Alumni Spotlight: Michelle Hannaford MBA '19

Employer: City of Spokane - Riverfront Park

Spotlight On: New Opportunities

After moving from Cleveland, Ohio, to Post Falls, Idaho, for her husband's work, Michelle Hannaford MBA '19 found herself searching for new friends and a professional network in the Spokane area. For Hannaford, coming to Whitworth was a no-brainer. "Whitworth's MBA program has a good reputation," she says. "I asked around to those on campus what their experience was like, and every person said they were happy they did it. So I jumped right in and went for it!" 

Growth and connection have always important to Hannaford, and in the Whitworth MBA program, she found more growth and connection than she ever expected. "I was surprised by how fast I connected with so many amazing people in the Spokane area," she says. "Being from the Midwest, I wasn't sure what to expect. But from the first moment I met with the MBA team, I knew I was in the right place, attending the right program, with the right people."

So much of success and happiness starts with the right place and the right people. Hannaford, like many others, found the right place and people in the Whitworth MBA classroom. The connections that start in our classrooms become lifelong friendships and mentorships. "From going on the Sun Valley excursion with Kevin Parker and 10 other amazing MBA students, to connecting and befriending some of the best people I have ever met, to my mentor and executive coach," she says, "I remember coming home and just feeling a sense of determination to be the best person I can possibly be."

Hannaford is still growing, and thriving, in her new home. In 2019, she planted roots with the City of Spokane as the event manager for Riverfront Park.