Alumni story

Fiona Stevens

Executive MBA in Cultural Innovation

Germany

"My degree with Woolf has helped me professionally to gain business expertise in the arts and to open the door to acquiring further expertise in strategic planning in the arts."

My Journey with Woolf: My Shift from Classical Performance to Executive Leadership

I’m Fiona Stevens, a French and British citizen currently living in Germany. During the early stages of my career, I was predominantly rooted in a performance-based background having studied musicology and violin performance.

After earning my PhD in 2018, I spent years continuing to be immersed in the world of performance. But by 2021, I felt the need for a pivot, I was ready to take on a role of leadership and began my journey as an Executive Director of the chamber orchestra Concerto Köln. I held this role for three years until autumn 2024, when I realised that the world had changed drastically through the pandemic, the economic imbalance, and political uncertainties.

I realized I needed stronger tools to navigate the complexities of arts leadership. That's when I found the Executive MBA in Cultural Innovation. Woolf offered exactly what I needed: a world-class program flexible enough to balance alongside a demanding full-time role.

While the online format allowed me to learn at my own pace, what made the experience truly exceptional were the people. My cohort was made up of inspiring individuals from all over the world, and together, we built deep and lasting connections despite being thousands of miles apart.

Not only that, it’s thanks to a fellow cohort member that I am currently in a position I wouldn’t even have earlier thought of applying to. Studying at Woolf gave me far more than a degree. It gave me the confidence and expertise to face new challenges head-on. The knowledge I gained in strategic planning, economics, and leadership opened doors I hadn’t imagined.

Today, I’m proud to be a DeVos Fellow at the DeVos Institute of Arts and Nonprofit Management in the United States, an opportunity I might never have pursued without the skills and network I built during my MBA.

For anyone thinking about joining a program at Woolf, I would offer two pieces of advice: be prepared for the realities of working across time zones and make sure you are comfortable connecting virtually. It’s demanding, but it’s also transformative.

Today, I am excited to be launching my own consultancy business while continuing to build my career in the arts and nonprofit sector. Thanks to Woolf, I don’t just see possibilities, I feel equipped to pursue them.

"As a working parent, I needed something flexible and manageable. Woolf’s structure fit me perfectly. I was nervous at first, balancing work, parenting, and midnight classes, but the support, resources, and sense of community kept me going."

“Through Woolf and Kibo, I gained a globally recognized Computer Science degree with a focus on Full Stack Development. The flexible, supportive program helped me grow, overcome challenges, and build the confidence to pursue ambitious projects in tech.”

“Woolf and Scaler’s hands-on Master’s program gave me the practical skills and confidence I was missing after my undergraduate degree. Real projects, professional tools, and mentorship transformed how I think, build, and solve problems — leading me to a career as a Software Engineer.”

"Woolf provided me flexibility, a strong community, and high quality education. It really broadened my perspective and significantly improved my communication skills. I graduated not just more knowledgeable, but also more confident and well-rounded."

“Woolf’s flexible, accredited program gave me structure, community, and the confidence to grow. From landing my dream internship to winning a hackathon, Woolf opened doors and shaped both my career and mindset.”

“Woolf’s flexible, world-class program let me study data science without pausing my career. Through hands-on projects like building a credit scoring model, I gained confidence, clarity, and momentum to grow professionally.”

"The program at Woolf gave me the language to articulate what I had been intuitively practicing for years. It sharpened my strategic thinking and reinforced my belief that art can be a tool for social transformation."

"My degree with Woolf has helped me professionally to gain business expertise in the arts and to open the door to acquiring further expertise in strategic planning in the arts."

“Woolf’s MBA in Data Analytics transformed how I think and lead. The flexible, credible program helped me balance work and study, sharpen my strategic insight, and restore my confidence to pursue senior leadership opportunities.”

"GCAS college at Woolf has offered me a venue to explore my ideas with like-minded individuals, whose aspirations to expand their (and others) horizons, finding new ideas and thoughts to assist our fellow human beings to be more efficient, kinder, and smarter."

“Woolf’s MBA blended theory with hands-on practice. From real-world case studies to live mentor sessions, it reshaped how I approach finance, strategy, and leadership—helping me grow in my career and think bigger about the future.”

"The best part of the Woolf learning experience is seeing theory land in the real world. Working not only in theory but applying real knowledge to real problems in real life. OneDay college at Woolf provides practical coaching and formal credibility."

“Woolf’s Executive MBA in Arts Innovation gave me the language and frameworks to elevate early childhood music education from classrooms to the global stage. I now lead with greater confidence, advocating for the arts as a force for equity, wellbeing, and public health.”

“Woolf’s MBA through the Global Leaders Institute gave me the structure and tools I needed as a first-time entrepreneur — helping me transform passion into sustainable systems and build a future for classical music in Kenya.”

"At Woolf, each module shaped how I approached my work. Add to that the diversity of perspectives from fellow students and supportive tutors, and you’ve got an experience that was both intellectually stimulating and personally transformative."

"Woolf’s MSc in Computer Science: AI and Machine Learning gave me the flexibility to balance work while learning from industry experts. The project-based approach and peer collaboration deepened my skills and confidence. Completing the program accelerated my career, strengthened my leadership, and gave me a global network I continue to learn from."

"My Woolf degree significantly enhanced my career trajectory by providing me with specialised knowledge in the emerging field of data science and machine learning, and expanded my professional network. Every class was a memorable moment for me."

"Woolf’s program gave me practical skills in analytics, programming, and data management while balancing work and studies. It directly led to my promotion and prepared me for a future in data science, turning my ambitions into reality."

"Woolf’s program gave me flexible, high-quality learning that I could apply directly to my work. It strengthened my coding, system design, and strategic thinking, helping me grow in technical leadership and lifelong learning."

"Woolf’s program gave me flexible, rigorous, and practical training that strengthened my system design and engineering skills. It transformed me into a more confident, strategic developer, prepared for scalable, real-world software challenges."

"Woolf’s program gave me practical data science skills that I could apply directly in a clinical setting. Its flexibility allowed me to balance studies with maternity leave while learning predictive modeling and machine learning to improve patient outcomes and lab operations."

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Fiona Stevens

"My degree with Woolf has helped me professionally to gain business expertise in the arts and to open the door to acquiring further expertise in strategic planning in the arts."

My Journey with Woolf: My Shift from Classical Performance to Executive Leadership

"As a working parent, I needed something flexible and manageable. Woolf’s structure fit me perfectly. I was nervous at first, balancing work, parenting, and midnight classes, but the support, resources, and sense of community kept me going."

“Through Woolf and Kibo, I gained a globally recognized Computer Science degree with a focus on Full Stack Development. The flexible, supportive program helped me grow, overcome challenges, and build the confidence to pursue ambitious projects in tech.”

“Woolf and Scaler’s hands-on Master’s program gave me the practical skills and confidence I was missing after my undergraduate degree. Real projects, professional tools, and mentorship transformed how I think, build, and solve problems — leading me to a career as a Software Engineer.”

"Woolf provided me flexibility, a strong community, and high quality education. It really broadened my perspective and significantly improved my communication skills. I graduated not just more knowledgeable, but also more confident and well-rounded."

“Woolf’s flexible, accredited program gave me structure, community, and the confidence to grow. From landing my dream internship to winning a hackathon, Woolf opened doors and shaped both my career and mindset.”

“Woolf’s flexible, world-class program let me study data science without pausing my career. Through hands-on projects like building a credit scoring model, I gained confidence, clarity, and momentum to grow professionally.”

"The program at Woolf gave me the language to articulate what I had been intuitively practicing for years. It sharpened my strategic thinking and reinforced my belief that art can be a tool for social transformation."

"My degree with Woolf has helped me professionally to gain business expertise in the arts and to open the door to acquiring further expertise in strategic planning in the arts."

“Woolf’s MBA in Data Analytics transformed how I think and lead. The flexible, credible program helped me balance work and study, sharpen my strategic insight, and restore my confidence to pursue senior leadership opportunities.”

"GCAS college at Woolf has offered me a venue to explore my ideas with like-minded individuals, whose aspirations to expand their (and others) horizons, finding new ideas and thoughts to assist our fellow human beings to be more efficient, kinder, and smarter."

“Woolf’s MBA blended theory with hands-on practice. From real-world case studies to live mentor sessions, it reshaped how I approach finance, strategy, and leadership—helping me grow in my career and think bigger about the future.”

"The best part of the Woolf learning experience is seeing theory land in the real world. Working not only in theory but applying real knowledge to real problems in real life. OneDay college at Woolf provides practical coaching and formal credibility."

“Woolf’s Executive MBA in Arts Innovation gave me the language and frameworks to elevate early childhood music education from classrooms to the global stage. I now lead with greater confidence, advocating for the arts as a force for equity, wellbeing, and public health.”

“Woolf’s MBA through the Global Leaders Institute gave me the structure and tools I needed as a first-time entrepreneur — helping me transform passion into sustainable systems and build a future for classical music in Kenya.”

"At Woolf, each module shaped how I approached my work. Add to that the diversity of perspectives from fellow students and supportive tutors, and you’ve got an experience that was both intellectually stimulating and personally transformative."

"My Woolf degree significantly enhanced my career trajectory by providing me with specialised knowledge in the emerging field of data science and machine learning, and expanded my professional network. Every class was a memorable moment for me."

"Woolf’s program gave me practical skills in analytics, programming, and data management while balancing work and studies. It directly led to my promotion and prepared me for a future in data science, turning my ambitions into reality."

"Woolf’s program gave me flexible, high-quality learning that I could apply directly to my work. It strengthened my coding, system design, and strategic thinking, helping me grow in technical leadership and lifelong learning."

"Woolf’s program gave me flexible, rigorous, and practical training that strengthened my system design and engineering skills. It transformed me into a more confident, strategic developer, prepared for scalable, real-world software challenges."

"Woolf’s program gave me practical data science skills that I could apply directly in a clinical setting. Its flexibility allowed me to balance studies with maternity leave while learning predictive modeling and machine learning to improve patient outcomes and lab operations."

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