MBA in Sustainable Enterprise
Dominican University of California (2003–2005)
Joey Shepp received his MBA in Spring of 2005 from one of the first programs in the country to explicitly focus on the triple bottom line of people, planet, and profit. The Green MBA at Dominican University of California was a pioneering graduate program that integrated ecological, social, and financial considerations into every aspect of business education.
Joey’s studies included a comprehensive curriculum that blended traditional business management with ecological thinking and social systems analysis. Coursework emphasized accounting, finance, marketing, operations, and strategic planning, but each subject was reframed through the lens of sustainability and systems change.
MBA Coursework:
- Semester 1: Financial Accounting; Eco-Commerce Models; Core Leadership Seminar: Critical Thinking for Change Leadership
- Semester 2: Managerial & Environmental Accounting; Marketing; Core Leadership Seminar: Social Systems; Ecological Sustainability: Its Relationship to Culture, Economy, and Society; Core Leadership Seminar: Leadership Skills
- Semester 3: Finance; Marketing Research; Diffusion of Innovation; Strategic Enterprise Planning
- Semester 4: Operations Management; Green and Social Marketing; Ecological Economics; Strategic Enterprise Planning II
Beyond the classroom, Joey immersed himself in applied projects and leadership opportunities that connected the MBA program to the broader sustainability movement. The experience shaped his approach to entrepreneurship and consulting, embedding sustainability as a core value in every venture he has since undertaken. He later returned to Dominican as Program Director (2010–2011), where he managed faculty, recruited students, and expanded the Green MBA’s influence nationally.
BA in Ecological Design
University of California, Santa Cruz (1996–2000)
Joey earned his Bachelor of Arts in Ecological Design from UCSC, where he studied under innovative faculty and explored how ecological systems could inform human design practices. Ecological Design, at its core, is the application of ecological understanding to the practice of design. It emphasizes the interconnectedness of all systems, showing how natural cycles and interdependencies can serve as models for sustainable solutions in architecture, planning, and business.
His senior thesis examined ecological systems as models and metaphors for sustainable design, introducing readers to the concepts of interrelatedness and interdependence as guiding principles for creative and sustainable problem-solving.
Joey’s academic excellence was recognized through the Irwin Scholarship and the Chancellor’s Award. He also created notable artistic and design projects during this period, including the award-winning Icosahedron sculpture — a large-scale geometric structure held together entirely through internal tension, combining mathematics, woodworking, and design innovation.
Read Joey’s full senior thesis introduction here:
An Introduction to Ecological Design.
Conferences & Continuing Education
In addition to formal academic training, Joey has actively pursued continuing education through participation in major conferences, both as a speaker and as a thought leader. These events extended his networks, deepened his expertise, and kept him engaged in cutting-edge conversations in both sustainability and emerging technologies.
- Sustainable Business Joey has been a recurring participant and speaker at events such as the Green Festivals, the Sustainable Brands Conference, the Sustainable Enterprise Conference, the Net Impact Conference, and the Green Business Conference. These gatherings deepened his expertise in sustainable entrepreneurship, ecological design, and innovation for the triple bottom line.
- Blockchain Technology In recent years, Joey has engaged with the forefront of digital innovation at events such as Consensus and the World Crypto Economic Forum, along with other Web3 and decentralized technology gatherings. These conferences strengthened his expertise in Ethereum, blockchain strategy, and the future of digital economies.