Community, Connections, and a Commitment to inclusion
Diversity in Business (DiBs) was founded to bring the value of racial diversity to the forefront of Foster. DiBs strives to provide spaces where current students can have critical discussions about inclusion and culture. Our club is driven by a sense of community that is always willing to share resources, listen, and support one another throughout our MBA journeys. We seek to do this through events that support our current and future students and through connecting with alum and the greater Seattle community. DiBs welcomes members of all identities to learn from each other's experiences and build a more inclusive community at Foster.
-Dibs will encourage everyone to be active and participate
-Empower people to speak up
-Diversity isn’t a passive process
Under the DiBs umbrella are also three Affinity Groups (Black MBA @ Foster, LatinX MBA @ Foster, Asian-Americans / Pacific Islanders (AAPI) MBA @ Foster) to provide resources and support to the diverse Foster community. See the tab above for more information.
UW Foster MBA students at the Northwest African American Museum in Seattle, WA
LatinX MBA @ Foster is dedicated to cultivating the professional and social experience of LatinX students at Foster through cultivating an inclusive environment. Our mission is to uplift, empower, and advance future LatinX business leaders.
Representatives
FELIPE SANCHEZ
Co-Lead
Full-time Class of 2024
Hello, hola, olá!
My name is Felipe Sanchez, and I am originally from Peru. I am currently a second-year Full-Time MBA student at the Foster School of Business. My background is in Supply Chain Management, Operations, and ERP Implementation. The accomplishment I am most proud of is leading the Data Migration Team for an SAP S4H implementation project at the largest CPG company in Peru. While I have an engineering background at heart, I always aspired to pursue a business education, which led me to Seattle! I love connecting with people from diverse backgrounds and fostering a sense of community among them.
My passion lies within the Latin community, and I firmly believe that together we can achieve greatness. I am always open to embracing different points of view, a trait that takes me out of my comfort zone. During my free time, you will find me either walking alongside the riverfront, working out at the IMA, or listening to the latest hits.
ARIOGNI SUAREZ
Co-Lead
Full-time Class of 2024
Hello everyone! My name is Ariogni Suarez (she/her), and I am currently pursuing my MBA at the University of Washington's Foster School of Business. Previously, I attended Florida International University where I studied Public Relations and Communications. I enjoy contributing to my business school community and have been serving as the Vice President for Diversity (MBAA) and one of the liaisons for our Consortium class. I will now be serving as Co-President of both our LatinX Affinity Group and our Global Business association. Prior to my MBA, I gained most of my experience in HR as a recruiter at Microsoft and as a project manager at the University of Miami. As a Venezuelan and Miami local, I aspire to bring opportunity to my Latinx community within Foster and continue to build diversity in business for minorities and under-represented communities.
Asian-Americans / Pacific Islanders (AAPI) MBA @ Foster is dedicated to creating a community for AAPI students at Foster, we aim to provide resources both professionally and socially for our members. We also aim to promote a greater awareness of AAPI experiences in and outside of Foster.
Representatives
Ni Yang
Co-President
Full-time Class of 2024
Hi there! My name is Ni and I’m a second-year MBA student at the Foster School of Business. Prior to my MBA, I was a product manager and engineer, leading projects such as defining the future of lab equipment and designing automation and sensing hardware for warehouse robots. I received my undergraduate degree in engineering from the University of Pennsylvania. Currently at Foster, I am one of the VPs of Diversity as well as the Diversity Outreach Coordinator. I was born in China but moved to the US at a young age and have lived in Philadelphia, Boston, and now Seattle.
I am an avid believer in lifelong learning, pushing my boundaries to grow both professionally and personally. I love listening to podcasts and am always exploring new crafts. In my free time, I enjoy rock climbing, wheel throwing, playing strategy board games, and exploring new recipes from different cuisines as an amateur cook.
Sohum Shirgaonkar
Co-President
Full-time Class of 2024
Hello!
My name is Sohum and I am a second year MBA student at the Foster School of Business. Prior to my MBA, I was a technology consultant helping public and private clients optimize their CRM or SaaS products. I received my undergraduate degree in chemical engineering from the University of Virginia. I previously lived and worked in the Northern Virginia/DC Metro area, where I also grew up.
In my spare time, I like to go running or workout, read, try new restaurants, and learn something new. Since the pandemic, I have been taking lessons to become fluent in reading, writing, and speaking with my native language – Marathi.
HARMAN BASRA
Co-President
Full-time Class of 2024
Harman was born and raised in Stockton, California. He moved to Los Angeles, California for his undergraduate degree and remained there for close to a decade to work in the legal sector. Most recently, he worked as a paralegal in corporate litigation and pro bono litigation to support civil and housing rights. Harman is excited about building a community that encourages diversity, equity, and inclusivity both at Foster and beyond Foster. As co-President, he hopes to continue with the community building efforts that previous DiBs leaders have carried out at Foster, and he hopes to facilitate the pathway to careers in industries that traditionally have been difficult for diverse candidates to break into.
Former Role: Litigation Support at Morrison & Foerster, LLP
Summer Internship: Summer Associate at Deloitte
KRYSTAL SALES
Co-President
Full-time Class of 2024
Krystal was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawai’i and has 9 years of corporate and public sector work experiences. Most recently, she worked in higher education where she developed and sustained cross-sector workforce development initiatives that supported diverse first-generation working adult students through scholarships and support services. Prior to that, she worked in HR, talent acquisition, and recruitment within the technology, construction, and environmental services industries. Krystal is deeply passionate about social impact and DEI, and has been intentional about creating safe, inclusive spaces for communities of color. As co-President, she hopes to cultivate more engagement and awareness about DEI issues, as well as build cultural awareness among all Foster students. Post-MBA, she hopes to continue focusing on social impact and DEI work, particularly in consulting.
Former Role: Project Manager at Seattle Colleges District
Summer Internship: Summer Associate at Deloitte
Please find our upcoming programming on the MBAA Calendar.