March 2016 MBA Mama of the Month
We are kicking off Women’s History Month by featuring an inspirational MBA Mama of the Month (MoTM) from Harvard Business School’s class of 1994.
Denita Willoughby — our March MBA MoTM — is a proven leader in business and in her local community. As Vice President of Supply Management & Logistics, Denita oversees SoCalGas and SDGE procurement activities where she manages supplier relationships with over $2.4 billion in expenditures and $41 million in inventory.
In 2012, she began her career with SoCalGas as Regional Vice President of External Affairs, where she was responsible for the development and implementation of communication activities which include public affairs, community relations, and media & employee communications. She serves on the company’s Political Action Committee and Executive Diversity Council.
Prior to joining SoCalGas, Willoughby was with AT&T for more than fifteen years, where she served as Vice President of External Affairs and led the company’s local government and community affairs activities in the Greater Los Angeles area. She also served as Vice President of TV Programming for the company’s U-Verse television venture and as Regional Sales Vice President for SBC Communications. Willoughby has also held positions at SBC, Pacific Bell, Morgan Stanley and IBM. She is an experienced executive with extensive profit & loss, leadership and sales experience.
Willoughby has been named by California Diversity Magazine as one of “The Most Powerful and Influential Women in California.” She serves on the boards of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, UNITE LA, Vision to Learn, and the Greater Los Angeles African American Chamber of Commerce. She is an advocate for education and enjoys mentoring young professionals.
Willoughby has a master’s degree in business administration from Harvard University and a bachelor’s degree in engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
She resides in Los Angeles, and is married with two sons. She enthusiastically practices Bikram Yoga and enjoys reading and skiing in her spare time.
Stay tuned for our exclusive interview with Denita where she answers questions about her navigation of family and career planning post-MBA and how HBS shaped her leadership style and career trajectory.
