Snapshots

Maria Julia (MJ) Maymone (Bus’29)

Jane Majkiewicz — Wed, 24 Sep 2025 20:07:12 +0000

Maria Julia (MJ) Maymone (Bus’29) Jane Majkiewicz Wed, 09/24/2025 - 14:07

Georgia Horan

Faces of Leeds Snapshot

Name: Maria Julia (MJ) Maymone
Major: Business Strategy and Entrepreneurship International Business
Hometown: Campo Grande, Brazil

Just one month into her time at Leeds, Maria Julia Maymone (Bus’29) had already accomplished more than what many can in one year. Her unwavering determination and drive are what led her to Leeds, where she was drawn to the school’s student-driven ethos and the many opportunities and clubs available. She quickly immersed herself in campus life, joining the competitive figure skating team, the competitive triathlon team and the Chi Omega Sorority.

Maymone intends to graduate in three years and pursue international corporate law. Before Leeds, she said she thought of business as two-dimensional, not realizing all the complexities and people that go into its creation A leadership retreat with the Dean’s Leadership Fellows Program opened her eyes to how complex business is, and how much it revolves around community and teamwork. The experience has significantly shaped her academic and career aspirations, which include learning about all types of businesses and establishing herself to be able to practice law in multiple countries.

Coming from Campo Grande, Brazil, English is Maymone’s second language, but she thrives in situations where she can learn and grow. She has self-published two fiction books in English and is working on her third, making her more eager to study entrepreneurship to make her ideas—like her books—come to life.

I chose Leeds for many reasons, but one of them is that there were numerous opportunities to make a positive impact. At Leeds, it feels like students are the ones who get to create their own path.

Maria Julia Maymone (Bus’29) is no stranger to blazing her own trail. A native of Brazil, she has already written two books and is on her third, and she aims to graduate in three years to pursue a global career in corporate law.

Traditional

White

Chenhui Qu (PhD’30)

Jane Majkiewicz — Wed, 24 Sep 2025 16:46:23 +0000

Chenhui Qu (PhD’30) Jane Majkiewicz Wed, 09/24/2025 - 10:46

Georgia Horan

Faces of Leeds Snapshot

Name: Chenhui Qu
Major: PhD in Operations Management
Hometown: Yantai, Shandong, China

Chenhui Qu studied management science and engineering at Huazhong University of Science and Technology and graduated from Wuhan University of Technology with a bachelor's degree in information management and information systems.

So, what made her choose ��ɫ��Ƶ? The vibrant academic culture and extremely supportive faculty at Leeds were the key factors. The high bar set by her peers in the program has pushed her to work hard and do her best consistently, inspiring her to achieve more. In just a short while after starting at Leeds, she has already made incredible friends, joining her peers in everything from hiking Chatauqua to eating at the Center for Community as a group. She also finds that the friendly competition at Leeds keeps each of them on their toes, eager for the next challenge.

Qu is currently working with Professor Rui Zhang, whose mentorship has been a defining factor in her academic journey, motivating her to produce work she is proud of. Under his guidance, she is delving into topics she is passionate about, such as transportation optimization, and has received invaluable support every step of the way.

Leeds’ strong research culture—courses, seminars and conversations with excellent scholars—has broadened my horizons and confirmed my academic path.

Chenhui Qu came from China to pursue her PhD, and from day one she has found invaluable support every step of the way to thrive in the Leeds community.

Traditional

White

Rebecca Slezak (MBA’27)

Jane Majkiewicz — Tue, 23 Sep 2025 17:56:01 +0000

Rebecca Slezak (MBA’27) Jane Majkiewicz Tue, 09/23/2025 - 11:56

Georgia Horan

Faces of Leeds Snapshot

Name: Rebecca Slezak
Major: Master's in Business Administration
Hometown: Mahomet, Illinois

Rebecca Slezak is excited to be back in school to get her MBA, but she’s not exactly “going back”—she was already here. As an adjunct professor teaching photography for the past nine months in the Journalism Department of the College of Communication, Media, Design, and Information, she felt that becoming a CU student was a “natural transition,” as she already loved the campus culture and compelling opportunities within Leeds.

What excites Slezak the most? The diverse group of peers in the MBA cohort. She looks forward to learning from and learning with them.

Her goal: to become a creative director or marketing director. She has already started thinking about the type of leader she’d like to be, drawing upon her natural tendency to put herself in others’ shoes and advocate for them. Matched with her personal goals of creating a healthy work-life balance in her future career, the MBA program is making that goal feel more achievable than ever.

It really feels like we’re all in this together and that I can ask anyone within the group for help if I have questions.

Rebecca Slezak (MBA’27) was already at CU Bolder as an adjunct professor in the journalism department, but pursuing her MBA at Leeds is bringing her closer to her dream of becoming a marketing or creative director.

Traditional

White

Shannon Laird (PhD’30)

Jane Majkiewicz — Wed, 10 Sep 2025 22:38:25 +0000

Shannon Laird (PhD’30) Jane Majkiewicz Wed, 09/10/2025 - 16:38

Georgia Horan

Faces of Leeds Snapshot

Name: Shannon Laird
PhD: Business Administration and Accounting
Hometown: Kansas City, Missouri

For Shannon Laird, coming to Leeds was one of the easiest decisions she’s made in a long time. After working as both an auditor and an accounting director, she arrived on campus for her interview and immediately felt the pull to choose Boulder. She met the faculty and students with whom she would share her next five years, instantly recognized the opportunities, and felt an overwhelming sense of community. It just felt right.

Family ties made the choice even easier. Some of her family members attended CU and are loyal Buffs. They still live in the area, allowing Laird to dive into her program knowing she has a built-in community cheering her on.

Looking forward (when she’s not busy working and listening to her favorite Taylor Swift songs), Laird aspires to become a mentor for future accountants, inspired by the incredible mentors she encountered during her undergraduate and master’s programs. She knows that the next five years will be transformative, both professionally and personally. She can’t wait to see where it all leads.

It’s definitely not an easy admission process getting into the PhD program, and imposter syndrome can take over if you let it, so I think just making it here and moving to Boulder is something to be proud of.

Shannon Laird is proud to be a part of Leeds' PhD program and is ready to face the next five years with perseverance, curiosity and excitement.

Traditional

White

Alex Corren (MRelEst’26)

Jane Majkiewicz — Wed, 10 Sep 2025 22:14:08 +0000

Alex Corren (MRelEst’26) Jane Majkiewicz Wed, 09/10/2025 - 16:14

Georgia Horan

Faces of Leeds Snapshot

Name: Alex Corren
Major: Real Estate
Hometown: Rollinsville, Colorado

For Alex Corren (MRelEst’26), Leeds is the hub that will bring his vision of developing regenerative communities at scale to life. With a background in regenerative community development and entrepreneurship, he sought the financial modeling skills and clear business strategy needed to attract the necessary capital for what are ultimately complex real estate projects. The ability to collaborate with the Klump Center for Real Estate and the Deming Center for Entrepreneurship was a draw, as he saw it as the perfect way to balance academic curriculum with industry exposure.

Having lived in the Boulder area since 2016, he has befriended ��ɫ��Ƶ graduates who have raved about the school’s robust network and ecosystem. Corren aspires to graduate from Leeds equipped to reach his long-term goal of building communities that have a social impact. For him, that means channeling more investment money into local projects that heal environments and strengthen communities. He wants to create an environment where every resident can thrive.

Corren doesn’t just preach environmental awareness, he practices it: In the mountains west of Boulder, he has already built his own sustainable home. He designed it to incorporate passive solar features, using eco-blocks made from 85 percent recycled woodchips and upcycled windows and doors.

Coming from an entrepreneurship background into the real estate master’s program, Leeds’ Centers of Excellence create the perfect bridge between my past experience and future goals. The programming from these centers creates ample opportunities to fine-tune the student experience.

Alex Corren arrived at Leeds to pursue his master's in real estate, with a vision to create regenerative communities with positive social, financial and environmental impacts.

Traditional

White

Roberto Araujo-Rodriguez (Bus’29)

Jane Majkiewicz — Wed, 10 Sep 2025 21:37:24 +0000

Roberto Araujo-Rodriguez (Bus’29) Jane Majkiewicz Wed, 09/10/2025 - 15:37

Georgia Horan

Faces of Leeds Snapshot

Name: Roberto Araujo-Rodriguez
Major: Business Administration/Entrepreneurship
Hometown: Denver, Colorado

Roberto Araujo-Rodriguez first heard of the Leeds School of Business through his high school counselor. He was impressed with the competitive nature and environment that Leeds has. Even before college, Araujo-Rodriguez had stepped into the world of entrepreneurship by founding his own car detailing company. When business was slow, he invested in social media advertisements through Instagram and Google. After using paid advertising, he noticed that his company’s metrics increased and popularity skyrocketed. Now at Leeds, he is eager to deepen his understanding of the fundamentals required to build and manage a business.

Araujo-Rodriguez is already laying the groundwork for his future franchises by building small daily habits and sharpening his discipline. He wants to learn how to improve his time management skills, understanding that building small habits each day will help him in the long run. After graduating from Leeds, he aspires to create a Mexican luxury restaurant and turn it into a franchise. Menu ideas? Well, he can eat an entire watermelon by himself ... as long as there’s Tajin [seasoning blend]!

I’m trying not to get too distracted by my goals and future plans. I want to keep a disciplined mindset, ambition and respect. I believe these will help me in the long run.

Roberto Araujo-Rodriguez already has a car detailing business—and he's ready to use his education to lay the groundwork for his next business dreams.

Traditional

White

Angel Nuñez (Econ’25, Business Minor)

Jane Majkiewicz — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 17:29:11 +0000

Angel Nuñez (Econ’25, Business Minor) Jane Majkiewicz Thu, 07/03/2025 - 11:29

Faces of Leeds Snapshot

Name: Angel Nuñez
Major: Economics, Business Minor
Hometown: Denver, Colorado
Leadership Award: TRIO Student Support Services Program, Student Academic Success Center

What are your plans after graduation?
I plan to pursue a master’s in applied economics at Purdue University, where I’ll continue building the analytical and research skills I began developing at Leeds.

How would you sum up your experience at Leeds?
Leeds challenged me to think critically, collaborate with diverse teams and find confidence in my voice. The professors, opportunities and peers helped shape not just my academic path, but my growth as a future leader. It’s a place that pushed me to aim higher and not sell myself short.

How do you plan to stay connected to Leeds?
I’m applying to join the Leeds mentoring program and plan to stay engaged through alumni events and networking opportunities. I want to give back to the same community that helped me grow, and I’m excited to support future students the way others supported me.

"The professors, opportunities and peers at Leeds helped shape not just my academic path, but my growth as a future leader. It’s a place that pushed me to aim higher."

Angel Nuñez departs CU for Purdue University, where he will pursue a master’s in applied economics and build upon the analytical skills he began developing at Leeds.

Traditional

White

Yuping Li (PhD’25)

Jane Majkiewicz — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 17:00:00 +0000

Yuping Li (PhD’25) Jane Majkiewicz Thu, 07/03/2025 - 11:00

Faces of Leeds Snapshot

Name: Yuping Li (PhD’25)
Hometown: Fujian Province, China
Leeds Division: Strategy, Entrepreneurship and Operations
Upcoming Position: Assistant Professor in Strategy and Entrepreneurship at Singapore Management University

Leeds Mentors: I am especially thankful to my advisor, Professor Tony Tong. From the earliest stages of my dissertation through to its completion, he has provided unwavering support, insightful feedback and generous mentorship. Our ongoing conversations have shaped how I think about research, academic life and what it means to contribute to a scholarly community. His guidance has been instrumental to my growth as a scholar, and working with him has been a truly formative experience.

I am also sincerely appreciative of the members of my dissertation committee. Professor Janet Bercovitz has been an enduring source of support throughout my PhD studies. Her clarity of thought and insightful feedback greatly enriched this work, and she has been a continual source of inspiration to me—especially in her example as a female scholar.

Professor Mukund Chari helped deepen my appreciation for methodological rigor and precise thinking. I am grateful for the many conversations where he patiently engaged with my ideas and helped refine my presentations.

I am also grateful to Professor Sina Khoshsokhan for his support throughout the dissertation development and the job search process. I have greatly benefited from his generosity in sharing his experiences.

Highlight: I feel incredibly fortunate to have pursued my doctoral studies in such an intellectually stimulating and naturally beautiful environment, nestled at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. I especially enjoyed the sunny weather and breathtaking views—something I’ll miss dearly. Beyond academic growth, I’ve been lucky to build lasting friendships and share this journey with an exceptional group of colleagues. The mentorship and camaraderie I’ve experienced here have been truly special.

Research Inspiration: My research sits at the intersection of open-source innovation, corporate strategy and entrepreneurship. I was drawn to this area by observing how open-source software has become both technologically essential and commercially valuable. Today, nearly 95% of software includes some open-source component. Major commercial transactions underscore its value—for example, IBM’s $34 billion acquisition of Red Hat and Microsoft’s $7.5 billion acquisition of GitHub.

Despite its prominence in practice, academic research on open source remains limited. We still know little about why firms choose to engage with open source, what the consequences are, and how they sustain competitive advantage while doing so. While open source can provide firms with advantages like cost reduction, access to distributed knowledge, talent identification and broader technology diffusion, it also introduces competitive risks by exposing proprietary technologies.

”Beyond academic growth, I’ve been lucky to build lasting friendships and share this journey with an exceptional group of colleagues. The mentorship and camaraderie I’ve experienced here have been truly special.“

Dissertation: “Navigating the Paradox of Openness in Corporate Growth: Evidence from Open-Source Startups”

Summary: Open-source innovation has become increasingly influential in the technological landscape and is gaining significant commercial value. While traditionally viewed as independent of corporate interests, recent years have witnessed a substantial increase in the participation of commercial firms, particularly digital startups, in open-source development. Globally, open source has catalyzed entrepreneurial growth by allowing startups to build on existing technologies and tap into decentralized talent pools. However, the open-source nature of startups’ technology also presents challenges to their ability to capture value. My dissertation investigates the strategic implications of digital startups leveraging open source for growth and examines how they navigate this paradox of openness during key strategic events, such as competing with industry incumbents and reaching corporate milestones like initial public offerings (IPOs) and mergers and acquisitions (M&As).

Why is this research impactful?
This research advances our understanding of how firms navigate the complex trade-offs of openness in innovation ecosystems. It offers novel insights into how startups can strategically engage with open source to drive growth, maintain competitive advantage and maximize value capture. As open source continues to shape the future of technology and entrepreneurship, these findings hold both theoretical and practical significance for scholars, entrepreneurs and corporate strategists alike.

Yuping Li is joining Singapore Management University as a tenure-track assistant professor in strategy and entrepreneurship. She’ll miss the Rocky Mountains but will be leaving with lasting friendships and connections at Leeds.

Traditional

White

Victor Alamillo (MBusAn’25)

Jane Majkiewicz — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 16:00:00 +0000

Victor Alamillo (MBusAn’25) Jane Majkiewicz Thu, 07/03/2025 - 10:00

Faces of Leeds Snapshot

Name: Victor Alamillo
Major: Business Analytics
Hometown: Fountain, Colorado

Why did you choose to come to Leeds for your master’s?
I chose Leeds for my master’s because I had heard firsthand from Leeds alumni that the graduate program staff and professors were extremely supportive and understanding. My own experience confirmed this, as my professors were always open to answering my questions and providing additional examples to clarify complex topics.

How has Leeds shaped your perspectives about business?
Leeds has opened my eyes to the vastness of the business world. By engaging with my cohort, I have met a diverse range of individuals from various countries and backgrounds, which has made me more knowledgeable about business and global practices.

What experiences have stood out?
Being a part of the Graduate Diverse Scholars program, spearheaded by Kristi Ryujin, has been one of the most memorable experiences of my time at Leeds. Through the program, I have connected with a diverse group of students beyond the cohort, networked with and learned from industry professionals, and received support to navigate my graduate journey.

What are your plans after graduation?
After graduation, I plan to stay in the Denver metro area and work in the technology industry, where I can combine my communication, design and data skills.

How has Leeds prepared you for your career?
Leeds has prepared me for my career by offering a variety of real-world case studies during my coursework. This hands-on approach allowed me to gain valuable experience in Python, R, SQL and more.

"Leeds has opened my eyes to the vastness of the business world. By engaging with my cohort, I have met a diverse range of individuals from various countries and backgrounds, which has made me more knowledgeable about business and global practices."

By experiencing real-world learning through case studies in addition to coursework, Victor Alamillo feels well equipped to enter the technology field and apply his communication, design and data skills.

Traditional

White

Hugo Leenders (PhD’25)

Jane Majkiewicz — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 15:02:33 +0000

Hugo Leenders (PhD’25) Jane Majkiewicz Fri, 06/13/2025 - 09:02

Faces of Leeds Snapshot

Name: Hugo Leenders (PhD’25)
Hometown: Nijmegen, The Netherlands
Leeds Division: Strategy and Entrepreneurship
Upcoming Position: Assistant Professor of Management at New Mexico State University

Leeds Mentors: First and foremost, Janet Bercovitz. Tony Tong and Jeff York have also been great teachers, mentors and inspirations.

Highlight: Successfully defending my dissertation has been the greatest accomplishment of my professional life. Nothing comes close to it.

Research Inspiration: Initially, I was inspired by scholars around me. Later on, my own experiences as a former entrepreneur started to play an increasingly important role.

“Successfully defending my dissertation has been the greatest accomplishment of my professional life. Nothing comes close to it.”

Dissertation: “Conflict and Competitive Tensions in R&D Alliances”

Summary: My dissertation examines how firms strategically manage the risk of knowledge misappropriation and other exchange hazards inherent in R&D alliances, with a particular focus on the influence of partner reputations.

Why is this research impactful? 
Reputations are self-enforcing, and firms rely on them to make inferences about each other's current and future behaviors, especially when they have imperfect information about each other, which is generally the case in the R&D alliance context. We can thus expect reputations to play an important role in this context. However, this topic has not been researched enough, which is why I pursued this in my dissertation. In addition to contributing to theory, my research also has important practical implications, as it may help firms make better decisions with respect to partner selection, design, and overall management of their R&D alliances.

Hugo Leenders is headed to the University of New Mexico, where he will be an assistant professor of management. Completing his dissertation has been his greatest accomplishment to date!

Traditional

White

Snapshots

Maria Julia (MJ) Maymone (Bus’29)

Faces of Leeds Snapshot

Related Articles

Chenhui Qu (PhD’30)

Faces of Leeds Snapshot

Related Articles

Rebecca Slezak (MBA’27)

Faces of Leeds Snapshot

Related Articles

Shannon Laird (PhD’30)

Faces of Leeds Snapshot

Related Articles

Alex Corren (MRelEst’26)

Faces of Leeds Snapshot

Related Articles

Roberto Araujo-Rodriguez (Bus’29)

Faces of Leeds Snapshot

Related Articles

Angel Nuñez (Econ’25, Business Minor)

Faces of Leeds Snapshot

Related Articles

Yuping Li (PhD’25)

Faces of Leeds Snapshot

Dissertation: “Navigating the Paradox of Openness in Corporate Growth: Evidence from Open-Source Startups”

Related Articles

Victor Alamillo (MBusAn’25)

Faces of Leeds Snapshot

Related Articles

Hugo Leenders (PhD’25)

Faces of Leeds Snapshot

Dissertation: “Conflict and Competitive Tensions in R&D Alliances”

Related Articles

Snapshots

Maria Julia (MJ) Maymone (Bus’29)

Faces of Leeds Snapshot

Related Articles

Chenhui Qu (PhD’30)

Faces of Leeds Snapshot

Related Articles

Rebecca Slezak (MBA’27)

Faces of Leeds Snapshot

Related Articles

Shannon Laird (PhD’30)

Faces of Leeds Snapshot

Related Articles

Alex Corren (MRelEst’26)

Faces of Leeds Snapshot

Related Articles

Roberto Araujo-Rodriguez (Bus’29)

Faces of Leeds Snapshot

Related Articles

Angel Nuñez (Econ’25, Business Minor)

Faces of Leeds Snapshot

Related Articles

Yuping Li (PhD’25)

Faces of Leeds Snapshot

Dissertation: “Navigating the Paradox of Openness in Corporate Growth: Evidence from Open-Source Startups”

Related Articles

Victor Alamillo (MBusAn’25)

Faces of Leeds Snapshot

Related Articles

Hugo Leenders (PhD’25)

Faces of Leeds Snapshot

Dissertation: “Conflict and Competitive Tensions in R&D Alliances”

Related Articles

Dissertation: “Conflict and Competitive Tensions in R&D Alliances”