Papa Amelemah MBA’26 finds his voice as a leader

Learning to lead

At Willamette MBA, Papa Amelemah MBA’26 has learned what it means to be a leader.

Papa came to Willamette with experience working in the insurance field, but he wanted to grow into a career that would bring together his interests in law and business strategy. At Willamette, he’s found a close-knit community, the opportunity to hone his leadership skills, and immersive learning experiences that have taken him around the world.

Papa has taken advantage of all the Willamette MBA has to offer. He participated twice in Willamette MBA’s study abroad program, traveling to Japan and Germany to meet with business leaders and gain exposure to international business principles. He also learned about the relationship between business and law through the Practical Applications for Careers and Enterprises experiential learning program. He acted as a consultant for the Alaska Innocence Project, a not-for-profit organization that provides free legal services to wrongfully-convicted Alaskans.

“Willamette has given me the opportunity to step into leadership, advisory, and investment roles that accelerated my growth beyond the classroom,” Papa says. “I now think more strategically, act more decisively, and carry a stronger sense of responsibility for the impact I have on teams and organizations.”

During Papa’s time at Willamette, the Atkinson Graduate School of Management underwent a cross-campus move that saw the program relocate to a new home in Kaneko. This meant saying goodbye to a space that had defined the school’s identity for decades, but it also presented an opportunity to reinvent the Atkinson community. As President of the Atkinson Student Association, Papa has helped create networking and culture-building opportunities for his fellow students during a crucial transition period for the school.

“Papa has been an amazing asset to his entire cohort, acting as a center for the community and working hard to reinvigorate a number of social traditions at Atkinson,” says Associate Professor of Economics Jonathan Thompson.

The experience taught Papa an important lesson about effective leadership and gave him the confidence to step up on behalf of his peers.

“Willamette transformed me by pushing me into spaces that demanded both reflection and action. Personally, I grew more intentional, learning how to lead with empathy, listen across differences, and show up consistently for others. Professionally, I evolved from a participant to a decision-maker,” Papa says.

Visiting Assistant Professor of Marketing Raffaella Misuraca had a particularly strong impact on Papa’s understanding of leadership through her course on motivation. The course gave Papa insight into how teams can be inspired to achieve more together.

“She challenged me to think more deeply about what drives behavior, both in myself and in others, and how effective leadership requires an understanding of those dynamics,” Papa says. “Her class pushed me to move beyond surface-level assumptions and consider how incentives, purpose, and environment shape performance. This has helped me better motivate teams, communicate with empathy, and create the conditions for others to succeed.”