Page 7 - Spring 2019

AL UMNI UPD A TES

Amanda Mikhail MBA, PMP

Administrator - Research, Mayo Clinic

Labovitz MBA graduates have amassed many accolades through their careers. A
unique and prestigious honor is that of being named a Master Inventor. Amanda
Mikhail, a 2004 Labovitz MBA alumna with a mechanical engineering degree
from the University of Iowa, received the Master Inventor title while at IBM for
fifteen years. She attained 26 U.S. patents to help IBM protect and license their
intellectual property. “I was the second female Master Inventor named in the 50+
history of the Rochester operations,” said Mikhail.

However, to advance her career, Mikhail would have had to relocate out of
Minnesota. “Instead I chose to pursue a different path—bringing my engineering,
research and development, and business experience to Mayo Clinic.”

In recent years, Mikhail has been a research administrative partner to clinical
department and research chairs in five specialties and a dedicated research
center. “We work together, with teams of scientists, engineers, and other staff
members advancing the research mission and strategic priorities of Mayo Clinic.”

An MBA was not immediately on
Mikhail’s radar. “Mentors and friends
advised me to wait until I had gained
some core work experience. Much of
the coursework in an MBA involves
real-world situations. I thought, “Wow,
this feels just like today at work.”

With her extensive experience, Mikhail
offers much advice. “Expose yourself
to as many people and types of
work as you can. Broadening your
experiences will help you make better
decisions for daily occurrences and for
future planning.”

A true intrepreneur driven by the
missions of IBM and Mayo Clinic,
Mikhail internally contributed to
the advancement of these industry
leaders. The leadership expertise she
acquired in the MBA program along
with her being a Master Inventor
has made her a visionary leader
passionate about furthering whatever
opportunities come her way.

UMD LABO VITZ SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS PG. 7