Alum credits Carey for teaching agility in an ever-changing world

When a person names their dog Poe in a nod to their years spent in poet Edgar Allan Poe’s beloved Baltimore, you can bet those years were significant. Such is the case for Shambhavi Ray (MBA ’16), who went on from her time in Baltimore and at Johns Hopkins Carey Business School to become a pharmaceutical executive with the biotech company Novavax, where she was part of the launch of the first global protein-based COVID-19 vaccine.

“COVID is that once-in-a-generation event that we’ll likely be talking about for years to come, even though none of us want to think about it anymore,” said Ray, who is responsible for global access strategy at Novavax. Her role came with a uniquely important challenge during the pandemic: trying to plan ahead and create a strategy to defend against a nemesis that is constantly changing.

“COVID was and still is a funny beast that always had the world one step behind,” said Ray. “It is critical to be quick on one’s feet since there really isn’t a template that can be followed. There are always lessons to be learned and evidence-based solutions to be contemplated, but black swan events cannot be prepared for beyond a certain point.”

Ray credits her education at Carey for equipping her with the skills she has needed to be nimble.

“Being versatile, agile, and adaptable are critical abilities to have, and I think Carey gives its students the environment to be able to develop them,” she said.

Some of those soft skills come directly from the classroom.

“Dr. Dipankar Chakravarty’s class on decision sciences largely shaped my worldview on cognitive biases and even behavioral economics. And Professor Stacey Lee’s workshop on negotiations has stayed with me.”

Another thing that has stayed with Ray is her network of peers from Carey.

“I cannot emphasize enough: Do not view your classmates as competition,” she said. “They will become an invaluable source of support and hype you up once you graduate.” In fact, last year Ray’s fellow alum, Shraddha Eswaran (MBA ’18), nominated her for a Johns Hopkins University Alumni Association Award, which she won. The Outstanding Recent Graduate Award recognizes graduates of the last decade who demonstrate outstanding achievement or service in professional or volunteer life. Another of Ray’s classmates, Lauren Constantini (MBA ’16), has remained a close friend – the two have spoken every day since their graduation. 
 

Ray has also stayed involved with Carey by routinely helping students with career guidance and mock interviews. She managed internship hiring for Carey students at her previous employer, supported and mentored Carey graduates, served on the Pride Alumni Network Leadership Committee, and is passionate about championing Carey Business School.

“Carey gave me a very well-rounded outlook of the world,” she said. And while her impressive career may take her elsewhere in the world, she always has Poe—a reminder of her Baltimore roots—to keep her company.