Merage Student Association

Beeta Shahnazari
President
Beeta is a 2022 Full-Time MBA candidate focusing on corporate finance in the CPG industry. She was born and raised in Huntington Beach, California and graduated from UC Irvine (zot zot!) with a bachelor’s degree in business economics and a minor in management. After graduation, she worked in Trade Compliance for an apparel manufacturing company and later in Marketing for a chemical manufacturing company. Beeta chose the Merage School not only for its curriculum focused on digital transformation, but also for its intimate class size, welcoming student body and distinguished faculty. She currently also serves as a Merage Student Ambassador for the Full-Time MBA Program. In her free time, you can find Beeta flowing on her yoga mat, in the kitchen learning new recipes or traveling the world to discover new countries.

Kyle Spence
Vice President
Kyle is a 2022 Full-Time MBA candidate with a focus on Real Estate and Finance. Prior to joining Merage, Kyle spent 7+ years working for a real estate firm in Western Canada. He played a key role in several development approvals and the management of the company's hospitality division. Kyle graduated from Mount Royal University (Calgary, Canada) in 2013 with a bachelor's degree in business administration. Kyle enjoys skiing, surfing and enjoying all that SoCal has to offer in his free time.

Sushmitha Moolamalla
VP of Finance
Sushmitha is a 2022 Full-Time MBA candidate with a focus on product management and analytics. She graduated from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, with a Bachelor of Technology & Master of Technology in Electronics & Electrical Communications. She has 4 years of experience in the Financial Services Industry and Big Data Analytics. As an Analyst, she has specialized in the digital space with exposure to practical issues of new business creation and expansion and has helped multiple clients with innovative business structures that enabled growth and economic progress. While pursuing her MBA she continues to advance her current skills and build a command over corporate strategy, new product development and strategic planning that are critical to lead a new business transformation. Aside from her professional aspirations, Sushmitha loves playing volleyball, traveling, sketching, acrylic painting and trying new foods.

Taylor Lansdale
VP of Communications
Taylor is a 2022 Full-Time MBA candidate focusing on marketing and corporate communications in the life sciences industry. After graduating from the University of California Santa Cruz, Taylor worked in San Francisco and her hometown of San Diego. Prior to joining Merage, she worked as the Manager of Corporate Communications for Ionis Pharmaceuticals. Post MBA, Taylor hopes to work as a marketing manager for a large biotechnology or medical device company. In her free time, Taylor enjoys hiking, backpacking and spending time outdoors.

William Hartung 
VP of Technology
Will is a 2022 Full-Time MBA candidate focusing on product management. Originally from Los Angeles, Will studied Economics at Colgate University in New York before moving to Vail, Colorado, to spend a year skiing and mountain biking. He then moved to New York City where he worked for Preqin, a financial research company, in sales for three years before transitioning into product management. During his nearly four years as a product manager, Will lead the Data Integration products, developing and releasing the business’s first commercial APIs that provided integration with applications such as Salesforce. After graduation, he hopes to move into the tech industry and continue working as a product manager. In his spare time, Will has volunteered for six years at an organization called Minds Matter, whose mission is to help high-achieving low-income high school students receive an acceptance at a 4-year college. His hobbies are photography, travel and skiing, and he hopes to take up SCUBA diving once again now that he is back on the west coast.

Constance Toulemonde
VP of Marketing
Constance Toulemonde is a 2022 Full-Time MBA candidate focusing on marketing. She was born and raised in France but came to the US on a full ride athletic scholarship to swim and earn a bachelor’s degree in marketing and management at Oregon State University. After graduation, Constance joined Nike as a sports marketing recruiter and later as a brand design coordinator for the basketball category. She then went back to her home country and worked as a marketing and strategic storytelling consultant, where she helped executives build powerful brand stories and inspiring speeches. Constance chose UCI for her MBA because the Merage School combines all the advantages of a smaller program while giving access to big opportunities. While at the Merage School, she hopes to strengthen her business acumen and dive deeper into crucial aspects of marketing: analytics and strategy. In her free time, Constance enjoys running, skiing, surfing and spending as much time as possible outdoors in the California sunshine.

Sophia Fischer
VP of Social
Sophia Fischer is a 2022 Full-Time MBA candidate focusing on marketing. Sophia was raised in several different countries before returning to the United States for university. She graduated from University of California, Davis with a bachelor’s degree in Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior and a minor in Technology Management. Combining her passion for science and business, Sophia worked in product marketing and medical education roles at Stryker, a world-wide leader in medical technology. She garnered experience across several divisions within Stryker, working in both San Jose, CA, and Stryker’s headquarters in Kalamazoo, MI, during her six years with the company. Sophia chose UCI for her MBA because of the caliber of students and program staff and the many personalized experiences available due to the small class sizes. She is at the Merage School to hone her leadership and marketing strategy skills and transition into a portfolio management role within healthcare or CPG. In her free time, Sophia loves to explore the gorgeous Southern California coastline, hike and socialize with friends over dinner or drinks.

JC Eastwood
VP of Social
JC is a 2022 Full-Time MBA candidate focusing on marketing and brand strategy. A Southern California native, JC received his B.A. from Brigham Young University’s #1 ranked advertising program before moving to the Bay Area to begin his career at the award-winning ad agency, BBDO SF. Passionate about blending bold storytelling with real-world insights, he found his niche in brand marketing strategy. JC’s post-MBA goals include pivoting to client-side brand management, writing the next great American novel and being the best husband/father for his wife and son.

Mai Dao
VP of Part-Time Programs
Mai is a 2022 FEMBA candidate. As VP of Part-Time Programs, Mai is focused on creating valuable experiences for FEMBA and EMBA students that will foster the foundation of success post-graduation. Mai is interested in entrepreneurship and digital transformation and is working towards Merage’s certifications. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in International Studies from UC Irvine. In her spare time, she enjoys watching her favorite basketball and football teams.

Agustine “Augie” Valentino Pimentel
VP of Specialty Masters Programs
Augie is a class of 2022 candidate at UC Irvine’s Paul Merage School of Business where he is pursuing his M.S. in Innovation and Entrepreneurship. As the Merage Student Association’s VP of Specialty Masters Programs, he is committed to serving as the liaison between MSA and the five specialty master programs and to strengthen the relationships between these different groups. Aside from this role, he is also his program’s Student Representative and Ambassador. Prior to joining his program, Augie moved from Baldwin Park, CA, to Irvine for his undergraduate studies at UCI where he majored in International Studies and minored in General Management. He would eventually like to start his own Dining and Hospitality Group because he is passionate about creating unique experiences that everyone can enjoy within this industry. In his free time, Augie enjoys exploring new coffee shops/restaurants, taking trips with friends and swimming.

Sathyanarayana Ganta
VP of International Student Relations
Sathyanarayana Ganta is a 2022 Full-Time MBA candidate. Sathya was born and bought up in India. He did his bachelors in Civil Engineering from prestigious Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay). Upon graduation, his keen interest in solving business problems led him to choose a career in Management Consulting. During his career, he worked on engagements across a wide variety of functions/industries and collaborated with CXOs, government officials, and client teams to drive tangible results. Some of the areas include: Strategy formulation (corporate, business and economic growth), development of business plans and financial models, regulatory analysis and business impact assessment, public policy formulation, business process transformation, institutional capability building, technology intervention and enablement and improvement of ease of doing business. In his last role prior joining to the Merage School, he was a Manager in Strategy and Business Design service line of Strategy and Operations practice of Deloitte India. Sathya was motivated to attend the Merage School because of its reputed faculty, personalized coursework and the innovative curriculum tailored to develop leaders in a digitally driven challenging world. During his free time, you can find Sathya enjoying long outdoor runs/walks, hiking, playing tennis and reading books on topics ranging from fiction to business to spirituality.

Tiam Setayeshi
President
Tiam is a 2021 Full-Time MBA Candidate and Faculty Scholarship recipient. Prior to pursuing his MBA, Tiam worked four years in the retail industry, where he started off as an Omni Financial Planner for Macy’s Inc. for their Fashion Jewelry/Watches division before moving to grow the businesses within the Kitchen Electrics division at Walmart.com as a Buyer. He is a graduate of The George Washington University with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a focus in Marketing and holds a minor in Economics. He is leveraging his experience to move into the Entertainment industry, where he hopes to work in a strategy capacity for a major streaming service provider. For fun, he enjoys playing basketball, watching new television shows and movies and is an avid reader.

Andrew Shires
VP of Operations
Andrew is a 2021 Full-Time MBA candidate with a focus in Finance and Economics. Prior to joining Merage, Andrew worked for four years as the Head of Global Research for an asset management firm in Virginia. He was responsible for developing economic models and sourcing actionable trades across the four major asset classes in 29 economies. He graduated from UCSD in 2012 with a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry. In his free time, Andrew enjoys playing basketball, snowboarding and watching football.

Anthony Ghanime
VP of Finance
Anthony is a 2021 Full-Time MBA Candidate at the Merage School of Business. He was born and raised in Los Angeles, California and graduated from the Rochester Institute of Technology with a B.S. in Management and Business Administration. Upon graduating Anthony moved to Dubai where he worked as a Corporate Strategy Associate for Intel Corporation dealing predominantly with start-up growth and the development of Maker communities within emerging markets. Anthony plans to leverage his MBA to transition into a strategic management role within the U.S. Anthony’s hobbies include participating in sports, hiking and practicing the piano.

Sara Safan
VP of Communications
Sara is a 2021 Full-Time MBA candidate focusing on marketing in the food and beverage space. After graduating from Vanderbilt University, Sara worked in analytical chemistry, but soon realized her passion for the food and beverage industry and made the switch into the restaurant tech space. Prior to starting at Merage, she worked in vendor relations for a SaaS company that builds software for restaurants. Post MBA, Sara hopes to work as a marketing manager for a major restaurant chain or a F&B focused CPG company. Sara is a Merage Student Ambassador and is involved with Women in Business as well as Challenge for Charity. In her free time, Sara enjoys cooking, running and exploring new restaurants.

Kevin Ly 
VP of Marketing
Kevin is a 2021 Full-Time MBA student at the Paul Merage School of Business. Originally from New York City, he was raised in Brooklyn and Staten Island. Kevin graduated from Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey with a BS in Business Management. Prior to pursuing his MBA at Merage, Kevin spent 12 years in the retail banking industry at Capital One and Santander North America. Kevin is now seeking to transition his career into marketing while leveraging his relationship-building skills. In his free time, Kevin enjoys supporting the New York Rangers and playing tennis. Fun Fact: Kevin has played tennis with Naomi Osaka.

Yashwanth Reddy
VP of Technology
Yashwanth is a first year MBA student with a focus on product management and strategy. He graduated from India’s space university as an Avionics engineer. He started his career as an intern at IBM Research labs, developing a new product for their business customers. He has 4 years of experience at India’s space organization, researching and developing high complex, fast paced and high budget satellites for Indian government as well as other business customers of ISRO. He is extremely passionate about how businesses leverage new technologies and create value to their customers. He is looking to complement his technical expertise with management principles to develop himself as an effective business leader. Yashwanth is a huge fan of Formula One Racing and cheers for Redbull racing’s driver Max Verstappen.

Ada Hon
VP of Social
Ada is a Full-Tim MBA candidate, Class of 2021. As the Merage Student Association’s Co-Vice President of Social, she is dedicated to creating, supporting and facilitating events for the Merage school. Prior to joining the Merage family, she majored in Hospitality Management (Lodging Operations) and minored in Business Administration (General Management) for her undergraduate studies at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. She has worked in Sales Data Analytics, Revenue Management, Operations and Sales & Marketing within the hotel industry and co-founded a residential real estate company where she worked in Finance and Accounting. Now she is focusing on pursuing a career in Revenue Management within an international hotel brand on the corporate/regional level. In her spare time, Ada enjoys swimming, dancing and snorkeling.

Axel Eyer
VP of Social
Axel is a 2021 Full-Time MBA candidate with a focus on marketing in the technology industry. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Communication and a minor in English from UC Santa Barbara. Prior to Merage, he worked in software sales at Esri and most recently completed a product marketing internship for a HR Tech startup in Sweden. He now serves as the Vice President of Social for the Merage Student Association, Student Ambassador and VP of the Merage Marketing Association. In his free time, he enjoys powerlifting, reading and exploring local breweries.

Lilian Trang
VP of Specialty Master’s Program
Lilian is pursuing her M.S. in Biotechnology Management and is a Class of 2021 candidate at the UC Irvine. She was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, and is passionate about impacting patient's lives through the life sciences and the healthcare field. After completing her undergraduate in Biology at UCI, Lilian decided to continue her higher education and leverage her technical background in a career that focuses on strategic implementation. She is seeking to fulfill a career in life sciences consulting and/or product management and loves to connect with customers to learn about their pain points. Lilian enjoys meeting people from diverse backgrounds and wishes to utilize her passion and knowledge to improve patient's health through the future of digital technology and artificial intelligence. Aside from her professional aspirations, Lilian loves playing volleyball, hiking, trying new foods, playing Tetris and volunteering for non-profits.

Crystal Fisher
VP of Part-Time Programs
Crystal is a 2021 FEMBA Candidate from Irvine, CA. As Co-VP of Part Time Programs of the MSA, she is focused on representing and engaging students in the part-time programs at the Paul Merage School of Business. Crystal earned her Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering with a minor in Economics from Purdue University. She has previous work experience in sales as an account manager and business development manager. She is currently working as a supply planner for a cosmetics company. Crystal is also a dog mom to a two-year-old goldendoodle. In her spare time, she enjoys outdoor activities, sewing and spending time with friends.

Brad Smith
VP of Part-Time Programs
Brad is a 2022 FEMBA Candidate. As Co-VP of Part-Time Programs, Brad focuses his energy on creating valuable experiences for FEMBA and EMBA students by fostering connections and networking within The Paul Merage School of Business and the local community. Brad is studying investment and finance, and his background is in cybersecurity, where he holds two software patents. Additionally, he holds a master’s degree in information security from the University of London, Royal Holloway, and a Bachelor of Computer Science from The Master’s College. Brad enjoys rowing in Newport Harbor and playing polo.

Shimpei Tange
VP of International Student Relations
Shimpei is a 2021 Full-Time MBA candidate. He was raised in Tokyo, Japan, and graduated from Hitotsubashi University with a bachelor's degree in Economics. While studying in college, Shimpei started his own business in the field of staffing and advertising. After graduation, he decided to enter a Japanese company and worked in Marketing, Advertising and Public Relations. Prior to coming to UCI, Shimpei worked towards hosting the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics. He was awarded a company-sponsored MBA scholarship and joined Merage. In his free time, Shimpei enjoys exploring Southern California and trying new restaurants. He also loves snowboarding, tanning at beach and shopping for shoes and clothes.

Will Phelps
President
Will is a 2020 MBA candidate. As President of the Merage Student Association, Will is focused on creating an even more inclusive masters program experience that builds the Paul Merage School of Business’s brand, builds lifelong friendships, and helps students achieve their goals. After completing his Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from the University of Kentucky, Will led fulfillment center teams with Amazon.com and Zulily.com and was an active volunteer with homeless focused non-profits. When Will is not studying, volunteering, or supporting the MBA Admissions team as a Merage Student Ambassador, he loves to surf, ski, and watch Clippers basketball.

Anita Tse
VP Operations
Anita is currently a 2020 full-time MBA student at the Paul Merage School of Business and a Paul Merage Fellowship Recipient. Before pursuing her MBA, Anita worked eight years in the accounting field, including as a public auditor at KPMG, LLP and then into private accounting in the software industry at Rocket Software, Inc. She is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst majoring in Accounting and holds a minor in Linguistics and Economics. Anita is the VP of Operations for the Merage Student Association, the Executive VP of Finance in the Merage Entertainment & Media Association, and a member of the UCI Chapter- School on Wheels, a not-for-profit that strives to end homelessness in children through education. Fun fact: Anita has been to all 7 Wonders of the World.

Jasbir Kaur
VP of Marketing
Jasbir is a Masters in Biotechnology Management candidate at UC Irvine. She was raised in Orange County, California. Having graduated from UC Irvine with a BS in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, she knew that she wanted to return to UCI for her masters. Before coming to UCI, Jasbir gained several years of experience in the healthcare industry. She worked as a Quality Control Technologist at a medical device company in Irvine. Jasbir also worked for UCI’s Chao Comprehensive Cancer Center as the Disease Oriented Team Coordinator, where she managed a portfolio of clinical trials.

Grant Foster
VP Finance
Grant is a second-year Full-Time MBA Candidate, focusing on Finance. He was born and raised in Southern California, and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies from UCLA in 2017. Prior to coming to UCI, Grant worked for a local design-build masonry construction firm in Los Angeles, primarily forecasting construction costs. He is leveraging his Merage MBA experience to transition into commercial real estate acquisitions. He enjoys playing tennis, golfing, and snowboarding.

Sanjay Mani
VP Technology
Sanjay is currently a second year Full-time MBA student, class of 2020 focusing on Product Management. He received his Bachelor of Technology in Computer Science from the Indian Institute of Technology. He has 4 years of in-depth experience designing and developing both customer and client facing products and has worked in huge multicultural teams in Microsoft as well as owned high-paced intensive projects in a mobile gaming startup in Bangalore. Recently, he interned at Amazon as a product manager during the summer. He is pursuing his MBA to achieve a robust proficiency in core business fundamentals and an exposure to leadership techniques. Moreover, he seeks to learn various management frameworks and combine that with his technical acumen to evolve into a cross-functional leader. Sanjay currently also serves as the VP of Technology in the Business and Technology Association, and in his free time, he loves to read, trek and listen to music.

Benjamin Ahn
VP Communications
Benjamin is a second year MSBTM candidate from Toronto, Canada. Prior to pursuing graduate school, Benjamin worked as a clinical research associate at the University of Toronto. He graduated summa cum laude from McMaster University in 2018 with a Bachelor of Science. After completing the MSBTM program, Benjamin plans to work in strategy consulting. He also enjoys hiking, running, and the beach.

Gayatri Sambandamurthy Karthy
VP of Social
Gayatri is a full time MBA candidate class of 2020 focusing on marketing in tech. She completed her Bachelor of Technology in Information Technology at Sastra University in India and worked at the global technology giant, TATA Consultancy Services as a cyber security analyst before deciding to pursue her MBA. Gayatri's an avid art & history lover and in her spare time she tries to visit as many museums as she can and hopes to resume creating art in the future!

Jasmine Sath
VP of Social
Jasmine is an MS Biotechnology Management candidate for the class of 2020. She was born and raised in Southern California and always knew she wanted to stay in California for the long term, so she took college as an opportunity to venture out across the country where she attained her Bachelor's degree in Biology with minors in Chemistry and Psychology from the University of Miami (the []_[]). Before coming to UCI to pursue her Master's, she worked in a clinical diagnostic testing lab where she witnessed the incredible things biotechnology is doing for patients and their families around the world. This drove her out of the lab and back into school so that she could develop both professionally and personally with the aim to return to the industry and join a company dedicated to enriching the lives of patients and giving back to struggling communities. In her free time, she enjoys laying out on the beach, hiking, trying out new breweries and watching her favorite sports teams.

Elliot Zatzkis
VP of Specialty Masters Programs
Elliot is a Master of Professional Accountancy candidate for the class of 2020. Elliot is from Santa Monica, CA, and earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Ithaca College. Prior to his enrollment at UC Irvine, Elliot did some work in the film industry and tutored math and English to high school and college students as well as working professionals. He is a CPA candidate in the state of California and hopes to combine his interests of finance and legal subjects into the accounting profession. In his free time, Elliot enjoys going to the gym, listening to music, watching various movies and television shows, following current events, and investing in the markets.

Christina Catabay
VP of Part Time Programs
Christina is a 2020 Fully Employed MBA Candidate from San Diego, CA. As VP of Part Time Programs of the MSA, she is focused on representing and engaging students in the part-time programs at the Paul Merage School of Business. Christina earned her Bachelor of Science in Human Biology with a minor in Ethnic Studies from UC San Diego and her Master of Public Health in Epidemiology from UC Irvine. She has experience working as a grant writer in the non-profit sector and a research program coordinator in an academic setting. Christina is also an avid baker, crafter, and reader.

Pranay Rao
VP of International Student Relations
Pranay is a FTMBA student from Class of 2020. As VP – International Student Relations, Pranay is focused on assisting the International students from both MBA and various masters programs offered at UCI to acclimatize and thrive at Paul Merage School of Business. Prior to coming to UCI, Pranay worked as a Product Manager at Practo Technologies, India’s largest health-tech platform. He worked on increasing the consumer base of Practo in Asia and Latin America. He did his undergrad from National Institute of Technology, India. Pranay is also focused on building Product Club at UCI in the role of its President.

Joy Mina
President
Prior to attending Merage, Joy was a software developer for 3.5 years contracting to the Department of Defense. During this time she developed C++ based telecommunications and monitoring software which was used by the US Navy and international partners. Prior this she spent time as a QA Test engineer for EMC, developing automated test scripts for VMware and other EMC products. Joy received her B.S. in electrical engineering from the UCI Henry Samueli School of Engineering. In addition to being an Ambassador of the Merage program, Joy is also the current Merage Student Association President. This summer Joy will be interning at Verizon Digital Media Services, as a Software Product Management Intern. There she will be working on products that support 7% of all global internet traffic. Joy is looking forward to having a hand in the only end-to-end platform that can prepare, deliver, display and monetize online streamed content.

Michelle Reed
Executive Vice President
Michelle is a first year FEMBA student and comes from an academic background. She chose to obtain an MBA in order to explore her love of numbers and the story they tell. Michelle graduated from Texas A&M in 2007 with a BS in Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences - Business Management and a minor in Outdoor Education/Leadership. When Michelle is not working or studying you can find her training for her next triathlon and traveling whenever she can.

Jeff Goyer
VP Operations
Jeff is a first year, Full-Time MBA candidate focusing on finance and consulting. He was born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada and graduated from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas with a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting. After graduating, he participated in MGM Resorts International’s Management Associate Program for a year, rotating throughout the various finance and accounting-related functions throughout the company. Upon completion of the program, he worked as a senior financial analyst for The Mirage Hotel and Casino, primarily focusing on the Hotel and Food and Beverage divisions of the property. In his free time, Jeff enjoys reading, going to the gym, listening to music, and watching any and all sporting events, primarily hockey which is his favorite sport.

Garrett Tom
VP of Marketing
Garrett is an MS Biotechnology Management candidate for the class of 2019. Garrett is from Riverside, California and earned his bachelor’s degree in biology from UC Santa Barbara. Prior to his enrollment at UC Irvine, Garrett was a project manager at the Bay Area Tutoring Association and was responsible for launching the Tutor Certification Training Program. Garrett is focused on marketing and hopes to merge his technical background in science research with his management skills to become a marketing manager at a biotech company. Garrett has trained for six years in different Ballroom/Latin dancing styles and currently performs with the Rhythmic Fusion dancing company on their Bachata Performance Team.

Praya Dharmosetio
VP Finance
Praya is a first year Full-Time MBA Candidate and Faculty Fellow focusing on Finance. Prior to coming to UCI, Praya worked at Kerry Inc, a multinational food and beverage manufacturer, where he has three years of experience in production capacity modeling, demand forecasting, supply chain analytics, and project management. He is leveraging his Merage MBA experience to transition to corporate finance. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering and Economics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Born and raised in Jakarta, Indonesia, he enjoys playing basketball, cooking, and hanging out with friends.

Sam Atkins
VP Business Development
Sam is a 2019 Full Time MBA student at The Paul Merage School of Business. Sam completed his Bachelors in the Science of Communication at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio. Sam served as an Army Engineer Officer for four years, completing one tour of duty in Afghanistan. He worked as a Sales, Profit and Operations Coach for Burger King Inc. and in the public sector as the Communications Director for Ohio’s Adjutant General. After completing the MBA program, Sam plans to work in strategy consulting. Sam enjoys cycling, backpacking and camping.

Eugene Ahn
VP Communications
Eugene is a 2019 Full-Time MBA student at The Paul Merage School of Business. Eugene spent the past decade working in the entertainment industry as a production manager. During his journey, he worked for over 100 different acts across 10 different countries. Ahn is currently focused on Marketing and Strategy in the Entertainment or Technology industry.

Katherine Heartney
VP Technology
Katherine was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, and is a member of the 2019 Full Time MBA class. She previously worked at a fine art auction house as an accountant, and is now seeking to build on her existing quantitative skills to pursue a career in data analytics. When she isn’t working, Katherine enjoys art, film, and improv comedy.

Siranjeevi Saravana (Swamy) Narayanaswamy
VP Social
Swamy is a full time MBA student UC Irvine. Originally from India, he graduated with bachelors in Computer Science and Engineering at PSG college of Technology. He then pursued his master degree in Manufacturing and Mechanical Systems Integration at Rochester Institute of Technology before working two years as Manager of Operations in a textile company. He transitioned into the electronics industry where he dealt with market research and customer relations. Swamy established his first real-estate startup providing luxury residential properties in India and successfully grew it into a multimillion dollar company.

Vidyasagar Mohan Ram
VP of Social
Vid is a 2019 Full-time MBA candidate. Prior to pursuing an MBA, Vid was working for his first and only employer till-date, Wipro Limited, for seven years as an IT Consultant. Vid is passionate about building great products which make an impact on the world. To further this passion, Vid is looking into Product Management roles post an MBA. Vid is an avid musician and can play six musical instruments.

Jonathan Kwong
VP Programs for Working Professionals
Jonathan is a Fully Employed MBA Candidate with a background in Supply Chain Management. He earned his Bachelor’s of Science in Business Administration with a specialization in Operations Management from The Ohio State University. Following his graduation, Jonathan joined the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company where he impacted the organization by improving customer service while reducing annual costs by $1,750,000. His proudest professional achievement was when he was invited to join the CEO’s Associate Roundtable as one of 12 associates for a open discussion with the CEO of Goodyear. Jonathan returned home to Orange County where he is currently employed by Hyundai Mobis as a SCM Network Control Analyst while earning his MBA with a focus in Strategy and Organization & Management.

Laksheeta Johari
VP International
Laksheeta is a first year M.S. Biotechnology Management candidate. She completed her undergraduate degree in Biotechnology from Mumbai, India in June 2017. She decided to join UCI right after her degree completion to learn and understand more about the organizational aspect of the biotechnology industries. Primarily interested in the Healthcare industry, she hopes that she can secure a position in a Healthcare company and give back to society in any way possible. As the VP of ISR, she hopes that she can help every student fall in love with UCI the way she has and make it their “Home away from home”!

Aaron Concha
President
Aaron Concha is a first-year, Full-Time MBA candidate and Faculty Fellow focusing on marketing. Aaron was born and raised in the Greater Los Angeles Area and graduated from Whittier College with a bachelor of arts in psychology and a minor in chemistry.
Immediately after graduation, Aaron joined the Army and served four years as a Health Care Specialist. After completing his service, he applied the operational and leadership skills he had acquired in the Army to the real estate industry, where he worked as a property manager. Aaron enjoys the outdoors and relaxing with his dogs on the weekend.

Brandon Blosser
Executive Vice President
Brandon is a Full-Time MBA candidate from Orange County, California. He earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology from UC Irvine and served in the United States Air Force for eight years as a communications specialist with roles in more than six countries. Brandon is focused on strategy, operations, and general management, and hopes to apply his technical skills and MBA experience to a career in the tech sector. Brandon also spent 12 summers working as a Newport Beach ocean lifeguard and spends his free time swimming and enjoying the outdoors.

Inder Padda
Vice President of Operations
Inder is a Full-Time MBA candidate with a background in operations. He earned his Bachelor’s of Science in Biochemistry at University of the Pacific before starting his career as an operations manager for a Fortune 50 company, PepsiCo. In three years, Inder had three roles with increasing responsibility. In his most current role, he managed 25 direct reports and oversaw a $100 million annual budget. Inder’s biggest achievements as an operations manager were an $800,000 year-over-year improvement in financial performance and being awarded Operations Manager of the Year. Inder is pursuing an MBA with a focus in strategy/finance. He aspires to lead an organization in a strategic role and will work this summer at Mattel as a supply chain intern.

Scott Bartlett
Vice President of Marketing
Scott is a Full-Time MBA candidate focusing on marketing. He is from Temecula, CA and attended the University of Arizona where he earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology. Scott’s professional background is in retail management and merchandising. He worked for Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits and Abercrombie & Fitch before returning to school to earn an MBA. In his spare time, Scott enjoys playing/watching basketball, traveling, reading, and spending time with friends and family.

Dan Costigan
Vice President of Finance
Born and raised in St. Louis, MO, Dan graduated from Boston College with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. Dan worked most recently as a mutual fund wholesaler for global asset manager, Pioneer Investments. With Pioneer, Dan worked with financial advisors and private wealth teams throughout New York City, Long Island, Philadelphia and Baltimore. As a first year student at Merage, Dan’s foci are in corporate finance and strategy. In his free time, Dan loves music, surfing and golf.

Michael Martin
Vice President of Business Development
Michael Martin is a Full-Time MBA candidate and a Faculty Fellow. Originally from the Southeast, he grew up in Birmingham, Alabama, and earned his bachelor’s degree in commerce and business administration from the University of Alabama. He later served as a financial analyst and most recently as a portfolio manager for Greystone Ventures, a family office in Birmingham. It was through these roles that he developed his passion for investments. Michael is currently interning for Littlebanc Advisors, an Orange County-based private equity firm. He has a long-term goal of starting his own private equity firm, where business development will be key to its success. In his free time, he enjoys surfing and spending time outdoors with his wife Kendall and their labradoodle, Willow.

Aishwarya Devareddy
Vice President of Internal Student Relations
Aishwarya Devareddy is an MS Biotechnology Management candidate, class of 2018. Originally from Bangalore, India, she earned her bachelor’s degree in biotechnology in Bangalore. Aishwarya now hopes to venture into the field of business. She recently interned with AstraZeneca, a pharmaceutical company, in the Quality Control and Assurance departments. Aishwarya has a strong passion for the life sciences field and hopes to contribute her best towards it. On another note, Aishwarya is a huge Coldplay fan, and spends her spare time reading and swimming.

Robby Ahn
Vice President of Communications
Robby is a first-year Full-Time MBA candidate who was born and raised in Orange County. After attending UCLA as an undergraduate, he worked for Hyatt Hotels for more than four years, most recently at their flagship property, the Hyatt Regency Chicago, as a front office manager. At Merage, Robby is focused on general management studies. He will be interning at T-Mobile over the summer as part of their L2E (Leadership to Executive) MBA program. In his spare time Robby enjoys playing golf and softball, traveling and creating Spotify playlists to fit the mood for any situation.

Alok Kumar
Vice President of Technology
Alok has a software development experience of over 11 years working with Fortune 100 software MNCs spanning a horizon of functional and technical domains. His expertise lies in developing enterprise softwares, web based solutions and developing cloud solution for businesses. His plan is to use technology to solve real world problems and bring about societal change

Sidhant Sood
Vice President of Social
Sidhant is a Full-Time MBA student. He was born and raised in the foothills of the Himalayas, studied engineering as an undergraduate and worked for four years in Mumbai, India, in a leading telecom firm as a senior manager before starting business school. On a personal note, Sidhant is outgoing and enjoys meeting new people, likes staying fit, being outdoors and playing and watching sports. He has played basketball and club soccer at the national level and is working on developing his surf and ski skills to achieve pro status by the time he graduates.

Brian Jeong
Vice President of Social
Blinded by the orgiastic green light, as Fitzgerald would say, Brian came to California in 2010 after graduating from HUFS in Seoul with a BA degree in English literature. After working seven part-time jobs, he joined a Korean bank where he managed corporate accounts totaling $270 million as a loan officer. There, he found great interest in financial statement analysis and decided to strengthen his analytic skills by attending the Merage School’s fully employed MBA program. What the future holds for Brian is unknown, but the boat beats on against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.

Sarah de Crescenzo
Vice President of Programs for Working Professionals
Sarah, a full-time journalist, is a first-year member of the Merage School Fully Employed MBA program. A graduate of UC San Diego, where she studied English and Spanish literature and played lacrosse, she has worked at daily newspapers throughout California, including the Orange County Register. She has authored and edited stories on subjects including city government, campaign finance, real estate, education, education, crime and the courts. In 2016 she joined the San Diego Business Journal, a sister paper to the Irvine-based Orange County Business Journal, to cover banking and finance. Her beat includes San Diego’s nascent fintech scene; she also writes about other local startups and businesses. Sarah is pursuing an MBA to enhance her reporting and to ensure she has the business skills needed to help ensure the survival and success of the Fourth Estate.

Christian Johnson
President
Christian Johnson, a local Orange County native, is honored to serve as President of the Merage Student Association. Christian is co-founder of Seed Consulting Group and President of SeedOC, a nonprofit that provides pro-bono consulting to environmental and public health organizations. Prior to joining Merage, Christian served as Director of Operations for PVTI Healthcare Consulting, principal consultant at BioFiber Solutions International, and co-founder of BrixClinic, a sustainable healthcare clinic start-up featured by the Clinton Global Initiative and Hult Prize as a Top 150 out of 10,000 worldwide social start-ups. Christian has delivered a TEDx talk, has been as a speaker at biotechnology conferences including BIO World Congress and the Pacific Rim, and has been honored by the Lord Mayor of Perth, Australia, for leadership development of Australian and American youth. Christian earned his B.S in Environmental Sciences from UCLA, and a MS in Global Medicine & Healthcare Management from USC.

Brad West
Executive Vice President
Brad West is a 1st year Full-Time MBA candidate and Faculty Fellow focusing on Finance and Technology. Before coming to Merage he spent 4 years at Enterprise Holdings, in both the Rent-A-Car and Truck Rental divisions. It was here that Brad honed his sales and general management experience, achieving numerous recognitions in all areas of the business including sales, customer service and profitability. Brad’s passion to help firms maximize value through leveraging their unique set of assets is what drove him to UCI’s Paul Merage School of Business. He will be spending the summer as an intern at Deloitte in Technology Risk Advisory. In his free time Brad enjoys surfing, cycling, and spending time with his wife in beautiful Southern California!

Laily Sharifzadeh
Vice President of Operations
Laily Sharifzadeh is a first year Full-Time MBA candidate and Merage Fellow focusing on the Healthcare Industry. She graduated from University of California, Los Angeles with a Bachelor Degree in both Communications and Theater. Prior to her Business School journey she worked at UCLA Health as an Administrative Specialist for the Patient Communication Center. Laily is fluent in Farsi (Persian) and has a passion for service and leadership.
Laily is currently the VP of Operations for Merage Student Association and Human Resources Association, as well as, VP of Alumni Relations for Merage Healthcare Association. She is excited and passionate about the different organizations she is a part of, including SeedOC, which is a pro bono consulting group working with nonprofits. Laily is also thrilled to have been offered a Summer Internship with Kaiser’s Health Innovation Studio.

Lauren Giosa
Vice President of Communications
Lauren was born in Southern California and raised in South Carolina. She first became an Anteater as an undergraduate where she completed her Bachelor’s degree in Film and Media Studies. After pursuing a career in Entertainment for over 6 years, Lauren transitioned into the tech space. A FEMBA 18’ student, she currently works at Hart as a Product Engagement Engineer on the Product Team. Lauren loves to travel, meet new people and generally have an awesome time.

John Saraka
Vice President of Marketing
John Saraka is a story-teller at heart, with a passion for consumer insights and strategic brand marketing. Prior to Merage, John worked at I.D.E.A., a creative marketing and branding agency in San Diego, where he specialized in social media analytics and content marketing. He also has experience working in sports media and enterprise software spaces. John spent his summer in San Francisco at Gap Inc., where he was part of a strategy team responsible for pushing transformational change efforts throughout the portfolio of Gap Inc. brands. In his free time, John likes to lift heavy objects and put them back down again, read, write and be overly critical about the movies he watches.

Ryan Platt
Vice President of Finance
Prior to attending the Paul Merage School of Business, Ryan played professional baseball after being drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers organization. He later took on roles in the mortgage and insurance industries. At Bank of America, he analyzed and resolved various issues on a portfolio of loans to mitigate risk and reduce financial losses for the bank and its clients. In the insurance industry, he worked as a Risk Management Advisor where he created, presented, and implemented strategies to improve clients' financial and protection positions.

Jennifer Chin
Co-Vice President of Social
Jennifer is a Full-Time MBA student. Originally from the East Coast, she grew up in New Jersey and received her undergraduate degree from New York University. After majoring in Music Business, with a minor in Mathematics, she stayed in New York City to work in the music industry. Most recently, she was an International Data Analyst at a performance rights organization. In her free time, she enjoys trying new cuisines, singing at any time and Hawaiian hula.

Jennifer Aldor
Co-Vice President of Social
Jennifer is a second year Fully Employed MBA student originally from San Diego, CA.  She completed her Bachelor's degree  in Psychology at the University of California, Riverside where she had a special interest in Industrial and Organizational Behavior.  She currently works as a Reporting Analyst and has a combined 10 years of Retail Banking and Operations experience at MUFG Union Bank, N.A.  Jennifer also serves as VP Finance for MBA Exchange, a peer to peer networking and knowledge sharing club.  After graduation, Jennifer's goal is to transition into the Marketing Industry focusing on Consumer Insights.  In her spare time Jennifer enjoys traveling, reading, and spending time with family and friends.

Sudip Sahoo
Vice President of Technology
“Growth comes through continuous learning. Sustenance comes from adapting to change.”

The above principle guides Sudip in life. Sudip is a Full Time MBA candidate from the class of 2017. He is from Odisha, India. He has a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Electronics & Telecommunication. He worked with several US-based fortune 500 clients through top IT Services companies from India. As part of the MSA board, Sudip hopes to utilize technology to integrate students, alums and future students with the Merage community.

Bita Hosseini
Vice President of Programs for Working Professionals (PWP)
Originally from the Washington D.C. area, Bita is a FEMBA 18 student who escaped the cold and snow to attend UCI for her BA in Business Economics. After starting her career in finance at Merrill Lynch, she fell into technology and has grown within software as a Sales Operations Manager with an emphasis on process improvement and business systems integration. Bita enjoys the fun exercise classes at the UCI ARC, stand up comedy, and a good ol' movie night at home with her family.

Punya Narayan
Vice President of International Student Relations
Punya is currently pursuing her Masters in Biotechnology Management at the Merage School of Business as well as Ayala School of Biological Sciences. She is from Bangalore, India and has an undergraduate engineering degree in Biotechnology. She is excited about this unique Graduate program offered at UCI and moving forward, she wants to explore the business aspects of biotechnology. Outside the classroom, Punya is trained in vocal classical music, loves playing badminton, and is waiting for an opportunity to sky-dive!

Kevin Riley
President
Originally from Pennsylvania, Kevin attended the University of Pittsburgh where he earned a B.A. in both History and Film in 2009. Upon graduation, Kevin joined the U.S. Army as an Intelligence Officer and was stationed in Colorado. Kevin deployed to both Iraq and Afghanistan during his time in the military and left as a Captain in 2014 to pursue his MBA. Kevin spent his summer as a member of Liberty Mutual's Field Manager Development Program in Chicago. Kevin's interests include sports, movies, and skiing the paltry slopes of Southern California until he can return to Colorado.

Zach Tran
Executive Vice President
Zack is a FTMBA in the class of 2016, with a background in IT analytics and marketing. As Executive Vice President, Zack hopes to foster a strong sense student community through a solid student governing body. In addition, he hopes to create a sense of structure and continuity which will lay a strong foundation for future Merage students.

Nicholas Schmit
Vice President of Operations
Nicholas is a full time MBA student specializing in Marketing and Entrepreneurship who is driven towards sustainable business and efficiency.  He holds a Bachelor of Science in Nuclear Engineering Technology and prior to coming to Merage, he spend 9 years in the U.S. Navy as a nuclear propulsion plant manager and nuclear instructor.  In his free time he loves to run, play sports, read, and spend time with his family.

Irene Anguiano
Co-Vice President of Communications
A Southern California native, Irene completed her undergraduate degree from California State University, Fullerton with a BA in Communications and minor in Political Science. In her most recent position as a Marketing Associate in the new products division for a homeopathic, over-the-counter medicine company, Irene thrived on finding consumer insights that contributed to new product launches and growth in multiple categories. At Merage, she is focusing on Marketing and Strategy and is pursuing a career in Brand Management in the consumer packaged goods industry. She currently also serves as VP of Marketing for Merage Women in Business. Outside of school and work, she enjoys physical activities such as kickboxing, Cardio Barre, or hiking. She likes to balance her (mostly) healthy lifestyle with red wine, dark chocolate, and pizza!

Brianne Davis
Co-Vice President of Communications
Brianne is in her second year of the Fully Employed MBA program. She currently works at Lockton Insurance Brokers as an Account Manager in the Surety Bonds Department. Brianne also completed her undergraduate studies from the University of California, Irvine with a degree in Social Ecology. Brianne enjoys reading, spending time with family and friends and watching Packers football.

Ben Kempenich
Vice President of Finance
Hailing from Portland, Oregon, Ben is a finance professional with 6 years of experience in the financial services industry with expertise in equity research, bank operations, investments, and business development.  He earned his Bachelor in music from the College of Idaho and after passing the CFA Level I exam, worked in investment sales and operations as a licensed personal banker at JPMorgan Chase.  Ben's interests range from hiking, fishing, and brewing beer to building computers and online gaming. 

Anne Crook
Co-Vice President of Social
Anne is a Full Time MBA student, focusing on Marketing. She is from Wichita, Kansas and received her undergraduate degree in Entrepreneurship from Wichita State University.  Her prior work experience includes analytics in the Consumer Goods industry. Outside of work and school, Anne loves playing volleyball, cooking and spending time at the beach.

May Hout
Co-Vice President of Social
May is a second year Fully Employed MBA candidate. She currently works at the Orange County Transportation Authority as a Transportation Funding Analyst. May graduated from California State University, Fullerton with a Bachelor degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Finance. May enjoys traveling, dancing, turbo kickboxing, shopping and outdoor activities such as hiking, jet skiing, and biking

Jon Clark
Vice President of Technology
A Midwesterner at heart, Jon attended Purdue University for his undergraduate degrees in Chemistry and German. He brings three years of work as a materials engineer in the automotive industry to Merage, with the bulk of that time being spent at Tesla Motors. Upon graduating from the Full-Time program in 2016, Jon is transitioning to the consumer electronics and technology industry, where he will focus on product management. Over the summer, Jon worked at Apple in their retail technology department. His interests include running, ultimate Frisbee, and online gaming. 

Art Montoya
Vice President of Programs for Working Professionals (PWP)
Art was born and raised in Downey, CA in Los Angeles County.  He completed his Bachelor’s degree at California State University, Long Beach where he majored in Political Science with a concentration in Law, Politics, and Policy.  He currently works for The Walt Disney Company as a Safety Administration Specialist and is a FEMBA ‘17A currently pursuing his MBA and planning to study in a concentration of Finance.  After graduation, Art hopes to get into a Finance role, and in the future, hopes to pursue a career as a civil servant.

Sridhar Kandaswamy
Vice President of International Student Relations
Sridhar (a.k.a Sammy) is a Full Time MBA candidate from the class of 2016.  He is originally from India and has an undergraduate degree in Electronics & Communication Engineering.  Prior to his MBA, he worked for an IT Services company for over six years across multiple locations in India and Europe.  He loves travelling and learning about new and diverse cultures and has visited over 25 countries so far which makes him enjoy working as VP International Student Relations for Merage Student Association.

Jason Simon
President

Xi Yu
Executive VP

Nicole Dagampat
VP Finance

Lara Marcello
VP Communications

 Cara Davidoff
VP Social

Chandni Shah
VP Technology