Carrie Dolan to Speak at Full-Time/Evening & Weekend MBA Commencement

Carrie Dolan, an influential financial leader and advocate for women in finance who managed Lending Club’s record $1 billion public offering, will give the commencement address at the combined Full-time and Evening and Weekend MBA Program graduation.

Commencement will be held May 20 at the Greek Theatre.

Dolan, BS 87 and MBA 97, joined Lending Club in 2010 as its first CFO and helped build the company into the world’s largest online marketplace connecting borrowers and investors.

In an interview with industry publication American Banker, Dolan recalled that when a recruiter first called her about the position, she wasn’t entirely sure what peer-to-peer lending was. But she did her research, met with company CEO Renaud Laplanche, and ended up convinced. “My gut feeling was that this business model would change financial services,” she said. “So I decided to take a risk.”

That risk paid off. Dolan has received a growing number of accolades in recent years from leading financial organizations.

In 2013 and 2014, she was named the Bay Area CFO of the Year for Emerging Companies by the San Francisco Business Times, which honored her as a leader who advises women seeking to advance their careers.

In 2015, the Financial Woman of San Francisco named Dolan Financial Woman of the Year, for demonstrating remarkable commitment to her profession, service to her community, and support for the advancement of women.

And last September, American Banker named her one of  “The Most Powerful Women in Finance.” The list recognizes women who have been the most impactful across the financial industry.

“At Haas we have a tradition of inviting our most distinguished alumni to speak at commencement, and Carrie Dolan certainly fits that bill,” said Dean Rich Lyons. “In her willingness to take a risk, break into an emerging industry, and support the advancement of women in finance, she has truly embodied our Defining Principles.”

In December 2014, Dolan managed Lending Club’s IPO, one of the top 10 U.S.-based Internet public offerings of all time. The company raised $1 billion, a first for a peer-to-peer lender.

Prior to Lending Club, Dolan was senior vice president and treasurer for the Charles Schwab and CFO for the Schwab Bank, which she helped launch in 2003. Earlier in her career, she held various financial positions at Chevron, where she launched the Chevron Credit Bank to simplify Chevron’s credit card business.

Dolan is a member of Financial Executives International (FEI), CNBC’s CFO Council, and Watermark’s CFO network.