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Sarah Perez joined UNC Kenan-Flagler as executive director of executive MBA programs in 2011. She now serves as managing director, MBA programs.

Perez brings not only an extensive background managing executive MBA programs, but also a global perspective with over a decade of management experience living and working in the United States, Europe and Latin America. She previously served as executive director of MBAs for executives and professionals with Florida International University, and before that she held leadership roles developing and implementing strategy and marketing for public and private organizations.

Perez earned her MBA from Thunderbird School of Global Management and her bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

With roots in the Pacific Northwest, Katy is thrilled to be joining the UNC Kenan-Flagler team as the Director of Admissions. Prior to this opportunity, she led Associate Recruiting at McKinsey Atlanta. Her tenure at MIT Sloan included establishing The Asia School of Business in Collaboration with MIT Sloan (ASB) and their flagship MBA program, residing in Boston and Kuala Lumpur.

Katy’s MIT journey began in 2011 with the launch of the MIT Executive MBA (EMBA), where she managed the EMBA Student Life and Learning team and later served as Senior Associate Director of Admissions.

With a BS in Recreation Management: Tourism from Arizona State University and a MA in Intercultural Relations from Lesley University, Katy’s passion for travel remains unabated. When not shaping future leaders, she enjoys globe-trotting in search of the tastiest local cuisine and cheering on the Boston Red Sox.

Prior to joining UNC, Kara Adams worked for 10 years in marketing and corporate recruiting for several industries in Research Triangle Park. She attended Elon University, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism and her master’s in business administration. She loves dogs and enjoys traveling, spending time with friends and going to concerts.

Rickita has a decade of professional experience in college access, student affairs and admissions. She joined the MBA Admissions and Student Recruitment team in 2020 as the Associate Director of Full-Time MBA Admissions. She now serves as the Senior Associate Director of Operations for MBA Admissions and Student Recruitment supporting all of our MBA formats.

Prior to joining Kenan-Flagler, she worked in Undergraduate Admissions at Carolina as a Senior Assistant Director. Rickita earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a M.Ed. in Higher Education Administration from North Carolina State University. She enjoys spending time with her children and family, gardening and cooking family recipes.

Lica grew up all around the country (Ohio, Idaho, and Michigan) before relocating to North Carolina to attend UNC Charlotte where she earned a bachelor of arts in English. After graduating, Lica worked for her alma mater in the Levine Scholars Program and later, in Undergraduate Admissions for 5 years. Lica finished her master’s degree in higher education and student affairs at New York University in 2020 and joined the Kenan-Flagler MBA Admissions team in January 2021.

In her free time, Lica enjoys comedy shows, theater (attending and performing), and attempting to create the best homemade latte.

Colleen has experience in professional services, recruiting, and higher education. She began her career with Deloitte working as an accountant in audit and later spent time recruiting professionals to join Deloitte from the Master of Accounting program at UNC, as well as other top tier programs. During that time, she worked closely with professionals in admissions and career services to interview hundreds of candidates and place them with Deloitte in a variety of service areas. She later managed a team of campus recruiters as the East Region Campus Recruiting Manager. Most recently, she has served as an Admissions Interviewer for the MBA@UNC program.

She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance, minor in Spanish, as well as a Master of Science in Accountancy from the Cameron School of Business at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.

Laura graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill with a bachelor’s degree in education. After various jobs in education, recruiting, and consulting, she returned to UNC-Chapel Hill in 2016 to work with the Student Services team in the Department of Allied Health Sciences. Laura joined the UNC Kenan-Flagler MBA program in 2019 and has worked in Career & Leadership and now Admissions.

In her free time, Laura enjoys running, hiking, cooking, traveling and spending time with her family.

Prior to joining UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School, Nicole ran her own consulting business and assisted European business schools by formulating strategies to market their programs to attract high quality candidates. She was the co-creator of University of Denver’s online MBA and has extensive recruiting experience having travelled to over 40 countries with a focus on Australia, U.S. and EMEA. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design and then pursued her MBA before moving abroad to London for five years where she enjoyed meeting people from all over the world.

Outside of work, Nicole loves live music, trips to the dog park with her bulldogs (Moose and Louie), and exploring the east coast with her husband and children.

Emily grew up in different states (Kansas, Texas, South Carolina) before moving to North Carolina while in high school. She completed her undergraduate studies at Appalachian State University and subsequently taught 4th/5th grade for five years. Seeking a career change, Emily pursued her Masters in Higher Education Administration at NC State University. While studying full-time she worked at the Poole College of Management to coordinate study abroad programs and manage marketing/recruiting efforts. Emily also served as a graduate intern for NC State Undergraduate Admissions in Fall 2023 and joined the Kenan-Flagler MBA Admissions team in January 2024.

In her spare time, Emily loves letting out her competitive side by playing soccer and board/card games. When possible, she enjoys exploring new places whether by car or plane, but a bucket list item involves a cruise to the Antarctic.

North Carolina has always been home for Kati, and she credits the time spent earning Bachelor of Science in Communications from UNC-Chapel Hill as some of the greatest years of her life. After graduation, Kati worked in retail operations for Apple, which provided an inside look at one of the largest technology companies in the world. Feeling a desire to serve people in a higher education setting, Kati turned to the school that holds a huge place in her heart and joined the UNC Kenan-Flagler MBA Admissions team in February 2019.

Outside of work, you can almost always find Kati attending concerts or music festivals, traveling to new places or spending time in western North Carolina with her husband and dog, Banjo.

Jennifer was born and raised in Rochester, NY, and made her way to North Carolina in 2014. She attended SUNY Brockport, where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Communication Studies. She brings over 15 years of experience in higher education, working in Development & Alumni Relations, Auxiliary Services, Campus Enterprises, Conferences & Events and Admissions. Her background in academics has provided her with the tools to develop innovative approaches to project management and improve operational efficiency. She excels at logistics and operations, and her attention to detail means that projects go smoothly from conception to completion.

Stephanie grew up in New York, and later went on to attend Mount Saint Mary College to receive her Bachelor of Arts in English and certifications in Education. After graduating, she served in roles as an educator, learning and development specialist and mentor. While working in many different areas of education, Stephanie then attended Mercy University to receive her Master of Science in Literacy. Through her continued professional work, she spearheaded numerous community-building initiatives and worked to plan and execute varied school programs in order to support students and drive organizational success. She also has experience in finding innovative solutions to the scoring and assessment needs of K-12 and higher education organizations.

Stephanie relocated to North Carolina in 2022 and joined the Kenan-Flagler MBA Admissions and Student Recruitment team as Program Manager in September 2023. In her free time, Stephanie enjoys baking, reading books, spending time with family and friends, and exploring new foods and restaurants with her husband.