Goizueta Takes 3rd Place at Tepper x Vertex Case Competition with Data-Driven Strategy for Sickle Cell Disease Care

This spring, I had the incredible opportunity to compete alongside three of my classmates at the Tepper x Vertex MBA National Case Competition, hosted by Carnegie Mellon University. Representing Emory University’s Goizueta Business School as Team Goizueta Big Four, we were honored to earn third place with a $2,000 prize for our work in developing a scalable, data-driven commercial engagement strategy for Vertex Pharmaceuticals to improve care specifically for patients with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD).

Our team was united by our deep passion for healthcare innovation and our drive to tackle real-world challenges through actionable, impact-driven solutions. With diverse professional backgrounds spanning healthcare, consulting, clinical operations, biotech, and strategy, we brought a unique blend of insights and expertise to the table. Each of us contributed our own strengths:

• I, Nathalie Zhou 25MBA, brought my experience from Cancer Treatment Centers of America, where I contributed to diverse business initiatives in a healthcare provider setting, as well as my biotech market research summer internship at Amgen. These experiences gave me a strong foundation in both patient care and the broader commercial landscape of the pharmaceutical industry.
• Kanchan Yevvari 25MBA is a seasoned consultant with deep expertise in the life sciences sector. His background includes leading projects in go-to-market strategy, commercial excellence, and data strategy. His ability to harness advanced analytics tools helped us craft a solution grounded in both insight and innovation.
• Raghu Padakanti 25MBA added technical precision with his strong foundation in pharma data management, analytics, and healthcare platform development. His experience in building analytical tools for oncology drugs and supporting commercial and R&D processes ensured the feasibility and scalability of our proposed solution.
• Stella Anukam 25MBA brought her experience in clinical medicine, hospital operations, and mental health advocacy. Her background in healthcare strategy and organizational management added critical depth to our understanding of patient experience, access to care, and systemic inefficiencies in the healthcare system.

The competition brought together a total of 30 elite MBA programs from across the country to tackle healthcare inequities through the lens of strategy, data analytics, and patient-centric innovation. We were selected as one of the top 5 finalists to fly into Vertex Pharmaceuticals headquarters in Boston, MA for the final round of competition. The challenge from Vertex was to design a commercial engagement strategy that improves diagnosis, access, and treatment outcomes for patients with rare diseases. For us, we chose to tackle the challenges faced by Sickle Cell Disease—a condition that primarily affects underserved populations.

To respond, we developed a four-pillar strategy: patient identification & activation, target providers identification, precision-guided engagement with both patients and providers, and partnerships with key stakeholders. We aimed to create an ecosystem of platforms powered by AI and ML-driven analytics using real-world data such as claims, EMR, lab data, and publicly available sources like SCDC. We also emphasized the importance of targeting the population with precision by stratifying patients into “low risk,” “moderate risk,” and “high risk” as well as segmenting providers into “High Priority Targets,” “Moderate Priority Targets,” and “Low Priority Targets.” For engagement tactics, we presented ideas such as the Sickle Strong Program, Patient Support Hub, Community Engagement, Peer-to-Peer Network, etc., to provide support and guidance for patients and providers when treating SCD.

Throughout the competition, we grounded our solution in real-world data, patient-centered design, and health equity principles. Presenting in front of Vertex executives and industry leaders was both humbling and exhilarating. The judges praised our solution’s clarity, innovation, and measurable impact.

This competition was more than just an academic exercise—it was a powerful reminder of why we chose to pursue MBAs at Goizueta. We’re here to become leaders who not only understand the business of healthcare but also care deeply about transforming it for the better. I’m so proud of what our team accomplished, and even more excited for the ways we will continue to drive change in our careers post-MBA.

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