Volunteer Directory

Lesli Agcaoili is a design and operations professional with experience managing products and teams globally at companies such as Tesla, Ford and BlackBerry. She spent the majority of her career in automotive product development in design and engineering, most recently as a Staff Design Quality Engineer at Tesla, where she traveled internationally, partnering with global suppliers and was key to the launch of the Shanghai Gigafactory. Her experience runs the gamut, from product development in the fashion and automotive industries to recent endeavors in the beauty and wellness industry as a licensed esthetician.

Hyun-soo Ahn is a professor of Technology and Operations and Ford Motor Co. Director of Tauber Institute for Global Operations at the University of Michigan. He is an active researcher in supply chain management, service operations, revenue and pricing management, purchasing, and value chain innovations. 

Uday oversees all investment and portfolio management activity at RSE, including RSE's most recent acquisition of the New York bakery chain, Magnolia Bakery, where he serves as the Chairman of the Board. Uday also serves on the Boards of portfolio companies including Fuku, Bluestone Lane, Milk Bar and Momofuku Orchard. 

Uday started his career at Goldman Sachs, initially as part of the firm's TMT Investment Banking Division and then as part of its Principal Investment Area.

Yasi Akbari is an Associate Partner in the Washington, DC office. She has spent her entire career advising clients in advanced industries, manufacturing, aerospace, and defense. She specializes in organizational performance, employee experience, M&A, and HR/digital transformation.  

Prior to joining McKinsey, Yasi was a Senior Manager at PwC, where she led large teams and complex business / workforce transformation programs within the industrial products market.

Yasi holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (LSA ‘16), and an MBA from Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business (MSB ‘22), which she completed while working full time in consulting. 

Yasi is married to her college sweetheart, Justin, who is also a Michigan Engineering graduate (BSE ‘16, MSE ‘17)!  They live together outside of Washington, DC. Outside the workplace, you’ll find Yasi hiking Great Falls Park with her pandemic dog, Zoey, cheering

 on Michigan sports (Go Blue!), registering new voters, hosting dinner parties, and watching her two nephews’ football games.

Sue Ashford is the Michael and Susan Jandernoa Professor of Management and Organizations at the University of Michigan, Stephen M. Ross School of Business. Sue's passion is using her teaching and research work to help people to be maximally effective in their work lives, with an emphasis on self-leadership, proactivity, change from below, and leadership and its development. She is an award-winning scholar, publishes in her fields' best academic journals and in more popular outlets as advice for managers individuals. Sue was awarded the prestigious Career Achievement Award for Distinguished Scholarly Contributions to Management by the Academy of Management in 2017 and the OB Division Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020.

 Sue is a native Californian and the daughter of two native Californians. Sue lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan with her husband, also a University of Michigan faculty member, and with whom she raised three daughters.

Dr. Mike Barger is an Assistant Clinical Professor of Business Administration at Ross. In his teaching role, Dr. Barger leads courses in entrepreneurship, early-stage business development, and high-stakes leadership. In his staff role, he facilitated the design and execution of the School's digital education initiatives. Prior to joining the Ross faculty, Dr. Barger served 13 years as a fighter pilot in the US Navy then co-founded JetBlue Airways, serving as the company's senior pilot, operations leader, and Emergency Command Center Director.

Matthew M. Baron is the President and Founder of Baron Property Group (BPG), a vertically integrated real estate development and investment firm headquartered in New York City and Miami focused on developing best-in-class residential and commercial properties in emerging and established locations. Formed in 2021, BPG has an active development pipeline totaling nearly 4 million square feet and over 3,600 new residential units, valued at over $2 billion. Under Matthew Baron’s leadership, the company’s current portfolio includes large-scale mixed-use and rental residential development projects in Long Island City, Queens, and Manhattan’s Washington Heights neighborhood, as well as the Miami metro area cities of Hialeah and Coral Gables.

Prior to BPG, Matthew was co-founder of Simon Baron Development, where for over 15 years he oversaw the acquisition, financing and development of over $1.8 billion of assets primarily throughout New York City. His strategic foresight and deep experience in finance and development span a wide range of real estate ventures, and in addition to these achievements he has taught Real Estate Development at New York University’s prestigious Schack Institute of Real Estate.

Matthew earned a Bachelor of Science Degree from NYU’s Stern School of Business as well as an MBA in Finance from Columbia Business School.

Joel Bayer is the president of O’Connor Capital Partners. Prior to joining O’Connor in 2011, Joel was with General Growth Properties, Inc. (GGP) where he last served as chief investment officer. While with GGP, Joel was instrumental in expediting the successful acquisition of CenterMark Properties, Homart, The Rouse Corporation, and various other transactions with a combined dollar value of more than $40 billion. Prior to joining GGP in 1993, Joel held various positions with Equity Financial and Management Company (“Equity”). Among his responsibilities during the five years he was employed by Equity were supervising retail acquisitions for the Zell/Merrill Lynch Opportunity Fund and Equity Properties and Development Company. Joel is a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers, the Pension Real Estate Association, and the Chicago Council on foreign relations. He is a graduate of the University of Illinois (BS) and the University of Michigan (MBA).

Pamela Bentley is the Chief Financial Officer of GCM Grosvenor (NASDAQ: GCMG), a global alternative asset management firm with $80 billion of assets under management. Prior to joining GCM Grosvenor, Ms. Bentley spent 15 years with The Carlyle Group, a publicly traded global investment firm, where her most recent role was Chief Accounting Officer. Previously, she was a Vice President of Finance and Investor Relations at Transaction Network Services, Inc. and a Senior Manager at Arthur Andersen LLP. Ms. Bentley received her Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. She is a Certified Public Accountant and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Ms. Bentley is an executive committee member of and past Chair of the Board of Directors of Junior Achievement of Greater Washington and is a member of the Board of Directors of Junior Achievement USA.

Justin Berg is an award-winning researcher, teacher, and thought leader on the science of creativity and innovation. He studies how to successfully develop, evaluate, and implement creative ideas in and outside organizations over time. Justin received his Ph.D. in management from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania and his B.A. in organizational studies and psychology from the University of Michigan. After spending a decade on the faculty at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, he realized his longtime dream of returning to the University of Michigan as a tenured professor at the Ross School of Business.

Stan Berkman is the principal partner of Kerwick Capital in Los Angeles. The firm serves as a principal investor in middle market growth and turnaround situations. Kerwick has been both a capital partner and financial advisor to strong management teams that have created significant growth opportunities and returns. Stan has also acted as financial advisor in the restructuring of bank debt for troubled companies, as well as financial advisor to several retail and distribution companies. He is also board chair of Eisner Health, a federally qualified health center in Los Angeles. Eisner provides comprehensive health care to over 40,000 patients in over 200,000 visits per year. It has 16 locations and almost 500 employees.

Prior to forming Kerwick, Stan was a managing director and member of the North American Management Committee of BNP Paribas, an international investment bank based in Paris, France. Over 15 years, he served in various roles at Paribas, including head of North American banking in New York, executive responsible for US regional branches in Chicago, Houston, and LA, head of West Coast region based in LA, and head of several merger transition working groups. Stan was selected by the firm to attend an advanced management program at London Business School.

Stan received an MBA in Finance from New York University and a BBA from the University of Michigan. He is married to Christopher Murphy, an executive at the Walt Disney Company, and they reside in Los Angeles.

Greg is passionate about innovations in energy, building, and transportation.  He helps companies who see opportunities for growth resulting from tectonic shifts occurring in real estate, transportation, and energy sectors.  These are driving disruptive changes as building owners, corporations and consumers align around the purpose of achieving the transition to clean energy and net zero carbon.  They are also driving clear imperatives for social and public policy changes.

Greg has spent most of his career building and growing strategic consulting practices.  He Spent over 38 years helping leaders reinvent their business to drive growth through strategy, innovation, and new operating models.  He has advised executives, boards, policy makers, and investors to help navigate this changing landscape in multiple industries.  Most recently he was Global Lead for Sustainability Consulting at Jones Lang Lasalle, a real estate company.  Previously, he was a Managing director at Accenture for 17 years where he led multiple practices including the Utilities Strategy practices in North America and the UK.  He served as thought leader and advisor to executives in the utilities and energy space.

Jane Okun Bomba is an accomplished finance and HR executive with C-Suite and board experience.  Jane was EVP, Chief Administrative Officer at IHS Markit, a global, $18 billion public Information Services company. She joined IHS in 2004 to lead an IPO, subsequently leading 450 people worldwide delivering support to the company through many corporate functions.  Prior to IHS, she headed investor relations at Velocom, MediaOne, and Northwest Airlines. Jane served in corporate finance at Northwest Airlines and American Airlines, starting her career with Price Waterhouse. Jane is a board member at Brightview (NYSE:BV - Chair: Audit Committee), Clarivate (NYSE:CLVT - Chair: Compensation Committee), Nairobi-based NGO, Kickstart International and the University of Michigan, Ross School Advisory Board.

Tiffanie joined McDonald's in 2021 after spending 23 years with General Mills. She has an MBA and BBA from Michigan Ross.

André is currently SVP and GM, MAC North America at Estée Lauder Companies (ELC). Prior to joining ELC, André worked at a number of world class Consumer Packaged Goods companies including L’Oréal, Diageo, and Kraft Foods. 

Mr. Branch is also an independent board director for Signet Jewelers, a publicly traded company, the Apollo Theater, and Partnership with Children, a New York City focused non-profit. 

Prior to receiving his MBA, he worked as a CPA in Audit for Deloitte & Touche. André holds a BA in Economics from the University of Maryland and an MBA from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business. 

Michael Brandstaedter is Executive Chairman of The Bazooka Companies, owned by private equity firm Apax Partners.  Previously, Mr. Brandstaedter served as President & CEO of the Topps Company, where he was responsible for the Company's portfolio of global sports & entertainment and confections assets.  Prior to Topps, Mr. Brandstaedter worked in various management roles at Kraft Foods and Nabisco, running multiple businesses in the Snacks and Confections categories, including Oreos, Planters, and LifeSavers candy.  A native of New York, Mr. Brandstaedter has a BS from Cornell University and an MBA from The University of Michigan Ross School of Business.

A Michigan MBA from the class of 1994, Eric Brodersen began his early career in consumer brand management before transitioning to a 25-year career in multiple late-stage venture backed, pre-IPO and newly public technology companies.  While in executive leadership roles with companies such as Isilon (acquired by EMC/Dell), Impinj (Nasdaq: PI) and Qumulo, he developed extensive general management, sales, marketing, operations, engineering, finance, IPO, M&A, and international experience in dynamic, global organizations. He thrives when leading market-disruptive competitive strategies in rapidly evolving technology sectors. He lives in Seattle, Washington with Shelley, his wife of nearly 30 years. They have two adult sons and their interests/pursuits include skiing, tennis, hiking the north Cascades, and sailing.

Jim Broner is a vice chair of Corporate & Investment Banking.

Jim has served in a variety of senior leadership positions throughout Wells Fargo. He previously served as the head of the Regional Investment Banking group, head of the Technology, Media, and Telecom Investment Banking group, and deputy head of our Mergers and Acquisitions group. Jim joined Wells Fargo in 2005. His experience spans a broad range of advisory, debt, and equity financing transactions across an array of industries.

Jim previously was a managing director at Bank of America Securities, Credit Suisse,First Boston (and its predecessor, Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette (DLJ)). He joined DLJ in 1994 as the first associate hired into the Mergers and Acquisitions group. Prior to that, Jim was an associate at the law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom. He began his career as a financial analyst at Lehman Brothers.

Jim earned a B.B.A. from the University of Michigan and a J.D. from New York University Law School. He lives in New York City with his wife Mimi and they have three grown sons.

Harris Brown joined Armistice in 2023 as a Consumer Portfolio Manager. Prior to Armistice, Harris was a Consumer Portfolio Manager at Millennium, where he focused on Consumer Discretionary, including Restaurants, Staples, Gaming and Lodging. Previously, Harris was an Analyst at Millennium. Prior to Millennium, Harris was an Investment Banking Vice President in Financial Services and Corporate/Transactional Law Associate. He received a J.D. from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law and a B.B.A. from the Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. He also holds a CPA.

Afua Bruce is the Principal of the ANB Advisory Group LLC, a consulting firm that supports organizations across all sectors in developing, implementing, or funding responsible data and technology. Before founding ANB Advisory Group LLC, Afua held leadership positions at the White House, the FBI, IBM, and New America. She was also recognized with a statue in the If/Then Exhibit honoring women in STEM which was displayed in the Smithsonian. Afua’s newest book, The Tech That Comes Next: How Changemakers, Technologists, and Philanthropists can Build an Equitable World, describes how technology can advance equity.

​I have over two decades of experience in marketing, client management, operations, product and sales.  Most recently, I was VP at a women’s leadership development org where I focused on developing content & building engaging community for high performing women who went through our programs.

Summer Day LLC specializes in providing transformative career & leadership coaching, tailored mentorship programs, and expert business consulting to empower individuals and organizations to reach their full potential with confidence and success.

Marci retired from Sprint as the SVP of Customer Care.  Her responsibilities included all channels of non-sales customer support, including voice, chat and social media for prepaid and postpaid cellular service.  Prior to Sprint, Marci was the Assistant Treasurer and VP of Collections with Nextel.  

With nearly 40 years of experience in automotive engineering and safety at General Motors, Regina Carto leads product safety for GM’s global portfolio. Her team is responsible for developing stringent safety requirements, validating occupant performance in crash scenarios, and ensuring regulatory compliance certification. Through rigorous analysis of product performance data, investigation of potential hazard trends, and management of safety recalls and field actions, her team strives to maintain the highest safety standards. Additionally, Regina oversees certification testing, labeling, and reporting for fuel economy, tailpipe emissions, and electric vehicle range, complementing the comprehensive safety measures her team implements.

Jennifer is the General Counsel of Doximity, the largest community of healthcare professionals in the country.  Previously, she was the Chief Legal Officer of Rodan + Fields, a leading skincare brand, and of Castlight Health, a digital health company, leading the legal, compliance, deal desk, security and information technology functions. 

In former roles, Jennifer worked in-house at Levi Strauss & Co., and Netflix, Inc., providing guidance and support for sales and consumer relations practices, financing transactions, securities compliance, and corporate governance activities.  

She has a J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School and a B.S. from Cornell University.  She is on the Board of directors of Planned Parenthood Advocates Mar Monte, supporting the largest Planned Parenthood chapter in the United States.

LuAnn Chrumka retired as vice president of IT sourcing and centralized development after a 32-year career with AT&T.

In 1983, she joined Ameritech Publishing during the AT&T divestiture, and progressed through a variety of leadership positions. In 2000, she was promoted to vice president, leading a team of 1,100 employees. 

LuAnn's skillset and roles incorporated strategic business planning, mergers and acquisitions, contract negotiation, capital and expense planning, organizational flexibility and agility, employee professional development, and new hire and college internship programs.

Dr Chu currently serves as the Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer for Advocate Health (AH), the third largest health system in the nation. Serving 6 million lives across 6 states with 150,000 team members, AH formed from the merger of Atrium Health, Wake Forest, Advocate Health Care and Aurora Health Care in December 2022. Dr Chu joined as the SVP, Chief Quality and Safety Officer in August 2023 to integrate enterprise clinical quality and safety to enable a highly reliable organization focused on achieving clinical excellence and zero harm. 

Prior to her current role, Dr Chu served as Enterprise SVP, Chief Medical Officer for Henry Ford Health. She was responsible for oversight of clinical quality and patient safety, provider affairs, surgical services and clinical optimization. Her academic role as Breech Endowed Chair, Clinical Quality also led to the creation of a Center for Patient Reported Outcomes. 

Her recognitions include Michigan Women Forward – Women of Achievement and Courage Award 2021; DBusiness Powered By Women 2020, Esteemed Woman of Michigan in 2018, Crain’s Detroit Business “40 Under 40” in 2010 and the Asian Pacific American Chamber of Commerce Professional Leadership Award. She was appointed in 2020 by Governor Whitmer as the Co-Chair of the Michigan Nursing Homes COVID-19 Preparedness Task Force. In 2018, she served as the President of the Michigan State Medical Society.

Dr. Chu graduated from the University of Michigan Medical School Premed-Medical program, completed her residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Beaumont Health in Royal Oak, and received her MBA from the University of Michigan Ross Business School.

Dr. Marcus Collins is an award-winning marketer and cultural translator with one foot in the world of practice—formerly serving as the Head of Strategy at Wieden+Kennedy, New York—and one foot in the world of academia—as a marketing professor at the Ross School of Business, University of Michigan. His deep understanding of brand strategy and consumer behavior has helped him bridge the academic-practitioner gap for blue-chip brands and startups alike. He is a recipient of Advertising Age's 40 Under 40 award and Crain's Business' 40 Under 40 award, and an inductee into the American Advertising Federation’s Advertising Hall of Achievement. Most recently, he was recognized by Thinkers50 with the Radar Distinguished Achievement Award for the idea most likely to shape the future of business management. He has also served as a jury for the Cannes Lion International Festival of Creativity.

Marcus holds a doctorate in marketing from Temple University, where he studied cultural contagion and meaning-making. He received an MBA with an emphasis on strategic brand marketing from the University of Michigan, where he also earned his undergraduate degree in Material Science Engineering. He is a Forbes columnist and a trusted voice among CMOs and business leaders. But most importantly, he is a proud Detroit native, a devoted husband, and a loving father to Georgia and Ivy.

In October 2008, Brian co-Founded Kensington Vanguard National Land Services after merging Kensington National Land Services, with Vanguard Title Agency. Prior to the merger, Brian served as Principal and Chief Executive Officer of Kensington National Land Services since 2002. At Kensington, he built a national title insurance, settlement and 1031 exchange company recognized as a leader in servicing high volume national residential lenders. Kensington also established a strong presence in the commercial segment of the market, servicing transactions such as the acquisitions of The Helmsley Building and 1440 Broadway and the refinancing of 4 Times Square. In September 1998, Brian began his career working at Morgan Stanley’s New York City office within the Investment Banking Division. As a member of the Retail Industry Corporate Finance team, which advised companies on debt and equity financings, he worked on transactions such as the $2.0 billion Secondary Equity Offering of Kohlberg Kravis & Robert’s stake in Safeway. In September 2000, Brian relocated to Morgan Stanley’s London office where he joined the European Consumer Products Corporate Finance team and focused on Mergers & Acquisitions.

As SVP, Chief DEI Officer at Arm, the world’s most pervasive compute platform, Tamika Curry Smith is responsible for leveraging Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) as an enabler of Arm’s workforce, workplace, marketplace, and community strategies. A recognized global expert in DEI-informed business, people, and ESG strategies, Tamika has also held leadership roles at Nike, Mercedes-Benz USA, Target, and Deloitte. Tamika earned a BBA in Accounting from the Ross School of Business and an MBA in Organizational Behavior, Strategy, and Marketing from the Kellogg School of Management.

As the Chief Financial Officer of the Health Foundation of South Florida, Alecia Dillon is responsible for all financial functions including accounting, audit, treasury, financial reporting, tax, and investor relations. Her background includes fourteen years of executive financial operations, most recently serving as the CFO for Northern Arizona University’s Foundation, where she oversaw a $350 million-dollar endowment and $12 million-dollar annual operating budget. Earlier, she held leadership positions in accounting, finance, information technology and human resources with the University of Michigan Athletics, Capital Group (American Funds) and Brickley DeLong after beginning her career in public

accounting. Alecia holds an Executive MBA from The University of Michigan and a BA from Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where she was also a student athlete in cross country and track and member of the dance team. She received the prestigious designation of Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and holds the endorsement of Executive Positive Leadership from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan.

Melissa Kirmayer Eamer is a seasoned entrepreneur and executive. She founded Modern Age in 2020, a longevity healthcare company, raising $40M in venture funding and launching award-winning clinics and virtual services. As CEO, she led 600% revenue growth in it's first year. Previously, she was COO at Glossier, driving an 80% revenue increase. Her nearly 20-year Amazon career included roles as VP of Amazon Devices and Retail, where she managed multi-billion-dollar units and led the development of Kindle and Echo. Melissa holds an MBA from the University of Michigan and a BA in English from the University of Vermont.

Mark Eamer is a Vice President at Amazon Ads. He has over 20 years of experience in the industry, with previous roles at Chewy (CMO) and Zillow (Director Marketing). Mark holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Queen's University and an MBA from the University of Michigan (Go Blue).

Howie is Director of Product Management at LexisNexis.  He has 30+ years of experience in client service, product management, sales enablement, technology, and operations.  Prior to his time at LexisNexis, he spent 20 years at Goldman Sachs and 6 years at Kroll.  He graduated from the University of Michigan with a BBA in 1993.

During his tenures with LeoRose, Booz Allen Hamilton, and Booz & Company, David Erbstein has provided 20+ years of executive business leadership and management consulting services across the public, private (domestic and international), and not-for-profit (domestic and international) sectors. His functional expertise is in the areas of strategy, artificial intelligence (AI), operations, financial management, fintech, edtech, digital transformation, design and efficiency, as well as change management.

David holds an MBA from Michigan Ross and a BA from Vanderbilt University. He also holds a certificate in artificial intelligence (AI) from Harvard Business School.

On a pro-bono basis, he has served multiple domestic and international non-profit organizations, primarily with public health, education, and preparedness missions. David also currently serves as the president of the Ross School of Business Alumni Club of Washington, DC. 

As Head of Strategy at FutureBrand, Lynne leads a team of strategists and storytellers who transform brands and businesses for the better for clients like Amazon, GM, American Airlines, Meta, Kohler, Heineken and Hoka. She has worked extensively with both B2B and B2C brands in verticals from telecom to healthcare, and from financial services to consumer and packaged goods. She began her career as a part of AT&T’s global marcom group, helping to grow the company into a global brand, then moving on to advertising at JWT and Publicis before ultimately finding her home in branding. 

Tim Freeth is a spirited and seasoned people-centric leader with management roles in sales, commercialization, business development, partnerships, corporate strategy, and operations. At Indeed, Tim helps people get jobs and leads an Enterprise Sales Team that works with the country's largest private sector employers to attract and hire new employees. Tim also advises early stage businesses on Go To Market strategy and contributes to the entrepreneurial ecosystem at the University of Michigan, in the Ann Arbor area, and beyond as an independent consultant.   Previously, Tim spent ~15 years at Google, including 12 years managing advertising sales teams, and three in a Cloud Commercialization role.  Prior to Google, Tim worked at Cars.com, an online marketplace, and in a variety of healthcare and government consulting roles earlier in his career.  Tim holds an AB degree from Princeton University and an MBA from Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management.

Throughout her career Ms. Furman has served in leadership roles in both government and the private sector, bringing with her deep experience in cybersecurity, operations, M&A and post-acquisition integration, and digital innovation. She is currently a member of the board of directors of two financial services companies. Previously she was the Head of Operations for the Zero Trust and Duo Security businesses at Cisco Systems, joining Cisco after serving in the Office of the Secretary of Defense as Deputy Director for Defense Digital Service. Prior to her service in the Pentagon, Ms. Furman spent six years with Palantir Technologies, where she led the National Security and Intelligence Community practice areas. 

Lindsey Gallo is the Coopers & Lybrand, Norman E. Auerbach assistant professor of accounting at Michigan Ross. Her research focuses on forecasting and the intersection of accounting and the macroeconomy. She has published her research in the Journal of Accounting & Economics, Review of Accounting Studies, and Journal of Accounting Research. In addition to her research, Lindsey has been recognized for her teaching at Michigan as a two-time recipient of the Ross Business School's Neary Teaching Excellence Award for the daytime MBA program. Lindsey received her PhD from the University of Maryland, and completed her MAcc and undergraduate degrees in business administration from the University of Michigan.

Jason Goldberg is a Managing Director and senior equity research analyst at Barclays following the 22 largest U.S. bank stocks. He has been recognized as a top analyst in Extel’s (fka Institutional Investor) All-America Equity Research survey for 23 straight years, including 9 years in two categories. He has placed in its Large-Cap Bank category in each of the past 21 years, always placing 5th or better. He is a frequent speaker at conferences and universities and has presented the Wall Street point of view at numerous company retreats and board meetings. He is regularly quoted in the WSJ, FT, Barron’s and other publications and is a frequent guest on CNBC and Bloomberg TV.

Evan Goldman is a managing director at TowerBrook Capital Partners, where he focuses on the healthcare sector and is a member of the firm’s private equity investment committee. Evan was part of the team that founded TowerBrook in 2005. Prior to joining TowerBrook, Evan was a principal at Soros Private Equity Partners. Previously, Evan was a member of DLJ Merchant Banking Partners and the investment banking department at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette. Evan earned his BBA from the University of Michigan in 1998 and received his MBA from Harvard Business School in 2004.

Lindy Greer is a professor for management & organizations at Michigan Ross and the faculty director of the Sanger Leadership Center. Her research focuses on how to lead high-performing teams, with specific interests in leadership skills in conflict management, diversity and inclusion, power-flexing, and the communication of emotions. Lindy has published in management and psychology research outlets such as Academy of Management Journal, Organization Science, Journal of Applied Psychology, Science, and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, among others. She has received awards for her research from the Academy of Management and the American Psychological Association. She is deputy editor at Organization Science, has served as an associate/senior editor at the Academy of Management Journal and Organization Science, is on the boards of six of the top management and psychology journals, and is on the boards of professional associations such as the International Association of Conflict Management and the Conflict Management Division of the Academy of Management.

Lindy received her BS from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, and her PhD in social and organizational psychology from Leiden University in the Netherlands. She joined the team at Ross in 2019.

Larry Halperin is a partner in Chapman's special situations and restructuring group. Larry focuses his practice on financial restructuring of distressed companies, high yield and distressed debt transactions, commercial lending transactions, and mergers and acquisitions (M&A). He represents agents, private funds, investment banks, and financial institutions in connection with their investments in, and financing transactions to, mid-cap companies. He also represents special restructuring committees of boards of directors and independent directors of distressed companies in restructuring matters. As part of his M&A practice, Larry counsels clients who desire to acquire portfolio companies in need of restructuring by acquiring such companies' distressed debt. He has advised lenders in connection with an orderly exercise of remedies to achieve a practical, business-oriented, restructuring solution for the company and the acquiring fund. He also advises clients participating in the global secondary market for troubled and non-performing loans and claims. Larry speaks widely at industry conferences on distressed investing and restructuring topics, including the American Bankruptcy Institute (ABI), VALCON conference, American College of Investment Counsel (ACIC) conferences, and Turnaround Management Association (TMA) conferences and chapter programs.

Larry teaches a corporate restructuring class as an adjunct professor at the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia. Additionally, he is a popular restructuring class guest lecturer for undergraduate business and MBA students at Columbia University and the University of Michigan, as well as the University of Michigan Maize and Blue Fund and the University of Michigan Entrepreneur & Venture Club.

Dr. Morela Hernandez is the Ligia Ramirez de Reynolds Collegiate Professor of Public Policy at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, with a joint appointment at the Stephen M. Ross School of Business. She is an organizational psychologist with deep expertise in applying behavioral science insights to improve organizational systems and decision-making practices across business and policy settings. At the Ford School, she directs the school's Leadership Initiative. She also lends her expertise to government agencies and global companies through her consulting on topics related to leadership, diversity and inclusion as well as large-scale organizational change.

David Hirschberg is a Managing Director at H.I.G. Capital and Co-Heads the Real Estate Fund. David has over 30 years of experience in real estate and investment banking. Before joining H.I.G., David was a Managing Director in Citigroup’s Real Estate and Lodging Investment Banking Group. Previously, David was an Analyst at Goldman Sachs. David is a Council member of the Urban Land Institute and serves on several boards.

Kevin Hoffman is currently the Founder and President of Timbertrail Holdings, a business advisory and private investment firm.  He has over 30 years of executive, operational and strategic expertise across numerous industries, helping clients ranging from Fortune 50 to start-ups.  Previously, Kevin served on the executive team of Fisher Scientific International (now ThermoFisher Scientific,) driving improved profitability while helping to grow revenues from $3.5B to $6.3B.  Prior to Fisher, Kevin was a Principal in the Strategy practice of Diamond Technology Partners (acquired by PWC), the first publicly traded technology and strategic consulting firm.  He was responsible for sales and delivery, working directly with the executive teams and boards of numerous Fortune 500 companies spanning various industries.  Kevin has a BA from the University of Michigan and an MBA from the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management, Northwestern University.  He currently lives outside of Boston.

Ian Hogan is executive vice president and managing director in charge of national and specialty businesses. Ian currently oversees the corporate banking activities of the international department, including the bank’s Canadian and Mexican operations, and the venture banking (technology and life sciences) division, as well as the business deposit services group and Captive Insurance group. The division maintains numerous offices across North America.

Jen Hollingsworth is an accomplished executive and leader with a unique blend of expertise in both film and artificial intelligence domains. She is a current Board Advisor of Flawless AI, and also recently served as the company’s Chief Commercial Officer where she developed and implemented innovative strategies to drive revenue growth for emerging Gen-AI technology in the entertainment industry. Prior to Flawless, Jen was Chief Operating Officer of the Motion Picture Group at Lionsgate, where she was responsible for overall business strategy, finance, transformation, data and intelligence and organizational design.

Jen co-founded the non-profit Female Executives in Media and Entertainment (FEME) in 2014, and serves on the board of Women In Film. She is a Member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences where she serves on two Executive Committees. Additionally, Jen is a mentor for UCLA and University of Michigan students, and is a guest lecturer at both schools. She holds an MBA from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, where she currently serves on the Alumni Board of Governors, and a BS in Finance from Indiana University.

Aparna Joshi is a Professor of Management and Organizations at Michigan Ross. She studies the science of how human beings recognize, respond to, and then relate to one another across differences. Her research highlights how leaders can transcend differences to forge positive change in and around organizations.

Akshay  is a Senior Partner in McKinsey’s New York office. Akshay leads McKinsey’s Consumer Credit Service line, including the Mortgage Practice in N.A., which is the largest consumer asset class at $10T+, in N.A. Akshay has ~18 years of experience in serving banks –megas, regionals, and niche as well as non-bank finance institutions, Private Equity firms across a host of pertinent topics, including:strategy, end-to-end transformations, growth roadmaps, operations, automation & digitization, capital optimization, frontline capability building, productivity enhancement and risk and compliance  Prior to McKinsey, Akshay spent a couple of areas at Capital One Financial Corp., leading strategy and execution for Superprimecards.

Derek Kerr retired from American Airlines where he served as Vice Chair, Chief Financial Officer and President, American Eagle. He oversaw all global corporate risk, corporate development and corporate financial functions, including treasury, accounting, financial planning, labor and fleet analysis, tax, strategic planning, investor relations, and purchasing. He was also responsible for more than half of American's departures with oversight of American Eagle operations.

Previously, Derek served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of US Airways. He joined America West Airlines in 1996 and served in a variety of finance and planning roles. He was named Chief Financial Officer in 2002 and was promoted to Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer in 2009, adding responsibility for information technology.

Derek also worked in financial planning and analysis at Northwest Airlines. Before that, he was a flight test coordinator/control engineer with Northrop Corporation's B-2 Division.

Derek serves on the advisory board of the University of Michigan Ross School of Business, as well as the Board and Audit Committee of Comerica Bank and the Board, Audit, and Compensation Committees of AECOM. He previously served as a member of the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics and the Knight Commission Task Force on Racial Equality.

Mattew graduated with a BBA from the U of Michigan in 1990.   Married, 3 kids (2 UM grads so far).  Matthew is also a football season ticket holder.  CEO of Kripke Enterprises, an aluminum recycling and coil distributor.  KEI is a family business with 60 employees, locations in Toledo, Ohio, Jackson, Tennessee, and Coconut Creek, Florida.

Saurabh focuses on creating new healthcare companies at Triple Aim Partners and is a CFO at a few of the portfolio companies. Prior to that, he has been CFO at several healthcare organizations, including UnitedHealthCare's Employer & Individual business. Saurabh went to Ross in 2010 and lives in Ann Arbor

Michele was CFO at Bain Capital (1987-2009), and began her career as a CPA with Deloitte Touche.  She holds a BBA from UM Ross School, and an MBA from Boston University.  Michele devotes her time and energy as a pro-bono advisor to non-profit organizations in the Boston area, most recently Gloucester Marine Genomics Institute, a new marine research institute and training academy, and Rosie’s Place - an organization supporting women in need.  

In her free time, Michele enjoys spending time with family and friends, practicing piano, and traveling. She and her husband David, also a UM alum, reside in Boston.

Bela Mehta is a Managing Partner at CITG Capital. She has served as President of Little Switzerland, Inc. since 2006 and recently joined the Hamilton Beach Brands (NYSE: HBB) Board of Directors. 

Bela received a BBA from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, an MBA from the Wharton School, and a M.Ed. from Harvard University. She is a member of the Women’s Leadership Board at the Harvard Kennedy School, an advisory member at the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Chicago as well as advisory boards of various startups and non-profit organizations. 

Adrienne Meyer is a nonprofit executive who has deep experience with trade associations, membership communities, and standards development organizations. Her portfolio includes operations, accounting, marketing, communications, member recruitment and retention, and board and volunteer team management. She is a proud two-time graduate of the University of Michigan and has earned a Certified Association Executive (CAE) designation from the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE).

Andrew been building, operating and leading online businesses for the past 25 years.  He currently serves as the President of Springboard, a leading online education and re-skilling company.  Previously, he served in executive leadership roles at Talkspace, Blue Apron, IAC and Ask.com, and early in his career was a corporate attorney at Kirkland & Ellis and McDermott, Will & Emory.  Andrew lives in New York City with his wife and two sons.

Dan graduated with a BBA from the University of Michigan in 1995 and has an MBA from UCLA in 2000.  He currently is the Vice President and co-owner of Puerto Rico Pharmaceutical, a pharmaceutical manufacturing, marketing, and distribution company with operations in India, the Caribbean, Central America, and parts of South America.  Daniel is also the Director, co-founder, and co-owner of Madison Ortho, an orthopedic implant manufacturer, marketer, and distributor with a global footprint.  Dan’s earlier career included jobs at Arthur Andersen where he worked as New York CPA with international banks and Bain & Co where he worked as a consultant in Australia and New Zealand.

Dr. Nagarajan is Teaching Professor of Strategy at the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. Her primary research interests include the study of emerging industries, technology strategy, and the competitive implications of inter-organizational arrangements in highly uncertain, networked environments with particular interest in the development of standards and technology trajectories in a technologically interdependent environment. She teaches courses in business and corporate strategy at the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. She received her Ph.D. in Strategy from the University of Michigan in 1996.

Rema Nasif is the Managing Director of Strategy at OneMagnify in Detroit, MI. She helps drive, reshape and optimize marketing strategies with her clients based on data insights. Prior, Rema was a Consulting Manager with Deloitte Strategy & Operations focused on the Consumer Products Industry. 

Rema graduated with a BBA degree from Ross School of Business and an MBA degree from Wharton School of Business. Rema serves on the Alumni Board of Governors for Michigan Ross and the SE Michigan Women United Committee. She roots for the Wolverines, golfs and enjoys spending time with her family.

Currently Principal at Willow Canyon Advisors, Willie Newman provides strategic guidance and advice to companies across the financial services industry. Previously, he was the founder and CEO at Home Point Financial, leading the company from start-up to a top 10 mortgage originator. Taking Homepoint public in 2021 and leading through a successful exit through sale to Mr. Cooper in August 2023 were two of his many accomplishments. Willie led the charge with other ventures including his tenure at Cole Taylor Bank, starting up the mortgage business from scratch, building it up as a leader in wholesale mortgage, and managed a significant servicing asset. His successful career included an extended tenure at ABN AMRO Mortgage Group where he lead the building of the InterFirst divsion into the leading wholesale mortgage lender and a top 5 mortgage banking company. Willie is a proud 1986 graduate of the University of Michigan and received his MBA from Wayne State University.

Esther Ni is the Chief Human Resources Officer of Serta Simmons Bedding (SSB), a leading global sleep company with a 150-year heritage and owner of brands Serta, Beautyrest, Tuft & Needle, and Beauty Sleep.

In this role, Esther is responsible for all human resources and corporate communications functions including strategic HR partnership, organizational design and talent management, compensation and benefits, DE&I, employee engagement, and internal and external communications. She joined SSB in 2019 as SVP of HR Operations and stepped into the role of Senior Vice President of HR for the company’s manufacturing, supply chain, and sourcing functions before being named Chief Human Resources Officer in 2021. 

Prior to joining SSB, Esther was the VP of HR Operations at Acuity Brands, an industrial technology company that provides lighting solutions. Esther began her career in HR working at Target and General Mills.

Originally from Michigan, Esther earned her bachelor’s degree in business administration from Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan.

Bill is the Chief Executive Officer of O’Connor Capital Partners. Prior to his current role, Bill served as Head of Investments for the U.S. and was based in London from 1999-2002 where he was a senior acquisitions officer. Prior to joining O’Connor in 1996, Bill was an Associate in the Real Estate Investment Banking Group of Merrill Lynch & Co., based in New York. Bill is a member of the Urban Land Institute, the International Council of Shopping Centers and the Pension Real Estate Association. He is a graduate of the College of the Holy Cross (B.A.) and the Columbia Business School (M.B.A.).

Scott E Page is the John Seely Brown Distinguished University Professor of Management, Complexity, and Social Science at UM and an external faculty member at The Santa Fe Institute. His research focuses on the function of diversity in complex social systems, the potential for collective intelligence, and the design of institutions for meeting the challenges of a complex world. He is the author of The Difference, The Model Thinker, and The Diversity Bonus. 

I have been CEO of Tier One automotive suppliers for more than 14 years and have served two private equity owners and one strategic player in the industry.  I have M&A experience and have enjoyed teaching and coaching young professionals for more than two decades.

Naimish Patel was the cofounder and chief executive officer of Tru Family Dental, a dental support organization supporting 30 successful neighborhood dental practices that provide lifetime quality care in private practice settings. Tru Family Dental, founded in 2014, was sold to Heartland Dental in December 2020. Naimish built an exceptional management team, scalable operating infrastructure, and led a disciplined execution strategy that delivered outstanding results for shareholders, team members, and patients. In his capacity as senior advisor to Long Point Capital, a middle market leveraged buyout firm, Naimish served on the board of directors of UMA Enterprises and Cumming Corporation. Previously, Naimish was managing director of CITG Capital, a private equity firm he established that focused on investing capital on behalf of an entrepreneurial family office. Before joining CITG Capital, Naimish was a principal at Long Point Capital, where he led acquisitions of two successful platform companies. Prior to Long Point Capital, Naimish was an investment analyst at Frontenac Company, a Chicago-based private equity firm. Naimish began his career as an investment banking analyst at Merrill Lynch in its New York City office. Naimish received a BBA with high distinction from the University of Michigan and an MBA with honors from Kellogg School of Management (Northwestern University).

Personally, Naimish is married and has two teenage sons. He enjoys spending time with them in their various sports activities, traveling the world, and sharing teachings from ancient Vedic literatures. 

Peter Rigby is an author, angel investor, visiting professor, and philanthropist. He teaches crisis leadership in the energy sector at Penn State. He belongs to the Society of Fellows of the Aspen Institute and Aspen Words. Peter’s career focused on energy, first as a petroleum engineer with a major oil company, later as a consultant with an economic and management consulting firm, and then in financial services on Wall Street. Peter holds an MBA from the University of Michigan, and a BS in Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering as well as a BA in Arts and Sciences.

Jeff serves as the Director of Emerging Issue Identification and Product Safety Data Analytics within the Global Product Safety and Systems team at General Motors. This team focuses on identifying emerging product issues, triaging claims, and monitoring product hazards through advanced analytics.

Jeff started his career in the automotive industry in 1993 before joining GM in 1996. His first assignments included design, development and validation of the first side impact and roof rail air bags for the North American market. These early assignments in innovation and safety led to other opportunities that included Energy and Drive Quality integration at GM’s Milford Proving Grounds, Interior system development for the industry’s first 2 mode hybrid SUV and launching multiple vehicle architectures. Most recently, Jeff was the Director for Interior Quality, Advance Vehicle Development and System Engineering before leading advance development of mobility products, integration of Immersive Technologies, concept vehicle development, managing Structured Innovation and leading GM’s Open Innovation activities.

Jeff holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Oakland University and a Master of Science in Manufacturing Management from Kettering University.

Rob spent 27 years with LEK Consulting, where he most recently served as Vice Chair, Global Industrials.  Rob is the past President of LEK’s North American practice.  He now works in Advisory Board / Round Table roles with three different PE firms (Madison Dearborn, Graham Partners and Blue Ridge Construction Capital).  Rob’s contributions to the consulting industry earned him recognition as one of Consulting magazine’s Top 25 Consultants for Excellence in Leadership.  He is a frequent lecturer at the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University and an Executive in Residence at the Ross School of Management at the University of Michigan.  

Jill Schildkraut-Katz is a Managing Director and Private Wealth Advisor at Morgan Stanley. She provides comprehensive wealth management services to ultra high net worth multi-generational families, corporate executives, and financial professionals, helping them to achieve their investment, wealth transfer and philanthropic goals. She also works with private business owners on pre-transaction planning. Jill strategically helps advise clients on how to best structure their personal balance sheets utilizing investments, lending solutions and estate planning strategies.

Jill has over 34 years of experience working in private wealth management, banking and investment banking in New York and London.

In 2023, Jill was recognized as a MAKER at Morgan Stanley—an initiative dedicated to celebrating women and men who are culture carriers, groundbreakers, innovators and champions of women’s achievement. Jill is a past President of Women In Wealth: LIFT, an advocacy, business development, mentoring and philanthropic network of Morgan Stanley women from the Northeast Region dedicated to supporting peers to help achieve business success and realize meaningful connections with their clients. While at Merrill Lynch, Jill was appointed to the firm’s Diversity & Inclusion Counsel, was a founding member and Co-Head of the Global Markets and Investment Banking Women’s Leadership Counsel and was a recipient of the Leadership in Diversity award.

Jill has been a member of the Stephen Wise Free Synagogue Board of Trustees, the UJA Women’s Executive Circle, the Feminist Institute Advisory Board and both the Horace Mann School and Trevor Day School Parents’ Association Executive Boards. She is a two-time participant in the Covenant House Sleep Out to raise money and awareness for the homeless and vulnerable youths.

Jill graduated from The University of Michigan Ross School of Business with a BBA in Finance and The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania with an MBA in Finance. She lives in New York City with her husband Steve, son Ethan, daughter Sydney and puppy Chloe.

Ari Shwayder is an economist, strategist, and consultant who has worked with students and clients around the world to help them think economically, make better decisions, and improve their ability to think strategically. He is an award-winning teacher of economics, game theory, competitive tactics, and more to bachelors, masters, and executive students at Michigan's Ross School of Business. Ari is also the faculty director of Michigan's top-ranked Executive MBA program.

Amit Singhi is the Chief Financial Officer of Humanetics, a hi-tech global industrial technology group that engineers extraordinary safety, digital and sensor solutions for critical environments to put humans at the heart of industrial design.

Previously Amit has worked at Piston Group, FLIR Systems, Ford Motor Company, and General Motors, in a variety of finance and engineering roles.

Amit is on the board of Quanex (NYSE: NX) and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southeast Michigan.  He is an executive-in-residence and a guest speaker at University of Michigan and several international CFO conferences, as well as a podcast contributor for CFOThoughtLeader.  He was also the recipient of the APACC “Salute to Excellence” Award for Business Leadership in 2018. 

Mr. Singhi holds an MBA in Finance and Corporate Strategy and an MS in Electrical Engineering Systems from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and a Bachelor of Technology in Electrical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay.

Cindy graduated from the University of Michigan in 2005 with a BBA and BA in French Studies.  She has spent her career at Bain & Company where Cindy is now a Partner specializing in Private Equity.  In addition to her client work, Cindy has held various leadership roles at Bain including leader of global learning & development for the PE practice and co-lead of the NY office’s Women at Bain.  Cindy also holds an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business.  She currently lives in Columbus Ohio with her husband and two daughters.

Graham is an Operational Excellence Manager at General Motors focusing on Engineering simplicity and Vehicle Profitability. A Marine Corps Veteran, Graham has used his expertise to develop GM’s automated driving portfolio, including the award winning Super Cruise hands-free driving feature. 

This is Graham’s second time at the Leadership Challenge, and he looks forward to another amazing round of presentations. 

A graduate of the US Naval Academy, he also holds an MS in Project Management from the George Washington University School of Business. 

Rich is a purpose-driven leader, advisor, consultant, and author. Rich led American Innovations, a provider of solutions that help the energy industry operate safely. He serves as board chair and consultant there after retiring as CEO in 2020. In August 2021, he published Practically Positive – a book he wrote as a note to his younger self about creating thriving organizations. He has served on the boards of multiple for-profit and non-profit organizations over the last 30 years. He received his B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Virginia Tech in 1985 and his MBA from Michigan in 1993.

Jim Sohigian is a partner and a 27+-year veteran in Deloitte's financial services practice. He has over 30 years of experience in the financial services industry, and specializes in operations and infrastructure improvement for global banks. His areas of focus include:

• Large-scale operational and organizational transformation

• Operations risk mitigation through organizational restructuring and process redesign efforts

• Strategic planning and implementation

• Target operating model development for shared services functions

Jim also serves as the advisory partner for Deloitte's extended relationship with the University of Michigan. 

He received his MBA from the University of Michigan and a BS in economics from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Walt Sowden is a Lecturer of Management and Organizations at the Ross School of Business, University of Michigan, where he teaches management and leadership. His research focuses on loyalty, morality, emotion regulation in high-stakes situations, and the well-being of military service members and veterans. A retired U.S. Army officer with over 20 years of service, he held various leadership roles, including Company Commander during Operation Iraqi Freedom, Faculty at West Point, and Principal Investigator at Walter Reed Army Institute of Research. He holds a PhD in Psychology from the University of Michigan and an MA from Teachers College, Columbia University.

Sriram is the Associate Dean for Graduate Programs and the Dwight F. Benton Professor of Marketing at the Ross School of Business. Sriram teaches classes on marketing as well as innovation and product development in various MBA Programs at Ross. Sriram's research interests are in the areas of brand and product portfolio management, monetizing content, and healthcare. Substantively, his research has spanned several industries including consumer packaged goods, technology products and services, retailing, news media, user-generated content, online education platforms, and the interface of healthcare and marketing. Sriram's research has been published in several leading academic journals. He has presented his research at many national and international venues. He is an associate editor at some of the leading academic journals in marketing. Sriram obtained his Bachelor of Technology degree from the Indian Institute of Technology and a Ph.D. in Marketing from Purdue University.

Jared Stadlin is the President and a Principal of Linden Warehouse & Distribution Co., Inc. with company headquarters in Linden, NJ.  He is a past Chairman of the International Warehouse Logistics Association (IWLA), the founding Chairman of the Gateway Warehouse Association and an executive committee and board member of the New Jersey Motor Truck Association.  He is also currently serving as an officer of the Gateway Chamber of Commerce and the Linden Industrial Association.  Jared received his BBA from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business and a JD from the New York University School of Law.

Tamara Stark founded Women’s Financial Network, an online education company that delivered targeted financial resources and educational materials to women. In 2000, she sold WFN to Siebert Financial Corp and spent 4 years as EVP of Operations of WFN at Siebert. She then spent 5 years running operations and marketing for two mid size long/short equity hedge funds. Tamara began her career as a financial analyst at Goldman Sachs in the equities division. Currently, Tamara consults and volunteers with several non profits. Tamara earned a BBA from Michigan School of Business Administration and an MBA from Harvard Business School. 

Andy Stillman has over 30 years of experience successfully helping businesses improve by developing and executing meaningful financial strategies focused on the long-term success of the business. He is motivated by helping others and finds intrinsic value in solving complex issues large and small—leaving the business in a better place and better positioned to grow. He approaches problems with no preconceived notions and relies on a data-driven approach. He has held senior finance and operational roles in large multi-national organizations and has often acted as an in-house consultant—successfully solving difficult problems while working with multiple stakeholders across each organization. Andy has held senior roles in a number of companies including: E*Trade, Citigroup, Deutsche Bank, Societe General, and Coopers & Lybrand (PWC). Andy founded AG Stillman Advisory in 2020 and has enjoyed working closely with entrepreneurs as a fractional CFO/COO as they build their businesses and navigate new challenges. Andy is a graduate of the University of Michigan with a degree in economics and also has an MBA from New York University. He is a CPA.  

Candace M. TenBrink Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of Management at the University of Houston – Downtown. Her research includes the strategic aspects of turnarounds, life cycle issues, and innovation. She teaches strategy and international business courses. As a Fulbright Scholar she researched corporate rejuvenation and innovation in Poland and technology change in Moldova.

She consults for international firms that need help with strategic entry in a global context. Prior to entering academia, she was the founder of a film production firm. Her background also includes supply chain management and investment banking in the semiconductor capital equipment industry. She is currently at Harvard earning a master in higher education leadership.

Will Thomas is an Assistant Professor of Business Law and, by courtesy, of Philosophy at the University of Michigan. His research explores legal and ethical questions about the law of business crimes, with a particular focus on corporate punishment. Professor Thomas is a frequent commentator on breaking issues at the intersection of business and criminal law, having appeared in media outlets including the Financial Times, NPR, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post. A double Wolverine, Professor Thomas earned both his JD and PhD from the University of Michigan before joining the Ross faculty.

Senior executive who strategically directs cross functional business planning and execution for multi-nationals exceeding $3B in annual revenue. Expertise in motivating cross functional teams, setting strategic direction that spark revenue growth, while leveraging P&L efficiencies to drive profitability.

Evan Ufer is the Founder and Managing Partner of HiLand Capital. With nearly 20 years of private equity and growth equity experience, Evan has held key roles at Plymouth Growth (Partner for 10+ years), Quilvest, and Carlyle. Evan has served as a Board Member and strategic advisor to many companies, including more than 10 exits ranging from $25M to $500M. Evan earned his MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and his bachelor’s degree in architecture from the University of Virginia.

Trina Van Pelt is an accomplished investment professional with 25 years' experience in growth & venture capital and corporate development leading investment strategy, transaction execution and company building. She has a strong track record of leading over 95 global technology investments and acquisitions with a $50B combined value, spanning 5 continents and numerous business models. Trina has served on numerous private company boards. Previously, Trina worked at Intel Capital, CNET Networks, TA Associates, and Lehman Brothers. She has a BBA from the University of Michigan and a MSM from the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University.

Dave Webb is vice president & treasurer of Ford Motor Company and responsible for leading Ford’s global capital strategy, funding, risk management, affiliate finance, asset management, and treasury operations. He is a member of Ford Motor Credit Company’s Board of Directors and a trustee and treasurer of the Ford Fund. Dave is also an advisory board member of the Sanger Leadership Center at Michigan Ross. Dave earned a BA in economics from Wheaton College (magna cum laude) and an MBA in finance (with distinction) from Michigan Ross. Dave presently lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan with his wife and two daughters.

Angela has over 25 years of marketing and market research experience across various industries including technology, consumer goods, media, and more. At Splunk, a leading cyber security company that Cisco recently acquired, Angela leads the Customer Advocacy and Executive Customer Experience teams. Angela earned her MBA from the University of Michigan and graduated from Northwestern University with a Bachelor's Degree in Economics. In her free time, you’ll find her loudly cheering for her two sons’ baseball teams, traveling with her husband of 20+ years, or sampling a new white wine with her friends.

Valerie Woerner earned her MBA in finance at Michigan Ross and her BA in psychology from the University of Michigan, becoming CEO of a manufacturing company where she began coaching a team of C-suite and emerging leaders that collaborated to grow revenue from $3 million to $100 million over 10 years. She has formally coached executives for over 20 years at corporations, boards, non-profits, and at universities where she designed and taught an array of courses that included finance, entrepreneurship, human resources management, venture formation, financial strategy, and ag credit and finance. Her C-level industry experience includes extensive manufacturing, banking, agriculture, food processing, academia, grocery, elevators & dampers, trucking, construction, and metal processing. She’s committed to making positive differences, remembering that life is about how we make others feel.

Christine Yan is an accomplished business executive and experienced public company board member. Christine serves on the board of Modine Manufacturing Company (NYSE: MOD), onsemi (Nasdaq: ON), Ansell Limited (ASX: ANN), and Cabot Corporation (NYSE: CBT). She is an advisor/operating director for Ammega, a Partners Group AG portfolio company. Christine serves as the Chair of Governance and Nominating committee for Modine Manufacturing and Chair of Human Capital and Compensation committee for onsemi, Chair of Human Resources committee for Ansell Limited, and Chair of Operations Committee for Ammega. She has experience serving on various other committees such as Audit,  Safety, Health, Environmental and Sustainability and Risk Committees. Prior to her board career, Christine was an executive at a Fortune 500 company where she had Global P&L responsibilities. 

Yelena Aganesova is the Associate Director of Career Advancement for Ross Executive MBAs, a role she assumed in August 2024. Before this role, she spent a decade coaching various student groups at Ross, focusing primarily on BBAs. Her prior experience includes working with employer partners and students at the College of Engineering. Additionally, Yelena brings over seven years of corporate experience, enriching her professional expertise.

Yelena's extensive coaching career at the University of Michigan and her personal coaching business have provided her with rich insights across numerous industries and diverse clientele. She finds great fulfillment in helping her clients increase their confidence and achieve unique definitions of success.

A passionate advocate for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Yelena champions these values in the workplace, classroom, and daily life. She graduated from Moscow State University with a bachelor's degree in social geography and economics and holds an MBA from Eastern Michigan University.

Steve Bodei is the Associate Director of Student Life Leadership Education (M-LEAD) at the University of Michigan, where he develops and supports innovative programs to empower students as inclusive leaders. An ICF ACC-certified coach, Steve brings a unique blend of professional coaching expertise and intercultural competence to his work, fostering personal and professional growth. With over 15 years of soccer coaching experience at various levels, Steve’s passion for leadership extends beyond the office, where he enjoys mentoring athletes and developing their skills. Known for his ability to connect with people and inspire growth, Steve is dedicated to preparing future leaders for an increasingly diverse and complex world.

David Faulk is a consultant, executive and leadership coach, adjunct professor, and a retired senior leader in human resources, business operations management, and individual performance coaching. He has also been an active community leader in multiple non-profit organizations in the greater Cincinnati, Ohio area.

After a 40 year career with Macy’s Inc. as a division Executive Vice President and corporate Senior Vice President, he began his his “Act II” career, starting a consulting business, “Inspired Talent Management”, specializing in executive coaching. He also has been an adjunct professor at Xavier Universiity in the Williams College of Business, and serves on the Board of Directors of People Working Cooperatively.

Silke Janz is a certified executive coach and the owner of Three Birches LLC, a leadership coaching business. Silke brings more than 20 years of experience in leadership development and executive coaching. She has partnered with a large variety of organizations, helping leaders lead more effectively in a complex world.

Before starting her own coaching business, Silke served as associate director of the Sanger Leadership Center at Michigan Ross. Prior to that, she provided internal leadership consulting and coaching at Bose Corporation and Harvard’s Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Silke holds a master's degree in adult education from the University of Freiburg, Germany.

Nancy Kotzian is a faculty member and co-chair of the business communication department at Michigan Ross. In the BBA program, Nancy teaches the core business communication courses, as well as Effective Business Presentations. In the MBA program, she teaches courses in management presentations and entrepreneurial writing strategies. Nancy is also involved in the Online MBA program where she teaches a course in virtual communication. In addition, she has contributed her expertise as a communication advisor to over 150 MBA action-based learning projects, many focusing on biotechnology start-ups and international non-profits.

Gene Mage is the Head of Executive Coaching for Michigan Ross Executive Education, and a Leadership Coach for Michigan Medicine. Gene is an ICF certified coach, and instructor in business communications and executive presence for Michigan Ross executive programs. He has served as a sponsor, coach and board member in numerous LCC programs in the past 9 years. He also serves as a coach in the Sanger MRLE and LIC programs.

Lisa Morgan is an executive and career coach at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business.  Lisa’s focus is helping individuals discover and align their purpose, passion, and strengths with career, and then advance their capabilities to become amazing leaders who empower and engage teams. Lisa has a wide range of experience working with leaders across all sectors.  Her coaching is grounded in her early history in business process reengineering, IT, and consulting.

Dr. Jennifer Nash, PhD, MBA, PCC, is a leadership consultant and executive advisor who helps leaders get promoted and organizations perform better. Select clients include Google, Ford, Exxon Mobil, JP Morgan, IBM, The Boeing Company, Deloitte, The University of Michigan and Verizon. 

Dr. Nash is Founder & CEO of Jennifer Nash Coaching & Consulting, a global leadership development and human capital consulting firm based in Austin, Texas. She was invited to join Marshall Goldsmith’s 100 Coaches organization as one of the world’s top 300 executive coaches. Jennifer is the author of the fourteen-time award winning book Be Human, Lead Human: How to Connect People and Performance.

Presently I am a full time lecturer at Ross in the Business Communications department where I teach undergraduates and coach MBA students.  Formerly a journalist (radio and print newspapers) I studied crisis communications as part of my masters, provided me a great understanding as to how a crisis unfolds and how to best address the scenario.

I have assisted with the Ross Executive Education crisis challenges that past few summers in a similar capacity.

Lisa Pawlik’s passion is positioning others to accomplish personal and organizational goals through exceptional communication. Lisa is a teaching professor who has taught business communication courses and advised action-based learning teams at Ross since 2005, as well as served as the MAP communication coordinator. A Michigan MBA and former executive leader at General Motors, Lisa’s background in operations, planning, and program management helps her guide students to compellingly present ideas. She also provides communication training for companies and conducts research on project deliverables. Michigan born and bred, Lisa enjoys outdoor activities with her family in all seasons. 

For over 30 years, Peggy Sheagren has worked in organizational strategy and business operations in the academic and healthcare environments. She is also a certified executive coach, and has assisted individuals and organizations in strategic planning and creating customized “playbooks” designed to bring meaning and action to aspirational visions and goals. Currently, Peggy serves as the Assistant Vice President for Strategy, Planning & Operations in Human Resources at the University of Michigan. Peggy earned her Master of Public Health degree in 1989, and her M.B.A. in 2005, both from the University of Michigan.

Heidi has worked in higher education for over 30 years with experience working in a variety of administrative roles including academic affairs, student affairs, and alumni affairs. As the current Director of Leadership Development in the College of Engineering, her primary role is to design and initiate a suite of professional leadership development activities and coaching for faculty and staff. 

Before moving to Ann Arbor in July 2016, Heidi lived in Houston, Texas where she consulted at Rice University in the Center for Civic Leadership and the Doerr Institute for New Leaders. While in Houston, Heidi completed Executive Coaching training through Envision Coaching, at the PCC level of the International Coaching Federation (ICF). She also completed a Coaching Groups and Teams Certification Training through Envision Coaching. 

Heidi completed the Positive Leadership training at the Ross Executive Education Program in the School of Business. She has been coaching for over 10 years. She describes herself as a connector; she thrives at helping people reach their potential, and believes in “lifting while you climb”. 

Board Member and Business Consultant leveraging JPMorgan financial skills with 20 years of corporate consulting experience. Having diagnosed companies and facilitated their resulting leadership programs while at INSEAD and Duke business schools from 2000-2017, JSK understands the hard reality of leading a multinational. Currently run a CEO Peer Group whose Members bring a business challenge to each month's meeting, commit to specific actions by the next month, which includes gaining their Leadership Team's inputs and buy-in.  

Kristen holds over 30 years of experience as a consultant, coach, and senior leader in organizational development, and learning. She specializes in leadership development, culture building and talent development. She works with clients across higher education, not-for profit, corporate, and government sectors. She holds her Master of Art in adult instruction and performance technology from the University of Michigan- Dearborn. She has a certificate in Leadership Coaching for Organizational Wellbeing from George Mason University and holds her associate level coach credentialing through the International Coaching Federation.

I've had the honor of serving as an Executive Coach for teams, faculty, staff, and graduate students at the University of Michigan after completing our University's Executive Coaching Certification Training Program. Since 2008, I've held a variety of leadership positions at the University, and prior to that had a career in the medical and public health sectors. I have a MBA in Leadership and MA in Program Management along with some publications focused on communication. 

Niha Wunnava coaches ambitious CEOs and executives at Google, Amazon, Apple, and leading healthcare and STEM organizations. Her clients learn to build strong board relationships, communicate effectively, and achieve ambitious goals in demanding industries. As a former Board Chair of an international language school and an entrepreneur, she is a trusted advisor to top leaders since the beginning of her career. Niha speaks at MBA programs, professional organizations, and global symposiums on executive influence, risk-taking, and communication confidence for business success. A proud University of Michigan alumna, she lives in Durham, NC, with her family.

Ryan Arens is currently a purchasing manager supporting the Customer Care and Aftersales organization at General Motors. Ryan has also held prior roles in product development and engineering, advanced technology and innovation development, and purchasing and supply chain management during his time with General Motors. In recent roles, he successfully led critical purchasing and chain projects, including supporting General Motors’ production of ventilators at the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak, as well as initiatives that helped enable continued vehicle production through the recent semiconductor supply crisis. Ryan holds a BS in mechanical engineering, as well as an ME in manufacturing engineering from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. Ryan lives in Northville, Michigan with his wife and two sons.  

Tim is an associate partner in McKinsey's Detroit office and a 2019 MBA graduate of Michigan Ross. He also holds a BS in mechanical engineering from Hope College and an MS in environmental engineering from Wayne State University. In his current role, he develops strategies for public and social sector organizations to better deliver on their mission through building resilience and improving service delivery for their constituents. Before joining McKinsey, Tim spent a decade leading humanitarian relief and development efforts across Latin America and Africa, including Haiti, Puerto Rico, Cameroon, Kenya, and South Sudan. He has led teams in responding to a variety of crises including war, coup d'etats, economic collapse, earthquakes, hurricanes and flooding, drought and famine, pandemics, and a hostage crisis, among others. Tim is passionate about driving social impact and sits on the board of several organizations including Ten Thousand Villages, Detroit Means Business, and the Michigan Advisory Committee for the US Global Leadership Coalition.

Alexa Ellswood has worked at General Motors for 25 years in a variety of leadership roles within engineering. She is currently leading the Advanced System Integration team for GM Defense. She is the chair for the mechanical engineering – engineering mechanics board at Michigan Tech University. She is active on the GM women allyship board and at the Detroit Athletic Club. Alexa holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Illinois and a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Michigan. Alexa is passionate about leadership and has led teams, as well as individuals, along this lifelong journey. She loves to cook and entertain her friends and family, and enjoys traveling and exploring new parts of the world as often as possible. 

John Foody is currently the Program Purchasing Manager for the next generation of full size pickup trucks. He joined General Motors in 2016 as a member of the Global Purchasing & Supply Chain (GPSC) rotational program and has been promoted through various roles within Global Purchasing and Supply Chain primarily in the purchasing organization. Through his many roles, John has played a critical role in leading strategic commercial initiatives, executing critical General Motors vehicles, and implementing new corporate processes.

John is in the process of completing his MBA at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. He holds a Bachelors in Business Administration and a Bachelors of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor. John represented GM as the recruiting lead for the University of Michigan Business School from 2017 – 2024 and is now the University Recruiting lead for GM Global Purchasing and Supply Chain.

John is passionate about helping others find their passions in the workplace and grow their careers strategically through mentorship. He loves all things sports, enjoying food with family and friends, and traveling all over with his wife and Corgi. 

Tori Pagnani

Global Commodity Manager, Anode & Cell Components at General Motors

Anna Searle is an associate in McKinsey’s Detroit office and SHaPE Leap practice. She joined McKinsey in 2017 after graduating with business and computer science engineering degrees from the University of Michigan. She has served and led core workstreams for a wide range of clients (e.g., AI, SHaPE, CPG, GEM) on Leap digital business builds, growth strategy, and customer journey design. Anna has a passion for helping people smile (end-customers, colleagues, and family alike), and achieves this by creating empathetic user experiences and nurturing positive team environments. Anna's core background in software engineering makes her uniquely able to communicate on cross-functional teams with business, design, and engineering leaders.

Shobhit Sharma currently serves as the Director of Global Purchasing and Manufacturing Services, where he oversees the Capital Expenditure (CapEx) organization responsible for managing construction, installation, expendable packaging, and machinery equipment acquisitions. With a total of 27 years of experience in the automotive industry, 24 of which have been with General Motors. Before his tenure with the Global Purchasing and Supply Chain organization, which began in 2010, he dedicated 9 years to advancing through various roles in product development.

Shobhit holds an MBA from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, an MS in Mechanical Engineering from Wayne State University, and a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Thapar University in India.