Gaby Chaiban was born to an American mother and Lebanese father in Beirut, Lebanon. She grew up during the Civil War in Lebanon. It was not uncommon for a school to be closed for a few weeks at a time or for Gaby and her classmates to be sent home during the day because of the danger of the war.
At eleven years old, Gaby came to the United States with her mom and brother to attend a year of elementary school. For her, the year in Brookline, Massachusetts, was a culture shock and quite uncomfortable. After the year was up, they returned to Beirut, where she finished her schooling through
high school.
Gaby returned to the United States and attended Smith College, an all-female college in Northampton, Massachusetts. She found the experience less stressful than her first trip to the States. However, she still recognized the difference in the level of curiosity and understanding of world affairs that the American students possessed.
Gaby went to work for Price Waterhouse after leaving undergraduate school, where she stayed for three years. She felt an unspoken expectation to get a secondary degree. As a result of Gaby’s upbringing, she thought that it was essential to excel in all of her endeavors and prove to people that she was smart and capable.
She applied to four MBA programs: Harvard, Wharton, MIT, and Stanford. She was accepted at Harvard and Wharton but chose Harvard because it was a better-known school in her country of origin, and once again, it would prove her capability.
Harvard was hard for Gaby. The coursework and method of teaching were very intense. She is happy that she attended Harvard, which has helped her throughout her career. And she stays in contact with various groups affiliated with HBS to this day.
Gaby shares her advice to those who may be considering the pursuit of an MBA. She also shares what she learned about herself during her two years at Harvard.
Gaby shares her post-HBS career path, which hit a low point during the 2007-2009 financial crisis. And explains the challenges she faced in managing the care of her elderly mother.
Regarding what the next several years hold for Gaby, she is happy to have options, one of which is settling in France.
Finally, Gaby is proud that she is true to herself and a good person.