Shows / The Fuqua Show
The Fuqua Show
Welcome to The Fuqua Show, a podcast sharing the stories, lessons, and passions of Team Fuqua at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business. We interview diverse members of the community - students, alums, partners, faculty, staff, and more - to learn about the unique things they bring to the Fuqua community.
Disclosure: This is a student-run production. The opinions expressed in this podcast are the speakers' own and do not necessarily reflect the view of Duke University or the Fuqua School of…
Episodes
The Fuqua ShowE95 — Mike Treiser: Fit, Founding & the MBA in the Age of AI
Mike Treiser, Fuqua Class of 2021, took office as MBA co-president on the very day the borders closed for COVID. After graduating, he went back to consulting…
The Fuqua ShowE94 — Thomas Cheng — Nine Surprises and Counting
The Fuqua Show kicks off a new season by welcoming back one of its co-founders. Co-hosts Sam and Philip Cole sit down with Thomas Cheng, a 2025 Duke dual…
The Fuqua ShowE93 — Honoring Chizoma Ekechukwu: A Tribute to Resilience
In Memory of Chizoma “Chizo” Ekechukwu (1994–2026) We’re re-sharing this episode in honor of Chizoma “Chizo” Ekechukwu, Daytime MBA Class of 2025, who passed…
The Fuqua ShowE92— Season Finale: Passing the Baton — Reflection, Growth, and the Next Chapter
A year of stories. A season of growth. And now — a handoff. In this bittersweet season finale, host Aaliyah Brown and outgoing co-host Philip sit down to do…
The Fuqua ShowE91 — Julia Korn — Trading "Just Getting By" for a Career You Actually Want
What if the ladder you've been climbing is leaning against the wrong wall? Most of us were handed a blueprint for success. Climb the ranks, check the boxes…
The Fuqua ShowE90 — Gil Vazquez— Grit: Beyond the System's Walls
On this episode of The Fuqua Show, we sit down with Gil Vazquez (Class of '26) for a masterclass in resilience, gratitude, and the audacity to bet on yourself…
The Fuqua ShowE89 — Jessica Thomas — The Power of the Redirect: From Toy Designer to Sustainability Trailblazer
In this episode, we explore what it means to truly use business as a force for good. We sit down with Jessica Yinka Thomas, a proud Fuqua alumna (MBA '04), the…
The Fuqua ShowE88— Elisabeth Scott — Ambition, Authenticity, and the Rooms You Build for Others
What does it look like to move through an MBA with both strategic clarity and genuine heart? In this episode, host Aaliyah Brown sits down with Elisabeth…
The Fuqua ShowE87 — Jon Valdez — Miami Born, Fuqua Made: A Lesson on Pride, Heritage, and Purpose
In this episode, host Sam Shain sits down with Jon Valdez to discuss his transformative journey of self-discovery, identity, and leadership. Jon shares his…
The Fuqua ShowE86 — Shafiq Motiwala — From Karachi to Capital One: Creating Opportunities and Building Community
In this episode of The Fuqua Show, Marketing Chair and first-time host Jade Tsai interviews Shafiq Motiwala (MQM ’25), who grew up in Karachi, Pakistan and…
The Fuqua ShowE85 — Nikin Shah — Legacy & Leverage: How to Scale, Sell, and Start Again
In this episode of The Fuqua Show, host Aaliyah Brown sits down with Nikin Shah, the Founder and General Partner at Front Porch Venture Partners, to explore…
The Fuqua ShowE84 — Professor Scott Dyreng — From Tax Class to AI Classrooms: Innovation at Fuqua
Professor Scott Dyreng returns as the first repeat guest on The Fuqua Show; this time not to talk about where he came from, but where Fuqua is going. Now…
The Fuqua ShowE83 — Eliot Digby-Jones — From Sandhurst to Fuqua: Leadership Lessons from Conflict Zones to Boardrooms
In this episode of The Fuqua Show, we sit down with second-year MBA Eliot Digby-Jones, British Army veteran and medical services officer, whose career has…
The Fuqua ShowE82 — Sean Wilson — Durham, Entrepreneurship, and Brewing a Life of Impact
Sean Wilson, Daytime MBA and MPP alum from the class of 2000, joins The Fuqua Show to reflect on an unconventional path through Durham, Fuqua, public policy…
The Fuqua ShowE81- Aki Garrett- Scaling Impact: The Playbook for Purpose-Driven Leadership
In this episode of The Fuqua Show, host Aaliyah Brown sits down with Akinwole “Aki” Garrett, President and COO of BlackDoctor.org, to explore a career defined…
The Fuqua ShowE80 — Olivia Termini — Coaching, Career Exploration, and Duke Basketball
Celebrate Women's History Month with us on The Fuqua Show. We're joined by daytime MBA program second year, Olivia Termini. Olivia shares about her childhood…
The Fuqua ShowE79 — MJ Merkley — Artist, Psychotherapist, Mom, and Executive MBA Student
We continue our celebration of Women's History Month on The Fuqua Show. We're joined by Global Executive MBA class of 2026 student, MJ Merkley. Hear MJ share…
The Fuqua ShowE78 — Emilia Hull — Growing up abroad, Consulting, and Sustainability
Celebrate Women's History Month with us on The Fuqua Show. We're joined by Daytime MBA Class of 2019 alumna, Emilia Hull. Emilia shares about her childhood…
The Fuqua ShowE77 — Katherine Zhu & Jiaqi Jiang — The Global Bridge: Leading with Culture & Community
In this special Lunar New Year episode of The Fuqua Show, host Aaliyah Brown sits down with Katherine Zhu and Jiaqi Jiang to explore global journeys, cultural…
The Fuqua ShowE76 — Patti Kamara — Systems, Service, and Leading Forward
In this Black History Month episode of The Fuqua Show, we sit down with systems-focused leader and first-generation HBCU graduate Patti Kamara to reflect on…
The Fuqua ShowE75 — Gabrielle Sims — Entrepreneurship, Leadership, and New Year Resolutions
Our very own MBAA Co-President, Gabby Sims, joins The Fuqua Show to chat about her life before Fuqua, her experience at Duke so far, and how the MBA experience…
The Fuqua ShowE74 — Bob Kulhan — Learning to Lead with Managerial Improv
Bob Kulhan joins The Fuqua Show to share about his company Business Improv which has hosted a week-long managerial improvisation workshop at Fuqua for the past…
The Fuqua ShowE73 — Co-Hosts Aaliyah and Philip — Holiday Wrap Up
In this episode, co-hosts Aaliyah and Philip introduce The Fuqua Show's newest team members, Head of Content Sam Shain and Head of Marketing Jade Tsai, while…
The Fuqua ShowE72 — Teniola Tayo — From Public Service to Global Strategy: Leadership Across Borders
In this episode of The Fuqua Show, we sit down with Teniola "Teni" Tayo, a renowned policy advisor and global strategist, and a Fuqua MBA, to explore how…
The Fuqua ShowE71 — Caty Stanko — Running Toward Purpose: Career, Community & Alzheimer’s Advocacy
Caty Stanko joins The Fuqua Show to share how earning her MMS degree helped launch her career at Deloitte in New York, but even more, how her mother’s dementia…
The Fuqua ShowE70 — Devery Hamilton, Jr. — German Born, Maryland Raised, NFL Approved
Devery Hamilton, Jr. is a student in Fuqua's one-year Accelerated MBA program, but this is not his first degree from the school of business. After playing…
The Fuqua ShowE69 — Lieutenant Commander Whitney Koenigsknecht — Forged by the Sea: Leadership, Resilience, and Service
In this inspiring episode of The Fuqua Show, host Aaliyah Brown sits down with Lieutenant Commander Whitney Koenigsknecht, a proud Michigan native, U.S. Naval…
The Fuqua ShowE68 — Bianca Valladares — Finding Belonging and Leading with Heart
In this heartfelt episode, we sit down with Bianca Valladares, a second-year MBA student at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, to explore her journey…
The Fuqua ShowE67 — Erica Marshburn — Is there a doctor on board?
Dr. Erica Marshburn is an emergency medicine physician and a second year in the Daytime MBA program at Duke's Fuqua School of Business. In this episode, she…
The Fuqua ShowE66 — Belton Moore — From Tobacco Fields to Corporate Boardrooms
Born and raised on a crop and cattle farm in North Carolina, Belton is a proud member of the Lumbee Tribe. After an early career in state government and…
- The Fuqua Show
E65 — Season 3 Premiere: The Fuqua Show is Back!
Welcome back to The Fuqua Show! In this season's inaugural episode, hosts Aaliyah Brown and Philip Coale reintroduce listeners to The Fuqua Show, a podcast…
The Fuqua ShowE64 — Chizoma Ekechukwu — Beating the Odds: Resilience, Purpose, and Life Beyond Cancer
In this heartfelt episode of The Fuqua Show, host Abimbola sits down with Chizoma Ekechukwu - a second-year MBA student whose strength, warmth, and leadership…
The Fuqua ShowE63 — Nina King — Earned, Not Given: Rising in College Sports
How did a law graduate end up running one of the most elite athletic programs in the country? Nina King made history as Duke’s first female Vice President and…
The Fuqua ShowE62 —Mitchell Woodruff— ICU 2 MBA: Connection, Compassion, and Resilience
Mitchell Woodruff (Class of 2024) grew up in the small town of Crestwood, Kentucky. After earning a degree in psychology from Xavier University, Mitchell…
The Fuqua ShowE61 —Dr. Ronnie Chatterji— Making a Difference: Teaching, Running for Office, and Leading in the White House
Dr. Ronnie Chatterji returned to Fuqua in 2023, after serving in the White House as implementation lead for the $52 billion CHIPS and Science Act. He thrives…
The Fuqua ShowE60 —Veronica Valencia Victoria— Moving On Up: Physical Therapy to MBA
Dr. Veronica Valencia Victoria (Class of 2024) is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and could also be considered a doctor of reinventing herself. Originally from a…
The Fuqua ShowE59 —Kandasi Griffiths— Seeing the World and Making it Better
Kandasi Griffiths (Class of 2024) had a goal to see the world. And after living in 17 places on 4 continents, she is certainly on her way! After college, she…
The Fuqua ShowE58 —Annie Forrest— Small Town, Big Dreams: Relationship Health to Rural Wealth
Annie Forrest (Class of 2024) grew up in a small Appalachian town called Richlands, Virginia, where her family has lived for 8 generations. She left home for…
The Fuqua ShowE57 —Dr. John M. de Figueiredo— Rejection is Just a Redirection: Life Lessons from a Strategy Professor
Dr. John M. de Figueiredo (Faculty Director, Duke Center for Institutional and Organizational Performance) has taught strategy, law, and economics at Duke for…
The Fuqua ShowE56 —Queen Nwokonneya— A Brighter Future: Afrobeats, International Development, & Business
Queen Nwokonneya (Class of 2024) has big ambitions to improve people's lives in developing countries. Originally from Abuja, Nigeria, she discovered a passion…
The Fuqua ShowE55 —Erin Worsham— The Greater Good: Shaping My Social Impact Career
Erin Worsham spends her days helping people create positive impact in the world. She has been at Duke for a total of 19 years, first as an undergrad music…
The Fuqua ShowE54 —Scott Dyreng— Life and Taxes: Advice from an Excited Accounting Professor
Happy (?) Tax Day! To celebrate, we're bringing you a special episode with our professor and resident tax guru Scott Dyreng - featuring advice on taxes, life…
The Fuqua ShowE53 —Kanchan Nebhwani— Dreaming Big: Founding a Mattress Company & Redefining Resilience
Kanchan Nebhwani (Class of 2024) comes from an Indian family, but grew up in South America and the Caribbean. She learned about entrepreneurship from her…
The Fuqua ShowE52 — Kelsey Worsham & Rhea Philip— Advancing Women in Business
Kelsey Worsham and Rhea Philip (Class of 2025) join us for this episode in honor of Women’s History Month. The newly elected co-presidents of the Association…
The Fuqua ShowE51 —Louis Wu— Investing in Myself to Serve Others
Louis Wu (Class of 2024) left China at the age of four with his mom to pursue the American dream without speaking a word of English and with no support system…
The Fuqua ShowE50 —Steve Misuraca— All About Steve
Steve Misuraca (MBA '09) has served the Fuqua community for nearly 17 years. His MBA experience was likely similar to yours - living in Station Nine…
The Fuqua ShowE49.5 —Tara Coley— Bread Winner: Starting & Running My Bakery
Tara Coley, founder of BE Bakery (one of Fuqua's new community partners), is the final guest in our "Black Entrepreneurs" series for Black History Month 2024…
The Fuqua ShowE49 — Black Entrepreneurs at Fuqua
In collaboration with Black Business Students Association (BBSA) and Business in Africa (BiA), we are excited to bring everyone a special episode in honor of…
The Fuqua ShowE48 — Love is Fuqua 2024
It's our 2nd annual Valentine's Day episode! Hear about first dates and soul mates from four Fuqua couples. First, we have Audrey Lopez (Class of 2024) and…
The Fuqua ShowE47 —Saki Kudo— Japan to the World
Saki Kudo (Class of 2024) grew up in a small town in northern Japan, with a population of 5,000. Since then, her world has gotten much bigger, living in Tokyo…
The Fuqua ShowE46 —Alleah Salone— Family, Faith, and Finance
Alleah Salone's (Class of 2025) first job was in the McDonald's drive through. Her most recent job before coming to Fuqua was at Silicon Valley Bank, where she…
The Fuqua ShowE45 —Alyssa Barnea— Fun & Games: How to Create Incredible Experiences!
Alyssa Barnea (Class of 2024) was a corporate event planner, or in other words, a professional problem solver. She has solved problems with celebrity chefs…
The Fuqua ShowE44 —Sunny— Make Your Own Kind of Music
Sunny is one of Fuqua's baristas by day and a musician by night. Originally from Durham, she has been singing, rapping, and performing onstage for 15 years and…
The Fuqua ShowE43 —Aurni Zaman— This Too Shall Pass: Challenge, Failure, and Resilience
Aurni Zaman (Class of 2024) currently serves as the President of COLE, the Coach K Center for Organization, Leadership, and Ethics. She's thriving in her…
The Fuqua ShowE42 —Jaime Blaustein— Overcoming Addiction and Becoming a Mental Health CEO
Jaime Blaustein (MBA '18) recovered from 7 years of drug addiction before coming to Fuqua, pursuing investment banking, and becoming a mental health CEO…
The Fuqua ShowE41 —Jessi Aguilar, Marielena Octavio, & Besith Pineda— Hispanic Heritage at Fuqua
Jessi Aguilar, Marielena Octavio, and Besith Pineda (Class of 2024) all identify as Hispanic, with family roots in Mexico, Venezuela, and Guatemala. Though…
The Fuqua ShowE40 —Brian Wong— LIVE SHOW: Reinventing Myself
Brian Wong (Class of 2024) has reinvented himself countless times - as an internationally competitive tennis player, social worker, real estate entrepreneur…
The Fuqua ShowE39 —Dr. Keisha Cutright & Dr. Jordan Etkin— Understanding Consumer Psychology
Dr. Keisha Cutright and Dr. Jordan Etkin teach core marketing to all Fuqua Daytime MBA students. Outside the classroom, they conduct innovative research in…
The Fuqua ShowE38 —Dr. Jamie Jones— Everyone is an Entrepreneur
Dr. Jamie Jones (Director, Duke Innovation & Entrepreneurship) earned a Ph.D. in chemistry before catching the startup bug. She left the lab, got an MBA, and…
The Fuqua ShowE37 —So Sugiyama— The Right Notes: My Professional Cello Journey
So Sugiyama (Class of 2025) hated cello as a kid and wanted to quit. But he stuck with it and worked his way to becoming a professional cellist, performing at…