
Giovanna J.
5.0
(4)
Studied at DePaul University
Works at Hunt Club
Available Saturday at 3:00 PM UTC
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About Giovanna
I was born in the Bay Area and raised in the south of France in a French-American household, which gave me a global, bicultural lens from the start. I originally trained as an opera singer and moved to Chicago to study music at DePaul, but somewhere along the way I realized I was just as energized by helping people find their path as I was by performing. That’s what led me into admissions. I loved the mix of guiding people toward their next steps and helping them discover areas of study they were genuinely passionate about. I eventually shifted from music admissions into MBA admissions at Kellogg, where I really fell in love with the work — especially supporting applicants through the process with a truly thoughtful, white-glove approach. Over time, I wanted to challenge myself in new ways and broaden the impact I could have. That’s what brought me into executive recruitment, where I get to keep doing what I love: helping people identify their next chapter and navigate those transitions at a broader scale.
Why do I coach?
I coach because, even though I love my work in executive recruitment, my heart has always stayed in admissions. There’s something incredibly meaningful about helping graduate-level students crystallize their MBA goals and actually reach them — it’s why I’ve stayed connected to this world for so long. I’ve supported hundreds of candidates through their journeys, and celebrating those acceptances with them never stops being a joy. I also know firsthand how transformative great coaching can be; it’s shaped both my education and my career. Being able to give that same support back to others feels like the most natural extension of who I am and the work I’ve always loved.
Work Experience
Associate
Hunt Club
April 2025 - Present
Hunt Club is an executive search firm for pre- and post-IPO companies, private equity and venture capital firms, and their portfolio business leaders who require access to high-quality talent beyond the reach of typical recruiters. We combine our proprietary candidate data, purpose-built tech platform, and exclusive referral network to help clients hire key leaders and build out teams efficiently, without compromising fit. Visit our site: https://www.huntclub.com/

Application Evaluator
Kellogg School of Management
April 2025 - Present
Admissions Committee
In addition to my work in executive recruitment, I serve in a part-time capacity with Kellogg’s Evening & Weekend and Full-Time MBA programs, where I review applications and conduct admissions interviews. Through this role, I contribute to Kellogg’s holistic evaluation process and support the selection of high-caliber, diverse cohorts across both programs.

Associate Director of Admissions, Full-Time MBA Program
Kellogg School of Management
January 2025 - April 2025
Admissions Committee

Assistant Director and Career Coach, Evening & Weekend MBA and Executive MBA
Kellogg School of Management
March 2022 - April 2025
Admissions Committee
- Customized relationship management strategies to cater to the unique needs of about 700 candidates per year across all stages of the recruitment pipeline. Fostering these strong connections resulted in a strong enrollment increase in FY23, which translated to an additional ~$3.75 million in tuition revenue. - Hosted and presented at Evening & Weekend specific recruitment events, as well as joint Executive MBA events, expanding outreach and increasing interest from prospective students. - Created and implemented a comprehensive scholarship strategy, expertly managing a budget of approximately $400,000. - Drove collaborative efforts with the broader Kellogg Admissions Teams, cross-functional departments/staff, and key stakeholders to design and execute effective recruitment strategies, leading to a significant rise in the quality and diversity of MBA candidates in all key evaluation metrics. - Presented quarterly reports on recruitment performance metrics to applicable stakeholders, enabling data-driven decisions, which streamlined our evaluation, increased diversity and decreased our response time. - Active member of the Kellogg Administrative Relations Committee and the Degree Operations Committee Higher Education, Event Management and +7 skills
Co-Founder, Board Member
Chicago Fringe Opera
September 2014 - January 2025
- Co-founded the company in September 2014 - Coordinate press coverage of up to 6 different productions per year - Act as point of contact for all audience related needs - Serve as board member approving artistic projects, production budgets and advising on growth and scaling Artistic Programming, Customer Engagement and +2 skills
Assistant Director of Admissions
DePaul University
January 2018 - March 2022
Admissions Committee
- Developed customized communications and reports to streamline processes and improve applicant data for over 1,200 undergraduate and graduate applications yearly. - Spearheaded the implementation of national and international regional auditions, resulting in an expanded talent pool and increased diversity among applicants, and enabling us to expand our territory to an additional 9 states and 3 countries. - Planned and executed entrance auditions attended by approximately 1000 applicants, further enhancing the school's reputation as a premier music institution. - Built and managed a vibrant core team of 6 student workers, expanding to 40 during the audition seasons. - Drove application conversion increase of 15% through extensive recruitment travel, development of new markets and brand awareness pushes. Recruiting and Nonprofit Organizations
Admissions Coordinator
DePaul University
July 2017 - January 2018
Admissions Committee
Recruitment Ambassador
The Coding School
September 2013 - May 2017
Education
DePaul University
Master of Education - MEd, Higher Ed Leadership
2018 - 2021
DePaul University
Bachelor of Music, Voice Performance
2009 - 2013
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