Jennifer Luiz Lindsey, MD, MBA
Vanderbilt University’s Owen Graduate School of Management
Age: 40+
“Ophthalmologist, Surgeon, Educator, Mentor, Mother, Wife, Traveler, Veterans’ advocate, Leader, Lifelong learner.”
Hometown: Nashville, TN
Family Members: Husband: Scott Bluerock; Children: Allison and Walker Lindsey, Andrew and Rebecca Bluerock; Mom: Janet Luiz, Dad: Al Luiz; Brothers: Zach and Michael Luiz.
Fun fact about yourself: I love to dance and once performed with a ladies’ salsa team at the Tropicana in Las Vegas
Undergraduate School and Degree: Rice University, BA, Biochemistry; Baylor College of Medicine, MD
Where are you currently working? Vanderbilt University Medical Center: James H. Elliott Director of Resident Education, Associate Professor, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science.
Veterans Health Administration, Tennessee Valley Healthcare System: Acting Chief, Ophthalmology
Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles: I am active in several professional societies and boards, currently serving as Immediate Past-President of the Association of Veterans Affairs Ophthalmologists (AVAO) and President-Elect of the Association of University Professors of Ophthalmology (AUPO) Program Directors Council. I am a five-time recipient of the Vanderbilt Eye Institute teaching excellence award and have received a Secretariat Award from the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO). I am honored to be a Forte Foundation Fellow and a member of Beta Gamma Sigma.
Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? My C-Teams at Owen were amazing. I am proud that, with my teammates’ help, I was able to graduate in the top 20% of our class and earn Owen Honors.
What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? Teaching is a strong tradition in my family and I am proud to have taught and mentored over 85 Ophthalmology residents in my career, guiding them through thousands of cataract surgeries and restoring sight to our nation’s heroes at the VA hospital.
Who was your favorite MBA professor? Rita Sowell, because she made the scariest subject (stats) fun and understandable.
Why did you choose this school’s executive MBA program? The administrators and faculty at Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management are phenomenal educators and experts in their fields. I really wanted an in-person program, and the Vanderbilt Executive MBA Saturday classes worked with my busy schedule. My classmates are experienced executives from many different industries. Learning with and from them has been fantastic. Owen is a premier program in my own backyard and that is a hard combination to beat!
What is the biggest lesson you gained during your MBA and how did you apply it at work? There were so many great lessons like finding the bottlenecks, balancing the spreadsheets, and managing the VPC framework. However, I’d have to say the best lesson was how to function in a team of highly-effective, intelligent, busy individuals. We learned to draw on each other’s strengths and to gently push each other outside our comfort zone. We also learned to trust one another and to communicate early and often so that projects not only got done, but achieved our desired level of excellence.
Give us a story during your time as an executive MBA on how you were able to juggle work, family and education? My husband, Scott, was by far my biggest advocate, helper, shoulder to cry on, and cheerleader during the program. At times, I was overwhelmed and felt I could not possibly manage my daily work, school work, and family issues. He would give me a big hug and remind me that I am capable. He was my constant companion at school functions and also took care of all the housework that I didn’t have the time or energy to do.
What advice would you give to a student looking to enter an executive MBA program? Know that it will be difficult and a lot of work, but it will be worth it. Make sure you have a great network of family and friends to count on during the program – you will need them. Give it your all while you are in the program (it goes by fast) and get to know each of your classmates and professors – they will teach you so much and will become your friends and colleagues for life!
What was your biggest regret in business school? I regret that I didn’t have more time to dig deeper into the material and learn even more.
Which MBA classmate do you most admire? This is a nearly impossible question to answer because I have such profound admiration for so many of my classmates! If I have to pick just one, it would be Callan Westenberg. He was one of my teammates in the second year. He is a Veteran and cares deeply about providing great service to other Veterans and their families. He is extremely intelligent, hard-working, and strives for excellence in everything he does. He also has a wonderful sense of humor and was so much fun to be around! Cal is an all-around great guy and I am lucky to know him.
What was the main reason you chose an executive MBA program over part-time or online alternatives? The people. Direct interaction with classmates and professors was definitely one of the most valuable aspects of the Vanderbilt Executive MBA program.
What is your ultimate long-term professional goal? Ultimately, I want to have a positive impact on as many lives as possible through clinical practice, education, and mentorship. Though I am not exactly sure what shape this might take – Department Chair, Chief Medical Officer, Dean, or something else – I hope to attain a leadership position that will give me the opportunity to help elevate the careers of many others.
DON’T MISS: BEST & BRIGHTEST EXECUTIVE MBAS OF 2024
