Hobart and William Smith Colleges

MGMT 305: Leadership and Learning in Entrepreneurial Values

Entrepreneurship and leadership rarely follow linear paths; they demand curiosity, judgment, ethical reasoning, communication and the ability to connect ideas across disciplines. Cotaught by Professor of Business and Entrepreneurship Tom Drennen and global business leader Dan Rosensweig ’83, “MGMT 305: Leadership and Learning in Entrepreneurial Values,” invites an astounding lineup of special guests to class to share the ideas and decisions behind the industries that have shaped the world.

Visiting Speakers

Dan Rosensweig ’83

President and CEO of Chegg Dan Rosensweig ’83 is a nationally known leader in the educational-tech market. He has held senior leadership roles at Yahoo!, CNET, ZDNet and Guitar Hero and was named by TechAmerica as Entrepreneur of the Year and among “The Silicon Valley 100” by Business Insider. Rosensweig serves on the Board of Directors for Adobe Systems, Inc., UpGrad, Inc. and Yumi. He also serves as a Colgate University Emeritus Trustee and as an Advisor to Kleiner Perkins. He graduated from HWS with a B.A. in Political Science.

Adam Met, Ph.D.

Mon., Jan. 26 at 1:30 p.m. in person

Adam Met, Ph.D., is the founder and executive director of Planet Reimagined, a climate advocacy nonprofit based in New York that combines entertainment and research to advance equitable climate solutions. A musician and advocate, Met performs worldwide with the multi-platinum band AJR. He works with U.S. Congress and the White House on renewable energy policy, serves as a celebrity climate advocate for the United Nations Development Programme and teaches climate courses at Columbia University. Met earned a Master of Arts in constitutional law from New York University and a doctorate in human rights law and sustainable development from the University of Birmingham in the UK.

Jewel

Mon., Feb. 2 at 2:30 p.m. by Zoom

Known mononymously as Jewel, Jewel Kilcher is a four-time Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter, musician, poet, author and actress who has sold more than 30 million albums worldwide. She rose from an Alaska homestead to international stardom with her 1995 debut “Pieces of You.” Her non-profit Inspiring Children Foundation helps at-risk youth in Las Vegas. She is co-founder of Innerworld, a virtual community for safe, peer-led mental health support and co-founder of the Wellness Experience, a festival that unites brans with music to promote holistic health. Jewel began her musical training on a vocal scholarship at Interlochen Arts Academy and studied operatic voice and guitar before launching her career.

Danielle Weisberg and Carly Zakin

Mon., Feb. 9 at 1:30 p.m. by Zoom

Former News Producers Danielle Weisberg and Carly Zakin are the co-founders and co-CEOs of media company theSkimm, where they helped redefine how millennial and Gen Z women engage with news and information. In 2025, they sold theSkimm to Everyday Health Group, a division of Ziff Davis, while retaining leadership. They now speak widely on entrepreneurial resilience, innovative audience strategy and navigating media industry shifts. Named among Forbes’ “30 Under 30” and Fortune’s “40 Under 40,” the pair are also the New York Times bestselling authors of How to Skimm Your Life.  Before beginning her broadcast and media career at NBC News, Weisberg earned a Bachelor of Arts in American Studies and English from Tufts University. Before Zakin began her career as a producer at CNBC, MSNBC and NBC Peacock Studios, she earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science and film. 

Ashton Kutcher

Mon., Feb. 9 at 2:30 p.m. by Zoom

Ashton Kutcher is an actor, investor, entrepreneur, producer and philanthropist who first gained recognition on the Fox comedy “That 70’s Show” and went on to star in films such as “What Happens in Vegas” and “Dude, Where’s My Car?” For more than a decade, Kutcher has been investing in technology as an angel investor and a founding partner of A-Grade Investments LLC and Sound Ventures, two venture firms with investments in Airbnb Inc., Spotify Technologies S.A., Uber Technologies Inc., Warby Parker Inc. and Shazam Entertainment Ltd., among others. He also co-created Thorn, a non-profit driving technology innovation to fight the sexual exploitation of children and co-founded Katalyst, a Los Angeles-based media production company.

Dick Costolo

Mon., Feb. 16 at 1:30 p.m. by Zoom

Best known as the former CEO of Twitter Inc., Dick Costolo is a California-based entrepreneur, founder and venture partner. He co-founded FeedBurner Inc., a web feed management company acquired by Google LLC. Today, he is an investor and advisor to multiple startups and serves as venture partner at Index Ventures. He sits on the boards of Patreon Inc., a startup that helps artists raise money for their creative projects. Costolo holds a Bachelor of Science in computers and communications science from the University of Michigan.

Evelyn M. Rusli

Mon., Feb. 16 at 2:30 p.m. by Zoom

Evelyn M. Rusli is the co-founder and co-CEO of Yumi Nutrition Ltd., a nutrition and wellness company for kids. A former journalist for The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and Forbes, Rusli later served as an entrepreneur-in-residence Social+Capital Partnership LLC. She is an angel investor and advisor and in 2022 was named to Inc.’s Female Founders 100. Rusli has made more than 100 televised appearances as a technology expert and holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Princeton University.

Caryn Seidman Becker

Mon., March 2 at 1:30 p.m. by Zoom

Caryn Seidman Becker is the chair, CEO and founder of Clear Secure Inc., an American global secure identity technology company providing biometric travel document verification systems at major airports and stadiums. Previously, Seidman Becker started and served as managing partner of Arience Capital Management LP, a more than $1 billion New York City-based asset management firm, prior to which she served as director of The Home Depot Inc. She has a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of Michigan. 

John Donahoe

Mon., March 2 at 2:30 p.m. by Zoom

Former Nike President and CEO John Donahoe is the Jaquish & Kenninger Foundation Director and Chair of Athletics at Stanford University. He is the former CEO of eBay Inc. and of global software company ServiceNow Inc. At PayPal Inc., Donahoe served as chair of the board for 10 years, in addition to multiple corporate and nonprofit boards. He earned an MBA from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business and a Bachelor of Arts in economics from Dartmouth College.

Sarah Guller and Lexie Hull

Mon., March 9 at 1:30 p.m. in person

Consumer Investor Sarah Guller and Professional athlete and Indiana Fever star Lexie Hull co-founded Forta, a cosmetics brand designed for active consumers. Frustrated by products that fade during play or workouts, they built Forta at the intersection of beauty and performance, creating cosmetics tailored for athletes, gym-goers and everyday movement. Former roommates, Hull and Guller launched the brand after graduating from Stanford University, where Hull earned a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in management science and engineering and Guller earned a Bachelor of Arts in economics.

Chuck Robbins

Mon., March 9 at 2:30 p.m. by Zoom

Chuck Robbins is the chairman and chief executive officer of Cisco Systems Inc., a California-based global technology company that connects and secures digital infrastructure for organizations, cities and countries around the world. He became Cisco’s CEO in July 2015 and was elected chair of the board in December 2017, after more than two decades with the company in sales and global operations leadership roles. Robbins holds a Bachelor of Arts in mathematics with a concentration in computer science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Jimmy Pitaro

Mon., March 23 at 1:30 p.m. by Zoom

Jimmy Pitaro is chairman of ESPN Inc. in charge of the global sports media network and its portfolio of content, products and experiences across platforms. An attorney and former football player, he previously served as chairman of ESPN and Sports Content and as president and co-chair of Disney Media Networks. Pitaro originally joined The Walt Disney Company in 2010 as co-president of Disney Interactive, where he led the turnaround of its digital media and gaming division. Previously he served at Yahoo! Inc. as head of media. Pitaro earned a Bachelor of Science in economics from Cornell University and a Juris Doctor from St. John’s University School of Law.

Brad Falchuk

Mon., March 23 at 2:30 p.m. by Zoom

Brad Falchuk ’93, L.H.D.’14 is an Emmy Award-winning writer, director and producer known for co-creating award-winning television series “Glee” and “American Horror Story,” among many others. He is one of the founding members of The Young Storytellers Foundation, a non-profit serving more than 100 schools, helping students write their own screenplays. After a decade writing at 20th Television (formerly known as 20th Century Fox Television), Falchuck currently is under a multi-year contract to develop, write, produce and direct new series for Netflix Inc. Falchuk began his storytelling career after earning a Bachelor of Arts in English at Hobart and William Smith and a Master of Fina Arts in screenwriting at the American Film Institute.

David A. Ricks

Mon., April 6 at 1:30 by Zoom

David A. Ricks is chair and CEO of Eli Lilly and Company, a global leader in biopharmaceuticals. A Lilly veteran for more than 25 years, Ricks has held leadership roles spanning U.S. marketing and sales, international operations and business unit presidency before becoming CEO in 2017 and chair of the board later that year. Ricks serves on the board of directors for Adobe Inc. and Business Roundtable, an association of more than 200 CEOS. He earned a Bachelor of Science in industrial management from Purdue University and an MBA from Indiana University.

Shantanu Narayen

Mon., April 6 at 2:30 p.m. by Zoom

Shantanu Narayen is chair and CEO of Adobe Inc., one of the world’s largest software companies, where he has transformed the business and expanded its global reach. He joined Adobe in 1998, later serving as president and COO before becoming CEO in 2007 and chair in 2017. Narayen also serves as vice chairman of the U.S.-India Strategic Partnership Forum and on the board of multinational pharmaceutical corporation Pfizer Inc. He has a Bachelor of Science in electronics engineering from Osmania University, a Master of Science in computer science from Bowling Green State University and an MBA from the Haas School of Business, University of California Berkeley. 

Dan Schulman

Mon., April 6 at 2:30 p.m. by Zoom

Dan Schulman is CEO of Verizon Communications Inc., where he has served on the board of directors since 2018. Schulman has led major companies such as PayPal Inc., where he continues to serve as a board member, Priceline.com and Sprint Corp. In 2021, Schulman ranked third on Fortune's list of the World's Greatest Leaders. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in economics from Middlebury College and an MBA in finance from New York University Stern School of Business.

Katie Stanton

Mon., April 13 at 1:30 p.m. in person

Katie Stanton is a board director at Yahoo! Inc. and at global media and content company Vivendi SE. She is founder and general partner of Moxxie Ventures Management LLC, an investment firm specializing in early-stage companies. Stanton previously held leadership roles in product, marketing and media at major technology companies including Google LLC and Twitter Inc. and served in strategy roles in the U.S. federal government. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Rhodes College and a Master of Arts in international affairs from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs.

Dan Kluger

Mon., April 13 at 2:30 p.m. TBD

Dan Kluger is the chef and owner of Loring Place, the acclaimed New York City restaurant known for seasonal, locally sourced American cuisine. Kluger built his career in kitchens including Union Square Café, Tabla Restaurant, The Core Club LLC and the Jean-Georges restaurant empire, where Kluger opened restaurants in Arizona, Utah, New York and Washington D.C. In 2010, he opened ABC Kitchen as executive chef; in 2011 and 2014, he won and the James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant and Best Chef, respectively. He also was honored as Food & Wine Magazine’s Best Chef New York City. Kluger earned a Bachelor of Arts in nutrition and hospitality management from Syracuse University.

MC Hammer

Mon., April 20 at 2:30 p.m. TBD

Stanley Kirk Burrell, better known by his stage name MC Hammer, is a Grammy award winning artist, entrepreneur and preacher. Known for his hit records, including "U Can't Touch This” and “2 Legit 2 Quit,” Hammer has sold more than 50 million records worldwide. He also created and managed his own label, Bust It Records, where he introduced, signed and produced new talent. 

Jennifer Y. Hyman

Mon., April 27 at 1:30 p.m. by Zoom

Jennifer Y. Hyman co-founded Rent the Runway in 2008 and serves as CEO. Previously, she served as director of business at IMG Worldwide LLC, a global talent management company. Hyman serves on the board of directors of The Estee Lauder Companies Inc., a global manufacturer and marketer of luxury beauty products. Hyman holds a Bachelor of Arts in social studies from Harvard University and an MBA from Harvard Business School. 

Sheryl Sandberg

Mon., April 27 at 2:30 p.m. by Zoom

Sheryl Sandberg served as chief operating officer at Meta Platforms Inc. (formerly known as Facebook), vice president of global online sales and operations at Google LLC and chief of staff for the United States Treasury Department under former President Bill Clinton. She was a management consultant with global consulting firm McKinsey & Company Inc. and an economist with the World Bank. Sandberg is the co-author of two books with Wharton School University of Pennsylvania Professor Adam Grant. She is also the author of Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead and Lean In for Graduates. In addition to serving on numerous boards such as Walt Disney Company, Sandberg is the founder of the Sheryl Sandberg & Dave Goldberg Family Foundation, LeanIn.Org and OptionB.Org. Sandberg earned a Bachelor of Arts in economics summa cum laude from Harvard University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.