A global citizen's journey in leadership and innovation at MIT

Ireland, Trinidad and Tobago, Wales, Sierra Leone, England, the United States—Sarah Hosein, SFMBA ‘24, grew up in a multicultural family and calls many places home. Her strongest personal value is to be in global connection. After graduating from the London School of Economics and King’s College London, Sarah embarked on a career in global healthcare operations and strategy and now runs an executive coaching enterprise supporting rising entrepreneurial and healthcare leaders. She is especially interested in working with millennials who find themselves at a crossroads. With a strong background in general management, Sarah also consults on operational improvement and talent management in healthcare and higher education.  

You truly are a global citizen, with roots in so many parts of the world. Is it the global nature of the MIT SFMBA that drew you here?  

To a great extent, yes. In fact, I realize now that MIT is the only place I could have gone to business school. My strongest personal value is to build community. I grew up exposed to different cultures and different ways of life—that‘s who I am and what I care about. MIT reinforces that more than anywhere else. There’s something so special about the global vibe here. My brother Adam got his PhD from MIT, and when I visited him, I felt it. The program’s leadership component was also a big draw. I’m a leadership development coach, so the heavy emphasis on that area really sealed the deal. I never applied anywhere else. 

Did you get what you wanted from your year in the SFMBA? 

I came here to expand my possibilities beyond what I could see for myself. I view myself through a larger, more expansive lens now. It’s difficult to hang on to a bigger vision for yourself in a vacuum. The classes here have challenged me to develop a stronger point of view of who I am—and you build the ability to commit to that vision. The SFMBA is where you design your career, create a route for moving forward, and build the skills and confidence to go for it. During this year, the program asks us what we want to be in this world, then guides us in how to prepare.  

What was the dynamic like in your cohort? 

The program is very intentional about building community. What’s been wonderful is the shared sense of being there for one another, the authentic connections. Our credo “No Fellow left behind,” is not just a tagline: I feel it on a daily basis. If I reach out to someone—another Fellow, a professor, an alum—I get an immediate response. It’s a unique and beautiful bond.  

During our “Muddy Talks,” a longstanding tradition of our program, we share our backstories, and it has taught me that we don’t do that enough in this world. I also have made a point of participating in events where I will meet a range of students across MIT because they, too, are amazing—both their bold visions and their humble attitudes in reaching for those visions. You don’t see bravado or entitlement here. MIT students—whatever age or program—show up. They take things seriously. I am very grateful to be here and to contribute to this community because I believe in it so much and in what we create here. 

How do you feel about the SFMBA’s immersive one-year experience?  

Immersion is a powerful learning tool. You live this program. With the full-time format, you’re in deep every day soaking up new knowledge, strengthening your ideas, and building bonds. We get to know our professors, and they get to know us. I can check in with them and say, “Here’s what I’m thinking…” and ask them what else should be on my radar. They always share something that takes me to a broader way of approaching the topic at hand. It’s clear that they care deeply about us and our futures. You really learn discipline here, and it’s important to be intentional about how you spend your time. There are just so many options, and you have just one year to fit it all in. You have to confront the question: what am I seeking from this experience? Your priorities will follow.  

How will you take this experience forward with you into your career and your life?  

I know that when I graduate, none of this goes away—not on graduation day, not ever. I will have the Fellows by my side forever. Throughout my time in the program, I’ve engaged with the Cambridge Innovation Center and a number of local entrepreneurship organizations. Among innovators in super entrepreneurial Boston, you already have credibility. Your MIT credential is a foot in the door. It has taken the pressure off networking because people you’d like to meet already get who you are. You can advance to more important conversations because the MIT brand is your pre-accepted backstory.  

Did you have a favorite course? 

Several, but one stand-out was People and Profits: Shaping the Future of Work taught by labor economist Anna Stansbury. She made stunning points through data. After a big promotion to CEO, for example, women in Sweden are significantly more likely to get divorced than men. Data like that can paint a vivid picture of the realities of work. In People and Profits, Professor Stansbury really made us think in fresh but tangible ways about the future of work, the redesign of unions, approaches to collective bargaining, and reshaping frontline operations. We looked at how business leaders can take on a more activist role in society while still delivering value for all stakeholders—a shift away from a sole focus on profit maximization. We talked about how to advance change in workplaces that don’t align with our values and how to start the conversations that lead to such change. How are we holding people to account? How do we bring transparency to our choices? How do we meaningfully connect to the people who work within our organizations?  Every business school needs to have discussions around these issues.  

Professional value aside, what has been your most memorable experience this year? 

One of my classmates is a pilot. Three of my classmates and I spontaneously rented a small plane and flew to Nantucket after class this spring. Now, I have a terrible phobia about small planes and vowed I would never fly in one, but that’s the level of trust I have with my classmates. We even dropped off another classmate at a small airport near her home so her family could be part of the experience—making for a third landing and take-off. Well, we had a fantastic time, and that overrode my fears. These experiences create true everlasting connections. The SFMBA is just the beginning of these friendships.  

You just graduated. What’s next? 

Overall, I want to grow leaders who care about others and care about their contributions to the world. With the advancement of AI and other forms of tech innovation, our professional environments are becoming increasingly messy and complex. We need more human connection, not less. We have a responsibility to become better leaders, and I hope I can contribute to that goal. I want to be part of the radical redesign of organizations. Working around the edges is not enough.  

I have a background in healthcare, which is an area where large-scale change is possible—and necessary. It involves the focus on both empathy and efficiency, which is the work I love most. I’m also very dedicated to supporting the next wave of millennial and Gen Z leaders who are on their way up in organizations. As a coach, though, I can contribute to a variety of organizations, cultures, and people. I strive to do all these things, just like MIT does.