Heather Roberts
CougarTales: The Podcast
Today on the show we talk to Heather Roberts, president of the EMBA class of 2025. Heather currently works for DoTerra as Director of IT Customer Care and PMO. In this episode, we get to know Heather. She shares the story behind her middle name, her love of flying, and her work as an ASL interpreter. Heather also shares a significant life change she experienced just before starting the EMBA program and how she has navigated this transition with resilience and support from her cohort. She even talks about how ice cream making has helped tie generations of her family...
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Colton Lund
CougarTales: The Podcast
Today, we talk to Colton Lund, fellow student in the EMBA class of 2025. In this episode, we get to know Colton. He shares his experiences growing up in a small town in Utah, from working on his family's farm, to studying mechanical engineering and his current role at ACT Aerospace. Colton also talks about his mission in Mozambique, the challenges he faced, and the lessons he learned. We also get a glimpse into his personal life, including his love for his family, his passion for coding, and his thoughts on the transformative power of the MBA program. He even teaches us...
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Halloween Special
CougarTales: The Podcast
Welcome to Cougar Tales: The Podcast, your spooky one-stop shop to learn about the students and faculty of the BYU Executive MBA Program. We’re going to change up the pace a little bit tonight. With Halloween upon us, I thought it might be fun to share a couple of spooky stories. The first story is actually a poem. It’s called The Cremation of Sam McGee by Robert W. Service. It was first published in 1907 as part of a book poetry called Songs of a Sourdough. It tells the story of the cremation of a gold prospector who freezes to death near Lake Lebarge in the Yukon. The second...
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Ryan Hall
CougarTales: The Podcast
Today on the show, I talk with the one, the only Ryan Hall. Ryan is a fellow student in the EMBA class of 2025. He has worked in the construction industry for several years and recently started his own roofing business. In this episode, we get to know Ryan. He shares about how he tries to be a solution finder, how a New Years Eve trip to Las Vegas turned into a significant spiritual experience, and how his background in sociology has helped him in business and in life. He even shares about how his gym habit helped him find love. With no further ado, let’s start the show!
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Nora Ballantyne
CougarTales: The Podcast
I talk with Nora Ballantyne. Nora is a fellow student in the EMBA class of 2025 and recently accepted a new role as a finance and operations officer for the BYU ARTS Partnership. In her new role, she administers grant funds, manages team operations for eight projects and initiatives, including marketing & communication, research, HR policies, and leadership development for each arm of our organization. In this episode, we get to know Nora. She shares about her love of music and art, how she has something in common with Indiana Jones, and her connection with the hit show, the Office. ...
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Lars Peterson
CougarTales: The Podcast
Today on the program, I talk with Lars Peterson. Lars is a fellow student in the EMBA class of 2025 and is a a Fleet Management Specialist for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In this episode, we get to know Lars. He shares about how his graduate studies at BYU required the right timing, some of the lessons he learned growing up providing care for his mother after a tragic car accident, and how the 2002 olympics helped change the trajectory of his professional and spiritual life. He even shares about his time as a member of the Team USA Nation Bobsled team. Feel...
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Elizabeth Elder
CougarTales: The Podcast
Welcome to Cougar Tales: The Podcast, your one-stop shop to learn about the students and faculty of the BYU Executive MBA Program. Today on the show, I talk with Elizabeth Elder. Elizabeth is a fellow student in the EMBA class of 2025 and works as a Realtor for Lotus Real Estate. In this episode, we get to know Elizabeth. She shares about how a job offer from BYU upended plans for her family, how she makes an effort to put motherhood first, and how as a realtor, she occasionally has to play the role of therapist. She even shares about her love of Polish pottery. With no further...
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David Chen
CougarTales: The Podcast
Today on the program, I talk with David Chen. David is a fellow student in the EMBA class of 2025 and currently works as a compliance officer for Morgan Stanley. In this episode, we get to know David. He tells us about how he works everyday to put client interests first and protect the reputation of his employer. We also discusses how under appreciated family traditions as a youth can bring strength and comfort as an adult, how cold-calls can build character, and how some English words don’t sound anything like what they describe. He even shares his best advice about personal finance. With...
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Kevin Smith
CougarTales: The Podcast
Welcome to the Cougar Tales Podcast, your one-stop shop to learn about the students and faculty of the BYU Executive MBA Program. Today on the show, I talk with Kevin Smith. Kevin is a fellow student in the EMBA class of 2025 and currently works as an Instrumentation and Controls Engineer with Burns and McDonnell. In this episode, we get to know Kevin. We talk about lessons he learned becoming a Tae Kwon Do Blackbelt with his son, how his work travel to India has enriched his personal and professional life, and how following a girl to Utah was a good move. He even shares about...
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Emanuel Figueroa
CougarTales: The Podcast
Welcome to Cougar Tales: The Podcast, your one-stop shop to learn about the students and faculty of the BYU Executive MBA Program. Today on the program, I talk with Emanuel Figueroa. Emanuel is a fellow student in the EMBA class of 2025 and currently works as a compliance officer for USAA. In this episode, we get to know Emanuel. He tells us about how works everyday to prevent money laundering, fraud, and financial crimes. He also recounts his experience in volunteering after an earthquake in Mexico City in 2017, and what carpentry has taught him about life. He even recounts the story about...
info_outlineToday on the program, we talk with Katie Neilson. Katie is a fellow student in the EMBA class of 2025. Katie most recently worked as President and Co-Founder of Assure, a venture capital fund administration company specializing in Special Purpose Vehicles, better known as SPVs.
In this episode, we get to know Katie. We talk about what it’s like to run a business with your spouse, how owning a company is like having an extra child, and how “Summer of ’69” may be the greatest karaoke song in existence.
With no further ado, let’s start the show!