Hi, I’m Allison

Wharton MBA Office of Student Life – Philadelphia, PA

Marketing and Communications Manager | 2025–2026 

What began as a Student Life Fellowship evolved into something larger when I recognized a gap in the office's marketing and communications infrastructure and stepped in to fill it. I created the role, built the operational and content foundation from scratch by directing end-to-end content production for a community of 4,000+ followers, drove a record-breaking recruitment campaign that yielded 100+ applicants for the Student Life Fellows program, and spent my final semester executing a full succession plan so the team could run independently after I graduated.

• Identified a content strategy gap and built the MBA Office of Student Life's end-to-end content infrastructure from scratch (brand kit, editorial calendar, submission process, and video-first Instagram strategy), serving as sole creative lead for all graphic design, video pre- and post-production, and copywriting, across 250 graduate student organizations and Wharton's 800K+ follower network.

• Introduced video content to the Instagram strategy, driving 70,000+ quarterly views and 6,000+ unique accounts reached; orchestrated a recruitment campaign generating 100+ applicants for the Student Life Fellows program, the highest in organizational history.

• Designed scalable systems and a content handoff framework to sustain two full-time staff and a graduate student worker beyond the role after graduation.

Tom Ford Beauty: Estée Lauder Companies – New York, NY

CEO Global Senior Presidential Associate, Global Marketing Strategy | Summer 2025

I came to Tom Ford Beauty through the Estée Lauder Companies' Global Presidential Leadership Program to explore what executive leadership and global brand-building look like on the consumer side, at a brand navigating a meaningful moment of transition. I developed high-impact executive media preparation kits and synthesized brand health data across 23 markets, with a focus on the fragrance category.

• Delivered a high-impact executive media preparation kit for the President and CEO of Tom Ford and Couture Brands, integrating brand heritage, product storytelling, and commercial success insights for a global product launch in FY26.

• Synthesized insights from syndicated data across 23 markets using the Global Market Performance Data Model Power BI dashboard, Retail 360, and Tom Ford Beauty’s global 360 marketing strategy to assess brand health across categories.

• Special Project: Recommended category expansion for Balmain by identifying growth opportunities through competitive benchmarking, consumer trend analysis, and internal performance metrics, to drive innovation for the brand’s 10-year roadmap.

Microsoft Corporation – Redmond, WA

Communications Manager for the Chairman and CEO of Microsoft | 2020–2024

I began my full-time career at Microsoft, where I gained experience across marketing, executive communications, and business monetization strategy. My journey spanned four roles, culminating in my final position as Communications Manager for the Chairman and CEO of Microsoft during the era of AI. 

Communications Manager for the Chairman and CEO of Microsoft (July 2023 – June 2024)

• Orchestrated cross-company collaboration with global country leaders, managing CEO visits across MEA, APAC, and Europe; developed a comprehensive onboarding toolkit for global communications managers, improving team alignment and efficiency.

• Drove 95% participation from Microsoft's 350+ Executive Staff community through strategic pre- and post-event communications, achieving a 600% YOY increase in completed responses and informing 2025 program strategy.

• Analyzed viewer behavior and sentiment across flagship CEO keynotes (Microsoft Build, Inspire, and Ignite) and presented a formal data recap to the CEO Communications Team to enhance content delivered to millions of global viewers.

Research, Insights, and Communities Manager for the Chairman and CEO of Microsoft (October 2022 – July 2023)

• Curated 20+ daily news articles and research reports for the CEO of Microsoft, synthesizing industry shifts and macro trends across AI strategy, education, accessibility, and sustainability into executive-ready briefings that informed company-wide priorities.

• Synthesized in-depth research on Generation Z, delivering presentations to internal and external stakeholders to shape Microsoft's GenZ AI engagement strategy.

• Served as docent for 80+ global leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos, guiding them through the first multilateral diplomatic session in the metaverse via the Global Collaboration Village (a joint initiative with Accenture and the World Economic Forum).

Business Planner for Security, Compliance, Identity, and Management (SCIM) (September 2021 – October 2022)

• Developed data-driven pricing and adoption strategies for a $1.7B business unit, driving SCIM product inclusion across Education, Nonprofit, Frontline Workers, and Government segments, mitigating compliance barriers, shortening SKU launch timelines, and automating government product launches.

Relationship Marketing Manager for Azure (August 2020 – September 2021)

• Drove a 2.3-point increase in Azure conversions and 37% improvement in accessibility features through optimized campaigns, webinars, and refreshed digital assets, reducing budget expenditure while broadening customer reach.

In addition to my core roles, I served as Chair of the Internal Connections Committee for Blacks at Microsoft (BAM) Puget Sound in FY24, focusing on intentional employee connections and mentorship across the company.

The Wharton School’s Global Modular Course – Johannesburg and Cape Town, South Africa

Teaching Assistant, The Role of Business in Societal Opportunity | 2026 Spring Break

I first traveled to South Africa as a student for the 2025 Spring Break course, drawn to visit the continent for the first time and understand the core question of the role of business in creating access and opportunity for people who have been systematically excluded. The conversations in Johannesburg and Cape Town are grounded in the long-tail consequences of apartheid and the compounding effects of generational inequality, which deepened my understanding of how historical policy shapes present-day economic realities, and how closely those dynamics mirror the United States legacy. Returning as a Teaching Assistant in my second year was a full-circle moment, and an early expression of a longer ambition to serve as adjunct faculty and use every platform I have to make knowledge more accessible.

• Collaborated with the teaching team to curate an immersive schedule for 35 students, coordinating with global stakeholders to ensure a seamless learning experience across sites that brought the course themes to life, including Constitution Hill and a tour of Soweto, Gordon Institute of Business, Raizcorp, African Leadership Academy, MTN Group, R Labs, and Stellenbosch University, spanning both the history of the region and the organizations actively working to unlock opportunity within it.

• Extended course learnings into an active independent research study for the 2026 Spring Semester, through the Wharton Reentry, Knowledge, and Skills (WORKS) program, exploring how technology access can support economic reintegration for underserved populations.

iXperience – Cape Town, South Africa (Remote)

Digital Marketing Teaching Assistant | 2020 

My first teaching experience came early in my career, supporting a Digital Marketing course for iXperience, a program connecting global students to immersive learning experiences in Cape Town. Delivering this remotely during the height of the pandemic required adaptability, clarity of communication, and a commitment to maintaining an engaging learning environment across time zones and screens while also preparing interns for summer internships at Accenture, Any.Do and more.

• Assisted in delivering digital marketing curriculum to a cohort of undergraduate and early-career students, reinforcing core concepts in strategy, content, and campaign execution.

• Provided real-time feedback and mentorship during a fully remote learning environment, developing the instructional communication skills

My foundation in storytelling was laid in high school, where I joined the Digital Media Academy and began reporting school news. That early exposure sparked my curiosity in journalism and led to my first internship experience—planting the seeds for what would become a career rooted in journalism with an emphasis in strategic communication. At the University of Missouri, Columbia, I deepened that passion through hands-on roles across campus and in the industry, interning at advertising agencies, media companies, leadership institutes, and technology companies. Before starting my full-time career, I also had the opportunity to support the next generation as a Digital Marketing Teaching Assistant, helping global students based in the United States and South Africa gain real-world experience and build confidence in their work.

• iXperience | Digital Marketing Teaching Assistant & Internship Coach (May 2020 – August 2020)

• Microsoft | Product Marketing Manager Intern (May 2019 – August 2019) 

• International Radio and Television Society Fellow: CNN – Great Big Story | Content Partnerships & News Solutions Intern (June 2018 – August 2018)

• The Novak Leadership Institute | Marketing, PR & Analytics Intern (January 2018 – May 2018) 

• Louis Carr Internship Foundation Fellow: Walton Isaacson Multicultural Advertising Agency | Strategy Intern (June 2017 – July 2017) 

• 104.1 KRBE Houston’s #1 Hit Radio Station | Promotions Staff (June 2015 – August 2016) and Intern (October 2014 – May 2015)

• Hightower High School | Digital Media Academy 

The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania

MBA Candidate 

My path to business school began through the Moelis Advance Access Program, which granted me deferred admission to Wharton after four years of professional experience. That early acceptance gave me the space to be intentional in shaping my career by building a strong foundation in marketing, executive communications, and business planning strategy before returning to the classroom.

Now, as a Joseph Wharton Fellow, I’m expanding my business and financial acumen while exploring new industries and leadership development programs. I’m focused on how to apply the skills learned through the rigorous program in a more global, strategic marketing capacity post business school. 

The University of Missouri-Columbia

Bachelor of Journalism, Strategic Communication

Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Management

At the University of Missouri-Columbia, I began my undergraduate journey studying Radio/Television Reporting and Anchoring, but shifted during my sophomore year to focus on Strategic Communication and added a degree in Business Management. That pivot opened the door to a broader exploration of storytelling, technology, and business. Outside the classroom, professional development programs like Management Leadership for Tomorrow’s Career Prep Program, the Executive Leadership Council’s Honors Symposium, Stanford Future Leaders, and Google BOLD Immersion introduced me to the business world and expanded my understanding of the pathways available after graduation.

On campus, I was deeply involved in communities that shaped my leadership, service, and commitment to supporting the next generation of Mizzou graduates. I coordinated media tours to New York and Washington, D.C. through the National Association of Black Journalists. I was initiated into the Epsilon Psi Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, and began my service on the National Membership Services Committee. As a scholar and intern with the Novak Leadership Institute, I learned the foundations of strategic communication leadership and the principle of “lead by taking people with you.” I also served on the Mizzou Alumni Association Student Board and worked in Mizzou Admissions, where I connected with prospective students and traveled the country to share my story and help others find their path to Mizzou.

Giving back through time, mentorship, and resources has been a core part of who I am since adolescence. I’m especially passionate about two areas that shaped my early development: arts and culture, and education.

The performing and visual arts community raised me. They gave me the tools to express myself with confidence and creativity, skills I still rely on today in writing, speaking, and photography. Equally, I’ve seen how education can expand minds, unlock opportunity, and change the trajectory of someone’s life.

Rising up and reaching back to impact these areas will remain consistent throughout my career, and I look forward to the extended impact I will be able to have further down the line.