Dr. Michellana Jester is a distinguished educator and researcher with extensive expertise in global economics and management. As a senior lecturer at the MIT Sloan School of Management, she brings a wealth of knowledge from her diverse academic background. Dr. Jester holds an Ed.D in Adult and Organizational Learning from Columbia University, an MPP in Leadership & Microeconomics from Harvard Kennedy School, and executive education certificates in Behavioral Economics from UChicago Booth School of Business and Advanced Management from Yale School of Management. Her research interests focus on entrepreneurship, innovation, and emerging markets. Dr. Jester's work has been featured in prestigious publications such as the Financial Times, Fast Company, The Smart Manager, BizEd Magazine, Psychology Today, and the Boston Globe.

Laila Smith holds an AB in Social Studies with an emphasis on post-colonial theory and history from Harvard University, where she graduated magna cum laude. During her time at Harvard, Laila held leadership roles on the Undergraduate Council, the Arts & Humanities Student Board, and various activist organizations, including the Harvard Graduate Student Union. Laila wrote an extensive senior thesis on colonial history and jazz in the Netherlands. She played a pivotal role in the UAW unionization effort of graduate students at Harvard. Since 2018, Laila has worked in admissions, advising thousands of students on their application essays. In addition to her academic and advisory roles, Laila is a recognized musician, having released multiple albums that have been acknowledged by The New York Times. She is deeply committed to expanding the minds of young people by connecting them with the most brilliant scholars of the day.