Five MBA Students Recognized as 2020 Siebel Scholars

This year’s Siebel Scholars join an elite group of student leaders with the goal of solving the world’s most critical issues.

October 03, 2019

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2020 Siebel Scholars. From left to right: Angela Sinisterra-Woods, Phillipe Diego Rodriguez, Nathan Segal, Ilana Walder-Biesanz, Tim Brown. Credit: Stacy Geiken

From left to right: Angela Sinisterra-Woods, Phillipe Diego Rodriguez, Nathan Segal, Ilana Walder-Biesanz, Tim Brown. | Stacy Geiken

The 2020 Siebel Scholars at Stanford Graduate School of Business — Tim Brown, Phillipe Diego Rodriguez, Nathan Segal, Angela Sinisterra-Woods, and Ilana Walder-Biesanz — came to the school with diverse professional backgrounds ranging from aerospace to finance.

Siebel Scholars are among the brightest students from the world’s leading graduate schools of business, bioengineering, computer science, and energy science. At Stanford GSB, a faculty committee selects five second-year MBA students based on their academic excellence and leadership qualities displayed during their first year. These students join a community of over 1,400 active leaders who collaborate to address and solve society’s most pressing problems.

Tim Brown

Tim Brown graduated summa cum laude with a BA in economics and government from Dartmouth College, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa in his junior year, rowed on the varsity heavyweight rowing team, and served as the president of the Inter-Fraternity Council. After Dartmouth, Brown worked at Bain Capital and Slate Path Capital, focusing on technology and consumer investing. While in Boston, he helped launch and served as the cochair of the PE/VC Associate Council of United Way Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley. At Stanford GSB, Brown serves as the copresident of the Future of Mobility Club. He spent his summer at Aurora, a self-driving technology company, and invested in venture and growth-stage companies at XN throughout the year. A native of California, Brown is passionate about Bay Area sports and animal welfare.

Phillipe Diego Rodriguez

Phillipe Diego Rodriguez graduated summa cum laude from California State University, Fullerton, with a BS in physics, and an emphasis in business. Rodriguez’s aerospace involvement began through an internship for Aerospace Industries Association of America, and continued after graduation as a contract specialist for the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center. Rodriguez then transitioned into public policy as Senate aide for U.S. Senator Kamala Harris, and was elected vice president of programs and education for the National Contract Management Association South Bay Chapter. At Stanford GSB, Rodriguez is vice president of the Aerospace Business Club, a peer tutor, and an active member of many clubs, including Government and Politics, Venture Capital, Veterans, and Epicureans. Rodriguez also serves as a business relations working group delegate for the Stanford U.S.-Russia Forum.

Nathan Segal

Prior to attending Stanford GSB, Nathan Segal served as a senior advisor and assistant director at the White House, working across both the National Economic Council and the Office of Science and Technology Policy. He also served as an assistant administrator at the U.S. Small Business Administration, and has held roles in the private sector at T. Rowe Price, Bain Capital, Eli Lilly, Morgan Stanley, and Goldman Sachs. At Stanford GSB, Segal holds leadership positions in a variety of clubs, including First-Generation and Low-Income. Segal received a BA with distinction from Yale University in both history of science, and history of medicine, ethnicity, race, and migration. There, he graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, received a Truman Scholarship, and was a member of USA Today’s All-USA Academic First Team.

Angela Sinisterra-Woods

Angela Sinisterra-Woods came to Stanford GSB from McKinsey & Company as an engagement manager. She also served Generation, a nonprofit founded to reduce unemployment, in a variety of roles including U.S. chief operating officer and global launch lead, helping spearhead Generation’s launch in Hong Kong, Dubai, Sydney, and multiple U.S. cities. At Stanford GSB, Sinisterra-Woods serves as copresident of Christians in Business, as the Healthcare Deal team lead for the Stanford GSB Impact Fund, and as a peer mentor. She spoke at Stanford GSB’s LOWkeynotes about the potential for cross-sector collaboration to drive impact on a large scale. Sinisterra-Woods graduated summa cum laude as an Angier B. Duke Scholar from Duke University where she received a BS in both biomedical engineering and biology, with minors in marine science and conservation leadership studies.

Ilana Walder-Biesanz

Ilana Walder-Biesanz received a BS in engineering from Olin College of Engineering before heading to the University of Cambridge for her master’s in European literature and culture, with distinction, as a Gates-Cambridge Scholar. Shortly after, she made her way to Germany to study theater at Ludwig Maximilian University as a Fulbright Scholar. She started her career as an associate product manager at Oath (Yahoo!) and worked her way up to senior product manager. Walder-Biesanz is active at Stanford GSB as copresident of the Jewish Business Students Association, vice president of Wine Circle, cochair of the Academic Committee, a teaching assistant, and a peer tutor. In addition, she has acted in over 40 plays, musicals, and operas. Walder-Biesanz speaks seven languages and has seven peer-reviewed research publications in psychology, literature, musicology, and philosophy.

About Siebel Scholars

Since the inception of this program by the Siebel Foundation in 2000, each year more than 90 top graduate students become Siebel Scholars and receive a small grant toward their second year of studies.

About the Siebel Foundation

The Thomas and Stacey Siebel Foundation, a nonprofit, public benefit corporation, was established as a private foundation in 1996. With a mission of fostering programs and organizations that improve the quality of life, environment, and education of its community members, the Siebel Foundation funds projects to support the homeless and underprivileged, education and research, public health, and alternative energy solutions.

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