Proud to BU

Cari Giannoulias (COM’96) has a knack for trusting her gut and following her passion. After graduating from BU, Cari built a tremendous career in the world of marketing for the entertainment industry. She worked at Creative Artists Agency, Jersey Films, Universal Pictures, and even collaborated with the Sex Pistols, before deciding to blaze her own trail as an entrepreneur. Cari founded her own in...

Alex Tanguay (Questrom’02) is a Senior Vice President and Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in Boston. Alex earned his bachelor’s degree from the Questrom School of Business in 2002 and was recently named one of Forbes’ “Top Next-Gen Wealth Advisors” under 40. Alex is deeply engaged in the Alumni Association; he serves on the BU Alumni Council and is working to build a s...

Joe Maruca (Questrom’81) didn’t know what he wanted to do for a living after graduating from BU. His advice for any students who are feeling similarly? “Don’t worry about it!” Joe earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from the Questrom School of Business in 1981 and went on to become both a practicing attorney and Fire Chief in the West Barnstable district on Cape Cod, Massachuse...

Mamta Rodrigues (CAS’95) is always looking for new ways to make financial transactions easier for the rest of us. She has established herself as a prominent fintech leader having held top jobs at industry giants American Express, MasterCard, Visa, Synchrony, and Teleperformance. During this episode of the podcast, you’ll hear some of the highlights from Mamta’s global career journey as well as her...

Dr. Joe Frassica (MED’88) has built an extraordinary career delivering healthcare innovations to the patient’s bedside. He is the Head of Philips Research and Chief Medical Officer at Philips North America. He also remains active in the world of academic medicine with teaching appointments through the Institute for Medical Engineering and Sciences at MIT and Massachusetts General Hospital. During...

Nina Tassler (CFA’79, HON’16) is a producer, author, and the former chairman of CBS Entertainment. She built a groundbreaking career in the industry and she was instrumental in propelling CBS to become America’s #1 network for 12 of her 13-year tenure. In recent years, she co-founded PatMa Productions alongside Denise Di Novi and she published her first book, "What I Told My Daughter: Lessons from...

Dr. Howard Brooks (SDM’87) and Dr. Stephanie Brooks (SDM’18) are two of the three generations running Brooks Dental in Winthrop, MA. Dr. Barry Brooks founded the practice in 1959 and since then, he welcomed his son, Dr. Howard, and his granddaughter, Dr. Stephanie, into the family business. On this episode of the podcast, all three Drs. Brooks joined us in the studio to talk about running the busi...

Andrea Goldbarg (LAW’01), is an Assistant US Attorney who spent a decade of her career prosecuting the case against Mexican drug kingpin, Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman. She reflects on her experiences at BU and beyond that prepared her to tackle this career-defining challenge and shares why she believes she’s found her calling as a public servant. Recorded October 2019

Jamie Kaler (CAS’87) is an actor and comedian best known for his starring role as “Mike” on the hit TBS show, My Boys. His career also includes credits on Friends, Will & Grace, How I Met Your Mother, Parenthood, and NCIS. On this episode of Proud to BU, Jamie shares insights on the work ethic required to be successful in Hollywood and beyond. Recorded October 2019

Takeru Nagayoshi (Wheelock’16) is a high school English teacher in New Bedford and was recently named the 2020 Massachusetts Teacher of the Year. He joined us on Proud to BU to explore the ups and downs of his personal educational experience, why he believes teaching made him a better person, and what working in a turnaround school district has taught him about resiliency. Recorded September 2019

When Emily Theurer (CAS’14) graduated from BU with a degree in economics, she found herself well equipped to navigate the complex world of finance at one of the largest firms in Boston. Today, she’s a Research Analyst at State Street Global Advisors and she’s passionate about promoting financial literacy, especially among women and girls. Recorded October 2019

During his time at BU, Rel Dowdell (COM’96) made a name for himself with a groundbreaking thesis project that went on to become the critically acclaimed and award-winning film, Train Ride. His most recent work is a feature-length documentary examining the impact of the child support system on African American families titled, "Where’s Daddy?" Stay tuned for an exclusive clip from the documentary a...

After graduating from BU’s six-year medical program, Elaine Hsieh (CAS’90, MED’90) established a women’s health practice in Arlington, MA. Over the next twenty years, she slowly came to the realization that that healthcare was not her true career calling. In 2010, she co-founded a local chocolate shop, EHChocolatier, and since then, her business has been celebrated as ‘Best in Boston’ among a long...

Ajay Mehta (Questrom’11) has a proven track record as an innovator and creative problem solver. While his career is centered on the transportation industry, the lessons he’s learned about strategy and consulting are universal. Ajay earned his MBA from the Questrom School of Business in 2011. Today, he is a Manager of Technology, Strategy, & Continuous Improvement at Southwest Airlines and his...

Phonpimol Pathomsak (Questrom’96) is a Senior Vice President at Kasikornbank, one of Thailand’s largest commercial banks. After graduating from BU, Phonpimol moved from Boston to Bangkok where she built a career in banking and consumer finance at world-renowned firms AIG, Citi, GE Capital, and Bank of China. She also served as CEO of fintech startup, Refinn, which empowers consumers to compare mor...

Parag Vaish (Questrom’03) has built a career at the forefront of digital innovation, marketing, and design. He rose through the ranks at companies like Disney, Microsoft, MSNBC, StubHub and Tesla prior to tackling his most recent challenge as a founder-in-residence at Google’s internal incubator, Area 120. During his time at Tesla, Parag worked closely with founder, Elon Musk, on all digital devel...

In 1969, Thomas W. Jones (Questrom’78) stood firmly at the center of the armed student takeover of Willard Straight Hall at Cornell University. Pulitzer Prize-winning images of Jones and his fellow classmates emerging from the student union after a peaceful resolution powerfully captured widespread frustration over stalled civil rights efforts. Upon leaving Cornell, Jones entered the financial ser...

As Managing Director at Silicon Valley Bank, Jeremy Shure (LAW’08) is a partner to startup founders as they navigate the early stages of their business development. Recently named a Kauffman Fellow, Jeremy is now part of a world renowned network of innovative leaders working to transform relationships between entrepreneurs and venture capitalists. On this episode of the podcast, hear Jeremy reflec...

As a lifelong educator, Joanne Steinback (Wheelock’66) worked at the forefront of the transformation of special education in the American school system. Her career is centered on implementing innovative strategies to effectively engage children with emotional challenges and learning disabilities. Joanne reflects on the lessons she learned, the challenges she faced, and the role BU played in sparki...

Are we living in a renaissance for criminal justice reform? Somil Trivedi (LAW’09), Staff Attorney at the ACLU Trone Center for Justice and Equality, joins Proud to BU to explore his unique perspective on this prescient topic. Somil traces the origins of his passion for social justice and shares the prominent role BU played in scaffolding his platform as a public-minded lawyer. Recorded March 2019

What does it mean for a company to emphasize people over profit? Michael DiSalvo (COM’09) is a self-proclaimed Ogilvy enthusiast, having called the company his professional home for the last 9 years. In that time, Michael has quickly climbed the corporate “staircase” as he would call it to become the company’s youngest Senior Vice President. He was recently named one of PR Week’s 40 under 40. Mich...

Not many resumes include experience with the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Buffalo Bills, and the Brooklyn Nets, but after chatting with Dan Liburd (SAR’06), you’ll quickly hear how it all adds up. As the Head Strength & Conditioning Coach for the Brooklyn Nets, Dan spends his days ensuring his colleagues, who just happen to be some of the world’s most elite athletes, are able to maintain their pea...

Karen Holmes Ward (COM’77) is a staple of the Boston media landscape and has built a distinguished career earning her a spot in the Massachusetts Broadcasters Hall of Fame. She is the Director of Public Affairs and Community Services and many New England natives or transplants will recognize her as the Host and Executive Producer of the weekly TV talk show, CityLine. Karen joined us on Proud to BU...

Billie Weiss (COM’16) has what many in New England would consider a dream job. For the past seven years, Billie has documented the World Champion Boston Red Sox as the team’s manager of photography. On this episode of Proud to BU, Billie explores his unique journey from BU to Fenway Park and offers a behind-the-scenes look at his remarkable career. To learn more about Billie and to see some of his...

Welcome to the Young Alumni Edition of our Proud to BU Podcast. In this first iteration, Corinne Tramuta (MET’17) chats with Sahara Rose (CAS’13) about her path at Boston University and how she developed her brand as a health and wellness blogger, and author of the Idiot’s Guide to Ayurveda. In this episode, Sahara Rose (CAS’13) explores her entrepreneurial journey from starting a health and welln...