Kenneth M. Esser, Jr.
New York University, Stern School of Business
TRIUM Global EMBA (joint partnership with the LSE in London, NYU Stern in New York, and HEC Paris)
Age: 45
“Devoted husband and father, proud New Jerseyan, healthcare executive, lover of sports, books, and travel.”
Hometown: Bordentown, New Jersey
Family Members: Danielle Esser (wife), Arielle Esser (daughter), Layla Esser (daughter)
Fun fact about yourself:
* Diehard Philly sports fan
* Enjoy fine scotch and cigars
Undergraduate School and Degree: Rutgers University, B.A. Political Science
Where are you currently working? Hackensack Meridian Health
Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles:
* Carrier Behavioral Health Board of Trustees
* New Jersey Hospital Association Board of Trustees
* NJ Future Board of Trustees
* Modern Healthcare, 2020 Class of Top 25 Emerging Leaders
* NJBIZ 2019 “Forty Under 40” List of the State’s Outstanding Young Business Leaders
* ROI-NJ Influencers, Government Affairs, and Healthcare
Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? I am most proud of learning how to sustainably balance the rigorous demands of global travel, academic coursework, and my professional responsibilities while still being present for my family. It didn’t come easily at first, as I tried to approach TRIUM the same way I approached every new challenge: simply working harder and packing more into my days. Unsurprisingly, it quickly became unsustainable. Deadlines crept up on me, I was distracted at home, and I caught myself treating family time as just another box to check.
During one especially difficult stretch, one of our professors, Randy White, gave me timely advice: “Be kind to myself.” Randy helped me appreciate that, with all the demands on my time, something needed to give and that pretending otherwise was unfair to everyone, especially my family.
From there, I became much more intentional about what I said yes to, reprioritizing my calendar, renegotiating expectations with my team, and building in more honest conversations at home about what I could and couldn’t do. It required constant focus, discipline, and adaptability. I am deeply grateful to my family and colleagues for their patience and encouragement throughout this journey, as their support made this achievement possible.
What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? Throughout my career, I have always found it incredibly rewarding to play a role in meeting challenges far larger than ourselves. Viktor Frankl put it better when he wrote: “For success, like happiness, cannot be pursued; it must ensue, and it only does so as the unintended side effect of one’s personal dedication to a cause greater than oneself.” For me, that moment came during my time serving as Chief of Staff for Hackensack Meridian Health in the COVID-19 pandemic. Our flagship hospital and network were among the hardest hit in New Jersey, and each day brought new challenges that few could have anticipated. It was also a powerful reminder of the extraordinary heroism of the healthcare workers on the front lines. Their courage and selflessness saved lives during a time of profound uncertainty and fear.
Witnessing the resolve of these team members continues to inspire me and has shaped the kind of leader I strive to be. It is the reason I have sought leadership roles that keep me closely connected to the teams that stand at the heart of patient care.
Who was your favorite MBA professor? As a liberal arts student, I was genuinely engaged by all the lectures and readings on geopolitics and the global economy. It is very difficult to choose just one, but I truly appreciated Professor Matt Mulford’s classes. His courses in Quantitative Methods and Analysis, Leadership Skills, and Negotiation Analysis were incredibly informative, providing practical strategies and concepts I could apply immediately as a healthcare executive and hospital president. What stood out most was how he bridged theory and real-world application, making even the most complex topics feel directly relevant to my work.
Why did you choose this school’s executive MBA program? The TRIUM EMBA program offered a rare opportunity to work closely with senior executives from around the world. Learning from, collaborating with, and comparing perspectives with other accomplished leaders was a major draw. The program also stood out for its unique integration of geopolitics. In today’s global business environment, understanding the connection between geopolitics and business strategy is essential, as political shifts, trade dynamics, and regional instability directly impact markets, supply chains, and organizational risk. Through its global modules, the program pushed me outside my comfort zone, challenged my assumptions, and gave me a truly international perspective that I hadn’t found in other executive MBA programs.
What is the biggest lesson you gained during your MBA and how did you apply it at work? The most impactful lessons for my current work came from my courses in Leadership in Change Management and Negotiation Analysis. Over the past two years, I have served as Interim Hospital President twice, guiding two hospitals through distinct cultural and operational challenges. The Change Management frameworks gave me structured approaches to diagnose each organization’s unique culture and tailor my strategy accordingly. I learned early that there is no one-size-fits-all model and effective change requires deep cultural insight and flexibility.
One key realization was that my default servant leadership style isn’t always the right approach. In some cultures and situations, a more directive or authoritative style is necessary to provide clarity and direction. Recognizing when to adapt rather than impose a single leadership philosophy has transformed how I lead in the face of uncertainty.
Similarly, Negotiation Analysis equipped me with practical frameworks for approaching every business negotiation, from contract terms to internal stakeholder alignment. These tools helped me navigate complex discussions more confidently and reach outcomes that balanced competing interests while maintaining trust. Together, these lessons taught me that great leadership isn’t about sticking to one style, but about having the cultural intelligence to adapt to the people and the moment.
Give us a story during your time as an executive MBA on how you were able to juggle work, family and education? Across all the modules, I had to balance demanding work responsibilities with a rigorous class schedule. That often meant taking Zoom calls at 5 a.m. or 10 p.m. local time and catching up on emails late into the night. This typically left me pretty exhausted by the end of a module. After each one, I found myself needing to quickly reacclimate to the States and resume the normal rigor of my work schedule.
However, for the TRIUM Paris module, there was a unique opportunity to finish the trip with a much-needed vacation with my wife and daughters. The last day of classes coincided with the first day of my daughters’ spring break, and my wife and daughters flew to Paris to join me. We spent the week together eating, sightseeing, and shopping around the city. After a grueling two-week stretch of work and study, it was an amazing treat and a much-needed opportunity to be fully present with my family.
What advice would you give to a student looking to enter an executive MBA program? For parents like me juggling demanding jobs, family, and an EMBA, the most important advice is to prioritize yourself. It’s easy to get consumed by obligations from your employer, your family, and the program. At times, perfect balance may feel impossible, and you may need to scale back on one commitment. But never lose sight of your mental health. Be forgiving and patient with yourself.
Remember that this journey is a marathon, not a sprint. There will be weeks when you feel stretched thin, and that’s okay. The goal isn’t perfection: it’s growth, learning, and showing up as your best self when it matters most. Lean on your cohort, hire a tutor when you need it, and trust that the investment in yourself will pay dividends far beyond the degree.
I want to give special thanks to Professor Randy White for helping me to see this perspective at a critical time during my MBA journey!
What was your biggest regret in business school? My biggest regret is not pursuing my MBA earlier in my career. Many of the principles taught would have been invaluable to me years ago. That said, my 23 years of professional experience before enrolling gave me a perspective that enriched the learning experience and allowed me to contribute meaningfully to class discussions.
What is one way that your business school has integrated AI into your programming? What insights did you gain from using AI? Before business school, AI was a magic black box to me. I didn’t understand the differences between machine learning and large language models, how these tools could hallucinate, or their key limitations. The TRIUM courses demystified these topics, teaching me how to use AI effectively and structure project teams for machine learning and AI initiatives.
Today, I use AI regularly for rapid research, drafting speeches, analyzing data to spot trends, simulating strategic scenarios, and synthesizing complex board materials. It’s become an indispensable partner, helping me move faster without sacrificing depth.
At the same time, I remain intentional: AI is a powerful tool, but not a substitute for judgment or leadership. I always review its output carefully to preserve my own voice and avoid passive reliance on algorithmic suggestions.
What was the main reason you chose an executive MBA program over part-time or online alternatives? With 23 years of professional experience and eight years in the C-suite, I was looking for a program that would present lessons and concepts in a way that resonated with an executive mindset. The TRIUM structure offered exactly that, plus the unique opportunity to learn alongside a cohort of accomplished senior leaders, which deepened both my learning and the overall experience.
How did you finance your EMBA and what did you do to make tuition and associated costs more affordable? I financed my EMBA through student loans and took advantage of my employer’s annual tuition reimbursement program, which reduced some of the out-of-pocket costs. My employer also assisted with travel costs, which further covered some of the program’s associated costs.
What is your ultimate long-term professional goal? My ultimate long-term goal is to lead an organization at its highest level, creating a transformative, lasting impact for patients, communities, and the people I work with. I want to shape strategy, culture, and outcomes for an entire enterprise in ways that redefine what is possible in healthcare. What matters most to me is not the title itself but the ability to build an environment where teams thrive, innovation drives real value, and sound business decisions are made with long-term thinking and discipline.
I want to be the kind of leader who stays close to the front lines, understands operational realities, and adapts to the needs of the people I serve. Ultimately, I measure success by whether the organizations I lead elevate the standard of care, empower others to achieve more than they thought possible, and create enduring value that outlasts my time in leadership.
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