The Language of Learning

MBA Alumna Jasmine Shepherd Designs Experiences at Yum! Brands That Help People Grow

For Jasmine Shepherd, communication has always been about more than delivering a message. It is about understanding people, building connections and creating opportunities for others to learn and grow. 

That perspective first took shape while Shepherd studied communications and evolved during her time at the University of Louisville College of Business. In her Master of Business Administration program, she connected her strengths in writing and presenting with a broader understanding of business and strategy. Today, she applies those skills as an Organizational Development & Learning Associate Analyst at Yum! Brands, delivering learning experiences that support people company-wide. 

In this Q&A, Shepherd reflects on the education, relationships and experiences that shaped her approach to communication, leadership and lifelong learning. 

College of Business: Tell us about your background and what life was like for you growing up. 

Jasmine Shepherd: I was raised by a hardworking, ambitious single mother. I never met my father, and honestly, it's not a sad story, at least not to me. My mother made the decision not to involve him, and because of the love and support that surrounded me growing up, I never felt like I was missing anything. I also have an older brother who is 14 years older than me. 

My mom encouraged me to try anything that interested me: tap dance, gymnastics and horseback riding, but dance and cheerleading were what really stuck. She has also blessed me with opportunities that many kids never get to experience by sending me abroad before I even graduated from high school. Through the People to People Ambassador Program, I spent two weeks traveling through seven countries in Europe and, during another summer, on a three-week trip to Japan. Those experiences broadened my perspective at an early age and sparked a curiosity about the world that has stayed with me ever since. 

College of Business: What first drew you to communications, and what did you enjoy most about studying that field? 

Jasmine Shepherd: Believe it or not, from middle school until I graduated high school, I thought I was going to be a pharmacist. I even volunteered in the basement pharmacy of a hospital during my high school years. Once I got to college and started taking biology, chemistry and all the labs, I quickly realized it wasn't the path for me. 

Communications ended up being the perfect fit because I was interested in journalism, media, marketing and public relations; I even earned a PR certificate. What I enjoyed most, though, was learning how people connect and communicate. Whether it was public speaking, interpersonal communication or understanding body language, I was fascinated by how communication shapes relationships and influences the way people think and work together. Looking back now, it's funny because those are the same things I still enjoy in my career today. 

College of Business: How did your undergraduate education shape the way you think about people, relationships and the way organizations share their stories? 

Jasmine Shepherd: I've always been someone who enjoys connecting with people, and my undergraduate experience helped me understand just how important those connections really are. Between my classes and being involved on campus, I met people from all kinds of backgrounds and learned that everyone's perspective is shaped by different experiences. That taught me to lead with curiosity instead of assumptions. 
 
Studying communications also changed how I think about organizations. I realized that every organization has a story to tell, and the way that story is communicated shapes how people experience its culture, values and purpose. Whether it's through marketing, leadership or employee communication, the message matters. Looking back, I didn't realize it then, but those lessons laid the foundation for the work I do today in learning and development, helping organizations communicate, teach and inspire people in meaningful ways 

College of Business: After earning your bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Cincinnati, what sparked your interest in business? 

Jasmine Shepherd: After working as an insurance claims adjuster for almost 10 years, I was exploring what to do next for my career. Insurance was never the goal, but it was the first “big girl” job after graduation, and it just stuck. After insurance, I was working in a chiropractor’s office. I was enjoying the office management side and community outreach but felt I needed to expand my business acumen and see what I was missing from being out of school for so long. 

College of Business: What made the University of Louisville’s MBA program feel like the right fit for where you were in your career? 

Jasmine Shepherd: The cost is very competitive compared to other programs. I could finish in person in a year if I made sacrifices and grounded myself. Most importantly, the internship opportunity and the travel abroad were big sellers. I knew the job positions and responsibilities I wanted for my future self, who may not have the exact background experience, needed to have the MBA to back it up.  

College of Business: How did UofL’s MBA program help you connect your communications background with a broader understanding of business, leadership and organizational strategy? 

Jasmine Shepherd: It honestly was an easy match. Writing and presenting came easily to me, but the MBA program allowed me to refine those skills even more and tie them to how they can be used to illustrate business decisions and strategy to influence stakeholders. The connection opened and shifted to a new way of thinking and business mindset. 

College of Business: Was there a particular experience in the MBA program that impacted you and if so, why? 

Jasmine Shepherd: I think the people in my MBA cohort had the biggest impact on me. We had a great mix of classmates, some coming straight from undergrad and others with years of professional experience. That diversity meant we learned just as much from each other as we did from our professors. 

We spent time together outside of class, studied together and genuinely wanted to see each other succeed. I didn't have that experience during undergrad because the classes were so much larger. In the MBA program, you really get to know your classmates, and by the end, it felt like we were all invested in helping one another cross the finish line. 

College of Business: You began your career at Yum! Brands as an Equity, Inclusion & Belonging intern. What drew you to that opportunity? 

Jasmine Shepherd: I met two amazing gentlemen from Yum! Brands at a career fair on UofL's campus. I beelined to their table because I knew I wanted an opportunity to work at Yum! Brands. They reviewed my résumé, and I shared my interest in human resources. At the time, I wasn't sure which area of HR was the right fit, I just knew I wanted to get my foot in the door. 

I interviewed with leaders across several HR functions before finding the perfect intern fit in Equity, Inclusion & Belonging (EIB). During my internship, I helped build a virtual talent pipeline to support recruiting while also connecting with people across Yum! and our brands. It was an incredible learning experience that challenged me to think differently and grow professionally. 

What made the experience even more meaningful was my coach (manager). She challenged me, invested in my development and helped me see potential in myself that I didn't always see. I still credit that experience and her mentorship for helping shape the career I've built at Yum! Brands today. 

College of Business: How did your internship experience grow into your current role as an Organizational Development & Learning Associate Analyst? 

Jasmine Shepherd: While I was an intern, I took the initiative to introduce myself to as many of the HR leaders as possible to understand what success looked like at Yum Brands, obtain their golden advice and ultimately identify where I could continue to grow my career. Expressing true interest and sharing the work I was already doing as an EIB intern and even taking on an additional project, such as hosting our new hire experience while someone was out on leave, helped me to transition into my full-time role in L&D. I was able to use my transferable skills from the MBA classes, prior work experience and everything else to place me into this role. 

College of Business: How would you describe the work you do in your current role, and what do you enjoy most about your current role with Yum! Brands? 

Jasmine Shepherd: In my current role as an Associate Analyst on the design side of the L&D team at Yum! Brands, I help create learning experiences and resources that enable our people to grow and perform at their best. My work spans everything from developing leadership and capability-building programs to partnering with stakeholders across the business to solve challenges through learning. Every project is an opportunity to make learning more practical, engaging and impactful. 

What I enjoy most is knowing that the work we do has a ripple effect. While I may not be on the front lines serving customers, I get to support the leaders who shape thousands of employee experiences across our global brands. I love the combination of creativity, strategy and collaboration that my role requires, and I'm especially energized by finding ways to make complex ideas simple, actionable and meaningful for learners. It's rewarding to contribute to a culture where people are continually learning, growing and helping each other succeed. 

College of Business: How has your MBA helped you to excel in your current role? 

Jasmine Shepherd: One of the biggest takeaways from my MBA was learning how to collaborate with people who have different perspectives and experiences. So much of my work at Yum! Brands is cross-functional, and the group projects throughout the program closely reflected the way we solve problems as a team today. 

The MBA also strengthened my strategic thinking. Courses like Strategic Analysis and the marketing case studies helped me think beyond completing a project and instead consider the bigger business objective and the audience I'm trying to reach. I was also introduced to AI tools that have become valuable resources in my current role. Whether I'm designing learning experiences or partnering with stakeholders, I still find myself drawing on lessons from those classes. 

College of Business: What advice would you give someone considering earning their MBA at UofL? 

Jasmine Shepherd: For years, I said I would never go back to school after earning my undergraduate degree. Looking back now, getting my MBA was one of the best decisions I've made. It definitely wasn't easy, especially going back to school 10 years later while balancing life and work, but it was worth every late night. 

The program helped me grow professionally, but honestly, it helped me grow personally too. It gave me more confidence in myself, challenged me to think differently and opened doors that I don't think would have been possible otherwise. That's actually how I ended up at Yum! Brands. 

If you're thinking about getting your MBA, I'd say go for it. There will probably never be a "perfect" time, so don't let that stop you. The UofL MBA program truly invests in its students, and you'll walk away with so much more than a degree. 

College of Business: How do you hope to continue growing in the learning and development space, and what are some other goals you hope to achieve? 

Jasmine Shepherd: I hope to continue growing from designing learning experiences to helping shape the broader strategy behind how organizations develop talent and build capability. I'm interested in understanding not just how people learn, but how learning can solve business challenges, strengthen leadership and create environments where people can do their best work.  

Long term, I'd love to serve in a leadership role where I can influence how organizations invest in their people and create cultures of continuous learning. Beyond career goals, I also hope to mentor others, continue giving back to my community and never lose the curiosity that first drew me to learning and development. I believe the best leaders are lifelong learners, and that's something I want to carry with me throughout my career. 

College of Business: Are there any other thoughts or insights you would like to share with our readers? 

Jasmine Shepherd: Whenever I share my story, I tell people there was a plan, then that plan became another plan and then another. My journey hasn't been a straight line, and honestly, I'm grateful for that. 

There were plenty of ups and downs along the way, but each experience prepared me for the next opportunity. In my early 30s, I made a major career pivot after spending 10 years in the insurance industry and started over. At the time, it felt like a big risk, but looking back, it was one of the best decisions I've ever made. 

If there's one thing I'd want readers to take away from my story, it's that your career doesn't have to follow the timeline you imagined. Sometimes the opportunities you never planned for end up becoming the ones you're most grateful for. 

About the UofL College of Business: 

Founded in 1953, the UofL College of Business fosters intellectual and economic vitality in our city, region and the global business landscape. Our academic programs, research, community outreach initiatives and commitment to student success inspire lives and businesses to flourish through entrepreneurship, innovation, critical thinking, diversity and the power of people. 

Connect with the CoB by following us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X, or by visiting our website.