veryone thinks their background is unique, but mine is quite wild,” said Mandy Lozano (Darden ’09). “I don't know many other people who have had the path that I’ve had.”

When Lozano was 7, her parents—retired high school art teachers—moved the family to a ranch off the grid in Oregon. She was the only member of her 16-person high school class to attend a four-year university. “It was a very rural upbringing, but my parents were extremely well-educated and well-traveled, and they emphasized that for my sister and me,” said Lozano. “There was no question we would go to college and see the world.”

Lozano graduated from the University of Puget Sound with a bachelor’s degree in studio art. She worked on the business side of two handcrafted jewelry companies in California and Portland, Oregon.

Lozano’s Portland neighbors were professional bicyclists—she began riding with them and discovered she had the talent and drive for the sport. A move to North Carolina brought her to Burt’s Bees, where s­he managed the brand’s healthy skin portfolio. She raced as an amateur cyclist for three years, then as a full-time professional for two years, deferring her acceptance at the Darden School of Business for that final year of competition.

UVA’s rich history and Darden’s emphasis on business ethics were two reasons Lozano came to Charlottesville for her MBA. She was assigned to a learning team with students from the U.S., China, and India. “I was so fortunate to have a wonderful section, Section C. It was a really interesting mix of people and skills,” said Lozano. “We helped one another a lot. It was kind of magical—the only limit was yourself.” 

“At Darden, there’s always a professor who will meet with you or a fellow student who will take you through something you don’t understand,” she said. “It’s really just about your willingness to strive for that.”

After earning her MBA, Lozano continued to work in values-driven brand management. “I’ve been fortunate to work for some of the best companies in the world,” she said. At the Frito-Lay division of PepsiCo, she managed brands such as Lay’s, Pepsi, a Hispanic snacks portfolio, and Stacy’s Pita Chips. Lozano was responsible for multi-million-dollar budgets and pursued GMO-free and organic certifications for the Stacy’s brand.

She moved from PepsiCo to Starbucks. “Starbucks was an amazing place where you could act with empathy,” Lozano said.  “My bosses at Starbucks were phenomenal at modeling how to lead with heart and rigor.”

Leadership roles at Nestlé and MiiR, a socially- and environmentally-focused drinkware company, followed. Lozano credits her unique background and Darden education for preparing her to be successful across brands. “I have a great foundation through the Darden case method and my education as an art major. This all came together as an ability—regardless of the category of product—to understand the business challenge and to eliminate extraneous information while determining what was relevant,” she said. “Then, being able to frame situations and challenges—to clarify the problem to solve, and then go solve it.”
 

Lozano’s enthusiasm for inclusion and belonging also began at Darden, where she was the co-chair of Gays, Lesbians and Allies at Darden, now called Pride at Darden. She became head of the several-thousand-member Hispanic employee network Adelanté at PepsiCo and worked to integrate Hispanic insights into product and flavor development. She was also the executive sponsor of DEI initiatives on the leadership team at Nestlé. “I truly believe that different perspectives help make businesses better,” she said. “This was seeded in me at Darden and has become a theme for me.”

Lozano has created the Mandy Lozano Scholarship to support Darden’s goal of promoting a diverse student body. A broad spectrum of factors—such as socioeconomic status, educational background, and life experiences—will be considered when choosing recipients. A gift from her estate will sustain the scholarship.

Lozano hopes recipients of her scholarship remain confident in the contributions they will make at Darden. “Own who you are, and realize you have so much to teach others,” she advises. “Be open to learning from them, but also don’t forget that you are unique, and you have something to offer the world through your perspective.”