Natalie Bernard, MBA ’12, Vice President Head of Business Development and Operations at Amhurst Homes
It’s been a decade since Natalie Barnard, MBA ’12, attended Texas McCombs but you’d never know it based on connections she still enjoys to this day. For Barnard, being a McCombs graduate is as much about giving back as it is looking back.
“I’ve had so many mentors from my time at McCombs,” she says, during a short break from rocking her newborn daughter. “Between the mentors and my peers, It’s the part of the school that I’m closest to today.”
That connectivity and relationship-building (two of Barnard’s professors were the first to receive a baby photo along with several of her classmates from ’11, ’12, and ‘13) is exactly why Barnard chose McCombs over any other school in the country to earn her MBA. The people, and therefore the community in which she would be learning, made all the difference, she said.
“Everyone was so amazing to learn with and from,” she said. “I also loved how McCombs integrated the community into their teaching model. We were able to learn from the tech community as well as the business community. That was invaluable.”
As Vice President, Head of Business Development and Operations for Amhurst Homes in Austin, Barnard has definitely used her focus on venture capital and private equity to her career advantage. But, what’s most important to Barnard is giving back to her McCombs family. Serving on the McCombs MBA Advisory Board, speaking to student groups, and mentoring up-and-coming graduates are just a few ways she imparts even a little of what she gleaned while a student on the Forty Acres.
“There’s always so much more for me to learn that it’s wild for me to be the one providing mentorship guidance to others,” she says. “But that piece was so invaluable, and I’ve carried it with me.”
That investment from others inspired her to make the most of her time at McCombs. Among her favorite memories are winning the pitch contest dressed as an undergraduate in an oversized tie-dyed shirt and shorts. She also fondly remembers her time as a Venture Fellow and serving as a Global Business leader, where she led student groups in South Africa and Costa Rica.
“All of these experiences helped me step out of my comfort zone,” Barnard remembers. “And being able to do that with such a diverse and knowledgeable group of people was really special.”
Today Barnard works with Amherst Homes helping provide single-family residences to people seeking an affordable, high quality alternative to home ownership. She says she loves combining real estate and technology to solve real-world problems and is particularly grateful that it brought her back to Austin, just a few minutes away from campus where she actively recruits new talent. Her close proximity will make it even easier for her to enjoy celebrating her 10th reunion with her fellow alumni, even if it seems a little surreal.
“Ten years have flown by! Some days or months have been long, but the years are short,” she says. “When we were at McCombs, Rainey Street had less than 10 bars, Mack Brown was our football coach, Uber wasn’t a thing in town, Leslie was an Austin character (if you know, you know), and you only had one shot at ACL every year versus two weekends.”
Barnard says she is looking forward to introducing her daughter to UT during the homecoming festivities, but is mostly looking forward to reconnecting with the network of colleagues, peers, and professors she enjoys, which she stresses is the most important takeaway from McCombs.
“My advice to any recent graduate is to leverage the McCombs network and the skills you learned,” she says. “I have yet to find a fellow alumnus who won’t take a call or email to help another alum, whether it’s coffee, advice, or insights into an industry.”
Texas McCombs Homecoming weekend is September 31-October 1, and will feature a variety of opportunities to engage, learn, and celebrate. Learn more and register at https://get.mccombs.utexas.edu/2022homecoming/.
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