Michigan Ross Expands Partnership with the Forté Foundation, Giving Executive, Online, and Weekend MBA Women Business Leaders the Opportunity for Fellowship Awards

Since then, Michigan Ross Full-Time MBA incoming students have benefited from receiving Forté Fellowships as well as additional networking and career advancement opportunities. This year, the partnership between Michigan Ross and the Forté Foundation is officially expanding to include the school’s Weekend, Online, and Executive MBA programs. This will provide the opportunity for those programs to award scholarships and have students be engaged in the foundation’s resources and programs. 

Each year, Michigan Ross and other partner business schools nominate women MBA applicants, who demonstrate exemplary leadership and a commitment to elevating women in business, for Forté Fellowships. In addition to the scholarship funding, the Forté Foundation connects fellows with their incredible network of over 50,000 talented business leaders and offers immediate exposure to prime companies such as Blackstone, J.P. Morgan, Bain & Co., and Bloomberg.  

Below, hear from the incredible women business leaders who were named 2021 Forté Fellows from the Michigan Ross Executive, Weekend, and Online MBA programs. 

Meet the 2021 cohort of Michigan Ross EMBA, OMBA, and WMBA Forté Fellows 

Alexa Doerr 

Program/expected graduation year: WMBA ’23

Hometown/where you're currently located: Chicago, Illinois (currently lives in Detroit, Michigan) 

Current job/title: Healthcare Technical Sales Manager, Abbott Laboratories

What are you most excited about as being a part of the Forté Foundations Fellowship program? 

I'm excited to connect and collaborate with more women business leaders. The Forté Foundation provides an incredible network of resources and community. I am honored to represent the Forté Foundation and look forward to empowering more women as they pursue their career dreams.

What do you hope to get out of your experience as a Forté Fellow? 

I hope to build lifetime friendships and engage in mentorship opportunities. My female mentors have helped me effectively navigate through workplace challenges, and I hope to give back to the Forté community in the same way. I can't wait to exchange stories, hone my leadership skills, and create lasting impact with this inspiring group of women.

Angela Hresko

Program/expected graduation year: WMBA ’23

Hometown/where you're currently located: Brookline, Massachusetts

Current job/title: Associate Portfolio Director, Cambridge Associates

What are you most excited about as being a part of the Forté Foundations Fellowship program?

I am excited to connect with the Forté community here at Michigan Ross and at other schools. One of the most rewarding aspects of business school so far has been meeting classmates from different industries and educational backgrounds; everyone brings different skills and mindsets to group projects. The Forté Foundation’s fellowship program brings together women with diverse experiences and perspectives, and there is so much to learn from this incredible network.

What do you hope to get out of your experience as a Forté Fellow? 

I hope to build long-lasting mentorship connections. I am looking forward to learning from alumni as I navigate business school, recruiting, and career progression, while also serving as a mentor to undergraduate women at Michigan Ross and helping them through the process of launching their own careers.

Autumn Tansky

Program/expected graduation year: EMBA ’23

Hometown/where you’re currently located: Park City, Utah

Current job/title: Vice President of Strategy & Operations, Myriad Genetics

What are you most excited about as being a part of the Forté Foundations Fellowship program? 

I am excited to positively contribute to the Forté Foundation’s vision of more women leading. As an active member of the Forté community, and mentor beyond, I look forward to driving Fort​​é’s aim of helping women reimagine what they can achieve and scale toward more balanced representation in business leadership.

What do you hope to get out of your experience as a Fort​​é Fellow?

I hope to expand my network, creating strong and enriching relationships. I also look forward to the incremental opportunities for continuing education and collaboration. 

Catherine Chin

Program/expected graduation year: EMBA ’23

Hometown/where you're currently located: Honolulu, Hawaii

Current job/title: President and Founder, Chin Consulting LLC

What are you most excited about as being a part of the Forté Foundations Fellowship program?

I am excited to be a part of a collaborative community of exemplary leaders who lift and empower women in business. As a retired Air Force colonel, I appreciate the motivating force of successful leaders who have traveled the path before me. I consider myself extremely fortunate to have been mentored by strong female role models in the military as well as in business and in my personal life. Their examples have shown me that anything is possible and helped me develop into the person I am today.

What do you hope to get out of your experience as a Forté Fellow? 

I look forward to participating in an environment of continuous learning and professional development with other Forté Foundation Fellows. I am dedicated to giving back and strengthening other women in their leadership development. I am particularly motivated to embark on this journey representing Michigan Ross. Through the context of the Michigan Ross Model of Leadership, I strive to empower and develop others, foster teamwork, and collaboratively innovate for a more inclusive future. I am committed to supporting the Forté Fellowship’s shared goals, purpose, and mission to launch women into successful careers and to find ways to enable positive change and empower women leaders. I feel honored to have the opportunity to contribute and make a difference as a part of this prestigious fellowship.

Macresia Alibaruho

Program/expected graduation year: EMBA ’23

Hometown/where you’re currently located: Florence, Alabama (currently lives in Chagrin Falls, Ohio) 

Current job/title: Program Manager - Human Research, NASA 

What are you most excited about as being a part of the Forté Foundations Fellowship program? 

I am both honored and excited to join this elite cadre of women who are advancing the possibilities for women across the globe. The mission of Forté deeply resonates with my personal objectives as a leader and a mentor, and I look forward to collaborating and learning from the wealth of knowledge that Forté’ has to offer.

What do you hope to get out of your experience as a Forté Fellow? 

I am especially looking forward to gaining greater competency as it relates to business, and advancing my leadership skills to contribute to changing the balance of power in the workplace in favor of women and underserved communities. I also hope to be able to proactively advance the mission of Forté through this great network and other connections.

Rachel Feinberg

Program/expected graduation year: OMBA ’24

Hometown/where you're currently located: Rutherford, New Jersey 

Current job/title: Vice President of Financial Systems and Operations, Omnicom Health Group

What are you most excited about as being a part of the Forté Foundations Fellowship program? 

It is an honor to be selected as a Forté Fellow. I am most excited about being a part of an established network of strong, successful female-identifying leaders in a male-dominated business landscape. The opportunity to learn from these women and collaborate with this community is priceless.

What do you hope to get out of your experience as a Forté Fellow? 

As a member of this network, I look forward to utilizing the many tools and resources available to gain the confidence necessary to face and overcome current and future challenges in my career. Furthermore, the relationships established with like-minded business professionals and MBA students will allow us all to work together to build more inclusive and progressive workspaces for all women. I hope that I find success in these opportunities so that one day, I will be in a position where I can give back and mentor those who come after me.

Rebecca Scicluna

Program/expected graduation year: EMBA ’23

Hometown/where you're currently located: Novi, Michigan

Current job/title: Controller, Mission Veterinary Partners  

What are you most excited about being a part of the Forté Foundations Fellowship program? 

I am thrilled to be a Forté Fellow with access to the foundation’s resources. I am most excited about the opportunity to connect with other women in business and learn from the diverse experiences and perspectives. 

What do you hope to get out of your experience as a Forté Fellow? 

As a woman in finance, I have not encountered many female advisors or mentors. I am looking forward to meeting other females in business and learning about their experiences. I hope to create a network of lasting relationships that include advising, mentorship and celebrating successes and growth. 

Robbin Lee

Program/expected graduation year: OMBA ’24

Hometown/where you're currently located: Baltimore, Maryland  

Current job/title: Executive Director, Baltimore Homecoming 

What are you most excited about as being a part of the Forté Foundations Fellowship program? 

Having been shaped by the women leaders in my life — from coaches to teammates, from teachers to professors, from supervisors to mentors — I am most excited about the opportunity to spark new relationships with a community of smart, inspiring women nationally.

What do you hope to get out of your experience as a Forté Fellow? 

As a Forté Fellow, I hope to grow my personal and professional cabinet of advisors and mentors, to maximize the diversity of perspectives around me, and to be a part of that growth for others.

Shaylyn Stanley

Program/expected graduation year: WMBA ’23

Hometown/where located: Los Angeles, California (currently lives in Washington, D.C.)

Current job/title: Next Generation Engagement Officer, Pathfinder International

What are you most excited about as being a part of the Forté Foundations Fellowship program? 

Programs through the Forté Foundation are what ultimately convinced me to pursue business school and brought me to Ross, so I am thrilled to be selected as a fellow. I am most excited by the foundation’s deep community of successful women allies. I look forward to not only entrusting the Forté network as a support system as I navigate business school, but also continuing to stay engaged in the network past graduation.

What do you hope to get out of your experience as a Forté Fellow? 

I hope that throughout my fellowship, I'm able to lean on Forté's fantastic resources so that I graduate as a confident and effective leader post-MBA, and as a leader with a strong network of mentors and friends!

LEARN MORE ABOUT FORTÉ MBA FELLOWSHIPS

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE MICHIGAN ROSS MBA PROGRAMS