GSM Student Association Online MBA (GSMSA OMBA)
The Graduate School of Management's Student Association Online MBA (GSMSA OMBA) represents the Online MBA student voice and enriches their collective journey.
Meet the Team
Myrna Robles Couch
President, Online MBA Student Association for 2024-2025
Cohort Representative, Spring 2023
Online MBA Student Ambassador
Myrna’s family history is tied to California’s agricultural legacy. Her grandfather left Mexico generations ago to join the bracero program, tending fields across California. Although born in Mexico, Myrna was inspired by his stories of the golden hills and abundant harvests. When her family relocated to California, she initially avoided farming.
Myrna earned her B.A. from San Francisco State University, becoming a first-generation college graduate and the first in her family to pursue an advanced degree. She has worked in various industries, but her passion for farming blossomed after becoming a mom. She wanted to teach her kids about growing their strawberry patch and table grapes. This led her to study viticulture and enology at UC Davis, and in 2018, she co-founded an organic vineyard.
In May 2024, Myrna founded The STEM Studio, a nonprofit promoting Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math educational equity in rural Silicon Valley. Her professional passions include organic and sustainable farming, chemistry, engineering, and ethical business practices. She is an entrepreneur at heart after her MBA she hopes to join a venture capital firm.
Myrna’s commitment to community service is evident in her involvement in her children’s school activities, her role with the Speaker’s Bureau for Second Harvest Food Bank in Silicon Valley, and as a Community Emergency Responder Team member.
In her free time, she enjoys traveling with her husband and two young sons, exploring new cultures, spending time at the beach, and caring for her rescue animals.
As the President of the UC Davis Online MBA SA, Myrna aims to enhance the student network and foster lasting friendships while ensuring everyone keeps shining their light bright!
Varun Gopinath Alath Puttanveetal
Vice-President
Varun holds an undergraduate degree in information technology and has successfully leveraged his technical expertise to excel as a product owner in the e-commerce sector. Known for his passion, performance-driven mindset, and future-focused approach, he consistently demonstrates a proactive, go-getter attitude in his professional endeavors.
Beyond his career, Varun has a strong interest in hydroponic technology and gardening, where he applies his technical skills to innovative plant cultivation methods. This hobby underscores his commitment to sustainability and his innovative spirit.
Varun enjoys spending time indoors, engaging in activities like gaming and listening to music. He is also the fun uncle to an adorable Husky and a Siamese cat, adding joy and warmth to his personal life.
Daniel Martinez
Director of Communications
Cohort Representative, Winter 2024
Daniel grew up in Southern California and earned a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering at Cal State Fullerton. Upon graduation, he entered the aerospace manufacturing industry and currently leads a team as an Operations Manager.
Daniel enjoys spending time with his fiancé, visiting with family, playing dungeons and dragons, solving crossword puzzles, reading, telling bad jokes, and snuggling with his cat, Matilda.
He aims to make meaningful connections with other students and strengthen the UC Davis network.
Amanda Icasiano
Director of Finance
Amanda considers herself a well-rounded Californian. She grew up in the Bay Area, spends half her time in Los Angeles with family, and previously lived in San Diego while completing her undergraduate degree.
Amanda earned a B.A. in economics with a minor in dance from UC San Diego. During her undergraduate years, she focused on quantitative analysis, public policy, and accounting. After college, she lobbied in Washington, D.C., and worked as an HR coordinator for the International Monetary Fund.
Dance is not just a hobby for Amanda; it's a passion. She is professionally trained in jazz, contemporary, hip-hop, modern, and ballet. Her dedication to dance, through her performances and choreography, is truly inspiring. She was also part of a professional hip-hop company that competed and performed throughout San Diego and Los Angeles.
Nowadays, Amanda still “choreographs” and plans future events through finance as a senior FP&A for a tech company in Silicon Valley. In her free time, she enjoys driving along the coast with her fiancé and finding hiking trails around Northern California. She still dances, practices yoga, and relaxes by discovering new foodie spots.
Amanda's future is bright. She is currently concentrating on corporate finance, investment management, and business analytics in her MBA program. Her goal is to become a leader in her field and continue to specialize in finance, a pursuit that is sure to make a positive impact on the business community.
During her tenure on the board, she hopes to mentor others and enhance her networking abilities within the OMBA community. If you have questions or want to connect, feel free to email her.
Amy Batten
Director of Recruitment
In her current role, Amy manages healthcare operations at Kaiser Permanente, focusing on improving patient care experiences and operational efficiency. Over the past 24 years, she has held various positions within the organization, managing large teams and implementing programs that improve lives and outcomes. Amy began her career as an Army medic, where four years of military service taught her the value of commitment, collaboration, and innovation.
Amy holds a Bachelor of Arts in economics from San Francisco State University, which has provided her with a strategic approach to tackling challenges in the healthcare industry. Her passion lies in fostering growth, excellence, and innovation, striving to create inclusive environments where everyone feels valued.
As a student, Amy is striving to expand her knowledge and share experiences. She currently serves as the student association director of recruitment for 2024-25 at the UC Davis Graduate School of Management Online MBA program. In this role, she is dedicated to ensuring that the student body is represented and heard.
Outside of work, Amy enjoys spending time with her wife and daughter. They love visiting Disneyland, catching baseball games, taking family vacations and beachcombing.
Uma Srinath
Director of Career Development
Uma Srinath, who holds both undergraduate and master’s degrees in computer engineering, has dedicated over 14 years to IT, specializing in embedded systems, Bluetooth, and automotive domains. Her passion for driving innovation and leading cross-functional teams has been honed through extensive experience in project and program management.
Currently a senior product manager at Google, Uma is eager to contribute to the UC Davis MBA community and is excited to continue growing in the leadership space. Outside of work, she enjoys hiking, traveling, playing badminton, running, and exploring new cities.
Sul Dalit
Director of Marketing
Sul was born in the Philippines and has lived in San Jose, California, since he was 3 years old. One of his favorite childhood memories is visiting the flea market on weekends to walk around and explore.
He enjoys learning, sharing ideas, and exploring different spaces of the universe. In his spare time, he likes to work out, spend quality time with loved ones, and think freely.
Sul holds a B.S. in information technology management and has over five years of experience working in product operations, supporting projects for top tech companies.
He hopes that completing his MBA will open opportunities to become a program manager, consultant, or analyst. If you’re looking for a solid team member, feel free to reach out!
Bretteill Davidoff
Director of Events
Born in Vienna, Austria, and raised in Connecticut, Bretteill spent most of her life living on the East Coast. In 2018, she moved to California with her parents and two sisters to be closer to family. She began attending Stanislaus State University the following year and earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in marketing in 2023. During her final year of school, Bretteill joined PepsiCo as a contractor, working as a transportation coordinator and backup delivery processor.
In her spare time, Bretteill enjoys spending time with family and friends, trying new recipes, hosting gatherings and visiting new places.
Now pursuing her MBA, Bretteill looks forward to opportunities for professional and personal growth.
Michael Vargas
Director of Alumni Relations
Michael Vargas joined the Online MBA program in September 2023 and is the director of hardware engineering at Pocket Radar. He is responsible for turning ideas into products, managing everything from design to mass production. His role ensures products meet consumer needs while aligning with company goals.
A Sacramento native, Michael moved to the North Bay in 2011 for his undergrad and lived there for 12 years before relocating to Vacaville. When he's not working, he enjoys the outdoors, whether traveling, snowboarding, hunting, or fishing.
Aditya Kumar
Director of Ambassador Relations
After joining the Online MBA program in June 2023, Aditya Kumar realized that networking is a limitation of the online world. People are unable to connect and meet others as easily online as they would in person. As a chatty person, he decided that joining the OMBA Board would allow him to help build bridges not only among the students of the same cohort, but across the different classes as well.
In addition to being a student, he works as a QA specialist for Meta and a realtor. You might also find him shopping or vacationing when he has time!
Will Runkle
Director of Coffee Chats
Will Runkle joined the program to meet people and grow his business acumen after majoring in History and English at the University of Wisconsin Madison. Upon graduating he spent two years teaching English in South Korea at Gongdo Middle School. He settled in Los Angeles, where he is a financial advisor with Edward Jones.
He enjoys meeting new people and going on adventures with his family. He and his wife have a nine year old and seven year old. Two California favorites are the central coast and Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park.
His GSM highlight is the connections to fellow students and alumni, whether through break out rooms, group work, residentials, or coffee chats! The coffee chat program enables connections throughout the program and is a crucial component to making the most out of an online degree. Coffee chats reinforce connections made in class and residentials and allow you to connect with amazing people.
