Part of what makes The Portland MBA program so compelling is the relationships among students that are built on a foundation of rigorous teamwork and cohort connections. In most cases, those relationships evolve into a strong professional network. In others, respect and friendship can turn into something else entirely. In celebration of love this Valentine's Day, we are sharing the stories of several couples. Some met during the MBA program, others shared their journey from the beginning. But they are all remarkable alumni and we are proud to share their stories with you.
Elise & Ryan
Ryan and Elise first connected over Zoom during the pandemic, as their entire first year of the MBA program was held remotely. They were assigned to several projects together, and by the end of the first semester, Elise was navigating a personal heartbreak. Although she wanted to spend time with Ryan, he was too shy to ask her out at first! Eventually, at the start of their second semester, they shared their "first date" and quickly fell in love. They kept their relationship under wraps for a while to maintain professionalism, but eventually confided in Tichelle, MBA academic director, who was delighted to be one of the first to know. Now, four years later, Ryan and Elise live together in Downtown Portland, and are engaged and planning their wedding in the Columbia Gorge for May 2026.
Ryan grew up in Deerfield Beach, Florida, and earned his Bachelor's in Economics from Florida State University. After several years in the travel industry, the Covid-19 pandemic severely impacted his career, inspiring him to return to school and pursue an MBA at Portland State University. Graduating with a 3.94 GPA, Ryan went on to work with various tech start-ups and even spent time in NIKE's Engineering department. He now serves as the partnerships manager at a digital marketing firm based in Vancouver, WA.
Elise, originally from the Bay Area but raised in Tigard, Oregon, was a high school graduate at just 16. She entered an early-college program at PCC and later earned a Bachelor's in Marketing from Portland State. At 20, she was accepted into the PSU MBA program, completing it two years later with a 3.93 GPA. Since then, Elise spent several years as the marketing manager for a renewable energy company. She is now a senior digital marketing strategist for Adpearance.
Hilary & Joe
Joe and Hilary both joined the same part-time MBA cohort in 2012. While they’d love to say they locked eyes across the pit-style classrooms in the old SBA building, their story didn't happen quite like that. They first crossed paths at social events, which were a frequent part of their cohort experience, but didn’t truly connect until later. Joe even attended Hilary’s birthday celebration with another date! It wasn’t until the spring term of 2013, when they were paired for a group project, that they went on their first date. They bought a house together in 2015, tied the knot with a weekend camping wedding in 2017, and now spend their time raising their two young sons, Calvin (5) and Leo (3). It’s been an incredible 11 years full of growth, love, and adventure.
Hilary, a Portland native, has been with PGE in various roles since 2008. She enrolled in the MBA program to expand her career opportunities and credits the program for providing her with invaluable insights into corporate finance, and so much more.
Joe, originally from the East Coast, moved to Portland in 2008 and has spent much of his career at Portland State. In his role, he helps develop businesses based on PSU’s research innovations, and he joined the MBA program to further his skill set. However, he got far more out of it than he wanted going in.
Mollee & Sam
Mollee and Sam met during the MBA program orientation in 2018. They were grouped together for a case study where they had to evaluate what HUB should do next as a company. Instantly, they clicked over shared interests, especially their love for HUB and the Oregon brewery scene. Later that day, a group of MBA students headed out to Hot Lips Pizza on campus (sadly, now closed). Sam, the strategic thinker, collected contact information from everyone in the group, claiming it was for future study sessions. But, in truth, he had one goal in mind—getting Mollee’s phone number.
The very next weekend, they met up to work on accounting homework, and the study session quickly morphed into their first official date at Breakside Brewery. That was the start of something much bigger.
Two years later, Sam proposed at Edgefield in Troutdale, and in March of 2022, they got married at Timberline Lodge. In 2025, they’ll celebrate 7 years together and 3 years of marriage. Today, they live in Clackamas, Oregon, with their two dogs, Ana the border collie and Cooper the goldendoodle.
Mollee’s journey had taken her from Central Catholic High School to the University of Oregon for her undergraduate degree, before returning to Portland for grad school. She has spent the last decade working in HR, with the past seven years focused specifically on employee benefits and leave administration. Currently, she is the senior manager of benefits and compliance at Precoa, a sales and marketing company headquartered in Portland, where she has been for three years. Outside of work, Mollee was passionate about the outdoors and spent as much time as possible hiking, camping, and enjoying nature with Sam and their two dogs.
Sam, also a Portland native, attended Lincoln High School before heading to the University of Oregon for his undergrad, then following a similar path to Mollee by enrolling at PSU for grad school. Over the past decade, he has been managing projects, with the last four years spent in various management consulting roles. Last year, he launched his own consulting firm, Straventis Consulting, where he has had the opportunity to work with clients in international agriculture. Sam gets to collaborate and build relationships with cross-functional client stakeholders from around the globe and tackle unique challenges with creative and tailored solutions. He owes much of his success to the skills he acquired and honed through PSU’s MBA program. Like Mollee, Sam loves the outdoors, snowboarding, skiing, and backpacking, and cherishes the time he gets to spend with his family.
Both came to PSU looking to make the next step in their careers, but neither of them could have predicted they would also meet their future spouse. Needless to say, they are very thankful for the PSU MBA program.
Natalie & Fredrick
Natalie and Fredrick’s story began at Portland State, while they were both working toward their MBAs. Fredrick had returned to Oregon in 2012 after working in Chicago, following his degree from Oregon State University. Natalie, was back in Oregon too, after earning both her BA and MA in philosophy from Scripps College in Southern California.
Their connection started in the classroom, through group projects that required them to collaborate. Over time, their connection grew through late-night study sessions, and happy hours with their MBA cohort. The natural progression of their friendship led to dating, and in 2016, they celebrated their wedding in Portland surrounded by loved ones.
Today, their lives are filled with joy and balance. They’re parents to two energetic daughters—Eleanor (7), and Luisa (4) and have learned how to juggle family life while staying active and maintaining their tradition of happy hours. Their MBA cohort remains a big part of their lives, with an annual Fantasy Football league that keeps them connected. And, of course, they also love spending time with their extended family throughout Oregon.
What started as a classroom partnership has grown into a cherished family life they continue to build together.
Nick & Alejandro
Photo courtesy of Josh Cozart Photography.
After a few years working in engineering, Nick decided to shift gears and pursue an MBA at PSU, attending classes part-time in the evenings while continuing to work.
As part of the program, Nick had the opportunity to travel to South American to study business on an international scale. One evening in Santiago, Chile, he decided to explore the city on his own—a solo traveler at heart, always open to new experiences. That night, he met Alejandro, who then took Nick around the city, showing him hidden gems like restaurants and a lively street market. After their adventure, Nick left Chile, and life returned to its usual rhythm for both of them.
But even after Nick returned home, he and Alejandro stayed in touch. They began planning trips together and ended up visiting six different countries over the next two years. Eventually, Alejandro moved to the United State, and the two became partner, continuing their journey together ever since.
Kristin & Dan
Kristin and Dan's story didn't start at Portland State, but The School of Business has been a key part of their journey from the beginning. Their first meeting happened at a party hosted by Kristin and her roommates, where a mutual friend introduced them. A month later, they reconnected at a Lunar New Year party thrown by the same friend. This time, something clicked, and the rest is history.
At the time, Dan was an undergraduate at The School of Business (class of 2005), whole Kristin had already graduated with a BA in communications (class of 2002) and was working in advertising and PR.
Years later, after building careers, a home, and a family, Dan returned to PSU to purse his MBA (2016). His experience inspired Kirstin to follow suit, and she enrolled shortly after Dan graduated (2019). Dans love for learning eventually led him to teach, and he began instructing undergraduates after earning his MBA, Kristin's passion for marketing made it an easy decision when the chance to teach arose.
Now, both are back at PSU, this time as instructors in the MBA program, Kristin teaches MKTG 512 to the part-time MBA cohort, whole Dan serves as a capstone advisor and teaches a supply chain seminar. Although they didn't meet at The School of Business, it has played a significant role in their lives, shaping their careers and bringing them full circle to teach the next generation of students.