker, Jen resides in Manhattan with her husband, three children - Olivia (22), Aidan (18), Julian (15) - and goldendoodle Milo.
One of my favorite memories from my time at CBS is doing massive econ problem sets in the library with good friends, Thursday night pizza & tap, cracking my first finance model.
Since graduating from CBS in 1998 I have been a Life Sciences & Healthcare consultant and now leader at Deloitte.
When I'm not at work you will find me having dinner at the bar with my husband Sanjay (also a CBS alum) at of one of our favorite downtown spots, checking out the latest exhibits at one of the hundreds of museums and art galleries, craft cocktails with our big kids Livy & Aidan, or watching something at the Angelika.
My ideal Sunday afternoon starts with a long walk in Central park with Milo, our goldendoodle, then a BIG workout usually including Pilates, cheering our little guy Julian (15) playing in a basketball tournament, and family dinner which we cook together at home – usually stir-fry Sundays.
The book I'm reading now is 10 to 25 by David Yeager. I highly recommend it for anyone with teens, teaching teens, or managing professionals in their 20s. I wish I had read this 10 years ago.
My favorite things to do and see in Manhattan are everything in the creative & design space – architecture, sculpture, painting, film, music; and enjoying diverse cuisines and old world wines.
My go-to snacks right now are 5 seed crackers, Honeycrisp apples, and almonds.
The best trip I've taken recently was to Croatia. The water is crystal clear and clean, great for daily laps. The food is some of the best Venetian cuisine outside of Venice itself (incredible thin crust pizza), the vineyards are unique with earthy wines, the people are warm, fun, and relish in their heritage and history. There is so much to see in an active and adventurous way.
And the place I'd like to go next is Japan with my family. I went for a short business trip to Tokyo and was enthralled.
The most helpful career advice I ever received was from a senior leader at Deloitte who told me “listening isn’t waiting to talk.”
The most impactful life advice I ever received was from my mom who told me “don’t look for milk in a hardware store” and “the answer/solution is out there somewhere, you just need to be open to seeing it.”
One piece of advice I'd offer for maintaining a healthy work-life balance is prioritize SLEEP over everything – it’s the key to brain health and emotional clarity as well as a calm outlook.
I think aspiring professionals in my field should know everyone you meet at work or socially is a valuable part of your network so engage with them with that in mind.
Something I learned at CBS that significantly influences my approach to business was how to build trusted relationships with people who have different backgrounds, contexts, personalities and varied aspirations so that we could work together towards a common goal.
If I could spend the day with one famous woman from history it would be Eleanor Roosevelt because as the second most powerful person in the US, she lead the country in a generous and impactful way with humility and confidence. She saw those who didn’t feel seen, and she shaped policy locally and globally by asking how the US government could help solve through partnership. And she did it all with elegance and was fearless.
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: When I feel like I did something ‘wrong’ in a meeting or didn’t live up to expectations with a work outcome, it can take over my headspace and affect how I operate going forward. For example, my leader recently moved me off of an important project and I’ve tried to get clarity, but it’s not helpful. Now I feel triggered and get in my head during meetings with her or when I need to do work for her. How can I stop this pattern and feel successful again?
From,
In a Spiral
Response: Dear In a Spiral,
This is a topic I encounter regularly—you are not alone! You’re describing rumination, and it often takes on a life of its own. Being removed from a project is a big deal, and not getting satisfying clarity makes it even harder. This is when the mind fills in gaps with its own story. In your case, you’re feeling like you failed, and it’s dictating how you interact with your leader. And as you mentioned, even small perceived missteps can take up too much headspace. No matter the trigger, understanding "recency bias" can empower you to move forward.
Recency bias is our tendency to give too much weight to recent experiences when predicting the future. When we ruminate, we give power to the most recent negative incidents. But understanding that recency bias exists for everyone - including the people you think you disappointed - can have the magical power of setting you both free.
When I was a consultant, there was a saying: “You’re only as good as your last project.” A strong reputation could be undone by one bad project—but the way forward was always the same: perform well on the next project. That’s huge. That means you have the ability to control your next "last impression."
Here’s how to leverage recency bias to break the rumination cycle and reclaim your story:
- Ask: What is true? Did you actually mess up? Does it matter as much as you think? Often, the answer is no. If so, move to step 3. If you can’t determine the truth yourself, move to step 2.
- Ask: Can I know the truth? In some cases, like yours, theoretically yes. But if you can’t get a clear answer, rehashing it only keeps it alive and doesn’t give you any information. That leads to step 3.
- Accept that you don’t know the truth and use recency bias to move forward. Remember - you’re only as good as your last performance! This truth quiets anxiety and frees you to focus on what’s next.
- Decide what you want your story to be. From your context (not included here for space), you want to be seen as the leader you’ve always been. You are strong in creating product strategies and influencing others to adopt them.
- Prepare to demonstrate your truth. Look for your next opportunity to show your strengths. Show up prepared, deliver, and let that be what sticks.
Recency bias is your friend. People don’t have the time or attention to track your performance in detail. At work, everyone just wants life to be easier—when you show up and do your thing well, that’s what they remember.
Shoutouts
- 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.
- Aynat Ravin '01, was selected as one of the "Top 100 Women in the Technology Industry for 2024" by King Street Ventures (KSV). Advising start-ups as well as female founders is a personal passion of hers.
- Jaycee Pribulsky '01, was promoted last year to Chief Sustainability Officer at Nike.
- Gretchen Meyer '11, President & Founder, Gretchen Meyer Financial, was selected to join LPL’s Ambassador Council. Only 60 individuals out of about 22,000 advisors are a part of this group and only 30 openings per year are available.
- Onika Williams '18, is now the head of Meta Elevate, which is focused on accelerating economic success for SMB entities of color.
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
Event planning for 2025 is underway! Please check back for postings.
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
Mini Golf Event for Washington DC Alumni sponsored by CBS Women’s Circle
DC Alumni came out to meet and compete for the best mini golf score.
Date: Tuesday, October 29, 6-8PM
Location: Swingers, 1330 19th St NW, Washington, DC
CBS Women’s Circle Night at City Vineyard
CBS Alumnae and members of the Women’s Circle Board met and mingled at one of the city’s most vibrant wine bars on the water.
Date: Tuesday, October 22, 6-8PM
Location: City Vineyards, 233 West St, New York, NY
Unlocking the Power Circle: A Women’s Circle After Hours Event
A dynamic panel discussion featuring women who have reached the top of their industries, turned adversity into opportunity, owned their value, and led with confidence.
Panelists included:
- Leslie Feldman CBS ’94, Managing Director of Eureka Capital Markets, LLC
- Nita Sanger CBS ’96, CEO of Idea Innovate Consulting
- Elizabeth Butler, National President of Healthcare Banking at Valley Bank
- Ana Alfonso, Partner at Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP
- Courtney Johnson, CBS ’21 moderated the discussion
Date: Tuesday, June 25, 2024
Location: Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, 787 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY
Sustainability in the Corporate Landscape: A Women's Circle After Hours Event
An intimate discussion between Women’s Circle Board Director Jaycee Pribulsky ’01, Chief Sustainability Officer at Nike, and Ashia Johnson ’18, Human Rights Manager at Amazon.
Date: Wednesday, April 24, 2024
Location: Zoom
Women's Circle Virtual Speed Networking Event
Featuring special guest Maryam Banikarim ’93 on the topic of career acceleration.
Date: Wednesday, March 6, 2024
Location: Zoom
Meet the Board
The Women’s Circle is governed by a Board of Directors composed of 20 alumnae 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
On October 22nd, we gathered for our Fall Board Meeting at the stunning offices of Prosek Partners. That same evening, we were thrilled to host a sold-out alumnae event, CBS Women’s Circle Night at City Vineyard.
It’s been two years since the re-launch of the Women’s Circle, and we are excited to see the growing momentum. This year, we’re focused on engaging more of you, fostering supportive communities, and inspiring and empowering our alumnae.
One of our key initiatives is the development of a comprehensive digital strategy, in collaboration with Prosek Partners. This effort will enhance our digital marketing outreach and includes the upcoming launch of a monthly email newsletter, which will begin in January 2025.
Last year, we hosted 10 Women’s Circle events, with over 800 registrations and more than 350 attendees. The enthusiasm from our alumnae has been outstanding, and this year the Board is aiming to host between 10 and 15 events.
We will continue our popular Speed Networking Events, tailored to various life and career stages, as well as our After Hours sessions focused on entrepreneurship, innovation, and technology. Events will be held virtually as well as in person in key markets, including Washington, D.C., the Bay Area, Boston, Hong Kong, London, and of course, New York City.
As we move forward, we’re committed to keeping you informed and engaged. Look out for another update following our March 2025 Board Meeting.
Warm regards,
Emily O’Halloran
Co-President, Columbia Business School Women’s Circle
Jennifer Prosek
Co-President, Columbia Business School Women’s Circle
Get Involved
Interested in becoming more involved with the Women's Circle? There are many ways to lean in with us.
Subscribe to our Monthly Newsletter
Join us on LinkedIn
- Join our LinkedIn page
Volunteer on a Board Committee
- Contact Emily O’Halloran
Host a Regional Women's Circle Event
- Contact Jennifer Villarina
The Women's Circle is funded by the CBS Annual Fund. Thank you for your contributions!