Drive Time

Featuring: Joshua Morey UCLA-NUS ('26)
What does it look like to carry 125 years of family legacy on your shoulders — and then decide not just to continue it, but to make it exponential? In this episode of Drive Time, host Praveen Gangaraju sits down with his UCLA-NUS Global Executive MBA classmate Joshua Morey '26, co-founder and chairman of Ori-gen and president of J. Morey Company. Joshua traces his family's extraordinary arc — from his great-grandfather's arrival in the U.S. in 1892 and the founding of a thriving business in Los Angeles, to the devastating loss of everything during the Japanese American incarceration of World War II, to the multigenerational rebuilding that followed.

Featuring: Miriam Daucher UCLA-NUS ('26)
What does it look like to uproot your life, move to the other side of the world, and then — while managing a demanding consulting career across Asia — quietly become someone you didn't expect to be? That's the story of Miriam Daucher '26, and it starts not with a grand plan, but with a simple bet: give it two years and see what happens. Three years later, Miriam has no plans to leave Singapore. She works across Asia for Mercer, holds a psychology degree she never quite left behind, and — shortly after enrolling in the #2-ranked UCLA-NUS Global Executive MBA program — was tapped by her new boss for a complete 180° role working alongside Mercer's CEO for Asia.

Featuring: Michelle Fan (’26) with Salo Steinvortz (’26)
In this special “Celebrate Drive Time 2026” episode, FEMBA student Michelle Fan embodies the global ambition, academic rigor, and deeply human connections that define UCLA Anderson’s Fully Employed MBA program. From immigrating across China, Canada, and the U.S. to earning dual chemical engineering degrees and driving life-saving therapies at Gilead Sciences, Michelle’s journey highlights both professional excellence and purpose-driven impact—a hallmark of Anderson graduates. At Anderson, she amplified her leadership through standout achievements including multiple case competition wins in social impact and biotech innovation, while drawing inspiration from world-class faculty like Professor Terry Kramer, whose energy and mentorship exemplify the school’s teaching excellence. Beyond accolades, Michelle underscores FEMBA’s powerful return on investment: a promotion during the program, expanded influence at the intersection of biotech and business, and invaluable cross-industry insights from classmates at leading firms. Yet, at its core, her story reflects something even more enduring—the lifelong friendships forged through shared experiences like global immersions in Berlin, Singapore, and China, and the authentic, inclusive community that made Los Angeles feel like home. Together, her journey captures the essence of the FEMBA experience: transformative growth, real-world impact, and a network that propels success far beyond graduation.

Featuring: Kevin Dean (’26) with Salo Steinvortz (’26)
Kevin is currently a technical program manager at Divergent Technologies, an advanced manufacturing company that leverages additive manufacturing to build advanced, lightweight structures in the automotive and aerospace and defense industries. He spent nearly a decade in the aerospace industry, working on projects from jet engines to radar systems. After wrapping up FEMBA at UCLA Anderson, he plans to spend more time being active and building a side hustle.

Featuring: Leah Torres (’26) with Salo Steinvortz (’26)
In this Drive Time Celebrate 2026 episode, Leah Torres exemplifies the transformative power of UCLA Anderson’s Fully Employed MBA program—pairing an unconventional, self-directed career journey through the biotechnology industry across R&D, operations, analytics, and strategy with standout academic and leadership achievements that maximize ROI at every turn. A recipient of The William M. Cockrum III Fellowship, as well as a Forté Fellow, eight-time teaching assistant, and two-year student government VP, Leah immersed herself in Anderson’s “leadership lab,” earning high-impact experiences under faculty like Professor Unzueta in Negotiations, Professor Kramer in Tech Innovation & Strategy (formerly Tech Management), and Senior Associate Dean Ian Larkin in General Management—courses that sharpened her strategic thinking, influence, and ability to navigate complex organizations. She didn’t just participate—she built community, leading marquee initiatives like FEMBA Winter Connect 2025 (240+ attendees) and the VITALS Healthcare Conference, demonstrating how FEMBA students translate coursework into real organizational impact. Throughout, Leah underscores the program’s exceptional return on investment: access to abundant resources, cross-functional exposure, career mobility, and a powerful, supportive network of peers and mentors. Her story is equally one of connection—tight-knit learning groups, late-night study sessions, and lasting friendships that fueled both resilience and growth—capturing the essence of Anderson FEMBA as a place where driven professionals expand their leadership capacity, unlock opportunity, and go farther together.

Featuring: Teresa Prindle (’26) with Erin Hiley (’26)
Teresa Prindle (’26) had early dreams of working in entertainment and she infused almost everything she did with an element of performance or showmanship. Whether in production or storytelling roles, from Disney’s Muppet*Vision 3D to hosting a college radio program, Prindle took a broad view of what a career in entertainment meant.

From Awkward Introverts to Close Friends (Full Circle Story). Why He Chose EMBA, Now (And What Most People Get Wrong). Commuting from Bakersfield to UCLA twice a month—Was It Worth It? First-generation, Kicked Out of College: The Setback That Changed Everything Rock Bottom Moment: Digging Ditches & Facing Reality. My Wife, She's the Reason, My Guiding Light. AI Pivot; The REAL Value of an MBA: It’s Not What You Think

In this inspiring UCLA Anderson Drive Time: Celebrate 2026 conversation, Aline Mardelli—Executive MBA ’26 and Director of Ticket Sales for the LA Galaxy—shares a powerful story of resilience, leadership, and transformation, highlighted by her extraordinary achievement of selling out the Rose Bowl twice en route to setting an MLS attendance record. She reflects on how Anderson’s rigorous curriculum, including standout courses like Organizational Behavior with Professor Ullmen and Finance with Professor Wessels, sharpened her strategic thinking while filling critical leadership gaps for future executive roles. Yet, Aline emphasizes that the program’s true return on investment extends far beyond the classroom: it is found in the deep personal growth, clarity of purpose, and especially the enduring friendships forged in the “in-between moments”—from study groups to global immersions in Tokyo and Barcelona. Through candid insights on career pivots, impostor syndrome, and redefining success, Aline captures the essence of the Executive MBA experience at UCLA Anderson: a transformative journey powered by world-class faculty, real-world impact, and a tight-knit community that challenges, supports, and elevates one another.

Jon Muth (’27)

Stephen Johnson (B.S. ’05, ’21)