John Koss ’24 MBA
From law school to managing director to Kellogg MBA
For John Koss, practicing law has always been more than drafting motions and navigating the courtroom. As a lawyer specializing in representing pharmaceutical, diagnostic, and life sciences companies at Mintz, a prominent Boston-based law firm, he views the legal profession as a critical part of his clients’ business strategies.
“I truly enjoy practicing law,” John explained. “But over the years, I’ve found myself driven more and more to the management side of the business we run. I think there is an opportunity for lawyers that are interested in the management of business and being strategic about where to place investments.”
To grow as a strategist and a leader, John chose to pursue an Executive MBA (EMBA) at Kellogg. During his time in Miami as a part of Cohort 133, John focused on learning about the future of his clients’ industries to guide their development strategy and hone his leadership skills. His monthly classes took him to Chicago, Lisbon and San Francisco — all while he continued his work in Boston.
Breaking out of the legal silo
Boston’s booming healthcare and life sciences sectors make up a significant piece of John’s client base, which inspired his decision to focus a portion of his EMBA experience on healthcare. “You can't live in Boston and not be very aware of the huge driver of our economy and our country that is healthcare,” he said. “So, for me, in addition to the professional opportunity, it's the way of the country. It's 18% of the GDP. It's a huge focus of investment in all areas. It's here.”
Through Kellogg’s Healthcare Deep Dive program, which brings together students, faculty, and alumni to discuss the biggest opportunities of today, he’s gained a broader perspective on the business challenges and opportunities shaping the industry.
MBA, Kellogg School of Management, Executive MBA Program
JD, Boston University School of Law
MS in Journalism, Northwestern University
BA in Spanish, Northwestern University
“I know my clients’ businesses inside and out from a legal perspective. But I don't know... what's outside that vertical. I feel I owe it to my clients to know that, and I had the opportunity to really dig into that here and jumped at it.”
At Kellogg, John has been able to explore all areas of the healthcare industry so he can bring the best insights to his clients. “Approaching this as more of an outsider than some of the folks here who are physicians or payers, I'm just excited to really take it all in. We're seeing different regions, we're seeing different industries, different parts of the businesses, hearing from people that do M&A work, product design, and clinical trials.”
Leadership through connection
One of the most transformative aspects of John’s MBA experience has been the network he’s built at Kellogg. “Every time we do a joint activity, whether it's the Global Network Week, whether it's these electives that bring us all together, you're just meeting more really intriguing, really smart, really savvy people.”
John also relishes the opportunity to meet faculty and guest speakers, like the CEO of Humana, who spoke at this year’s Deep Dive. “We are meeting people that are changing the industry,” John said. “To me, it's that exposure and those connections, in addition to all of the students we get to meet from across the programs, that’s really going to be invaluable.”
Looking ahead, John aims to use his legal and business expertise to lead transformational change in the delivery of legal services to clients in healthcare and life sciences. “With developments in generative AI and technology, it's only going to continue to change,” he emphasized. “So for me to be a future leader, to be focused on these kinds of issues is the key opportunity. And I think in this program and at Kellogg, we're at the forefront of that and getting that visibility.”
In addition to leading in AI and technology, John found Kellogg’s emphasis on empathy and emotional intelligence particularly impactful. “Kellogg teaches business skills, of course, but I think Kellogg also puts such an emphasis on empathy and a shared experience and really focusing on the inequities that exist in society today. It's that emotional intelligence. And I think it's that humanity that helps us as Kellogg leaders.”
“The best thing about Kellogg for me is that, everyone here is a rock star, right? You can never know too many amazing people.”
Optimism to Impact
Hear more about John's experiences in our four-part healthcare series on everything from drug policies to how Kellogg prepared him to break down barriers and enact true change.
