Today, I’m joined by Carol Hamilton from the Stanford MBA Class of 1995 and Lauren Maymar from the Class of 2025.
Carol is a tech industry veteran and education advocate. After shaping the early days of e-commerce as VP of Online Sales at Oracle, she pivoted to community leadership—raising three children, supporting education through strategic fundraising, and now serving on the Student Affairs National Council at Washington University in St. Louis. With deep experience in high-growth environments and a passion for mental wellness and inclusion, Carol reflects on how leadership styles evolve with time and context.
Lauren is a second-year MBA student at Stanford GSB and former product leader at Oura Ring, where she helped scale the health tech company through COVID and beyond. With hands-on experience in wearable tech, AI, and consumer healthcare, she’s now exploring how innovation can transform the U.S. healthcare system. Her vision? Using tech to empower healthier lives—especially through solutions that are more accessible, more personal, and more humane.
Together, Carol and Lauren explore how leadership, health, and technology have shifted over 30 years—from the launch of online sales in 1995 to today’s AI-powered wellness platforms. It’s a conversation about resilience, reinvention, and the unexpected chapters that shape our work and lives.
CHAPTERS
00:00 Revisiting the Past: Career Journeys
04:00 E-Commerce Evolution: A New Frontier
07:01 Health Tech Innovations: The Oura Ring Experience
10:01 Leadership Lessons: From Corporate to Community
13:04 Education and Diversity: A New Generation's Perspective
16:06 Reflections on Adversity: The Stanford Experience
19:37 The Importance of Communication in Leadership
20:57 Memorable Moments in Business School
24:55 Navigating Sociopolitical Changes
25:24 The Rise of AI in Education
31:12 Ethics and AI in the Workforce
33:23 Future Aspirations in Healthcare
38:07 The State of Healthcare and AI
41:11 Innovative Approaches to Healthcare Challenges
44:14 Consumerization and Longevity in Health
47:07 Cultural Shifts in Health Awareness
50:07 Personal Passions and Life Lessons
53:09 Embracing Change and Flexibility
56:08 Final Thoughts and Future Aspirations
01:03:56 New Chapter
Join the Podcast Series
Stanford MBA: From Baby Boomer to Gen Z | Class of ‘95 Meets Class of ‘25
Each of these episodes will feature a different pair of Stanford MBA people -- one from the class of 1995, and one from the class of 2025.
Remember to rate, review, and subscribe to stay connected with future episodes!
📺 Also available on YouTube:
Entire series playlist:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSaVisoF0D_GKxVmHmakNxdpAJCb5_VTP
More info: https://www.katharinemclennan.com/
Contact: kath@katharinemclennan.com
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