Donna Hitscherich, senior lecturer in discipline in business, has been named director of the School’s Private Equity Program.
“The Private Equity Program serves as the School’s primary point of contact with the private equity industry, unifying students, alumni, and the business community into a single network,” said Chris Mayer, senior vice dean and the Paul Milstein Professor of Real Estate.“ Donna’s substantial professional experience in investment banking and law, as well as in teaching and working with students, makes her uniquely qualified to direct this program.”
Hitscherich currently teaches Business Law, Advanced Corporate Finance, and Mergers and Acquisitions in both the MBA and Executive MBA programs, and has served as a senior lecturer in the Finance and Economics Division since 2008. Prior to that, Hitscherich taught at the School for nearly 20 years as an adjunct professor, while also teaching law and accounting courses at the Law School. She was awarded the Commitment to Excellence Award by the Berkeley-Columbia Executive MBA class of 2010 and was nominated for the Dean’s Award for Innovation in the MBA Curriculum in 2002.
Hitscherich has extensive experience in investment banking, having worked at CS First Boston, J. P. Morgan & Co., and Banc of America Securities. Before her career in finance, Hitscherich worked as a corporate lawyer at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom. She is also a founding member of Gnosis Advisors LLC, a financial education advisory firm, and has served as an expert witness and provided litigation support in complex securities cases.
Launched in 2007 by Laura Resnikoff ’76, senior lecturer in discipline in business, the Private Equity Program oversees the School’s private equity electives and connects practitioners with current students through guest lectures, mentoring opportunities, and the annual Private Equity and Venture Capital Conference. The program also works with students in the School’s Private Equity and Venture Capital Club to secure internship opportunities at private equity and venture capital firms.
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