Peruvian midwife and health care administrator hopes to open her own health care consulting business

International MBA candidate Brenda Rodriguez Lopez has demonstrated her passion for serving global communities long before enrolling in the IMBA program at USC.

Rodriguez Lopez earned her degree in midwifery in Peru about 10 years ago, working as a midwife in primary and secondary health care levels in hospitals and clinics.  Along with providing prenatal and postnatal care, she was responsible for managing health programs regarding family planning, menopausal care and prevention of gynecological cancer and STDs.

She received her master’s in health policy in Australia and returned to Peru to work as a health consultant for the Peruvian government and at a health care consulting firm, managing health programs in Peru, Ecuador and the Caribbean region. Rodriguez Lopez also worked for a few years as a university professor, teaching midwifery students in Peru. Her latest experience before enrolling in the IMBA program was as a health project manager for non-profits in development and humanitarian settings within Peru and Colombia.

After her extensive career in the health policy and management space, Rodriguez Lopez says she felt the need to expand her knowledge in other areas such as human resources, finance and operations. Her decision to enroll in the IMBA program at the Moore School came after thorough research.

“The IMBA at the Moore School caught my attention since it ranks first in the U.S.,” said Rodriguez Lopez. “When I checked the program structure, I especially liked the variety of electives you can take to shape your studies according to your interests and needs. Additionally, the Darla Moore School of Business and the University of South Carolina offer generous awards and financial support to the students. The opportunity to do an immersion abroad as part of the program also was really exciting to me.”

Concentrating in strategic management, global strategy and business analytics within the IMBA program, Rodriguez Lopez said she hopes to study abroad next year in France.

“I want to continue building my international exposure and expertise, and Europe is an area that I have not explored yet. Besides, I am keen to improve my French skills,” she says.

Rodriguez Lopez is embarking on her international journey with the support of her family and partner, and she said she has also felt support from the IMBA program’s “very knowledgeable and helpful” professors and administrative team.  

“The International MBA professors have national and international expertise, great teaching methodologies and are always challenging us as students in a very positive way,” Rodriguez Lopez said. “I also like that my classmates have different educational and professional backgrounds which makes the learning experience very enriching and enjoyable.”

Looking forward, Rodriguez Lopez hopes to infuse her passion for innovating, learning and serving others to work in a leadership position that provides her with a great work-life balance.

“Quality time with your loved ones and continuing to do your favorite activities and hobbies will help you to be more productive in your studies and career,” Rodriguez Lopez says. “There are many resources available at the Moore School for time management that you can implement while in the program.”

In the future, Rodriguez Lopez wants to further explore roles as a consultant or health project/program manager or director, either for private or public organizations initially, and then hopefully use her expertise to start her own health care consulting business.

When asked about the skills she is looking to learn through the Moore School IMBA program, Rodriguez Lopez says, “I would like to learn and further improve my skills in leadership, negotiation and networking. Regarding technical skills, I am especially interested in entrepreneurship, sustainability, strategy and operations management.”

As a non-U.S. citizen, Rodriguez Lopez credits the Moore School for fostering a diverse and enriching classroom experience where any student can flourish.

“So far, being in the IMBA program has been an amazing experience, and I feel very blessed to be here,” she said.

-Peyton Palazzo