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Thank you to Sponsors

Welcome to all Attendees

Thank you to Isenberg Community

Overview of Schedule of Events

Keynote Speakers

Breakout Session 1: Panels and Speakers

Breakout Session 2: Panels and Speakers

Breakout Session 3: Panels and Speakers

The Women of Isenberg Planning Team

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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Dear Sponsors,

On behalf of Isenberg Women in Business, we would like to thank you for your corporate sponsor-

ship of the 2nd Annual Women of Isenberg Conference.

Your generosity has allowed us to make improvements to and build upon last year’s conference;

to provide a larger and more diverse agenda and group of social and networking gatherings.

You have allowed us to exceed our objectives and vision -- to bring more students and alumnae

together to establish and strengthen their professional networks as well as share in their experi-

ences, challenges and accomplishments.

We appreciate your support, commitment, and encouragement that has made this conference

possible; we could not have executed this type of conference without your involvement. Your

generous donations have made it feasible for a group of 200+ Isenberg students, professors, and

alumnae to build relationships on this special day that will only grow in the future. Today we unite

as the Isenberg community and will empower one another through our stories, experiences, and

successes.

The incredible array of companies sponsoring us today, from financial services firms to Fortune

100 companies and campus organizations, inspire us through their commitment to diversity and

investment in the Women of Isenberg Conference. We look forward to continuing our partnership

in the future!

Kim Figueroa, Bonnie Zima Dowd, Meghan Smith

Lauren Casaceli ’15, Abigail Wells ’15, Mary Lynch ’15,

Diana Ciccolini ’16, Casey Gover ’16, Christine Cavallaro ‘17

S P O N S O R E D B Y

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Good Morning,

The Isenberg Women in Business Club and the Women of Isenberg Planning Committee are delight-

ed to welcome you to our second annual Women of Isenberg Conference.

For 10 years, Isenberg’s Women in Business club has worked tirelessly to promote and unite our

female students in the business world.

Under the leadership of a string of successful presidents and executive boards, WIB members have

had countless opportunities to speak with guest speakers, network with alumni, tour corporate facili-

ties, and attend women’s conferences. Most importantly, WIB has become a community of aspiring

business leaders who support one another in their goals.

The Women of Isenberg Conference was inspired by a desire to bring together all of our supporters

and members for one memorable day. After the enormous success of last year’s inaugural confer-

ence, the Women of Isenberg Committee knew we had a responsibility to expand and innovate this

special assembly. In just one short year, WOI has already seen growth in our attendance as well as

responses from our partners looking to support us. With each coming year, we hope to improve the

Women of Isenberg Conference to bring you a day you will not want to miss.

During months of planning, our team recognized the current and emerging themes that are relevant

to women in the business world to bring you a variety of nine different panel sessions, one career re-

ception, and two incredible keynote speakers. Our hope for today’s conference is that you actively

participate in all that we have to offer. Learn from our alumnae and learn from one another. And

most importantly, we hope that you leave today’s gathering feeling inspired, confident, and more

prepared to pave your way to success.

As we kick off today’s events, we would like to express our deepest gratitude to our outstandingly

supportive faculty committee members, amazing alumni, and generous sponsors. And to our excep-

tionally talented student attendees, we are honored to have you here with us today.

Sincerely,

The Women of Isenberg Student Planning Committee

Lauren Casaceli, Abigail Wells, Mary Lynch, Diana Cioccolini, Casey Gover

Share your experience with us at today’s conference by tweeting and using #WOI2015.

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Thank you to Isenberg Community

The Women of Isenberg Student Planning Committee would like to express its deepest

gratitude to the entire Isenberg community and everyone at the University of

Massachusetts Amherst who helped make today possible. We appreciate all of the

support and assistance we have received in the planning and execution of the second

annual Women of Isenberg Conference.

We would like to once again, thank our sponsors, our keynote speakers, and all of the

panelists who bravely shared their unique and memorable stories. We would like to

thank the Isenberg Women in Business club for their partnership and determination to

continue to improve this event. We would also like to thank the following Isenberg

Departments: Marketing and Communications, Development, Undergraduate, IT, and

the Chase Career Center.

A special thanks is needed for Chris Pilsner and Allison Furkey, for their assistance in

branding and marketing this event to students, alumni, and faculty. We greatly

appreciate Davies DeCesare-Fousek for his mastery of the Women of Isenberg website.

Thank you also to Campus Design and Copy for working with us on the design and

printing of marketing materials. And finally, we would like to thank Dean Fuller and

Dean Shea for their continued support and belief in the mission of this conference.

Thank you to everyone who attended. We hope you walk away from today’s conference

feeling inspired and bold.

Sincerely,

Kim Figueroa, Bonnie Zima Dowd, Meghan Smith

Lauren Casaceli ’15, Abigail Wells ’15, Mary Lynch ’15,

Diana Ciccolini ’16, Casey Gover ’16, Christine Cavallaro ‘17

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8:30am Registration & Morning Refreshments (Atrium)|

9:15am-9:50am Welcoming Remarks & Keynote Speech by Nicole Simeral

(Flavin Auditorium)

10:00am-10:50am Breakout Session 1

Panels during this session include Networking (Room 108),

Start Ups (Room 106), Building your Brand (Room 112).

11:00am- 11:50 am Breakout Session 2

Panels during this session include: Career Advocating

(Room 108), Women in Sports (Room 106), Finding a

Balance (Room 112) and Building your Brand 2 (Room 210).

12:00pm-1:00pm Lunch

Lunch will be buffet style, after breakout session 2, please

return to the Atrium to get your lunch and proceed to any of

the following classrooms: 117, 118, 119, 122, 123, 125.

1:10pm- 2:00pm Breakout Session 3

Panels during this session include: How to grow to the

C-Level Positions (Room 108), Young Alumnae (Room 106)

and Corporate Social Responsibility (Room 112).

2:00pm-2:30pm Career Meet and Greet

The Career Reception will take place in the lobby outside of

Flavin and in the downstairs lobby. This is opportunity for

students to connect with our sponsors regarding career and

internship opportunities. Additionally, students have the

opportunity to speak with alumnae.

2:40pm- 3:15pm Keynote Speech by Kelly O’Kane and Closing Remarks

(Flavin Auditorium)

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

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KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

KELLY O’KANE

Kelly O’Kane originally hails from Hudson, MA and graduated from UMass in

2010 with a degree in Finance and a minor in Japanese. While at UMass, Kelly

served as President of the Finance Society and Portfolio Manager of the Min-

utemen Equity Fund. After graduation, she moved across the country to San

Francisco where she worked as an investment banking analyst in Piper Jaffray’s

technology group. After two years, Kelly joined Institutional Venture Partners

(IVP) as an Associate. She focuses primarily on identifying and evaluating later-

stage investments within the information technology and digital media sectors

and has worked on IVP’s investments in Dataminr, Progreso Financiero, Prosper,

TuneIn, Zendesk (ZEN), and ZEFR. Kelly also co-founded Women in Tech and

Finance, an organization that provides networking opportunities for early career

women in traditionally male-dominated industries, and sits on the board of Next-

Gen Partners, a network of pre-partner VCs in Silicon Valley.

NICOLE SIMERAL

Nicole Simeral opened her event planning business in January 2013 after serving

as Director of Catering for the Boston Harbor Hotel, a five star luxury hotel, for

nearly 8 years. Prior to that, she worked for 3+ years in sales, catering and event

management at the Seaport Hotel, Marina Bay’s Summer House and Eat Well

Catering. Nicole uses her operational experience and expertise to manage her

wedding clients through one of the most personal moments of their lives. Nicole

has been named “The Problem Solver” for effortlessly moving through day-of

challenges from falling wedding cakes, absent rabbis and of course the occasion-

al rain storm. Nicole oversees all the day’s moving parts so the bride, groom and

their families are able to truly enjoy the magic of their day. Nicole extends her

services to select corporate clients, adding touches of luxury and charm to their

events. Her distinguishing service and unbridled commitment leaves her clients

routinely signing praises of fluid communication and effortless planning, leading

to flawless events. Nicole graduated from UMass Amherst in the spring of 2002

with a BS in Hotel, Restaurant & Travel Administration when she spoke at commencement. Throughout college, Nicole

held several part-time F&B jobs both on and off campus, including Hampshire Dining Hall and Flint Café. Throughout

the years Nicole has gained significant experience in liaising with political figures, sports icons, corporate leaders and in-

dustry executives which has developed her business-partner acumen and finely tuned her attention to detail and sense of

urgency. In her first year of business Nicole managed 11 individual events. In 2014 she increased that number by more

than 400% to 46 events and is on pace to continue growing her business in 2015 to more than 60 events.

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BREAKOUT SESSION 1, 10:00-10:50AM

Networking (Room 108):

According to the US. Bureau of Labor Statistics, approximately, 70% percent of all jobs are found through networking, only more reason to become a networking expert! This panel will focus on learning the importance of networking, including stories of how alumnae have utilized their own network to find a different career opportunity. Alumnae will share their best practices for how they have kept in touch with alumni and former co-workers. For those who are resistant to the idea of networking, alumnae will offer alternatives for those who are not yet comfortable with this practice.

Liz Diggin

Liz Diggin graduated in 2004 from the Isenberg School of Management with

a focus in Operations Management. Before she graduated she was offered

an Executive position with Target and have been with the company for

over 10 years. She has had several different positions in the Greater Bos-

ton area including Store Operations Executive, Campus Recruiter and now

Store Team Leader. She lives in Foxboro with her husband Jay, who is also a

UMass graduate, and her dog Jack.

Kimberly Bilawchuk

Kim Bilawchuk helps young professionals get “unstuck” and find rewarding

careers. Kim brings nearly 20 years of corporate and academic counseling

experience to help her clients explore their career goals, assess their skills,

and develop essential career tools. Prior to starting her own practice, Kim

coached and counseled professionals in a variety of corporate technology

and financial services settings at companies such as Teradyne and BNY Mel-

lon Financial. She has also counseled students of all ages and backgrounds

at many local college and universities, including Babson College, Boston

University, Boston College and most recently at UMass Lowell, where she

has taught a Professional Development Seminar to help students prepare for

co-op and the world of work.

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Colleen Dowd

Colleen is a Director in PwC’s Risk Assurance Practice in Boston, MA. Over

the past 14 years her focus has been in the financial services industry,

primarily in the asset management and insurance sectors. Colleen is on the

Board of the Directors and finance committee at Girls Inc. of Worcester. In

2012 she was recognized by the MA Society of Certified Public Accountants

as a Woman to Watch Emerging Leader. Colleen graduated with honors

from the University of Massachusetts’ Isenberg School of Management with

a degree in Accounting and Information systems and is a Certified Public Ac-

countant (Massachusetts).

Colleen M. Cauley-Ritacco

Immediately following completion of her Bachelor of Science in Business

Management, Colleen accepted a commission in the United States Marine

Corps as a Second Lieutenant. Colleen served four years on active duty in

the Marine Corps including one deployment to Kuwait and Iraq, acting as a

Company Executive Officer during Operation Iraqi Freedom I. Colleen re-

signed from active duty in 2004 as a Captain. In the years following Colleen

has worked in growing project management positions at Pulte Homes, Bose

and the United States Census Bureau. After two years of study, Colleen

received her MBA from the Isenberg School of Management in 2013; she is

currently employed at BJ’s Wholesale Club, Inc. as a Supply Chain Project

Lead.

It was one of the most rewarding experiences that I participated in during my freshman year. Whether it was meeting with successful alumnae or learning about women equality in the workplace; I found every aspect helpful and motivating. – Shannon Murphy ’17

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Startups (Room 106):

Entrepreneurship is an exciting journey that often creates some of the greatest success stories. Creating your own business can be both enticing and difficult. The alumnae on this panel will offer unique insight on what inspired them to start their own ventures while others will share what it has been like working with startups. Challenges that are often faced will be discussed along with details of where alumnae got their inspiration to work at a start up or start a new venture.

Beth Gamel:

In 1986 Beth co-founded Pillar Financial Advisors, which merged with Argent

Wealth Management in 2013. For seven consecutive years, Worth Magazine

named her as one of the “best financial advisors” in the country. The Boston

Globe described her as one of “New England’s leading financial planners.”

Beth holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology from the University of

North Carolina and earned her M.S.B.A. in accounting from the University

of Massachusetts Isenberg School of Management. She is a member of the

Isenberg Leadership Board, co-founded Women for UMass and served on

the Board of Directors of the University of Massachusetts Amherst Founda-

tion from 2003 to 2013.

Kathleen Plath

Kathleen has led the marketing, product and business development efforts

in both large and small healthcare services, software and IT companies.

Kathleen has also successfully launched a clinical and financial electronic

health record solution for the home health market. She completed her un-

dergraduate work at the Isenberg School and received her graduate degree

in Innovation and Technology from Boston University. She has received nu-

merous marketing awards, and is co-author of research publications. Along

with her husband Scott Plath, a fellow UMASS Amherst Alumni, she is also

co-owner of two successful restaurants north of Boston. Kathleen and Scott

have three daughters and they reside in Tyngsboro, MA.

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Julie Reynolds

Julie is a scientist at heart who brought her passion for chemistry and

entrepreneurship to EY, focusing on providing assurance services to start

up biotechnology and medical device companies. A 2012 UMass graduate

in Chemistry and Accounting, much of her passion for the industry came

from the diversity of thought gained across both sides of the campus pond.

While at EY, she has become involved in various community service projects

- heading up the EY Rodman Ride team and volunteering as a mentor in the

community through College MAP. She is passionate about traveling, cook-

ing, and photography.

Christina Calvaneso:

Christina Calvaneso joined Eyeview as the Senior Vice President of Finance

and Business Operations, overseeing the company’s financial strategy,

planning and operations. She joined from Criteo, where she scaled the

North American Finance team through triple digit growth and IPO readi-

ness. Calvaneso started her career at General Electric in various finance

roles across the globe, followed by Deloitte Consulting, where she managed

multi-million dollar global engagement for Fortune 500 clients. She began

her startup career as the head of Finance at Rent the Runway. Calvaneso

graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in Finance and Operations

Management from UMASS Amherst. In 2014, she received the Isenberg

Young Alumni Award at the Isenberg Business Leadership Awards.

My biggest challenge every day is to be a great mother and a great businesswoman.- Tory Burch

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Building Your Brand 1 (Room 112)

Managing your reputation and building your brand can be crucial to your professional growth. Learn how alumnae have created their own brand and differentiated themselves in the workplace. Was it by leveraging their unique set of analytical abilities, bringing a positive energy to all endeavors, or utilizing creative skills to brainstorm a unique marketing plan? Alumnae will share how they have created a name for themselves, including how various social media platforms have helped them make connections or even find a new job.

Natty Hoffman:

Natty Hoffman is a 2001 graduate of U-Mass Amherst with degrees in

Finance and Journalism. Post-graduation, she traveled across the US and

Canada as a software consultant, implementing financial systems for Fortune

500 companies. She then completed an MBA at the University of Toronto

and worked as a client manager at IBM for 5 years. She is now director of

operations for Prattle Analytics, a text analytics start-up, and is mom to a

4-month old baby boy.

Anna Nagurney:

Anna Nagurney is the John F. Smith Memorial Professor of Operations Man-

agement and the Director of the Virtual Center for Supernetworks at the Is-

enberg School of Management. She is the author of 11 books, as well as 170

journal articles. She has worked in industry in the high tech sector and has

held visiting appointments at MIT, Harvard, the Royal Institute of Technol-

ogy in Stockholm, Sweden, the School of Business, Economics and Law at

the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, and has been awarded Fulbrights

at the SOWI Business School in Innsbruck, Austria, and at the University of

Catania in Italy.

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Denise Durgin

Prior to joining Host Hotels & Resorts in 2014 as Sr. Director Sales Strategy

Asset Management, Denise worked with Marriott International and The

Ritz-Carlton for 25 years in various leadership roles including: sales, revenue

management, PR, event management, general sales management and busi-

ness development. Denise has won several national and regional awards

for top sales performance and was also recognized by Host Hotels & Resorts

as a “Best in Class ® “ Sales Leader during her tenure at Marriott. She is

currently an active mentor within the Department of Hospitality and Tourism

Management Isenberg School of Management. Denise has four stepdaugh-

ters; three Westie pups, loves reading, exercise and resides in McLean VA

with her husband Patrick Maloney.

Linda Ronan

Linda is a 1982 graduate of the then UMASS School of Business. After

graduating with a degree in accounting, Linda spent 17 years with Ander-

sen Consulting. She is currently with Fidelity Investments. Linda and her

husband Bob live in Hopkinton, MA and they are the parents of two current

Isenberg students – Michael - ’15 and Katherine - ’17.

The conference helped me better understand how challenging it must be for women to enter male-dominated fields, like business. It was an enlightening experience that every man should have to go through. –Alex Brown ‘15

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BREAKOUT SESSION 2, 11:00-11:50AM

Women in Sports (Room 106):

Gone are the days of male dominance in the world of sports! Alumnae will share their experiences and lessons working as women in the sports industry, including times they felt empowered and times went they felt held back because of their gender. As we look to the future, panelists will share their feelings on the underrepresentation of women’s sports in the media and their hopes for the future of women in the sports world.

Victoria Koutris

Victoria is a Senior Account Executive with Optimum Sports, sports market-

ing and media agency located in New York City and a division of Omnicom

Media Group. She graduated from the Isenberg School of Management

in May 2012 with a B.B.A. in Sport Management and Marketing. During

her years at UMass, she interned for IMG, the Boston Red Sox, the Boston

Bruins, the New England Patriots, and the South Sydney Rabbitohs in Aus-

tralia. In addition, she was a member of the Senior Campaign Committee,

Isenberg Senior Class Gift Committee, the UMass Hellenic Society and an

ambassador for the Mark H. McCormack Department of Sport Management.

Kristen Kuliga

Kristen Kuliga has worked in the sports and entertainment industry for the

past twenty years and is currently the founder of K Sports & Entertainment,

LLC, a sports and entertainment management and marketing firm. As an

NFL certified contract advisor, Kristen was the first woman to negotiate a

starting NFL quarterback’s contract, having negotiated Doug Flutie’s $33

million contract with the San Diego Chargers and is one of approximately

30 women certified by the NFLPA (out of approximately 800 certified NFL

agents). Kristen also previously oversaw business development for a venture

capital firm with investments in sports and entertainment entities work-

ing with mega music artists including Aerosmith, Christina Aguilera, Jewel,

DMC, and Patti LaBell. Outside of her day-to-day responsibilities at K Sports,

Kristen sits on the Board of Directors at a variety of foundations and commit-

tees. Kristen is a cum laude graduate of both the University of Massachusetts

at Amherst and Suffolk University Law School.

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Building Your Brand 2 (Room 210):

Managing your reputation and building your brand can be crucial to your professional growth. Learn how alumnae have created their own brand and differentiated themselves in the workplace. Was it by leveraging their unique set of analytical abilities, bringing a positive energy to all endeavors, or utilizing creative skills to brainstorm a unique marketing plan? Alumnae will share how they have created a name for themselves, including how various social media platforms have helped them make connections or even find a new job.

Victoria Vega

Victoria Vega brings extensive contract foodservice experience to lead

Unidine’s Specialty Culinary Group. An active member of the Society for

Hospitality & Foodservice Management, Vega currently serves on the as-

sociation’s Board of Directors and was an original member of the Women’s

Council Steering Committee. She received the prestigious Richard Ysmael

Distinguished Service Award for her dedication to onsite dining. A graduate

of the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, Vega is currently supporting

the HTM Department on the Leadership Board and as an Executive Mentor.

She has been profiled among distinguished alumni in the university’s 2010

magazine for her contributions to the hospitality industry.

Sandra Costa

Sandra Costa is a Senior Manager in PwC’s Asset Management Assurance

Practice with a focus on registered mutual funds. She is also a member of

PwC’s National Chief Auditor Network and serves as a Market Team Chief

Auditor in PwC’s Boston office, focusing on quality across engagements and

audit methodology. Sandra graduated from UMass Amherst in 2004 with

a BBA in Accounting and visits the campus a few times a year for recruiting

events and on campus interviews. She also co-founded the PwC Alumni

Scholarship, which is presented annually to a UMass accounting student who

excels academically and exhibits the PwC behaviors.

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Melissa Baker

Melissa A. Baker, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Hospi-

tality and Tourism Management at University of Massachusetts Amherst. Her

teaching focuses on restaurant management, services marketing, and human

resources management. Her research focuses on service failure recovery,

customer complaining, and appearance and impression formation.

Elizabeth Morgan

Elizabeth is a partner for the IBM Global Business Services Business Analytics

and Optimization service line focused on digital marketing and social media.

She was previously the Vice President of Business Development at Vis-

ible Technologies. At Visible, Elizabeth also served as VP of Client Services

responsible for Account Management, Data Analytics reporting services and

customer support. Her clients included American Express, Sprint, Xerox and

Dr. Pepper Snapple. Elizabeth holds an MBA from the University of Wash-

ington (2001) and a B.B.A in Finance from the University of Massachusetts

Amherst (1983).

I always did something I was a little not ready to do. I think that’s how you grow. When there’s that moment of, ‘Wow, I am not really sure I can do this,’ and you push through those moments that’s when you have a breakthrough.– Marissa Mayer

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Finding a Balance (Room 112):

Work/Life Balance, a popular topic among those of all ages and career levels. This panel will explore how alumnae have managed to find the balance by prioritizing the goals and commitments that matter most to them. Is it possible to integrate work and social life? If not what tough choices have alumnae had to make between the two?

Kara Martin Snyder

Kara Martin Snyder, CHHC is the Owner/Strategist over at vital corps, a

health and lifestyle studio located at the intersection of strategic action and

self-care. She’s got the classroom and professional creds that many health

coaches have but she’s also got an arsenal of bad-assery stemming from her

boardroom, kitchen, and street savvy. Serving whipsmart, frazzled, Type-A

women since 2009, Kara deconstructs the broken processes in her clients’

lives and together they co-create actionable, manageable steps to creating

healthier lives spiked with passion and slathered with joy. You can visit Kara’s

little slice of digital Shangri-La at http://vitalcorpswellness.com/.

Elizabeth Miller

Elizabeth Miller is an associate professor of marketing at the Isenberg School

at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Her research focuses on con-

sumer behavior and she teaches courses on services marketing, consumer

behavior, and an advertising practicum. She lives in Williamstown, MA with

her husband and two children where she has learned how to balance the

art of juggling multiple schedules while also managing a lengthy commute.

Prior to teaching at UMass, Prof. Miller was on the faculty at Boston College

(an even longer commute from Williamstown).

Sabrina Harris

Sabrina Harris is a Team Support Specialist within Fidelity Investments’ Re-

tirement Solutions Group. Sabrina coaches representatives on the technical

aspects of employer plans, retirement planning and implementing successful

sales strategies. Sabrina graduated from UMass Amherst in 2007 with a BA

in Economics and a minor in Political Science. In 2012, she achieved her

designation as a Certified Financial Planner.

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Chris Foley Pilsner

Chris Foley Pilsner is the Chief Marketing Officer of Isenberg School of

Management, a candidate in Isenberg’s Online MBA program, married to

a research scientist/professor and last but certainly not least—mother to

two children under age 4. Before joining Isenberg in June 2013, she spent

nearly 20 years in New York, London and the Midwest managing a broad

spectrum of consumer marketing challenges: from shooting beauty ads with

celebrities to launching complex financial and pharmaceutical products.

Chris has a BA in English, Women’s Studies and Political Science from Vil-

lanova University.

Diana Frascella

Diana Frascella is Manager of Global Programs, Talent Acquisition at Cim-

press, the parent company of Vistaprint. Prior to Cimpress, Diana worked for

five years as an Auditor and then a Campus Development Manager, in the

Boston office of KPMG. Diana graduated summa cum laude from the Univer-

sity of Massachusetts-Amherst, where she received her BBA in Accounting

and a minor in Psychology. Outside of Cimpress, Diana resides in Medfield,

MA with her husband and 2 children. In the rare moments when she has free

time, Diana loves reading, working out and trying out new restaurants.

What an engaging and inspiring event! I enjoyed the choice of panels to attend and the speakers ranged from so many industries that every attendee could walk away with a new wealth of knowledge. Great job, Isenberg WiB!

– Laurie Kamenetsky, Class of 2016

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(Career Advocating Room 108):

Advocating for one’s self is crucial for both personal and professional development. This can be a chal-lenging task without the confidence necessary to express your intentions. This panel aims to better pre-pare students on how to have and manage the tough conversations including how to seek a promotion or negotiating your salary. Alumnae will also discuss career changes and the factors that influenced their decisions to make the change.

Cristine Jorge

Cristine Jorge is a Sr. Subcontract Administrator for New Development

Programs at Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, a division of United Technologies.

Her previous roles in contract administration, financial compliance and audit

have spanned the public, private, and non-profit sectors. Prior to joining

Sikorsky, she led the fiscal and contract compliance functions for the City of

Philadelphia’s $25 million Children’s Investment Strategy initiative. Cristine

holds a Bachelor’s degree from Smith College and an MBA from the Isen-

berg School of Management.

Saba Nejatian

Saba Nejatian is currently a Planning Manager at J.Crew, overseeing

women’s footwear and accessories. She joined J.Crew in 2012 as an associ-

ate planner of women’s apparel. She received a B.B.A. in Finance & Opera-

tions Management (with a minor in Information Technology) from Isenberg

in 2009. Prior to J.Crew, she worked in Financial Planning & Analysis at both

EMC and The Monitor Group. She is from Newton, Massachusetts and cur-

rently resides in New York City.

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Melissa Lockett

Melissa Lockett, a Vice President at Citi Community Capital (CCC), originates

construction and permanent lending and related structured financings spe-

cializing in multifamily affordable housing finance. Prior to this role, Melissa

was a Vice President in Citigroup’s Global Retail Banking Finance group.

Melissa was an equity research associate at Susquehanna Financial Group

covering the Managed Care and Hospital & Facilities sectors prior to rejoin-

ing Citigroup. She received her B.B.A. in Finance & Operations Manage-

ment from University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2009.

Meredith Coughlin

Senior Manager, Financial Services Office. Meredith has more than 10 years

of experience in EY’s Boston and New York Offices serving global clients

in the financial services industry servicing asset management and banking

clients. Meredith serves as an instructor of Ernst & Young training classes,

speaker, counselor and mentor. She also serves as a chair of the Profes-

sional Women’s Network. She is a graduate of University of Massachusetts

Amherst, Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance and Northeastern

University, MS/MBA in Accounting. Meredith holds her CPA in both MA and

NY.

You may not always have a comfortable life and you will not always be able to solve all of the world’s problems at once but don’t ever underestimate the importance you can have because history has shown us that courage can be contagious and hope can take on a life of its own. – Michelle Obama

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BREAKOUT SESSION 3, 1:10-2:50PM

Corporate Social Responsibility (Room 112):

It is becoming increasingly more important for Millennials to consider the triple-bottom line when conducting business. This panel will help you better understand how you can become of a steward of sustainability and encourage your organization to consider the environmental externalities of their work. Alumnae will discuss how they have helped integrate social responsibility practices into a company’s core values.

Kristin (Slusser) Fafard

Kristin has two full time jobs. She is the mother of four (Sydney 18, Cameron

15, Emily 12, Anna 7) and they and her husband Matt reside in Milford MA.

She is also the Chief Investment Officer of Federal Street Advisors. Prior to

joining Federal Street, she was a Vice President/Officer to MassMutual’s 4

mutual fund companies and prior to that was an AVP at Allmerica Financial

in Worcester. Kristin, who is a holder of the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)

designation, is a graduate of the Isenberg School of Management at the

University of Massachusetts at Amherst and holds the CEBS designation co-

sponsored by the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Linda Enghagen

Linda Enghagen is an attorney and professor in the Isenberg School of Man-

agement where she teaches courses related to business law and professional

ethics. In addition to her law degree (Suffolk University Law School), she

holds a B.A. in Political Science and Religious Studies from the University of

Wisconsin-Eau Claire. For approximately six years, she practiced aw focus-

ing on tax law, estate planning, and small business organizations. She is a

theology school dropout.

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Cynthia Barstow

Cynthia Barstow is the Founder/Executive Director of Protect Our Breasts,

an interdisciplinary communications initiative sharing scientific discover-

ies and safer alternatives to everyday toxins found in products on grocery

store shelves that contribute to breast cancer. She teaches sustainability

marketing, fundamentals of marketing and consumer behavior as well as the

interdisciplinary Endocrine Disruptors in the Marketplace seminar (with biol-

ogy) at the UMass Isenberg School of Management. Barstow is the President

of Seed to Shelf: Marketing for Sustainability, a marketing consulting firm for

the natural and organic industry. She is the author of The Eco-Foods Guide

(2002 New Society) and a frequent industry speaker.

Angela Smith

Named as one of Vermont’s 40 under 40 by Vermont Business Magazine,

Angela Smith is a human resources and career coaching professional, an

author and speaker. Her work has been featured on the Daily Muse, Forbes,

Mashable, LearnVest, and LinkedIn Today. She is currently the Director of

Happiness Resources at SunCommon, Vermont’s fastest-growing solar com-

pany and a certified Benefit Corporation. Angela is currently pursuing her

MBA from the Isenberg School of Management.

The speakers were truly inspiring and informative! - Christina Monte, Director of Student Enrollment and Success

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Young Alumnae (Room 106):

Interested in learning more about what life will be like after graduating from Isenberg? Hear from recent graduates on what the transition from college to the working world was like for them. How did their financial situations influence decisions? What steps did they take to secure a job before graduating? How did internships and their first jobs differ from one another? This panel aims to give undergraduates a better understanding of what lies ahead after graduation.

Meghan Pervere

Meghan Pervere, Certified Public Accountant, Personal Financial Specialist,

is a Tax Manager for PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP in Boston, MA. She man-

ages and leads large complex client engagements with sophisticated high

net worth and ultra high net worth individuals. Her clients include partners

and managing directors of private equity/venture capital/hedge fund firms,

closely held business owners and their families, C-Suite corporate execu-

tives, and large family offices. Meghan graduated in 2009 with both her BBA

and Masters in accounting.

Kelli Gralia

Kelli Gralia is a Senior Allocation Analyst at The TJX Companies in Framing-

ham, MA. She has been responsible for planning and allocating up to $15M

in merchandise each week. Her experience spans across several depart-

ments, including handbags, accessories, young men’s apparel and men’s ac-

tive apparel. Kelli graduated from The University of Massachusetts-Amherst

in 2013 with a BA in Marketing from the Isenberg School of Management.

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Libby Johnson

After graduating in 2010 with her MBA from Isenberg, she secured a job in a

technology project management role with Fidelity Investments. After three

years in the technology group with Fidelity, she applied and was accepted

into the General Management Apprentice Program, a two-year rotational

program in which every six months she changes positions in the company

and locations in the country. Most recently, she moved back home to Bos-

ton for her last rotation after spending six months in Dallas, Texas.

Taylor van der Mandele

Taylor received her BS from Cornell University in 2005 and MBA from UMass

Amherst in 2013. In between programs, she did corporate event planning

in D.C., and worked in the tourism industry in Colorado and Alaska. During

her time at Isenberg, Taylor began work in the rug industry. She now owns a

small business importing rugs from various parts of the world and distribut-

ing to the interior design trade.

Someone once told me growth and comfort do not coexist. And I think it’s a really good thing to remember.

– Ginni Rometty, CEO of IBM

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How to Grow to C- Level Positions (Room 108):

To this day, the percentage of women in C-level positions does not reflect the potential and capabili-ties of women as a whole. Moving into an upper level management position is a huge feat. How do you break the glass ceiling and make it to the top? This diverse group of panelists will share their career paths, early experiences in management positions and the self- reflecting they did along the way to get where they are today. Learn what steps you can take to move from a first year employee into the c- suite.

Jane Goldstein

Results focused professional with proven abilities to engage internal and

external clients and achieve targeted goals. Innovative, creative and col-

laborative approach to building relationships and partnerships and propel-

ling organizations forward. Her background includes performance as a sales

professional for multiple organizations, and establishing and running my own

company for 15 years. She graduated with a BBA from Isenberg and cur-

rently serves as the National Sales Manager at Boston Convention Marketing

Center.

Pat Parcellin

Pat Parcellin is Chief Executive Officer of the Girl Scouts of Eastern MA. She

has more than three decades of financial industry and global operations

experience, as well as seven years of nonprofit board service. Pat was at

State Street Corporation for more than 20 years. Pat’s nonprofit experience

includes leadership roles on the UMass Amherst Foundation Board, the

Boston Children’s Museum Board, the UNICEF Women’s Luncheon Steering

Committee, and at Women Unlimited.

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Tiffany Greene

Tiffany Greene joined Disability Management Services (DMS) in August 2007

and currently serves as Vice President of Human Resources. Tiffany oversees

a team of human resources professionals and manages the overall provision

of HR services to effectively balance business requirements with positive

employee relations practices. Prior to joining DMS, she served as the HR

Manager for the Connection Systems Division of Amphenol Corporation in

Nashua, NH. Tiffany graduated with honors from the University of Massachu-

setts Amherst with a BBA from the Isenberg School.

Traci Hess:

Traci J. Hess is a Professor of Information Systems in the Operations & Infor-

mation Management Department in the Isenberg School of Management.

Professor Hess began her career in public accounting working for Ernst &

Whinney and progressed to become Senior Vice President and Chief Oper-

ating Officer at a regional bank before pursuing her Masters in Information

Systems and a Ph.D. in Business Information Technology at Virginia Tech.

Professor Hess teaches Business Intelligence & Analytics at the undergradu-

ate and MBA levels, and serves on the editorial boards of several journals.

If I had to embrace a definition of success, it would be that success is making the best choices we can…and accepting them.

– Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook

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WOMEN OF ISENBERG PLANNING TEAM

Jane Anne Kaplan:

Jane Anne Kaplan (Janie) – BBA with a concentration in Finance, 1979. 33

years as an IT Systems Consultant for American Management Systems, Inc.

and CGI Inc. Roles included: Business Systems Analyst and Project Man-

ager on custom system development projects across industries; Corporate

Marketing and Public Relations Manager; and Account Executive managing

the firm’s hospital clients.

Dean Linda Shea:

Dr. Linda Shea is the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs and

Professor in the Isenberg school. She completed her Ph.D. in Marketing from

the University of Colorado Boulder and has taught marketing-related cours-

es in both marketing and hospitality departments for more than 35 years.

She earned international recognition as a recipient of two teaching awards:

The Association of Graduate School Awards for Excellence in Teaching and

Innovative Graduate Program Development and the John Wiley & Sons

Award for Innovation in Teaching. Her research interest is in Services Market-

ing and her research has been published in leading hospitality journals and

she served as editor of the Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Education

from 2000-2007. She is also co-editor of the book, “Pioneers in the Hospital-

ity Industry, Lessons from Leaders, Innovators and Visionaries (2009).” Since

becoming the undergraduate Dean in Isenberg 4 years ago, the Undergrad-

uate Business School Ranking (Bloomberg Business Week) has risen from

72nd to 36th in the nation overall and 14th among public institutions.

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Kimberly Figueroa:

Kimberly Figueroa, Isenberg’s Internship Director since 2000, has been

instrumental in building student success programs from the former ExCEL

program and ExCEL Case Study Competition to the current sophomore

career class. She manages the Chase Career Center’s Recruiting Edge blog

which has transformed all career center communications with the Isenberg

community. Known for her passion and commitment to Isenberg students,

Kim has built a loyal following among current students, alumni and

employers. Prior to her career at UMASS, Kim managed the Springfield, MA

office of Manpower Staffing Services. Outside of her work at the Isenberg

School of Management, Kim is a flutist who performs frequently in the West-

ern Massachusetts region.

Bonnie Zima Dowd:

Bonnie Zima Dowd, Director Annual Fund, Isenberg School of Management,

UMASS Amherst; Smith College, 1977 A.B. Bonnie began her development

career at Smith, before going on to lead development programs at social

service organizations and academic institutions. She has also provided an-

nual giving and capital campaign consulting services to area non-profits.

Bonnie has been with UMASS Amherst for more then 10 years. She lives in

Hatfield, MA and has three children.

The energy and ideas exchanged at the Inaugural Women of Isenberg Conference were empowering. It was also fabulous to see former students who are shining stars in their careers! - Professor Anna Nagurney

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Meghan Smith:

Meg has been the Director of Undergraduate Programs and Operations

in the Undergraduate Programs Office in the Isenberg School of Manage-

ment since 2012. Meg manages the Isenberg Scholarship Program and the

on-campus transfer application process, in addition to planning events such

as the Isenberg Senior Celebration. In addition to Meg’s role in the Isen-

berg Undergraduate Programs Office, she is a Delegate Council member of

the Professional Staff Union (PSU/MTA/NEA) at the University. In addition,

Meg is a member of the Student Code of Conduct Hearing Board and the

Student Activities & Involvement Leadership Conference Committee. Meg

is an alumna of the University of Massachusetts Amherst, earning a M.Ed. in

Social Justice Education from the School of Education. Meg’s undergraduate

degree is from Westfield State University.

Lauren Casaceli:

Lauren Casaceli is a senior Isenberg student studying management with a

concentration in Human Resources. Over the past four years she has enjoyed

growing from a member of Isenberg Women In Business to serving as the co-

president and helping transform the organization to become one of the most

active Isenberg student clubs. She has been passionate about the Women

of Isenberg Conference since its inception in 2014 and will tell anyone that it

truly has been the best experience she’s had at Isenberg. Aside, from her role

in WiB, Lauren works in the Chase Career Center and serves as a member of

the Senior Gift Campaign. Off campus, you can find Lauren spending time

with family and friends, cooking, and taking up spinning classes.

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Abigail Wells:

Abby Wells is a senior Isenberg student studying Management with a minor

in Education. She has been involved with Women in Business since entering

Isenberg as a freshman and has enjoyed being an integral part of it’s growth

over the past 4 years. Currently the co-president of the club, Abby hopes

that the development and strengthening of WiB will continue. Outside of

Isenberg, Abby enjoys watching the Red Sox and surfing the South Shore..

especially after a solid New England hurricane.

Mary Lynch:

Mary Lynch is a senior Isenberg student studying management with a con-

centration in sustainable business practices and a minor in art history. She

joined the Isenberg Women in Business club as a first year student and has

enjoyed helping the direction of the club transform over the past four years

as it has started to tackle difficult conversations about gender equality in the

workplace. Mary notes that being a member of the Women of Isenberg Con-

ference planning committee for the past two years has been one of her most

fulfilling experiences at UMass. Mary is also an executive board member

of Protect Our Breasts, a non-profit organization based out of Isenberg that

spreads the message of breast cancer prevention by avoiding environmental

toxins.

Casey Gover

Casey Gover is a junior in the Isenberg School of Management pursuing a

dual degree in Hospitality & Tourism Management and Marketing. She is

thrilled to be serving as a current WOI Chair and future Co-President of WIB.

Being a part of WIB has been the best decision she’s made during her time

at Isenberg. She is so grateful for the opportunities she’s been given and for

the friendships she has made.

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Diana Ciccolini

Diana Ciccolini is an aspiring accountant with an auditing internship at EY

in Boston. She will be graduating in 2016 with hopes of joining the MSA

Program here at Isenberg to fulfill the 150 credit requirement for the CPA

exam. She has been a part of Isenberg Women in Business since she joined

Isenberg her sophomore year. Outside of WiB, Diana can be found watching

the Red Sox, knitting, baking, and hanging out with her best friends.

Crissy Cavallaro

Christine Cavallaro is a sophomore in the Isenberg School of Management

pursuing a degree in Marketing and a Studio Arts minor. She will be gradu-

ating in 2017 with hopes of entering the advertising field. Being a part of

WiB since her freshman year has allowed her to create lasting friendships

within the business school while also experiencing many professionally de-

veloping opportunities the club offers. She is grateful to have been a part of

the Women of Isenberg Conference planning committee and looks forward

to the planning of future conferences.

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