Folks Center Pathways: Ellen Lenny-Pessagno

Lessons, Fails, and Wins from a Life in International Business and Diplomacy

Ellen Lenny-Pessagno is a former diplomat and Albemarle executive, and a current Sonoco Visiting Fellow in the international business department at the Moore School.

She’ll walk us through her journey and share some enlightening stories of a prestigious career in government and the private sector. She’ll also talk about how she’s used “Strategic Stillness,” a form of breathwork and meditation, as a daily tool to sharpen her competitive edge.

Note: You are invited to join us for a 30-minute meditation session with Ellen after the program!

Thursday, Sept. 25
4-6 p.m.
Moore School, 511 Rooftop Pavillion
Free for students who register to attend
Snacks and refreshments included

This program is made possible in part from the generous support of the Sonoco Endowment Funds and The Rachel and Jim Hodges Fund.

Folks Center Pathways: Charles Dallara

Feb. 6, 2025

Dr. Charles Dallara discussed "Euroshock: How the Largest Debt Restructuring in History Helped Save Greece and Preserve the Eurozone"

Dr. Charles Dallara is Chairman of the Board, Partners Group (USA), and Sonoco Visiting Fellow with the International Business Department at the Moore School

Folks Center Pathways: Phillip Chritton    

Nov. 13, 2024

Phillip Chritton discussed "Are international careers made, or do they just happen?"

Phillip Chritton is Deputy General Counsel International (retired), UPS, and Sonoco Visiting Fellow Executive in Residence.

Folks Center Pathways: Preston Keat

Oct. 9, 2024

Preston Keat spoke about "Investing in Uncertain Times: The Science and Art of Political Risk Analysis"

Preston Keat is managing director and head of political and country risk for UBS (based in London), and is a Sonoco Visiting Fellow.

Folks Center Pathways: Jim Van Arsdale

Sept. 18, 2024

Jim Van Arsdale spoke about "International Wealth Management: It Really Is What It's Cracked Up to Be!"

Jim Van Arsdale is the former head of Banking Solutions for UBS AG in New York, and is a Moore School Sonoco Visiting Fellow in International Business

Folks Center Pathways: Phillip Chritton

Oct. 11, 2023

Phillip Chritton spoke about "Go international: It might just become your career"

Phillip Chritton is the Deputy General Counsel - International (retired) for UPS and a Sonoco Visiting Fellow Executive in Residence

Folks Center Pathways: Young Jin Bae

Sept. 27, 2023

Young Jin Bae spoke about "Powering up your career: My journey in leading corporates and startups in the global energy industry"

Young Jin Bae is CEO & President of SE GREEN ENERGY (based in South Korea) and a Sonoco Visiting Fellow Executive in Residence

Folks Center Pathways: Mohammed Omran

April 13, 2023

Mohammed Omran  spoke about "Regulating Financial Markets in the Turbulent Middle East"

Mohammed Omran is a Sonoco Visiting Fellow, Professor of Finance (Cairo, Egypt), Former Board Chair of the Egyptian Stock Exchange

Read the full story.

Folks Center Pathways: Preston Keat

 Jan. 25, 2023

Preston Keat spoke about "Pioneering Political Risk Analysis in the World of Global Finance"

Preston Keat is managing director and head of political and country risk for UBS (based in London), and is a Sonoco Visiting Fellow.

MIB course creates a plan for affordable housing

Nov. 18, 2022

A group of students in an international consulting and design thinking course tackled an important social issue — affordable housing.

Read the full story.

Folks Center Pathways: Nicole Wong

Oct. 20, 2022

Nicole Wong discussed "Trade Wars or Trade Peace? Reflections from Battles with the Great Powers "

Nicole Wong is Sonoco Visiting Fellow; Former Lead Trade Negotiator for the Government of Panama; Executive Director, WG Consulting

Watch the video.

Folks Center Pathways: Jose Salibi Neto

Oct. 10, 2022

Jose Salibi Neto discussed "Transforming the Impossible: My Journey as a Global Entrepreneur and Management Guru"

Jose Salibi Neto is Founder, HSM Media, World Management Forum and Moore School Alumnus (’82 B.S. Marketing and Finance, ’86 MIBS)

Watch the video.

Folks Center Pathways: Whit Richardson

Sept. 16, 2022

Whit Richardson discussed "Leading a Global Media Corporation: Embrace Your Natural Swing"

Whit Richardson is Executive vice president of Warner Bros. Discovery, former president of WarnerMedia in Latin America and MIBS Alumnus (’94)

Watch the video.

MIB students consult with global manufacturer

April 8, 2022

International business professor Wolfgang Messner and Tom Duncan, Folks Center global advisory board member, discuss the corporate consulting project conducted by Master of International Business students for Positec.

Watch the video.

Innovative insights on leadership challenges 

Feb. 22, 2022

Visiting professors and authors Roberto Vassolo and Natalia Weisz recently taught a course at the Moore School.

Read the full story.

UPS Design Thinking project spurs business innovation

Feb. 10, 2022

A recent student project with UPS involved Design Thinking, a structured approach to creativity and problem-solving.

Read the full story.

Continued support for UPS Global Scholars Program

Nov. 29, 2021

The UPS Foundation continues to fund undergraduate student scholarships and graduate student fellowships.

Read the full story.

Marc van Essen named new international business chair 

Nov. 16, 2021

Marc van Essen discusses the strengths of the Sonoco International Business Department .

Read the full story.

MIB alumnus holds position at multinational company

Nov. 16, 2021

Alumnus finding success after Moore School MIB Double-Degree program.

Read the full story.

Skill sets for the next generation of business leaders

Nov. 16, 2021

What skills should International Business graduates have for the next phase of globalization?

Read the full story.

Remaking America’s Geopolitical and Business Leadership

Nov. 16, 2021

Recent Folks Center forum featured two former  U.S. ambassadors from South Carolina.

Read the full story.

UPS International vice president of HR speaks about transforming business

Nov. 12, 2021

Keynote Speaker Jochen Mueller, vice president, human resources, UPS International, at the 2021 McNair Entrepreneurship Showcase. 

Watch the video.

Sustaining prominence in international business

Sept. 16, 2021

Randy Folks and Kendall Roth share their insights about how the Sonoco International Business Department came to fruition.

Read the full story.

Finding solutions for international strategy in an era of uncertainty

Sept. 9, 2021

This is a time of disruption — be it from global pandemics, trade and supply chain uncertainty or the rise of the digital economy.

Read the full story.

Investing in international business

Sept. 9, 2021

For the past four years, UPS and The UPS Foundation have invested in the Folks Center for International Business.

Read the full story.

Expanding global business

Sept. 9, 2021

Alumnus knows that the hallmark of the No. 1 international business program is the ability to travel the world. 

Read the full story

The difficulties of making sustainability affordable

Sept. 9, 2021

Virtually all the top multinational firms and especially multinational retailers declare support for sustainability policies around the world. But few can actually deliver on this.

Read the full story.

UPS president imparts vast knowledge of international business  

April 12, 2021

Romaine Seguin has had a storied career with the multinational shipping conglomerate and wants to share what she’s learned over her almost 40-year career.

Read the full story.

Students receive prestigious language scholarship

March 15, 2021

Two students at the Darla Moore School of Business have received the U.S. State Department’s prestigious Critical Language Scholarships for summer 2021. 

Learn more about Labrie and Fritts.

First-generation student is UPS Global Scholar

Oct. 14, 2020

First-generation college student is one of the students to be awarded funding from the UPS Global Scholars program at the Moore School. 

Read the full story.

A New Plan for Supply Chain Innovation

Oct. 7, 2020

Professor of international business at the Darla Moore School of Business, was featured in “A Panel Discussion in Supply Chain Updates: A Solutions Approach series.” 

Learn more about the event.

The Impact of International Trade and Investment on South Carolina

June 17, 2020

Gerald McDermott led a discussion on the impact of international trade and investment on South Carolina as part of the COVID-19 Managerial Insights radio series. 

Watch the live Zoom Q&A.
View the full series.

Rebuilding institutional capacity

May 12, 2020

International business professor Gerald McDermott and his colleague from the Emory University political science department have suggestions for how the United States can begin to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Read the full story.

A Conversation with Christina Ahmadjian

Feb. 20, 2020

Christina Ahmadjian, an expert on corporate governance and professor of management at Hitotsubashi University in Tokyo, shares her business insights as a board member in Japan. 

Watch the video.