Giovanna J.

Giovanna J.

5.0

(5)

Elevate Your MBA Application | Kellogg Insider | 100+ Coached

DePaul University Logo

Studied at DePaul University

Hunt Club Logo

Works at Hunt Club

Successful clients at

Available Saturday at 3:00 PM UTC

Questions? Start chatting with this coach before you get started.

Giovanna's Coaching Offerings

Custom hourly · $350/hr

Get help with Financial Aid & Scholarships, Editing, and .

Giovanna’s MBA Qualifications

100+ people coached for MBA

Welcome to my profile! I bring deep experience in MBA admissions, having previously served as the Assistant Director of Admissions at the Kellogg School of Management, where I helped shape recruitment strategies that elevated the quality and diversity of incoming classes. I currently continue to support Kellogg as an application evaluator, reviewing materials and interviewing candidates for both the Evening & Weekend and Full-Time MBA programs. In addition to my admissions background, I work in executive recruitment at Hunt Club. This dual perspective allows me to understand the full arc of the MBA journey—from what top programs seek in applicants to how graduates ultimately position themselves for high-impact leadership roles. Drawing on this combined expertise, I’ve coached more than 100 applicants on how to present the strongest possible version of their story. I specialize in essay development, overall application strategy, résumé refinement, and guidance on how to position yourself effectively—along with key do’s and don’ts that can make or break an application. If you’re looking to elevate your MBA application with expert, insider-informed support, I’d love to help you get there.

Giovanna can help with:

Financial Aid & Scholarships

Editing

Recommendations

Interviews

Cover Letters

Ding Analysis

Networking Strategy

School Selection

Secondary Review

Application Strategy

Essays

Resume

General Exploration

Supplementary Materials

View all of Giovanna’s categories

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

Hunt Club Logo

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/

Kellogg School of Management Logo

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.

Kellogg School of Management Logo

Associate Director of Admissions, Full-Time MBA Program

Kellogg School of Management

January 2025 - April 2025

Admissions Committee

Kellogg School of Management Logo

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

Chicago Fringe Opera Logo

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

DePaul University Logo

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

DePaul University Logo

Admissions Coordinator

DePaul University

July 2017 - January 2018

Admissions Committee

The Coding School Logo

Recruitment Ambassador

The Coding School

September 2013 - May 2017

Education

DePaul University Logo

DePaul University

Master of Education - MEd, Higher Ed Leadership

2018 - 2021

DePaul University Logo

DePaul University

Bachelor of Music, Voice Performance

2009 - 2013

5 Reviews

Overall Rating

5.0


Giovanna has helped Leland clients get into Kellogg School of Management (Northwestern)

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Giovanna J.

Giovanna J.

5.0

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