Reaching Out MBA

Reaching Out MBA
Name	Reaching Out MBA
Formation	1999
Type	Nonprofit organization
Headquarters	San Francisco, California
Region served	International
Membership	MBA students and alumni
Leader title	Executive Director

Reaching Out MBA is a nonprofit organization that supports LGBTQ+ leaders in business by connecting Harvard Business School, Stanford Graduate School of Business, Wharton School, London Business School, INSEAD, and other MBA programs with corporate recruiters and alumni networks. Founded in 1999, the organization runs mentorship, recruiting, and professional development initiatives across major business schools and metropolitan markets. It collaborates with corporate partners, student clubs, and international chapters to advance workplace inclusion and leadership pipelines for LGBTQ+ professionals.

History

The organization traces roots to early efforts among students at Stanford Graduate School of Business, Harvard Business School, and Wharton School who sought organized recruitment events similar to industry conferences like DiversityInc summits and Out & Equal Workplace Summit. It grew alongside developments such as the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell and the legalization milestones represented by United States v. Windsor and Obergefell v. Hodges, which reshaped corporate diversity strategies. Over time, the group expanded into partnerships with firms involved in high-profile transactions like Goldman Sachs, McKinsey & Company, Boston Consulting Group, and Morgan Stanley, reflecting broader shifts in labor markets exemplified by Fortune 500 recruitment trends.

Mission and Programs

The mission emphasizes leadership development, recruiting access, and alumni engagement, aligning with models used by organizations like Out Leadership, Human Rights Campaign, GLAAD, and Stonewall. Core programs include mentorship similar in structure to initiatives at Kellogg School of Management and Columbia Business School, executive training reminiscent of Harvard Kennedy School executive programs, and career fairs modeled after events at National Black MBA Association and Prospanica. Educational content references practices from Sloan School of Management, Wharton School, and London School of Economics case-method approaches, while offering workshops comparable to Deloitte and PwC professional development curricula.

Membership and Chapters

Membership comprises students and alumni from Harvard Business School, Stanford Graduate School of Business, Wharton School, Kellogg School of Management, Columbia Business School, Yale School of Management, Chicago Booth School of Business, IE Business School, HEC Paris, and IESE Business School. Chapters operate in cities with major business hubs such as New York City, San Francisco, London, Toronto, Hong Kong, Singapore, Sydney, and Paris, akin to chapter networks of AIESEC and Toastmasters International. Regional governance draws on examples from Alumni associations at institutions like Dartmouth College and University of Pennsylvania to coordinate volunteer leadership, fundraising, and student engagement.

Events and Conferences

Annual recruiting conferences often bring together representatives from Google, Apple Inc., Facebook, Amazon (company), Microsoft, IBM, and leading consulting firms for networking modeled on career expos at Burning Man-style unconferences and established summits like World Economic Forum regional meetings. Signature events incorporate panels with executives from JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, American Express, and founders influenced by Y Combinator alumni, along with workshops inspired by TED and SXSW programming. Smaller events mirror campus initiatives at Oxford University and Cambridge University business societies, including case nights and industry treks to firms such as BlackRock and Vanguard.

Impact and Recognition

The organization’s impact is visible through alumni placed in leadership roles at Fortune 500 companies, appointments to boards like those of Glassdoor and Airbnb, and participation in initiatives led by World Bank and United Nations agencies focusing on inclusion. Recognition has come from civic and corporate awards similar to honors given by Human Rights Campaign, Out & Equal, and regional chambers of commerce, and coverage in outlets akin to The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Forbes, and Bloomberg. Its programs have informed corporate ERG strategies used by Cisco Systems, Salesforce, and Accenture.

Partnerships and Sponsorships

Strategic partnerships include collaborations with major corporations such as Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, McKinsey & Company, Boston Consulting Group, Google, Amazon (company), Microsoft, and PwC, and with nonprofit peers like Out Leadership, Human Rights Campaign, GLAAD, and Stonewall. Sponsorship models mirror those used by SXSW and academic consortiums at European Commission-funded projects, leveraging support from university career services at Harvard Business School and Stanford Graduate School of Business as well as philanthropic foundations comparable to Ford Foundation and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. These alliances facilitate recruitment pipelines, scholarship funding, and research collaborations with institutions like McKinsey Global Institute and Harvard Business Review.

Category:Non-profit organizations based in San Francisco Category:LGBT professional organizations