Pamela Bolton, Vice President, Knowledge, Evaluation and Performance
Pamela Bolton, Vice President, Knowledge, Evaluation and Performance, Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GBC)
Undergraduate Degree and Major:
BA, Science in Society Program, Wesleyan University
Graduate School(s) / Degree(s) / Year(s):
MHS (Master of Health Science), Johns Hopkins University
MBA, Zicklin School of Business, Full-time Honors Program, Baruch College, CUNY (2007)
What are your responsibilities at work and how does your degree help you achieve them?
Currently, I am VP at the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria (www.gbcimpact.org) and head the department that houses our organization’s public health and disease-related expertise. The MBA is a critical complement to my earlier public health degree and experience because we are a business-serving membership organization; it’s critial to understand the motivations that companies have for fighting these diseases, whether among their workforces, in the markets they serve, or as part of their corporate citizenship initiatives.
What do you enjoy most about what you do?
I love the work on several levels. The daily task mix is fun. The colleagues and particularly my own team are terrific. The challenges of helping and pushing businesses to strengthen their health and wellness programs are engaging. And the ultimate mission of reducing the deadly global impact of AIDS, TB, and malaria—three of the world’s leading causes of premature death—is fulfilling to me.
What do you enjoy least about what you do?
As an NGO, even a business-focused one, we do have lots of meetings, and sometimes that frustrates me.
Why did you choose this career?
I chose global public health initially because I felt health was basic to well-being and I enjoyed studying biology and things medical. The international travel also appealed to me. Later, I realized I liked being a manager.
Why did you choose to get an MBA?
The MBA was a great complement to my public health training. After working in the development arena I began to think that economic growth in lower-income countries through private enterprise and investment was a better and more durable engine for improved health and quality of life than foreign aid programs.
What was your first job post-MBA?
I had thought I might move into pharma in a corporate social responsibility role of some sort. My MBA internship was in a large research-based pharma company in exactly that sort of role, and my first job after school was with a consulting firm that served pharma and biotech clients.
What traits should someone have to be successful in your career?
Optimism, energy, sense of fun, a bit of idealism. Knack for languages can come in handy too.
Traits to be successful in an MBA program:
Academic drive, willingness to work in teams and pull your own weight, good writing and presentation skills. Strong quantitative/math skills serve you well in finance courses.
What advice would you give someone considering an MBA?
Try to begin clarifying early on what you want to do with the MBA once you have it.
When considering MBA programs, what do you suggest prospective students look for?
In my case, what worked out very well was choosing a local program, the Zicklin School of Business, which is part of Baruch College and the City University of New York. I had attended name-brand schools for undergrad and for my first master’s. The Full-time Honors Program at Zicklin offered tuition that was a fraction of NYU’s or Columbia’s with professors of equal caliber—a number of them had in fact taught at Ivy League schools. The program served my needs very well and did not leave me in debt. I also greatly valued and enjoyed the fact that my cohort was just 40-odd students; we really got to know one another and bonded as a group.
