Program: Executive MBA, entering fall 2020
Hometown: La Palma, CA
Current Position: Project Manager, Clinical Implementation and Operation | Prospect Medical Group
Undergraduate Experience: U.C. Santa Cruz | B.A. in Molecular, Cellular and Development Biology
Dave Tang’s passion lies in helping doctors help patients live a quality life. As a project manager serving the medical community, Dave has successfully transformed business ideas into action plans.
What was the aha moment that led you to apply to the LMU Executive MBA program?
Throughout my 15-year career, I have acquired a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification and a Six Sigma Black Belt. However, I wanted to further my education and learn how to adapt and respond to business challenges. What’s important to me at this stage of my career is sharpening my critical thinking, quantitative and analytical skills, and strengthening my sound judgment and interpersonal skills to be an effective leader.
After researching various programs, I realized that an Executive MBA would bring structure to my career, enhance my knowledge in multiple business areas, and broaden my skills to become a more well-rounded professional who can work in any industry.
Lastly, I would like to lead by example and show my two children how important education is.
Why did you choose the LMU EMBA program?
The LMU EMBA isn’t just learning core business principles in finance, technology and operations. It’s also learning about yourself, taking what you know and applying it to a real-world setting. The small, collaborative cohort structure allows you to learn from other’s experiences. The program’s emphasis on the whole person and executive coaching will help me transform my shortcomings into a position of strength.
LMU also has a strong entrepreneurship program. I’ve always wanted to build my own business from the ground up. LMU will teach me how to do this.
My wife is a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves and will be deployed during the second half of my EMBA studies. LMU allows me to balance my time between military-family, education and work responsibilities.
What do you hope to achieve professionally with your LMU graduate education?
I hope to transform myself from a contributing project manager to an adaptive leader and broaden my operational understanding and leadership experience.
Eventually, I would like to apply the entrepreneurial knowledge I gain in the program to create and run my own business.
What are you most excited about as you enter the program?
The EMBA’s unique OnBoarding Program has been eye-opening. The seminars are helping me assess my strengths, weaknesses and motivators to better prepare me for the program.
I look forward to learning about today’s real-world business challenges and how I can adapt myself to meet these challenges – be it finance, business acumen, general leadership, technology, operations, quality patient care, etc.
What’s your favorite thing to do in Los Angeles?
Play golf, spend time with my kids and family, and eat sushi. My daughter (10) and son (8) love to stay at hotels and play in the pool. One of my favorite places to eat is Show Sushi in La Palma and my favorite place to golf is Palm Springs.
