Haley Schwanz, soloist dancer with Boston Ballet, knows the limitations of a dancing career. That is why she has prepared for career part deux by earning a bachelor of science in Psychology from Northeastern University—along with a 3.79 GPA. After her performing days end, she plans to pursue a career in movement therapy, as well as both teach and advocate for psychologically sustainable coaching practices within the dance world. 

Before she takes on those new challenges, she can revel in the memories of being an outstanding dancer. After graduating from the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet in Saint Petersburg, Russia, in 2010, Haley performed with Staatsballet Berlin for five years, touring in Thailand, Taiwan, China, and throughout Germany.  

Since joining Boston Ballet in 2017, Haley served as a member of the Diversity Equity Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) Council and was one of two nominated representatives on Boston Ballet’s Dancer/Board Caucus, providing dancer insights to the board. As a member of AGMA Union Negotiating Committee, she successfully negotiated major wins, including industry-leading parental leave benefits, pay equity, reinstatement of benefits following the COVID 19 pandemic, and safe and sustainable working conditions. 

As a performing member of the ballet, Haley originated roles in new choreography and productions, including world premieres by William Forsythe and Jorma Elo. She performed in Paris, Los Angeles, Ottawa, and at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival in Becket, MA. Additionally, she showcased her skills to choreograph ballets performed by the troupe during the 2018/2019 and 2020 virtual seasons.  

Haley has taught dance, as well, at the Academy of Russian Classical Ballet in Novi, MI, the Brookline Ballet, Jose Mateo Ballet Theater in Cambridge, the online streaming service Dancio, and more. She has also amassed considerable volunteer experience. She was a teaching assistant for children and young adults with Down Syndrome and Autism Spectrum Disorder at United Dance. As a teaching assistant in Boston Ballet’s Adaptive Dance program, she taught dance to students with disabilities.  

“Haley has been perfecting her craft for nearly her entire life and is currently one of the best in the world at what she does for a living,” says College of Professional Studies Dean Jared Auclair. She has embraced every opportunity she has been given. “Having delayed a formal education to pursue a career in dance, I am eternally grateful for the opportunity to earn a degree in my own time,” Haley says. “My studies gave form and structure to my thoughts, inspiring new ways to engage with my art form and share it with others.” 

Assistant Director for Boston Ballet Russell Kaise says, “Haley exemplifies what it means to be a leader in our art form and beyond. A true force both on stage and in the studio, her constant sense of curiosity, passion, and humanity make her an inspiration to all that share the privilege of working with her.” 

Meet Maarten Eenkema van Dijk, E’14, MS’15! Maarten has been making an impact in his field since his time at Northeastern—whether it’s by building structures in Hudson Yards, taking a co-op to design luxury villas on the island of Mauritius, or leading the largest recycling systems supplier in North America as they help New York City sort their waste. Additionally, he recounts his experiences at the four Global Leadership Summits that he has attended, and why members of the Northeastern community should consider attending GLS in London this June

Meet Chloe Gold, Khoury’22! Chloe is currently a product manager for an advertising firm in New York City, and credits her co-op experience with helping her begin her professional career. We’ll discuss the impact of being a well-rounded Northeastern student, helping students find the perfect co-op, and what makes a great resume.

Meet Peter McKay, DMSB’86! The CEO of the AI-powered security platform Snyk, Peter was recently named a Boston Globe Tech Power Player for 2025. In this episode, we’ll discuss his impactful co-op experience, the best management skills needed to be a CEO, and advice for those looking to start their own venture.

Learn more about Peter and Snyk

I believe in servant leadership,” says Marcy Reyes, MS’14, with a passion so fervent that it can be felt through the phone. “Living in my authenticity is supporting my students however I can. I want to guide them and encourage them more than anything. I want them to come out with a ton of expertise and knowledge that peers in their field aren’t going to have. As they say, the juice is worth the squeeze.”

Reyes has always been the type of person who strives for what she wants in life. After a successful undergraduate career where she thrived academically and found her passion for finance, she set her sights on one of the country’s most prestigious M.S. in Finance programs at Northeastern University.

While earning her degree, Reyes was able to combine her professional interest in finance with her selfless worldview by learning teaching techniques for financial strategy. She took her first plunge into the world of education after graduation through a Northeastern alumni mentorship program. “I mentored a handful of Northeastern undergraduate students,” she explains. “I believe in giving back. It was important to me to stay involved and help some of the students after concluding my master’s program.”

Reyes makes it very clear that her career goals are rooted in servant-based leadership—an approach to leadership that focuses on serving others and empowering them to achieve their own success. She credits Northeastern with providing the tools that helped her shape these goals. “Northeastern played a really important role in my servant leadership style,” she says. “It had a huge impact. It gave me the confidence to embrace very complicated concepts, pull them apart, and build from there.”

Upon graduation, she entered the workforce and climbed the ladder at Commonwealth Care Alliance, ascending to a senior director position. Additionally, she has held adjunct professor positions at both Rhode Island College and Providence College, teaching personal finance, financial analysis, and financial concepts to undergraduate students. However, her true passion for teaching shines at Financial Literacy Youth Initiative—colloquially known as FLY—a nonprofit she founded to teach financial strategies and empower youths in underserved communities.

“My education at Northeastern led me to teaching undergraduates. Through those experiences, I began to identify gaps in access to financial literacy, which is where FLY came from,” she says. “I don’t think it’s fair that because I could afford it, I could embrace the big opportunities.”

Founded in 2017, FLY has now expanded from 300 students per year to an average of 2,500—with as many as 7,500 participating at any given time, and programming becoming available across the Northeast. Despite these large numbers, FLY still curates financial literacy curricula to reflect individuals’ personal life experiences, whether in financial planning, investing, insurance, or other related areas.

It’s very clear that Reyes is on a trajectory that will not only make a positive impact on her professional career, but also on the lives of thousands of people—and she’s only just beginning. “My confidence came from Northeastern,” she says. “It played a very important role in where FLY is today and what it is going to be. Without my education there, I don’t know if I would have been able to set up a nonprofit on my own or get it to where it is now.”

Meet Samuel Akinin, E’16! An accomplished entrepreneur, Samuel’s businesses span across the country of Namibia, providing Namibians with everything from easy bank access to affordable housing. Hear how his Northeastern experience influenced him to become an entrepreneur and shaped his business acumen! 

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Bob Deacy, CJ’80, never imagined his Northeastern social sciences degree would eventually lead to a long career in the energy industry. “I remember standing on top of an oil rig as we were drilling, and thinking to myself, ‘How did I get on top of an oil rig when I studied criminal justice?’” he recalls. Reflecting on a successful life built on seizing unexpected opportunities, Deacy notes, “It was all very surreal.”

Deacy’s professional journey began at Medford Vocational-Technical High School in Medford, Massachusetts, where he learned the basics of drawing, diagrams, and schematics that support an electrical education. However, at Northeastern, he pivoted towards criminal justice , graduating with a degree in the program’s namesake in 1980.

Deacy’s co-op experiences exposed him to different professional environments and allowed him to develop his leadership skills. At the Middlesex County Sheriff’s Department, his first co-op, he participated in everything from working in corrections to transporting alleged offenders to court. Deacy’s second co-op at First Security, a leading Boston security company, introduced him to business orientation, business development, and personnel management , which laid the foundation for his burgeoning leadership skills. “I attribute some of the jobs that I had with progressing me within my career,” he says.

Deacy developed the framework for his first postgraduate position at Stone & Webster, one of the country’s largest engineering firms, by leveraging his experience in guard service and security systems analysis. In this new role, he helped with security programs for large-scale nuclear plants—not realizing that he was beginning to transition into his next career phase. After moving to Michigan, Deacy began developing the security system for a nuclear plant, where he learned about the industry while applying his background in criminal justice and electronics. From this foundation, he hopped from plant to plant and state to state, working in a number of capacities, from fire protection systems to plant operations, before settling into a role with the Carolina Power and Light Company.

Deacy applied these accrued experiences to new projects at Carolina Power and Light, including constructing natural gas power plants and the pipelines that fed them. “I went into heavy construction for these power plants and pipelines, and then another opportunity arose, where the company wanted to get into natural gas drilling,” he says. “A couple weeks of that turned into a couple years, and the next thing you know, I found myself as the president of a company called Winchester Energy in East Texas.”

At Winchester Energy, Deacy leaned on his Northeastern curriculum and experiences to help guide the company through a buyout from legendary oilmen T. Boone Pickens and Doug Miller. “A lot of the curriculum that I recalled from the criminal justice program dealt with constitutional law, contracts, and things of that nature,” he says. “When you deal in oil and gas, you deal with a lot of leases and overall contract law. My Northeastern degree would always come into play and match up perfectly.” Even his electives in geology proved useful—specifically looking at the formations of mountain ranges to find where the highest levels of oil and gas was being produced naturally.

Now, as senior vice president of the Tennessee Valley Authority’s Clinch River Project, Deacy has started building new gas turbines in the pursuit of decarbonization, overseen teams that have helped execute major destruction and demolition projects, and currently leads the development of a new small modular nuclear reactor for the nation’s largest public energy provider. Reflecting on his journey, he credits his Northeastern education for shaping the path that ultimately brought him back to nuclear energy. “I started my career with nuclear reactors, and 45 years later, I’m back working with them. Life always seems to come full circle, and a lot of it I attribute to my education at Northeastern.”

I started my career with nuclear reactors, and 45 years later, I’m back working with them. Life always seems to come full circle, and a lot of it I attribute to my education at Northeastern.”

Meet Adrianne Ohnemus, BHS’20! A doctor of physical therapy, Adrianne utilized her Northeastern experience to its full potential—from her engaging co-op experience to curating her skills in Bouvé’s simulation lab. We’ll discuss her co-op experience, Bouvé’s innovative approach to teaching, and her favorite charity, In My Running Shoes.

Give to Adrianne’s Boston Marathon Fundraiser for In My Running Shoes: https://www.givengain.com/project/adrianne-raising-funds-for-in-my-running-shoes-86039

In My Running Shoes

Boston Marathon Fundraiser

Meet Bill Brown, CJ’93! Currently working as a history teacher and special education case manager at Timberlane Regional High School in Plaistow, New Hampshire, Brown has a long history with working with at-risk youths in Massachusetts and making a difference in their lives. We’ll discuss his interest in Northeastern’s criminal justice program, his experience working with programs like the DMH and DCF, and transitioning into a career in education.

“If I could have told myself in high school that I was going to work for the mayor of Boston, who is the first female mayor of Boston [and]….a mom whose kids go to the same school as mine…I don’t think I would have believed you. I try to remember that, and it does put a lot of things in perspective because I feel very lucky that I have the job that I have,” says Ellen Quinn ‘SSH’13, MPA’18, who serves as director of state relations for the city of Boston aside Mayor Michelle Wu. 

As a high school student in Quincy, Massachusetts, Quinn participated in local political campaigns. When it was time to apply for colleges, she had her sights on Northeastern. Aside from the campus being close to her family, the university’s co-op program and the resources the College of Social Science and Humanities offered to its students—including having former governor Michael Dukakis as a professor—prompted Quinn to apply early decision, knowing she could fully explore her interest in politics. 

Majoring in political science, Quinn quickly built her resume by taking advantage of numerous influential experiences. After completing her first co-op working at the Massachusetts State House for State Senator Michael Morrissey, she packed her bags to live in London for 12 weeks as a part of the Hansard Society Scholars program. She split her time between taking courses at the London School of Economics and interning at the United Kingdom’s Parliament, where she got assigned to Shabana Mahmood, one of the first three Muslim women elected to serve as Members of Parliament. “It was fun because, at least [in the United States], with politicians, their staffs are like 15 or 20 people. But [Mahmood] had one staffer and then me.” This meant getting to frequently interact with Mahmood while learning the administrative operations of a government office and conducting research to support the MP’s efforts of opposing budget cuts and communicating with her district at a town hall in Birmingham.  

After her experience across the pond, Quinn did not settle in Boston for too long. For her second co-op, she worked in the Chief of Staff office in The White House during President Barack Obama’s first term. Some memorable moments include giving official White House tours to visitors, attending the official welcoming ceremony for then-UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown, and connecting with White House senior staff. This experience helped Quinn narrow down her post-graduate career aspirations as she learned that she preferred state politics over serving in a federal institution. In her experience, “national politics didn’t feel quite as tangential…I couldn’t really feel the impact [we] were making…I liked state and local [politics] because you were a bit closer to the work you were doing.” 

With this understanding, Quinn believed working at the Massachusetts State House would be the ideal landing spot after she graduated stating that she “basically sent [her] cover letter to every single legislator [she] could think of.” Among those recipients was Speaker Robert DeLeo—whose son also happened to be Quinn’s teaching assistant in one of her American Studies courses. “In my cover letter, I was like ‘Oh, I loved my time at Northeastern. If you can do anything for a fellow Husky, that would be great,’” she recalls. That one line caught the attention of Speaker DeLeo, a proud Northeastern alumnus and University Fellow for Public Life, that he called Quinn inviting her to interview—and later be hired—for an open position. 

Quinn would spend the next nine years working in the Office of House Speaker Robert DeLeo, serving as special events coordinator and director of operations. During that time, she would plan various ceremonies in the Massachusetts House of Representatives and staff Speaker DeLeo for events across the Commonwealth. Simultaneously, Quinn obtained her master’s degree in public administration through Northeastern’s part-time program. Looking back at that time, Quinn explains, “[It] was a really great experience. I met a lot of people from across Massachusetts, and I love doing that and learning more about the state…I feel lucky that I got there, especially through a Northeastern connection.”    

When Speaker DeLeo stepped down at the end of 2020, Quinn had to figure out her next move. Acting on an interest in working for the City of Boston she developed in her urban studies courses at Northeastern, Quinn became involved with the Boston mayoral election to replace Mayor Marty Walsh. Admiring Michelle Wu’s work as a city councilor, Quinn volunteered for Wu’s campaign. She can remember her excitement when mayor Michelle Wu was elected and credits a few statehouse connections for helping her land an interview for the new administration, for which she was hired as the director of state relations. Approaching her fourth anniversary in this position, Quinn recalls some significant wins. From securing the city of Boston a seat on the MBTA board to stopping a loud Department of Transportation noise that was disturbing a school in West Roxbury, she shares that her ability to enact real change for Bostonians every day in her role is fulfilling and keeps her optimistic when facing challenges in her field. 

As Quinn expresses her gratitude for her current role, it is clear that her determination was the ultimate catalyst in achieving her professional goals throughout her career. Her advice to students interested in getting involved in politics? Quinn says, “Be willing to try anything because there are so many different aspects of the job. You could be more interested in campaigning, you could be working at a legislative [or] do executive…[Being] open and willing to try everything and do all the groundwork is important.” The next generation of policy changemakers at Northeastern should take comfort in knowing that just two short miles from Huntington Avenue, they have a fellow Husky serving as a strong role model in Boston City Hall. 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellen-quinn-3b64b441/ 

Tracy Fink, MBA’90 is a business coach, teacher and speaker who is passionate about showing people how to treat themselves as they would their best friend or client. She is the founder of The Tortoise Institute where she consults with companies and organizations to build awareness and leadership practices to boost individual and team effectiveness. 

Tracy holds an MBA from Northeastern University and a BA in Psychology from Boston University. She completed a year-long Teacher Certification Program at Search Inside Yourself, the global evidence-based emotional intelligence program engineered at Google. She is a mentor/advisor for the Women’s Interdisciplinary Society of Entrepreneurship (WISE) at Northeastern University.

Tracy enjoys collaborative cooking, adventurous travel, walking in nature, and college football. She is co-host of the podcast “Our Dead Mothers”.  She and her husband live outside of Boston, MA.

Growing up in Bahrain, Fatema Janahi, E’22, MS’22, was always interested in environmental sustainability. Inspired by dialogues on reforming economies to be less dependent on the gas and oil industry, Janahi believed she would pursue environmental science in higher education—therefore it was a surprise when she joined her after-school robotics program. Despite not being enrolled in her high school’s sole computer science class, Janahi recalls being drawn in by the Lego Mindstorm sets available to students in the lab. “It was more [of a] curiosity to begin with [as] you did not need to have [coding] knowledge,” explains Janahi. This accessibility for beginners led Janahi to attend her first local recycling-themed competition—where she qualified for an international round—and witnessed how her new hobby intersected with her primary passion. 

This would not be the last time that Janahi’s curiosity and ambition would cause her to stray from an expected path. Despite not having any family who had studied abroad before, she chose to pursue her higher education over 6,000 miles away from home at Northeastern, without ever visiting Boston. She first heard about Northeastern when some representatives from the university visited her high school. After seeing photos of the Boston campus, she believed it resembled the colleges she saw in popular films growing up and instinctively knew Northeastern would be the ideal school for her.   

During her first semester at Northeastern, Janahi realized she did not see herself pursuing a career in a lab environment, so she switched her major from environmental science to environmental engineering. While completing her core engineering requirements, she was enrolled in a class that included a robotics project. “I really liked the creativity that came with engineering…and I actually had to learn coding properly [which] was fun. I liked to see what I was doing move around.” Reconnecting with an abandoned area of interest caused her to make her final degree change by majoring in computer engineering. Additionally, she took advantage of a BS/MS program—today called PlusOne Program—that incorporated a master’s degree in engineering management, satisfying a collaborative aspect that was missing in her higher-level computer engineering courses.    

From living in a shared space for the first time in Hastings Hall to navigating a new city, Janahi admits that she dealt with culture shock. To mitigate this, it was vital for her to find a sense of community on campus. She joined Northeastern’s Arab Student Association, which she later became president of, and the Women’s Interdisciplinary Society of Entrepreneurship, colloquially known as WISE. In WISE, she spent one semester in the WeBuild cohort. “I had an idea for a digital agency because I love marketing, and I wanted to build a platform for small businesses. Instead of people trying to find them on Instagram, I built a directory where businesses could sign up and…list their business” in a centralized place.         

After she graduated from Northeastern, Janahi had to hit pause on her venture to focus on her first post-graduate role at Google. However, recently, she rebranded it under a new name, Palm, with her Bahrain-based business partner. Today, Janahi explains that Palm is an “e-commerce website” where designers in the Middle East and North African region can sell fashion apparel with an emphasis on community building “to empower people to work together.” The benefits of having these businesses collaborate are that they “get exposure from each other’s audiences,” and consumers can buy unique clothing pieces. Janahi’s innovative venture that gives back to her community back home earned her recognition for a 2024 Women Who Empower Innovator Award.    

With two Northeastern degrees and a business certificate via the Galante Engineering Business Program, Janahi began a new chapter in New York City as a technical program manager with Google’s cybersecurity team. She believes that her two co-op experiences, one as an embedded software engineer at Emphysys—a company that develops technology for the medical, life science, and industrial equipment industries—and another as a software engineer at Motorola, enabled her to empathize and communicate with her team of engineers. “Having been a software engineer, I understand how [engineers] see things and I can relate to what [they] go through. A lot of project management is change  management [and seeing] what works for your team.”    

Janahi plans to continue her role with Google and invest in Palm for the foreseeable future. She shares that she has enjoyed her unique experiences with the tech giant. From visiting the famed Google headquarters to traveling around the world, Fatema has come a long way from the young curious student in Bahrain. As to how she juggles her jam-packed schedule? Fatema can draw on the lessons she learned from a mentor she connected with through WISE. She reflects that Tracy Fink, a proponent of mindfulness and fellow Northeastern alumna, came into her life at the right time. “She would help center me when I needed it [as well as getting] me into really good habits like journaling and just taking a breath,” says Fatema. Equipped with all these foundational tools from Northeastern, Janahi is set to continue being a trailblazer in any industry she touches.     

You may have seen their viral blush star in countless TikTok makeup tutorials, heard about their recent celebrity-studded benefit to raise money for mental health resources, or know the beauty brand’s founder, actress and singer Selena Gomez. As a social media and content assistant manager, Louise Dechelle, AMD’18, understands the gravity of working at Rare. “The messaging behind the brand…being able to express your individuality and valuing mental health…it’s super empowering to be a part of that revolution and the next generation of beauty lovers because we’re not just posing and being pretty. It’s really about playing with makeup, making it your own, and loving the way you are. Love your rare, as our latest campaign says.” 

Growing up in France, Dechelle chose to specialize in language and literature for her international baccalaureate degree, where she studied English, Spanish, and Italian. When she learned about Northeastern at a college fair in Paris, the university’s global emphasis and co-op program immediately appealed to her. “[The co-op program] was super important to me because I know that’s how you build relations.”   

Entering Northeastern with dreams of working for National Geographic, Dechelle believed that majoring in journalism would best position her to obtain a co-op at the coveted company. After realizing that many of her journalism courses centered around American sports and politics—which she wasn’t too familiar with—Dechelle praises her advisors for accommodating her evolving interests by allowing her to design her degree. “I knew what kind of companies I wanted to work with, but I didn’t know how to get there. [My advisors] made it easy for me to create my degree…I was able to mix video with communications and digital art—and this whole social media world was still developing…I changed [my major] three times, but I was able to tick the boxes and still finish in five years.”  

Despite all the changes to her undergraduate degree, Dechelle remained in the College of Arts, Media and Design. The small class sizes allowed her to take artistic risks with her classmates and have valuable one-on-one time with her professors. She gives kudos to a handful of influential professors—including David Thames, Mira Cantor, Jamal Thorne, and John Kane—for encouraging her to trust her creative abilities and their expertise being constant sources of inspiration for Dechelle. 

Moreover, in one of her CAMD classes, Northeastern professor Michelle Carr organized a trip to Toth+Co, an advertising agency in Boston’s South End neighborhood. Dechelle, who recalls being impressed by the agency’s presentation, was ecstatic when her professor informed her that the connections she met at the office admired her inquisitiveness and offered her a co-op position. Looking back at that time, Dechelle says the energy of that environment was perfect for her first co-op experience. She vividly remembers her and the creative team exchanging their most outside-of-the-box ideas with Toth+Co’s CEO in anticipation of pitching to renowned companies like Lululemon or Coca-Cola. When she returned to Northeastern after this exciting experience, she had a newfound clarity to invest her creativity in a social media advertising career. 

For her second co-op, Dechelle lived out her dream of working at National Geographic Learning, where she focused on “assets for English second language speakers” while building “digital interfaces for apps” and proofreading content from a collaboration with Ted Talk. Reflecting on her co-op experiences, Dechelle believes that gaining perspective from a startup and a Fortune 500 company equipped her with a strong foundation in her post-graduate career journey, which began with a digital production freelancing position at National Geographic.   

Further, Dechelle embraced the chance to study abroad in New Zealand, a program she envisioned taking part in when a representative from Northeastern told her about the university’s global opportunities years prior. Taking courses on art conservation, she is grateful for an eye-opening field trip to an Indigenous town where she witnessed how one community preserves their culture in their everyday lives through their meal preparations and dances. Aside from that, exploring the country’s natural beauty was one of her highlights. “I think that’s why I moved to California. I could experience New Zealand again with the national parks,” Dechelle adds with a laugh. 

Her career at Rare is the other reason she planted her roots in California. As a member of the company’s marketing team, Dechelle aims to generate excitement for product reveals with posts on their social channels. Apart from massive launches that require the entire team’s participation, Dechelle shares that her manager “empowers” each team member by delegating different makeup items to them. When this occurs Dechelle’s tasks include “brainstorming the content for the product on all of our social channels, capturing the content, helping the community [in real life] events, gathering all the assets, briefing the creators for [user-generated content] campaigns…[and] just scouring social, finding ideas.” In her day-to-day life, she curates weekly newsletters for her team, a task she carried over from her time at an influencer marketing company, that features a rundown of new products, trends on social media, and an analysis of the creator market. 

Another aspect Dechelle loves about her team at Rare is how it resembles her favorite aspect of her time at CAMD. Being in a “women-fueled environment,” reminds her of the intimate “classes where you can share ideas” with your peers and grow from their feedback. Much like the brand’s mission, Dechelle adds that they are all aligned under the company-wide goal of creating content that “reflects the values that are inclusive [and] authentic.”    

As she continues to grow in her role, Dechelle hopes to be a leader who motivates others to find inspiration on social media while leading imaginative brainstorms with her co-workers. For now, Dechelle teases that 2025 already looks like an exciting year for Rare. As the lovers of the beauty company impatiently count down the hours until the new year, they can bet that with the creative insights from Dechelle, the social promotion for Rare will be flawless. 

Meet Jae Williams, EdD’22! Williams, who has a doctorate in education from Northeastern and currently serves as executive in residence for the Business of Creative Enterprises program at Emerson College, has ambitions to take an innovative approach to teaching and making education inclusive for all. Learn more about his award-winning doctoral thesis, teaching success stories, and inspirational podcast Dr. Jae’s Office Hours that highlights the intersection of business, creativity, and social justice. 

Meet George Blitch, SSH’01! George captures Northeastern’s entrepreneurial spirit—between starting his own publishing company to document Indigenous Elders, his own cartography company, and his own podcast, George has done it all. Learn more about how George’s Northeastern experience inspired him to forge his own paths in life.

View the Transcript here

Meet Howie Newman, S’73! After making his musical debut in 1973 at Northeastern, Howie spent the majority of his career as a professional baseball writer before transitioning to full-time musician. These days, you can find Howie touring around the country and playing his light-hearted at community centers, libraries, and for adults with developmental disabilities.

Northeastern Alumna Antonia Sousa showcases the content creation skills she developed during her co-ops and College of Arts, Media and Design courses at NBCUniversal. 

By Brianna Mitchell

“Working in late night has been really exciting because I’m editing clips that go on social that very same day…it’s the most rewarding thing because you’re instantly seeing how that’s performing,” says Antonia Sousa, AMD’23. One of her favorite projects she recently worked on was editing “Kevin Hart and Seth Meyers Go Day Drinking,” an installment of a popular interview series on “Late Night with Seth Meyers,” which amassed over a million views on YouTube.    

Whether you are looking at metrics or the occasional re-post by Kevin Hart, there is no doubt that Sousa’s talent resonates with the talk show’s audience. Sousa, a native of Peru, is currently participating in NBCUniversal’s Page Program, a competitive application-based cohort of young professionals who receive exposure to different areas of the media conglomerate. After completing her first two rotations of corporate communications with Telemundo and collaborating with the social media team on “Late Night with Seth Meyers,” she is currently embarking on her final assignment with the video team on “The Today Show.” Additionally, she will assist the “Saturday Night Live” social media team by cutting and captioning videos. 

On the outside, Sousa’s academic and career trajectory may seem kismet. Especially since Sousa’s father attended Northeastern and credits NBC programs like “Saturday Night Live” and “Seinfeld” for teaching him English. However, Sousa admits that her journey to 30 Rock was riddled with uncertainty.   

After spending two years at a specialized art school in the Savannah, Georgia, Sousa transferred to Northeastern, believing she could thrive in an environment that would narrow down her academic direction. In her two years at Northeastern, Sousa acted on that belief by majoring in journalism and getting involved on campus. With intent to “contribute to something apart from [her classes]” she joined the Huntington News, Avenue Magazine, and became a CAMD Ambassador.  

Sousa credits these experiences with more than just professional development—they laid the foundation for personal growth. For example, navigating challenges like losing a re-election bid for a social media position at Huntington News made a profound impact on her. She notes that dealing with rejection taught her “to not let it sway me in the wrong direction” and to approach “opportunities with an open mind [while] never feeling entitled to anything.”    

Sousa took those lessons to heart and carried that perspective with her to two influential work opportunities—a co-op at Wayfair and an internship with Universal Music Group. Sousa recalls on her first day at Universal Music Group, the company switched her from the marketing team to the audience development department. Despite her initial hesitation to take on a data-driven role, Sousa reports that “I ended up loving it and seeing a completely different side to social and creative spaces…[this] is also why I am enjoying the Page Program as much as I am because it is such an unexpected environment that you need to be able to adjust to new things.”   

Looking back at those two experiences, she adds that it “gave me the confidence I needed” and provided “clarity in terms of what I wanted out of a work environment.” Although her second internship is where her initial interest in the entertainment business began, she prefers the hands-on role she experienced during her creative production and video marketing co-op at Wayfair.  

“Media is a really exciting medium to be in,” reflects Sousa. As much as she is interested in continuing her career in television, she adds that she is open to other sectors. “It’s more so about the work that you do and the impact you are leaving as opposed to the industry that you are in,” she says.

When she’s not staffing live-studio audiences and giving public tours of NBC studios, Sousa is focused on growing her professional network and applying her journalistic skills from Northeastern at “The Today Show.” Looking ahead, Sousa can join the Page Program’s graduate period, an optional term where the program supports participants’ journey to securing an internal or external full-time role. Whether she chooses to take advantage of that option, there is no doubt that Sousa’s expertise will shine bright in any future role she takes on. 

Meet Frank Green, SSH’92! After spending time working for an Irish senator during his time at Northeastern, Frank had a takeaway that would impact the rest of his career—the world is a big place with many different perspectives. Learn about Frank’s Northeastern and co-op experiences, his interest in the recruiting process, and why he is excited about the global envoy program.

View the Transcript Here

Double Husky Ifteda Ahmed-Syed’s Northeastern journey helped her find her dream job as a software engineer at The Walt Disney Company. 

By Brianna Mitchell

“I like to joke that I was raised by films…so it was a childhood dream to at least be adjacent to storytelling and entertainment,” says Ifteda Ahmed-Syed, Khoury’20, MS’23. The Double Husky is currently in her third year working as a software engineer for The Walt Disney Company, a reality that was once a dream. 

It makes sense that Ahmed-Syed’s favorite Disney movie is “Tangled,” a story that centers around an optimistic and empathetic heroine pursuing her dreams—as is reflected in this alumna. However, achieving her coveted professional career at Disney was never linear and, at times, challenged by self-doubt. 

“I have always, unapologetically, carried my identity with me wherever I go,” shares Ahmed-Syed. Being the eldest daughter of an immigrant household, she was influenced to double major in computer science and business, believing that this would best position her to get a practical career. In her second year at Northeastern, the Khoury College of Computer Sciences selected her to attend the Grace Hopper Conference, the world’s largest annual technology event designed for women and non-binary individuals to career-build by meeting with sponsors from leading companies, where she networked with Disney representatives for the first time. “It was my first real exposure to the function of technology within the company. But even then, I underestimated myself to an extent. [However], I think things worked out in a magical way,” recalls Ahmed-Syed. 

In the meantime, Ahmed-Syed took full advantage of the opportunities and resources provided by Northeastern. She completed two formative software developer co-ops at Voya Financial. Being drawn to the company to explore “the confluence of tech and finance,” she notes that, “learning how to navigate uncharted territory, communicate effectively, and also absorb knowledge outside of a classroom setting” are among the most significant takeaways she had from her experiential learning experience and still try to apply to her career today. 

Conversely, while she was on campus, the connections she formed with her peers were equally valuable. Specifically, a teaching assistant in a computer science fundamentals course introduced her to HackBeanpot, a nonprofit hackathon designed for young computer programmers in the Boston area. In her three-year involvement with the organization, Ahmed-Syed’s last year was the most impactful. In 2020, while most of the world was shutting down to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, Ahmed-Syed was determined to find ways to serve her community. Instead of accepting the pretense that HackBeanpot may be any less well-attended than in previous years due to the pandemic, Ahmed-Syed and the outreach team worked tirelessly to successfully translate the event online and drew interest from participants outside of Massachusetts. 

In a true full-circle moment, before her last fall semester in 2020, Ahmed-Syed was contacted by Disney recruiters, who had her information from the Grace Hopper Conference’s database, urging her to apply to The Walt Disney Company. That fall, soon after she submitted her application, she got the offer to move down to Orlando in June of 2021.   

Ifteda gave a temporary goodbye to her close-knit family and left her New England roots for sunny Florida to start her first role with Disney Experiences as an associate software engineer. Some of her main responsibilities in her first role with the company included working with analysts to determine “what features would benefit schedulers and cast members in Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort. Then our analysts turn those into user acceptance criteria and my job [was] to design and implement systems or features that satisfy those criteria.”   

After three years and a promotion to software engineer II, she transferred to Disney Entertainment and ESPN Technology. This transition resulted in a move home to Connecticut, where her family and ESPN headquarters are located. Now, she works primarily on Hulu, and one of her team’s main projects is to improve systems that help consumers of the streaming platform use the search function and receive suggestions for media. Ifteda credits her decision to enroll in Northeastern’s online master’s of computer science program with giving her more confidence to navigate challenging assignments and the dreaded first step in the project as an engineer. “I was really looking to expand my repertoire but do it in a way that ensures that my understanding was concrete…so that when I reach for that tool in the future, I’m reaching for something solid that can get me through that first step.”   

Today, one of the most meaningful parts of her job is how, despite the company’s size, there are opportunities to connect with others while celebrating collective interests and affiliations. Radiating joy, she explains, “It’s heartwarming to have a space where I can celebrate certain aspects of my identity.” This includes celebrating Ramadan with co-workers at Walt Disney World and meeting the writing partners behind Christina Lauren as part of the women’s book club within the company. Additionally, she gets to share the magic that she helps create with the people she loves the most by taking her family to Walt Disney World. 

Learn more about Ifteda and her work below: 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ifteda/ 

Build For Black Lives Website: buildforblacklives.com 

Meet Amelia Brooks, DMSB’26! In celebration of the 115th anniversary of Northeastern’s innovative co-op program, we sat down with Amelia Brooks to learn more about the co-op from the perspective of an enrolled student. We discussed how Northeastern prepares students for their co-ops, what she learned in each of her co-op positions, and how she plans on celebrating the 115th anniversary.

Watch the interview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQ5zYiD0LYc&t=9s

View the transcript here

“I still value everything that I learned at Northeastern,” says Nick Casbarro, BHS’14, while reminiscing about his time on the university’s Boston campus. “What I definitely pulled from Northeastern was a love for the sciences, and a professional network that I’ve used more than anything else in my entire life.”

Casbarro, a resident of South Florida by way of Rhode Island, is no stranger to balance. While at Northeastern, he exceled in his classes in Bouvé’s prestigious physical therapy program. To build on his academics, he found time to excel in his co-op positions at New England Baptist Hospital and Harvard Health services, all while as an accomplished pole vaulter on the track and field team.

“I learned a lot of [balancing] skills at Northeastern, and it’s probably the biggest thing I learned during my time there,” he says with a proud, yet modest inflection.

After graduation, Casbarro pursued his love of the sciences and helping others by entering the medical sales field. Today, he travels around the country selling medical-grade fish skin to hospitals to help burn victims regenerate their own skin. However, to complement his left-brained passions in the medical field, Casbarro tunes into his right brain to satisfy his creative passion: writing. After “thousands of hours” of preparation and execution, Casbarro is set to release his debut science fiction novel, “Vitalerium: Descent into the Void,” this October.

“I’ve been interested in science fiction ever since I was a kid,” Casbarro shares. “Just going back to some of the greats of the genre like Huxley, Orwell, and Asimov, there’s a lot of value to dystopian science fiction. It’s almost like it’s foreseeing humanity’s potential missteps or pitfalls as we’re approaching uncharted waters.”

Casbarro’s book rings true to his inspirations. Set in the year 2701, this 600-page sci-fi epic explores a society centered around the discovery of vitalerium, a gravity-bending blue crystal.

Casbarro recalls the process of developing the story, sharing tales of writing chapters on seemingly perpetual flights and jumping out of the shower to give life to a new character. However, one of the most important aspects that helped him cross the publishing finish line was his Northeastern network. Whether it be the professional connections he developed during his co-ops or his first-year roommate, he would “chat [with them] on the phone for hours to go back and forth on ideas.”

Casbarro’s self-guided equilibrium between his career in medical sales and moonlighting as an author perfectly encompasses what it means to be a Northeastern Husky. This is just the beginning for Casbarro, too. “Descent into the Void” is the first book of seven in the “Vitalerium” series. Already garnering critical acclaim from the science fiction community, Casbarro is on track to solidify his name among his contemporaries and create a legacy in the genre.

Order “Vitalerium: Descent into the Void” on Amazon

Amazon
Descent into the Void

What I definitely pulled from Northeastern was a love for the sciences, and a professional network that I’ve used more than anything else in my entire life.”

Nick Casbarro, BHS’14,

Meet Ashita Chauhan, CPS’19! While studying for her master’s in regulatory affairs, Ashita participated in a co-op that gave her the tools to succeed in her current role at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Learn about Ashita’s co-op experience, becoming a co-op mentor for undergraduate students, and introducing regulatory affairs to her home country.

Meet Brian Good, MBA’10! The co-founder and CEO of iBorrow, a Los Angeles-based commercial real estate lending provider, Brian began his career in law before pivoting towards entrepreneurship. Learn more about obtaining his MBA at Northeastern, building your own business, and how AI will impact the future of real estate.

View the transcript here

By Brianna Mitchell

Ali Singer, a 2012 graduate of the College of Arts, Media and Design, was a second-year student at Northeastern when her friend took her to a yoga class. Throughout that class, she felt the benefits of the practice—beyond just the physical ones. Specifically, Singer notes the positive impact it had on her mental state, citing a “greater sense of concentration.” It was that lingering effect that inspired her to continue the practice intermittently while at Northeastern. Little did she know then that she would later be founding YogaHub, a company aimed at making the sport more accessible and inclusive for interested initiates. 

Gradually, Singer gained more clarity about what kind of career she would enjoy. “I’ve always been a proponent of experiential learning…and when I was accepted to Northeastern, I realized this is the absolute perfect fit for me.” With that in mind, Singer took full advantage of the university’s opportunities by completing three co-ops and a study abroad experience in Perugia, Italy. These experiences provided her with two epiphanies—she wanted to work for herself, and she loved to travel.   

Those two truths informed her decisions as a post-graduate student. After juggling multiple side projects—including bartending and real estate—Singer took a chance to follow her true calling of seeking enlightenment through her yoga studies. In 2013, she completed her first yoga teacher certification course, and two years later, she became a full-time yoga teacher at various studios in the Boston area, including Coolidge Yoga and Equinox. In 2017, to deepen her understanding of the practice, Singer traveled to the birthplace of yoga, Rishikesh, India, which she credits with providing her with a global perspective that informs her delivery of an authentic yoga experience. 

As she was falling more in love with teaching and guiding her students through their individualized yoga journeys, she responded to a tweet that, in retrospect, was a watershed moment. The tweet was from then-mayor Marty Walsh, announcing a new mixed-use space that would be opening in Boston. When Singer inquired whether they would offer yoga there, the mayor gave Singer the owner’s contact information, to which Singer sent her proposal for a yoga studio that was eventually approved. Singer reflects, “That’s when I started officially operating my business under YogaHub, [but] it was a totally different model than it is now.” 

Today, Ali Singer’s YogaHub is a Boston-based platform that connects the corporate world with trained yoga teachers, streamlined by professional standards to ensure top quality. At first, Singer’s clients were hotels. “I started cold calling hotels because they had the physical space to host the classes,” she recalls. This strategy paid off, as the first hotel she connected with expressed interest in offering onsite yoga but was unsure of how to organize it, emphasizing the missing link in the yoga community that Singer was determined to build. This first business relationship organically designed the approach that now has become the cornerstone of the company’s success, enabling them to further develop partnerships with commercial properties and companies around the world. “It was a process of learning what that customer wanted and developing the service [based on] their needs,” explains Singer. 

Yet, as Singer points out, YogaHub has gone through many iterations and required certain levels of trust to witness the now-prosperous business. Outside of her familial support, including her husband and entrepreneurial father, Singer praises The McCarthy(s) Venture Mentoring Network for connecting her with established alumni who serve as trusted advisors to Singer. She emphasizes that those relationships are invaluable, especially in career-altering moments like her transition to running YogaHub full-time when the COVID-19 pandemic eliminated her in-person studio classes. Equipped with a strong network, Singer started that new chapter by tapping into the demand for physical and mental wellness while social distancing. 

Despite all the challenges thrown at the adaptive Singer, there have been incredible successes in YogaHub’s history that strongly indicate that her work is important and valued. She can recall her excitement when The Boston Globe covered YogaHub for the first time, and her delighted shock when she led a free outdoor yoga class of approximately 400 participants in Copley Square during the co-hosted International Day of Yoga with Yoga for Humanity. Touching on the latter experience, Singer remembers, “We were just hoping to just bring people together in celebration of the practice of yoga. It was nerve-wracking to lead the class, but it’s just yoga.” 

As for what’s next? First, Singer is embracing a new role—becoming a mom! Singer is passing down her love of yoga to her daughter by leading a baby and caregiver yoga program through the Medford Public Library. While that is her most important priority, Singer has a vision for the future of YogaHub. “I want to build the yoga brand [by] creating a balance between honoring the traditions of the practice and making it relatable in modern life,” she explains. To achieve this, Singer is utilizing technology to facilitate corporate bookings, and, eventually, she hopes to create a digital platform to connect yogis worldwide. In the meantime, Singer approaches every day grounded by her signature “good vibes” mantra.   

Learn more about Ali Singer and YogaHub below:

www.alisingeryoga.com  

https://www.linkedin.com/in/alisingeryoga

www.instagram.com/alisingeryoga

www.facebook.com/alisingeryoga

www.facebook.com/yogahub.life

Meet Christine Fitzpatrick, AMD’10! Beginning her career in the entertainment industry as a co-op for National Geographic, Christine recently had a “full-circle” moment by releasing her latest project, “Protecting Paradise: The Story of Niue”, through NatGeo. Tune in to learn more about Christine’s exciting Northeastern experience!

Stream Protecting Paradise: The Story of Niue on Hulu or Disney+

Link to Pristine Seas

Special thanks to Mike Barnaby ‘SSH 10 for his contributions to the “Protecting Paradise: The Story of Niue” project

“I wanted a computer science program that is very solid in its foundation, very well-reputed, and at the same time, provides an excellent opportunity for getting a job,” says Dipanjan Haldar, MS’19, breaking down the criteria he used to select a master’s program. “Northeastern computer science is a top-rated program here in the United States, as well as across the globe.”

After earning his undergraduate degree in India, Haldar enrolled in the Khoury College of Computer Science to pursue his goal of becoming a software engineer. While there, he was granted a research apprenticeship with professor emeritus Ken Baclawski that focused on machine learning algorithms. “That was a great experience for me,” Haldar says with a smile. “Actually, my entire tenure at Northeastern was nothing short of being exceptional, I would say.”

In addition to his impactful research apprenticeship at Northeastern, Haldar also participated in a co-op at Everbridge, a software company in Burlington, Massachusetts—a role he was able to transition into a full-time position. “The co-op program at Northeastern is one of the best in the United States,” says Haldar. “It was my first experience working with a U.S. firm…I was able to accomplish all the assigned tasks at my co-op given the kind of subjects I took in my previous semester. They were happy with my performance, and that’s why when I graduated, they offered me a full-time position.”

During his co-op and full-time roles at Everbrudge, Haldar built a strong foundation in advanced software engineering principles. From there, he trasnitioned into his current position as the principal engineer and senior manager at Fideslity Investments in New Hampshire. Today, Haldar is recognized as one of the top contributors to API development and software development. Additionally, he likes to give back to the software engineering community in greater Boston by mentoring future members of his industry at MIT’s Undergraduate Practice Opportunities Program and Gordon Engeineering Institute program—as well as through judging hackathons like HackMIT and the FLL World Championship.

Haldar continues to credit Northeastern for being the catalyst that accelerated his successful career in software engineering. “Northeastern gave me insights into theoretical computer science and the intricacies of how we should develop the concept of being a computer scientist. [At Northeastern], the door is open to anyone for opportunities and research. Northeastern has helped me a lot to get into these positions.”

Meet Jared Molton, AMD’10! After beginning his career as a professional magician and managing America’s oldest magic shop, Jared transitioned into the tech sphere and is now the vice president of consumer for Udacity. Learn more about his career transition, his favorite and most impactful class at Northeastern, and his memoir of his path from magician to tech executive.

Purchase a copy of “For My Next Trick”Register for classes on Udacity

View the transcript here

“My decision to pursue my Master of Science in human resource counseling with Northeastern, was driven by my interest in pursuing career advancement opportunities. I was working in human resources and recruiting at the time, and wanted to expand my knowledge” says Cheryl Haynes, MS’94 with a smile while reminiscing about her Northeastern experience. “It was quite helpful in allowing me to do that after completing my master’s degree.”

Haynes has had a long and illustrious career working in human resources—for over two decades, she held leadership positions in the corporate HR sector of prominent companies like State Street Bank, CVS, MetLife, and Citizens Bank. Currently, she runs her own coaching and consulting practice, Achievementor LLC, that specializes in CEO peer advisory mentoring in addition to leadership development content design, facilitation, and coaching executives and small groups.

After Achievementor’s launch in 2019, Haynes has developed a track record and reputation for elevating the careers of high-level executives across companies of all sizes, both public and private, through utilizing strategies in mindful leadership, team dynamics, and group coaching. However, Haynes credits her Northeastern degree as the foundation for these strategies—all of which have compounded into a success story.

“When I was pursuing my degree, I had been introduced to the concept of emotional intelligence. It has become the foundation of my work as an executive coach. Following my graduation, a book on the subject was published by Daniel Goleman, launching his reputation as one of the founders of emotional intelligence,” she says, beaming. “Fast forward to [2023], I was engaged by a large health insurer client to facilitate an emotional intelligence workshop for their C-suite level team. This was a major investment in leadership development for them. It was important enough that they brought in a guest speaker, Daniel Goleman himself, to speak on the topic of emotional intelligence, via Zoom!” radiates Haynes. “I was a big fan his book, and then fast forward 30 years later, I was debriefing the concept with C-Suite leaders following his presentation on Zoom.”

With her full-circle Northeastern moment in conjunction with her natural talents for coaching and elevating one’s career path, Haynes offers advice to both enrolled Huskies and young working professionals. “When uncomfortable, you’re on to something,” says Haynes with conviction. “Always make sure that you engage to get the best possible answer and to be comfortable with discomfort—as you advance your career and get to the next level of leadership, there will be things you need to learn.” Keeping that in mind, Haynes and her wisdom is a catalyst in helping the next generation of Huskies prosper.

Learn more about Achievementor, LLC

Always make sure that you engage to get the best possible answer and to be comfortable with discomfort—as you advance your career and get to the next level of leadership, there will be things you need to learn.

Cheryl Haynes, MS’94

Meet Cynthia Orofo, BHS’19, Ph.D.’24! After starting Culture Care Collective while enrolled in a Ph.D. program at Northeastern, Cynthia has helped it grow to make an impact on surrounding communities in the Boston area—while garnering recognition as a Women Who Empower Innovator award winner and being named to the Boston Forbes 30 under 30 list. Learn about Culture Care Collective’s impact and why Cynthia’s nine year Northeastern experience!

Read more about Culture Care Collective:

https://culturecareco.com

View the transcript here

Meet Mari Andrade, E’96! Mari has mastered the art of storytelling—learn about how her experiences at General Motors and the Olympic and Paralympic Games have shaped her current career as a messaging and storytelling strategist. Plus, learn tips for self-compassion and how to craft a compelling narrative for yourself!

View the transcript here

“I loved my time in Boston,” says Steven Summer, a 1972 graduate of the D’Amore-McKim School of Business, with a smile. “I mean, a lot of things drew me to Northeastern, notwithstanding the proximity and co-op program. At that point, Northeastern was much more focused on our careers and our work.”

Summer, currently the president and CEO of the Healthcare Institute, a nonprofit organization comprised of 40 of America’s leading hospital and health system CEOs, is no stranger to the hospital administration field. He has had an illustrious career, serving as the president and CEO of the West Virginia Hospital Association, and most recently, having the same title at the Colorado Hospital Association, until he retired at the end of 2019.

Summer’s work in health care has not gone unnoticed by his colleagues—this past April, he was awarded the 2024 American Hospital Association Board of Trustees Award for his lifetime of considerable and striking contributions to the AHA and hospital administration in general.

However, given all of Summer’s success, what was the catalyst that sparked his interest in health care?  “I came back to Northeastern in the summer of ‘68…I had spent the prior summer working at a state mental hospital in Rhode Island. The head of psychiatry at the Rhode Island Mental Health Center said…” you should look at a career hospital administration. It’s a new emerging profession [because] Medicare and Medicaid were just passed.”

Once back in Boston, Summer immediately began applying for co-op positions in hospitals and landed a prestigious co-op position at Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch, New Jersey. This co-op position provided him the career direction and aspirations he had been searching for and led—through a mutual family connection—to a co-op position at the Massachusetts Hospital Association, one in which he participated in for three consecutive years until he graduated in 1972.

Summer credits his Northeastern and co-op experiences for his career success—even citing the latter in his acceptance speech for the aforementioned American Hospital Association Board of Trustees Award. “Use that co-op time wisely,” says Summer when speaking in regard to a successful and fulfilling Northeastern experience. “Use it in a way to explore opportunities, and make important connections, because they may prove valuable in the future.”

Follow Steven on LinkedIn here.

Use [the co-op] to explore opportunities, and make important connections, because they may prove valuable in the future.”

Steven Summer, DMSB’73

Meet Meagan Reda, SSH’08! Meagan is one of the top shareholder activism lawyers in the world—learn how her Northeastern internships guided her to career success, her upcoming panel at Harvard, and advice she has for current Northeastern students.

View the transcript here

Meet Steve Stroum, DMSB’73! After a co-op experience that launched his career in sales, Steve started his own business—Venmark International. After helping clients succeed for over four decades, Steve embarked on his latest journey of providing tips for aspiring entrepreneurs in his new memoir “Success and Self-Discovery: A Business Memoir with Insightful Tips and Personal Development Advice that Will Help Any Entrepreneur.”

Purchase Steve’s book on Amazon

View the transcript here

“I know that Northeastern has a quality of learning and care, from [the university and] your professors,” says Careen Turner, CPS’18 of Savannah, Georgia, by way of Owensboro, Kentucky. “You don’t get that everywhere, and they’re going to make sure that you understand the material. It’s going to make a lot of sense, and I know that it’s going to be beneficial in the longrun.”

After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in communications studies, Turner moved to Hilton Head, South Carolina to become a coordinator at World Disney World, specializing in guest relations. Eventually joining the Americorps and dipping her toes in the nonprofit industry, she transitioned to a career in higher education—yet, after the pandemic, Turner longed for the inherent human connection and feeling of giving back to the community she garnered while working at Disney. As a result, she pivoted towards a permanent role in the nonprofit sector, eventually climbing the ranks to being named the director of philanthropy for the largest farmers’ market in southern Georgia, the Forsyth Farmers’ Market.

However, prior to her promotion at the Forsyth Farmers’ Market, Turner compounded her experiences and passion for the nonprofit sector by adding a master of science in nonprofit management from Northeastern’s College of Professional Studies to her resume. “The degree itself helped me [get] an overall understanding of how nonprofits work [and] what to expect when going into the field…I think it provided a well-rounded look at the industry.”

With a degree in hand, Turner was ready to tap into the power of the Northeastern global network and utilize their career services to the fullest potential. “I used the Northeastern career center a lot,” she says with emphasis, explaining the process of building a resume, applying for jobs, and taking advantage of networking connections. “Don’t forget about your university career center. They’re here for you, even years after you graduate.”

The future is bright and full of hope for Turner as she helps the Forsyth Farmers’ Market pivot towards a new philanthropic challenge of providing 12 services that support the local community for food access and security. “Philanthropy is multi-facted,” she says with a smile. “We’re looking to provide affordable food opportunities and access to fresh and local produce. Our market really [does that and] supports local producers and growers.”

Turner’s passion for philanthropy and elevating the community is a cornerstone of Northeastern University, and she is an embodiment of that spirit. If you would like to follow in her footsteps, select your favorite fund to donate to on Northeastern’s Giving Day, this coming Thursday, April 11, 2024, to help other Huskies continue to have a transformational Northeastern experience.

Follow the Forysth Farmers’ Market on Instagram @forsythfarmersmarket

Click here to donate to the Forsyth Farmers’ Market

Instagram
@forsythfarmersmarket

Website
https://www.forsythfarmersmarket.com/

I know that Northeastern has a quality of learning and care, from [the university and] your professors. You don’t get that everywhere, and they’re going to make sure that you understand the material.”

Careen Turner, CPS’18

Meet Ammy Lowney, SSH’05! A school teacher by day, Ammy moonlights as one of Boston’s most prolific entrepreneurs—the founder of the growing health cafe, JUICYGREENS. Learn more about her favorite Northeastern professors, her plans for expanding JUICYGREENS, and what it feels like to be a Women Who Empower Innovator award winner.

View the transcript here

Meet David Wyatt, E’88! The president of Wyatt Engineering, David has made a name for himself in his industry through his incredible accomplishments—his most recent being designing the flow meter that helped The Odysseus Lander touch ground on the moon. Learn more about his co-op experience, starting Wyatt Engineering, and being asked to be a part of this mission to the moon.

View the transcript here

“[Northeastern] gave us the perspective on why we do what we do,” says Jamie Riesenberg, S’22 as she sits next to her best friend, roommate, and fellow Husky Caroline Zagoren, S’22 in an apartment in Philadelphia and recalls her time at Northeastern. “It’s all worth it because now I’ll be able to do the one thing that I’ve always dreamed of doing.”

Riesenberg, from South Florida, and Zagoren, from the greater Boston area, are no strangers to each other—they have known each other since moving into neighboring dorm rooms in Stetson West during their first year at Northeastern. After spending their first year communicating with each other through knocks on the wall, Riesenberg and Zagoren formed an inseparable bond that would last throughout their undergraduate experience.

Graduating in 2022, they both went their separate ways to further their career aspirations—Zagoren moving to Philadelphia to attend the University of Pennsylvania’s acclaimed veterinarian school, and Riesenberg staying in Boston to work as a dental assistant at Boston Dental.

However, their paths soon crossed again in 2023, with Riesenberg’s acceptance into the University of Pennsylvania’s dental school. “It was never on my radar, and I never thought that I’d get in, but Penn is the only school that has a vet school and dental school on campus,” says Riesenberg. “We definitely didn’t anticipate being here together,” chimes Zagoren. “It was very unexpected, that’s for sure.”

Both Riesenberg and Zagoren credit their respective Northeastern experiences with being the catalyst for not only their aforementioned career aspirations, but for preparing them to take on the challenges of graduate schools. “The co-op program really helped prepare me. Being able to get experience in the real world definitely has its advantages,” says Zagoren as Riesenberg shakes her head in agreement. “The hands-on experience [that the co-op program provided] prepared me so much.”

It’s no secret that Riesenberg and Zagoren both cherished their Northeastern experiences—and they want to be sure that the current generation of Huskies is able to do the same. “Even if you know what you want to do, I think it’s important to experience both sides of the field that you’re interested in,” says Zagoren. “Northeastern does a really great job of providing those opportunities and helping us keep an open mind.”

The co-op program really helped prepare me. Being able to get experience in the real world definitely has its advantages,”

Caroline Zagoren, S’22

Meet Professor Dave Hagen, CJ’80! An associate teaching professor for the College of Professional Studies, Dave wanted to return to give back to the Northeastern community by teaching at his alma mater. His research revolves around what exactly critical thinking is and its different applications in both the world and the classroom. Learn more about his undergraduate experience, what it means to think critically, and the next phase of his research!

“To my students, I always like to talk about how impactful the Northeastern community was for me,” says Marie Ganim, Ph.D.’05. “I hope you’re able to appreciate the program that you’re in and I hope you’re able to appreciate Northeastern professors, because to me, it was very significant and impactful in my life…a lot of [my career] had to do with my Ph.D. [in public affairs] from Northeastern.”

Dr. Ganim, a native of Lincoln, Rhode Island, is no stranger to serving the public sector—her leadership qualities and dedication to public service have landed her positions as Commissioner of the Rhode Island Office of the Health Insurance Commissioner, deputy chief of staff for the Rhode Island Senate President, her current service on an ad hoc committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and as a college instructor.

While at Northeastern, Dr. Ganim embraced the academic community, specifically through her connections with her professors, one of which being former Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis. “These professors were second to none…and some are still friends and individuals that I can call. We share emails when we find things [in our field] that are of interest to each other.” 

However, Dr. Ganim’s Northeastern experience didn’t end with her doctorate—she made a transition to the other side of the classroom, teaching one class each year in urban affairs and public policy. “The way I was connected to [teach the class] was from my Ph.D. professors,” says Dr. Ganim. “When they knew that I was retiring from the state government…they reached out and said ‘we have this one class we would like you teach’…and it was perfect.” 

Dr. Ganim’s teaching style is reflective of her community-based thinking and emphasis on individualization, as shown through her effort to have one-on-one Zoom calls with her remote-learning students and to get to know them on a personal basis. This philosophy runs parallel with her worldview and the leadership style expressed in her professional career, as proven through her recent appointment to the Board of Directors for PACE-RI, a not-for-profit health plan that offers health services to Rhode Islanders above the age of 55. 

A program operating in Rhode Island for just less than two decades, the concept was created in the 1970s in California through the tradition in Asian-American culture of tending to your elders in your home opposed to in an institutional situation. With that in mind, Dr. Ganim is optimistic about her new board membership and the future of PACE-RI. Beaming, she says that …“it feels like a culmination and good use of my years of experience and advocacy [for public health].”  

Meet Jack Lovett, SSH’19, MPA’20! An office engineer for the City of Newton, Jack loves representing and helping constituents, as well as Northeastern’s young alumni and global community. Learn more from Jack about what your local government can do you for you, what it’s like to be a Young Alumni Advisory Board member, and why it’s important to be involved in your community.

Connect with Jack on LinkedIn

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“I wanted to make a sidebar conversation a real conversation,” says Dr. Frederick Engram, Jr., CPS’19, with a passion only found in the DNA of changemakers. “I really wanted to have a coming together and tap on the shoulder, not just for Black people, but for my peers, my elders, and [those] on a journey toward anti-racism. How can I be a part of this? How can I make this work?”

Dr. Engram, hailing from Utica, New York by way of Silicon Valley, feels like he has “lived several lives.” After graduating from an HBCU with a bachelor’s in criminology and furthering his education with a master’s in administration of justice and security, Dr. Engram worked in a diverse range of fields before being “bit by the bug” of higher education and beginning his tenure at American University in Washington, D.C.

While at American University, Dr. Engram happened to be at the political center of our nation during an implicative and transformational time in our country—the 2016 transition from the Obama to Trump administration. Being in the eye of a historical zeitgeist as that moment had become, Dr. Engram wanted to make an impact on a sociopolitical level, and asked himself “How can I be a part of liberation and liberatory work?”

With this question in mind, in November of 2023, Dr. Engram published “Black Liberation through Action and Resistance: MOVE” under Rowman & Littlefield. The name of his book is far more than just a title—it’s a call to action, critical thought, and change. As Dr. Engram explains, the title “is a double entendre. It’s called ‘MOVE’ as in get up and do something…but it’s also ‘MOVE’ as in move to music. Each of the chapters in the book are named after a song of liberation.”

Even with the positive reviews of his book and his plethora of experiences, Dr. Engram still credits Northeastern with giving him the flexibility to pursue his passion for social change. His hybrid educational schedule, he says, was able to give him the “full-on” Northeastern experience when in Boston. “Being a grad student in Boston while at Northeastern, allowed me to live in both places ideologically, philosophically, and in D.C. working…engaging with both my colleagues and my peers to be both an administrator and student at the same time.” 

Now an assistant professor at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck, New Jersey, Dr. Engram continues his fight for liberation through his research of critical race theory, disruptive DEI, and more. With this in mind, his pursuit to answer the social questions of liberation are proving to be a bright light for our nation’s future. 

To stay informed, follow Every Day is Juneteenth on Instagram

To stay connected with Dr. Engram, follow him on Instagram

“Black Liberation through Action and Resistance: MOVE” is available at your local bookstore

Meet Kojo Addaquay, E’23! Currently working as a finance business systems analyst at Northeastern, Kojo has a history of working with the United Nations and his own fintech startup that aims to help farmers in Ghana finance their equipment. Learn about Kojo’s unique co-op experience, his techniques for self-discipline when learning a new skill, and his predictions for the future of global fintech!

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Meet Byron Hurt, AMD’93! After starting his journalism career at The Patriot Ledger while at Northeastern, Byron transitioned to documentary filmmaking that focuses on hot-button topics. Byron’s latest film, “Lee and Liza’s Family Tree”, traces the history of the Hurt family through various genealogical practices while using it as a vessel to explore a range of social issues. Learn more about Byron’s Northeastern experience, his journalistic inspirations, and his upcoming projects!

You can watch “NOVA: Lee and Liza’s Family Tree” here.

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Since she was a teenager, Alissa Krasner Maizes, CJ’90, has been a fan and consistent reader of Kiplinger Personal Finance Magazine. This past October, every reader’s dream became a reality for her—she was published by the magazine highlighting her successful college saving strategies that paid for both of her sons’ Northeastern experiences while simultaneously allowing her and her husband to save for retirement.

Maizes is no stranger to money management, however—she is the founder and financial advisor for the Boca Raton-based financial planning firm Amplify My Wealth. “Starting Amplify My Wealth was fueled by my desire to provide fiduciary advice to help young adults and women along their financial journey, regardless of their net worth, meeting you wherever you are on your financial journey, whether living paycheck-to-paycheck or with millions in the bank,” she says.

Starting your own financial planning service is no small feat, and it is clear that entrepreneurship and perseverance seemingly run in the Maizes family. Her son, Zachary, Khoury’23, used his Northeastern experience to build a rapport with titans in his industry through a number of co-ops and hard work. According to Zachary, “the co-op culture at Northeastern provided an environment that encouraged me to focus on putting myself in the best position possible for applications early on…I restructured my course plan to better align with the application cycle and get ahead of the curve…These experiences, with companies like Amazon and Meta, were major contributors to me landing my current position at ZipRecruiter.”

Her younger son, Joshua, E’25, used his entrepreneurial instincts to take advantage of a market gap in the greater Boston area while completing co-ops to gather experience in the industrial engineering field. He states that “pivoting from Mechanical to Industrial Engineering was crucial in my academic experience, and my co-ops cemented my passions before entering the job market. As someone who has been an entrepreneur since high school, the experiential environment inspires me to continue to develop my business, Fragment Studios, and tackle entrepreneurial opportunities with classmates, like Select Markets—a local, sustainable vintage clothing market—that I founded with a fellow Husky.”

It’s no secret, however, that balancing a budget while having children in college can come with its challenges. For parents navigating this fragile territory, Maizes advises that “as a current Northeastern University parent, balancing your instinct to ‘be there for your children’ by prioritizing your financial needs is essential. Admittedly, while most people do not like having conversations about money with anyone, you and your child will likely thank you for it later.” With that in mind, not only is Maizes helping her family succeed financially, but she can help yours too.

Learn more about Amplify My Wealth on their website
Connect with Alissa on LinkedIn
Connect with Zachary on LinkedIn 
Connect with Joshua on LinkedIn

Linkedin
Profile

Website
https://amplifymywealth.com/

“As a current Northeastern University parent, balancing your instinct to ‘be there for your children’ by prioritizing your financial needs is essential.”

Alissa Krasner Maizes, CJ’90

“I’m always looking around for pictures,” says Chelsea Matson, a 2011 graduate with degrees in Human Services and International Affairs. As the proprietor of her own photography business—capturing weddings, family sessions, brand photography sessions, and more—it comes as no surprise to hear that Matson has always viewed the world through a photographic lens. “With my friends, I was notorious for always having a disposable camera with me…I still have shoeboxes of developed photos,” says Matson. “Even whenever I’m driving down the highway, I’m gasping, like, ‘Oh my gosh, those wildflowers are so incredible!’”

Matson’s journey towards becoming a professional photographer was, by her admission, a rather convoluted process. At Northeastern, she began by majoring in criminal justice with a minor in business. Not finding this to be the right fit, she shifted to pre-med, then general art, and finally to a dual major in human services and international affairs. Ultimately, she decided to procure a master’s degree in special education. Her passion for photography, however, never left her.

Eventually, while working as a teacher in New York City, the thought occurred to her—“What if I got people to pay me for taking photos?” Almost immediately, she dedicated herself to learning the tricks of the trade through a photography apprenticeship—all while continuing her career as a teacher and starting her photography business. After getting married and moving to Milwaukee in 2014, she decided to spend another year honing her skills before finally taking the plunge and picking up where she left off . Her calendar has been booked ever since.

However, running a business by herself comes with its own share of difficulties. “Being my own boss is pretty amazing…and exhausting,” says Matson. “Some days, I’m just sitting here on my computer editing for eight hours straight.” According to Matson, what makes it all worth it is her investment in serving and understanding people. “I luckily have really incredible clients,” says Matson. “I love getting to know all these different people at different parts of their lives. Some people are about to have a baby, some people are getting married, some people have five kids and they’re wrangling them…I think people are super interesting, [and] I think that photography gives you an opportunity to build different communities.”

Matson expresses her gratitude to Northeastern for giving her the tools and experience to start her own business. “Being able to graduate with that [co-op] experience is so incredibly valuable,” says Matson. “I left Northeastern with four jobs on my resume…that was huge.” Beyond that, she credits her Northeastern experience with giving her the confidence to pursue her ambitions. “It’s a big deal to be able to feel like you have the tools to leave your full-time benefits-paid job and go start a business, and I think a lot of that comes from my courses and my relationships I built at Northeastern.”

Ultimately, Matson’s hard work and dedication to her craft has paid off—in fact, this year marks the conclusion of her tenth full season in the business. More so than her remarkable business success, Matson is perhaps even prouder of the strides she’s made over the years in terms of setting a manageable work-life balance. “During my first three years, I was doing 20 to 30 weddings in a season, which was beautiful and amazing, but also really grueling.” Part of her growth, she says, has been figuring out the importance of valuing her time. “[Nowadays], if I’m not doing an in-person session, then I’m with my family,” she laughs. “Know what makes you feel happy and joyful, set boundaries, learn from people who do what you want to do, and then just have fun.”

Instagram
@chelseamatsonphoto

Website
https://www.chelseamatson.com/

“Walking into a job after [graduating from Northeastern], I felt like I had all these skills: time management, people management, human interactions — without these, I would have felt way more timid.”

Chelsea Matson ssh ’11

Meet Meghan Phan, a graduate of the College of Social Sciences and Humanities in 2022! While working toward her degree in philosophy, Meghan opened a bakery with her mother in 2018. Specializing in sweet treats, Vietnamese food, and coffee, Sweet Piglet Bakery offers something for everyone. Learn about starting a business as a student, balancing work with family, and this year’s Northeastern Holiday Market!

Follow Sweet Piglet Bakery on Instagram: @sweetpigletbakery

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It’s no secret that a cornerstone of the insurance industry is customer care. “In an industry like insurance where you are not selling something that is tangible to a customer, you are really selling the people and employees that we have…I’m super passionate about that piece of things” says Rachel Switchenko, MBA’15.

Beginning her career in insurance through data analytics and accounting for Liberty Mutual, Switchenko eventually gravitated towards the customer side of the business after a move to Plymouth Rock Home Assurance. “I found my home in service,” says Switchenko. “I love the customer experience. I think that they’re really what makes any company successful.” With that mindset, a great work ethic, and a resume to match, at the beginning of 2023 Switchenko was officially announced as the Vice President of Customer Solutions for Plymouth Rock.

Additionally, her Northeastern experience was a foundational piece in her ascension to the VP of Customer Solutions. According to Switchenko, the flexibility that Northeastern’s part-time MBA program offered allowed her to balance her education with her blossoming professional and personal life. “I was looking for flexibility. I was doing it part-time, and it fit really nicely into there. [Plus], it has a really good reputation and I think that also matters. Part of the reason I wanted my MBA was for external opportunities.”

Not only was flexibility a crucial part in obtaining her MBA, but her classroom experience provided her with tools that could be used for success in her career. “At that point in time…sitting in those rooms listening to professors, it gave me a greater appreciation for what was to come. It gave me a better understanding for why decisions were being made…it helped me be transparent to the level that you need to to bring people along with you,” she says in regards to applying these skills to her professional life.

Even after all of her success, Switchenko is still looking to give back to the Northeastern MBA community in any way she can. “I would soak it all in,” she says with a smile as she considers what she would say to current Northeastern MBA students. “Your MBA is a decision you make yourself. Don’t do yourself a disservice by not giving it just as much as you would give anything else that you’ve chosen to do…you’re making that investment, so get the most out of it.”

LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-switchenko/

Your MBA is a decision you make yourself. Don’t do yourself a disservice by not giving it just as much as you would give anything else that you’ve chosen to do…”

Rachel Switchenko, MBA’15

Meet Greg Lainas, a graduate of the D’Amore-McKim School of Business in 1978! Greg had a long and prolific career as a CPA—working for industry giants like Robert Half and ESPN. Now retired, Greg leads speaking engagements on networking, telling his story of how he was able to create connections that lead to jobs, leadership positions, and even his first co-op experience. Learn more about the power of networking, tips for making connections, and how his networking skills gave him a unique and interesting opportunity with a Northeastern professor!

Follow and connect with Greg on LinkedIn

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Being at the head of a start-up wasn’t always in the cards for Ceylan Rowe, a 2003 graduate of the College of Social Sciences and Humanities. Though she’s always been in the business of helping people—her first co-op at Northeastern being at the Massachusetts Office for Refugees and Immigrants—her prior ambitions were firmly in the realm of politics. In 2020, Rowe made a bid for election to the Massachusetts House of Representatives, an endeavor which ended in defeat. But for the ever-optimistic Rowe, this turn of events “…ended up being this hidden blessing.”

It didn’t take long for Rowe to find her true calling. During her stint as a MetroWest commissioner for the status of women, Rowe happened upon a group of eighth-grade girls teaching sixth graders how to use toilet paper as makeshift period pads. “I kept thinking, ‘How is period poverty happening here—in our neighborhood, in our communities?’” For Rowe, access to menstrual products is more than a question of hygiene or comfort. “If you don’t have access to period products,” says Rowe, “[then] how do you go to school? How do you go to work? How do you have financial stability?”

In response to these challenges, Rowe founded Fihri, which she named after Fatima al-Fihri, the first person in history to have founded an institution of higher learning. Fihri aims to provide opportunities for menstrual education via its “Period Palooza” period kit making events while distributing sustainable period products to financially disadvantaged students and disaster-stricken communities. “500 million menstruators do not have access to period products each month,” says Rowe. “So, we want women and girls all over the world to have access to period products that are better for themselves and the environment.”

Over the span of a few short years, the company’s growth has been remarkable—they’ve distributed over 20,000 sustainable menstrual products across 12 different countries. Even with this success, Rowe still credits her time at Northeastern with giving her the tools and knowledge base to start a company. “I think the co-op program really had a positive impact on my life,” says Rowe. “Sometimes, being in the wrong place is helpful to help you discover what the right place is…even if an internship didn’t go the way you were expecting, that’s great, because now you didn’t waste five years!”

Though candid about the strides that are yet to be made in the realms of menstrual product access and education, Rowe believes that she has reason to be optimistic about the future of the industry. “I’m really excited that there’s a lot more small women-owned companies being innovative. In Africa, they’ve launched biodegradable pads that are actually made out of banana fibers. The innovation [in the industry] is making me really hopeful that we can come up with more products that can actually lead to alleviating period poverty.”

Meet Martell Mason, a graduate of the College of Social Sciences and Humanities in 2007! Beginning as a Starbucks barista while taking classes at Northeastern, Martell fell in love with the coffee industry. After spending time working as a coffee importer/exporter in Turkey, Martell asked himself, “How can I make coffee more accessible to underrepresented communities?” In 2021, he returned to his native Detroit to start the Sepia Coffee Project and make an impact not only on his local community, but give representation to coffee roasters from around the world. Learn more about his long and diverse history in the coffee industry, the goals of the Sepia Coffee Project, and how you can help!

Learn more about the Sepia Coffee Project:
https://www.sepiacoffeeproject.com/

Support the Sepia Coffee Project:
https://wefunder.com/sepiacoffeeproject

Follow the Sepia Coffee Project on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/scpdetroit/

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