Pepperdine Graziadio Business School

In a recent Axios feature, Graziadio faculty member Brandon Parsons, PhD, MBA discusses the compounding financial risks of the U.S. screwworm outbreak and livestock quarantines, offering practical insights on how biological threats drive consumer food inflation.

Read more below:

Brandon Parsons Analyzes the Compounding Financial Risks of the U.S. Screwworm Outbreak as State Quarantines Begin Brandon Parsons spoke with national media regarding the economic fallout of the U.S. screwworm outbreak, explaining how the threat of a major agricultural supply shock could drive record-high beef prices for consumers.

We are proud to spotlight Manny Sanoja (MBA '19), Sr. Director, Head of Finance at KERV.ai, an AI platform that identifies key moments across video content and transforms them into brand opportunities.

Manny joined KERV.ai as a Senior Financial Analyst in 2023. Since then, he has built and led KERV's finance function, earned a promotion to Head of Finance, and helped the company close a $25 million Series B round in 2025. None of it, he says, would have happened without the foundation he gained at Pepperdine.

"Pepperdine gave me more than a degree — it gave me frameworks for how to analyze, think, and execute. The rigor of the MBA and finance curriculum, combined with a values-driven leadership approach, shaped how I show up every day as a finance executive. My faith has always been the anchor underneath all of it."

From Graziadio to the world of AI, Manny's story is a powerful example of how Pepperdine alumni are leading and making an impact in emerging industries like AI.

In a recent Graziadio blog post, Pepperdine faculty member Dr. Erik Krogh and MBA students Aziz Abdurahimov and Kyle Pientka discuss how our MBA program is leveraging human-AI workflows, offering practical insights on why critical judgment, data privacy, and ethical skepticism remain vital human components in modern business technology.

Read more: https://bit.ly/4uUWybw

Human + AI: Shifting the Paradigm in Modern Business Operations Two Full-Time MBA students specializing in finance recently shared their experiences from the front lines of the AI frontier. Learn how students recently tackled a hands-on AI Agent project in the Technology and Operations Management course of Pepperdin...

Pepperdine Graziadio faculty member and director of the Education to Business (E2B) program, Lynda Palmer, recently shared her expertise with WalletHub in its feature on the “Best Gas Credit Cards,” offering insight into the intersection of consumer strategy, retail marketing, and financial decision-making.

Palmer explained that while branded gas cards can deliver meaningful rewards, consumers should evaluate them carefully and avoid letting loyalty outweigh actual savings. She also emphasized the importance of comparing rewards against fuel prices and understanding how high interest rates can quickly erase potential benefits.

“A branded gas card should offer at least 2–3% more value than a general cash-back card to justify limiting where you buy fuel,” Palmer noted.

Read the full article here: https://bit.ly/4vO2mnT

As food prices remain a concern for households worldwide, Graziadio Professor Brandon Parsons offers expert analysis on the economic forces shaping grocery costs and supply chain vulnerability.

Read the full story:

Brandon Parsons Outlines Key Factors Driving Vulnerability in Global Food and Commodity Supply Chains Pepperdine Graziadio Economics Professor Brandon Parsons spoke with MoneyLion about the ongoing vulnerabilities in global food supply chains, explaining how tariffs and transportation shocks directly drive up the cost of imported staples like coffee and...

Today’s Waves Wednesday spotlight is Imara Thompson (MSHR ’26)!

During her time at Graziadio, Imara strengthened her leadership skills and gained valuable insight into people and organizational success through a blend of academic rigor and real-world application. Reflecting on her experience, Imara shared:

“This program transformed the way I view leadership, people, and organizational success. The combination of rigorous coursework, supportive faculty, and real-world application gave me the confidence to grow from an HR professional in practice to an HR leader in preparation.”

We’re proud to celebrate Imara and all she has accomplished. Congratulations, Imara! 💙

New research from Graziadio faculty is shedding light on the role of economic freedom in reducing the informal economy in developing countries.

In a recently published study, Interim Dean David Smith and Professor Brandon Parsons examined how market-oriented reforms influence economic formalization across developing nations. Their findings highlight legal system integrity, regulatory quality, and international trade freedom as key drivers that encourage businesses to transition from informal sectors into the formal economy.

The research also emphasizes that economic reforms are most effective when paired with strong institutions, anti-corruption efforts, and investments in human capital.

Read the full study via the Graziadio Newsroom — link in bio.

Sometimes the best ideas come with an ocean view 💡🌊

This week, we’re highlighting MBA student and international student Aziz Abdurahimov, a Finance concentration student originally from Tajikistan.

Alongside serving as a Graduate Assistant in the Intercultural Affairs Center, Aziz continues to grow his skills through consulting, investment analysis, AI development, and innovation competitions. Most recently, he and his team placed in the top 3 at the Caltech Longevity Hackathon among 60 teams!

When asked what makes Graziadio special, Aziz shared that beyond the academic foundation, it’s the people who make the difference: a community built on mentorship, meaningful relationships, and integrity.

We’re proud to celebrate students who bring ambition, adaptability, and a global perspective to the Graziadio community! 🌊