A degree in Economics from UCLA bring a wealth of opportunities in a variety of industries. This page features a number of interviews with our alumni that illustrates the diversity of experience while at UCLA, and in their careers afterwards.
If you’re interested in a particular career path, use the tags below:
Valentina Glaviano
August 1, 2022Valentina Glaviano Valentina Glaviano grew up in Sacramento, California in a first-generation Italian American household. In high school, she was a stellar student and was admitted into plenty of colleges come senior year. The commitment process, howev …
Mila Skulkina
June 1, 2022Mila Skulkina Mila Skulkina, class of 2001 has lived a storied life. In this profile she shares her UCLA story and how lessons learned on campus have impacted her career. When Mila was a teenager in the 1990s, she and her father emigrated to the United …
Peter Moglia
November 1, 2021Peter Moglia On a brisk fall day in 1985, Peter Moglia entered UCLA’s campus as a nervous yet excited freshman, much like the rest of us. He was basking in his recent acceptance on appeal, prompting him to turn down two prestigious military academies, …
Claudia Martinez
May 1, 2021Claudia Martinez Troy Aikman isn’t the only Bruin who has helped Fox Sports become one of the leaders in sports entertainment. Behind the scenes, another UCLA graduate works tirelessly on the sports fans know and love. Claudia Martinez hails from the S …
Anastasia Bogdanova
November 1, 2020Anastasia Bogdanova “All these equations and graphs, how often am I going to use them at work anyway?” More likely than not, this question will have crossed your mind at some point in your undergraduate career, especially when you’re scratching your he …
Lloyd Greif
September 1, 2020Lloyd and Renée Greif, and their children (Ben, Nick and Lauren) at Bruin Woods. UCLA is ranked as the top American school for economic mobility, and there is no better example than that of Lloyd Greif. Once a full-time student and employee, he worked …
Michael Powell
July 1, 2020Michael Powell Many of us Bruins reminisce on the moment we decided to come to UCLA. For Dr. Michael Powell this moment occurred at the very top of Janss steps. Experiencing the beauty of campus and Los Angeles from this UCLA gem made it clear that UCL …
Jason Mozingo
May 1, 2020Jason Mozingo Jason Mozingo faced the same decision many prospective UCLA students face: enroll at Berkeley or go to school in Westwood. But for Jason, whose parents had gone to UCLA, the decision to become a Bruin wasn’t just an easy one, it was a rew …
Aaron Behle
March 1, 2020Aaron Behle “Never pass up on a free meal” might sound like cheeky advice for a college student struggling to get by but for Aaron Behle it means something entirely different. In fall of his Junior year in the UCLA Economics program, the family member …
Claudia Toussaint
January 1, 2020Claudia Toussaint Some of the most powerful influences in our lives emanate from things we cannot see – legal frameworks, for example. The impact of the law is pervasive not only in our personal lives, but also in the intricacies of our economy, and Cl …
David DeWolf
November 1, 2019David DeWolf We often hear the classic phrase, “Bruin born, Bruin bred, Bruin til the day I’m dead.” Even our first experience at orientation–that almost baptismal dip into the inverted fountain–is meant to reinforce such adages. Tens of thousands ca …
Mark Kingdon
September 1, 2019Mark Kingdon If you took a student from a painting class, and dropped him into a venture capital firm, you probably would expect him to struggle. After all, fine arts and economics seemingly have very few similarities, and their educational paths could …
Allyson Benas
July 1, 2019Allyson Benas Allyson Benas, currently Head of Product at Holotech Studios, had many worlds to navigate before she levelled up to her current position. As Benas recounts, she started her first year as an undergraduate at UCLA open to the numerous oppor …
Greg Buonaccorsi
May 1, 2019Greg Buonaccorsi There’s a lot more that goes on at a Dodgers game than Clayton Kershaw striking out batters or employees serving hot dogs to spectators. Behind the scenes lies an intricate operation comprised of hard-working, innovative individuals co …
Kathryn Brewer
March 1, 2019“Kathryn, you’re in!” declared the UCLA admission officer as she immediately recognized the voice on the other side of the phone. Why could an admission officer, who dealt with thousands of students each year, recognize a voice so quickly? It was becau …
Ryan Snyder
January 1, 2019Ryan Snyder Ryan Snyder graduated from UCLA with a bachelor’s degree in Economics, and later returned to earn a master’s degree in Urban Planning. As an undergraduate, Snyder was interested in a wide variety of subjects, from Geography to Anthropology. …
Sahil Punamia
November 1, 2018Sahil Punamia Like many of UCLA’s students, Sahil hails from northern California growing up in the quaint suburbs of the Bay Area. Growing up in high school, he was actively involved with his marching band, playing the alto saxophone and piano. Interes …
April Franco
July 1, 2018April Franco Entrepreneurship and academic research are two words that are rarely used in the same context. However, Dr. April Franco’s illustrious career as a research economist seamlessly blends these two worlds together, producing some of the most i …
Steven Laub
May 1, 2018Steven Laub Like many of our Bruins, former alumni Steven Laub embodies the traits of passion, determination, and resilience. These are the very same traits that shaped his illustrious career as a former consultant and top executive at numerous public …
Karen Williams
February 1, 2018Karen Williams Karen Williams’ success as a businesswoman, educator, and leader are testament to her ability to make smart calculated decisions, and her self-described scrappiness. Her long, winding, and triumphant journey has taken her through many pa …
Michael Terry
January 1, 2018Michael Terry Terry emphasizes the importance of learning in diverse settings and engaging with people of different views and backgrounds, especially since UCLA epitomized his UCLA alumnus Michael Terry’s sprint in the business world is comparable to h …
Greg Passani
December 1, 2017Greg Passani UCLA alumnus Greg Passani’s foray into the investment banking industry was anything but typical. Currently an Associate at Intrepid Investment Bankers, Passani received his B.A. in Economics at UCLA in 2011, after which he went on to work …
Deborah Feinerman
November 1, 2017Deborah Feinerman UCLA alumnus Deborah Feinerman, current Executive Vice President of Business Affairs and Legal at Paramount Worldwide Distribution, exemplifies the powerful woman—but she didn’t follow a sure-footed path to her success. After Deborah …
David K. Levine
October 1, 2017David K. Levine Professor David K. Levine graduated from UCLA in 1977, earning a dual degree of Bachelors in Mathematics and a Masters in Economics. He was enrolled as a UCLA student during high school, but he later studied at Harvard University for a …
Andrew Demetriou
September 1, 2017Andrew Demetriou Long before Andrew Demetriou became a partner at Lamb & Kawakami, a prestigious law firm in Los Angeles, he spent hours Bunche Hall like the thousands of students currently at UCLA. His subsequent career as a successful attorney in …
Gary Ghazarian
July 1, 2017Gary Ghazarian The allure of the investment industry has long attracted numerous successful UCLA alumni. For Gary Ghazarian, it was no exception. With over 25 years’ experience in the field, he currently serves as the Director of Operations for Marketa …
Terry Kramer
June 1, 2017Terry Kramer can be best described as a master of all trades. He has succeeded in a variety fields including business, public affairs and academia. The epitome of a leader, Terry Kramer has shown the world what it means to be a Bruin. Terry Kramer Star …
