Pepperdine EMBA Student Carissa Smith Selected for Prestigious U.S.-Spain Young Leaders Program

Carissa Joy Smith, an Executive MBA student at Pepperdine Graziadio Business School, was recently named one of ten American leaders selected for the esteemed “Young North American Leaders” program, a joint initiative of the U.S.-Spain Council and Fundación Consejo España–EE.UU.

The highly selective program, launched in 2001, brings emerging U.S. leaders to Spain for a weeklong exchange focused on deepening bilateral ties and exploring Spain’s cultural, economic, and political landscape. This year’s delegation traveled to Madrid and Santiago de Compostela, meeting with top officials and visiting organizations like Banco Santander, RTVE, Amazon Web Services, and Inditex, the parent company of Zara.

Smith, Vice President of Government Relations at Fox Corporation, previously served in the Executive Office of the President and the U.S. House of Representatives. She was chosen to deliver the keynote address at the Foundation’s annual Board of Trustees Luncheon, where she spoke on public diplomacy, economic collaboration, and community development.

“It was an honor to represent both the U.S. and Pepperdine Graziadio,” said Smith. “I’m incredibly grateful to the faculty who encouraged me to pursue this opportunity and to the Pepperdine community for supporting students who strive to lead with purpose on a global scale.”

Her selection underscores the impact of Graziadio’s EMBA students in global leadership and the school’s commitment to developing principled leaders who drive meaningful change worldwide.