Charging Through the Storm: Redefining Sustainability, Resilience, and Leadership in the Sustainable Innovation MBA

What does sustainability really mean—and how can business be a force for good in the face of climate change, social challenges, and personal adversity?In this episode of the SIMBA Podcast, host Ben Chiappinelli sits down with Caroline Rooney, a member of the Sustainable Innovation MBA (SIMBA) Class of 2026 at the University of Vermont’s Grossman School of Business, and Brooks Sherman, a SI-MBA alumnus from the Class of 2025. Together, they explore what it means to pursue an MBA rooted in environmental, social, and community impact.Caroline shares her journey from an environmental health background to business school, including how her passion for supporting women in the trades, fashion, and social innovation led her to SI-MBA. The conversation goes deep into defining sustainability beyond the environment—touching on emotional resilience, grief, community, and personal sustainability.Recorded January 2026