When Anjali Vahalia, '23 MBS, enrolled in 蘑菇视频 Institute (KGI)'s Master of Business and Science in Biotechnology (MBS) program, she wasn鈥檛 entirely sure what her future held.
Today, she works as a senior consultant at Simon-Kucher Partners, one of the world鈥檚 leading pricing and market access firms for the life sciences industry. Her path was shaped by intellectual curiosity, real-world experience, and a desire to make a tangible impact in healthcare.
"I didn鈥檛 know what success would feel like when I joined KGI," Vahalia said. "But now I look up and think, I kind of made it. I鈥檓 happy with where I am, I鈥檓 proud of myself, I鈥檓 helping people 鈥� and I鈥檓 incredibly grateful to KGI for everything that got me here."
Consulting for Impact
At Simon-Kucher, Vahalia advises pharmaceutical and biotech companies on pricing and market access strategy. That means working at the intersection of patient affordability, payer dynamics, and manufacturer value, often translating complex data into strategies that ensure patients can access the treatments they need.
"Pricing is essentially a conversation between the pharmaceutical company, patients, providers, and payers," Vahalia said. "Our job is to facilitate that conversation and make sure medications are accessible, through everything from provider education to patient assistance programs."
Before joining Simon-Kucher, Vahalia served as a consultant at SciVida, where she focused on commercial strategy. In her time at SciVida, she assisted leading pharmaceutical companies with launch planning and marketing strategy and developed a strong interest in cardiometabolic health. While she enjoyed being part of a small, developing firm, she moved to a larger firm to collaborate with global teams and learn from a broader network of mentors.
"At Simon-Kucher, we鈥檙e not siloed into U.S. or European teams," she said. "It鈥檚 one integrated network, which means greater exposure to different perspectives and ways of thinking."
An Education Designed for Industry
Vahalia credits her time at KGI with giving her the skills and confidence to pursue consulting. She was drawn to the MBS program's unique MS/MBA-style curriculum and strong ties to industry. A family friend and Team Master鈥檚 Project (TMP) sponsor encouraged her to apply, describing KGI students as "some of the best prepared for industry" out of any graduate students he'd worked with.
"The alumni network was a big factor for me," she said. "Everyone I reached out to responded and genuinely wanted to help. One alum I spoke with, Heather Petty, 鈥�16 MBS, has been my mentor since I was admitted to KGI."
During her time at KGI, Vahalia completed a TMP with Merck that focused on expanding access to medicines in underserved regions while supporting the company鈥檚 Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) goals. The project gave her real-world insight into market access and global health equity.
"We got to speak with their ESG and market access leaders," she said. "It gave me exposure to parts of the industry I never would have seen otherwise."
The team explored ways to improve sustainability and health equity in global supply chains. The experience honed Vahalia鈥檚 ability to synthesize data, extract insights, and present strategic recommendations 鈥� skills she now uses daily.
Standout Courses and Practical Training
Two courses stood out as especially influential: the Intro to Bioscience Industries class taught by Steven Casper, Henry E. Riggs Professor of Management and MBS program director, and the healthcare economics series taught by Professor Moonkyung Choi.
"Any course taught by Dr. Choi was incredibly valuable," Vahalia said. "People at my firm 鈥� even those from other MBA programs 鈥� come to me with questions about healthcare economics because they know I studied it at KGI."
Choi remembers her as an exceptional student.
"Anjali was one of the most thoughtful and capable students in the class, demonstrating a strong ability to grasp complex healthcare economics topics quickly," Choi said. "She consistently contributed insightful questions that enriched our class discussions. I have no doubt she has a bright and successful career ahead of her."
Vahalia also earned a bioscience law certificate through KGI鈥檚 partnership with Southwestern Law School, taking upper-level JD courses in areas such as international trade and mergers and acquisitions. The experience expanded her understanding of the legal frameworks that shape the life sciences industry.
She further strengthened her business acumen through an Operations & Strategy Leadership internship at Amgen, where she analyzed profitability strategies for on-market products. The experience confirmed her desire to work on complex industry issues and motivated her desire to learn more about the broader biopharmaceutical industry.
"I loved being pushed to think outside the box," she said. "But I realized I didn鈥檛 want to do that for just one product or one company. I wanted to learn about the entire industry."
A Career That Keeps Evolving
Vahalia sees consulting as the ideal environment for continuous learning and growth.
"I feel like I鈥檓 getting a continuous education," she said. "It challenges me, and it鈥檚 even changed how I think outside of work 鈥� how I ask questions, how I hold myself accountable."
As she looks ahead, she remains open to what the future might hold. But one thing is certain: the foundation she built at KGI will carry her forward.
"KGI gave me the confidence, knowledge, and support to find my stride," she said. "And I鈥檓 excited to keep building from here."