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

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

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

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

Meet Sage Antonio, AMD'27! The founder of Sageware Fashion, Sage is an ambassador for how Northeastern's entrepreneurial resources can help you grow your business—learn about their Northeastern experience, growing a business, and the Sherman Venture Co-op. Shop Sageware Fashion: Website Faire Etsy Follow Sageware Fashion: Instagram…

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

Meet Steve Stroum, DMSB'73! After a co-op experience that launched his career in sales, Steve started his own business—Venmark International. After helping clients succeed for over four decades, Steve embarked on his latest journey of providing tips for aspiring entrepreneurs in his new memoir "Success and Self-Discovery: A Business Memoir with Ins…

Meet Catherine Argyrople, AMD'21! Catherine's upcoming film, "Growing Pains", premieres at the Boston International Film Festival on April 14. Learn about the inspiration for the film, her global Northeastern experience, and how Northeastern influenced her to become an independent filmmaker. Follow Catherine: Instagram Learn More about "Growing Pai…

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

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

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

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

Meet Mike Beaudet, MA'08! An investigative reporter for WCVB and professor of journalism at Northeastern, Mike brings three decades worth of field experience and knowledge to his classes. Learn more about how Mike helps students develop their own voices and stories, his upcoming trip to Peru for Dialogues of Civilizations, and his plans for reinvig…

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

Meet Byron Hurt, AMD'93! After starting his journalism career at The Patriot Ledger while at Northeastern, Byron transitioned to documentary filmmaking that focuses on hot-button topics. Byron's latest film, "Lee and Liza's Family Tree", traces the history of the Hurt family through various genealogical practices while using it as a vessel to explo…

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

Meet Greg Lainas, a graduate of the D'Amore-McKim School of Business in 1978! Greg had a long and prolific career as a CPA—working for industry giants like Robert Half and ESPN. Now retired, Greg leads speaking engagements on networking, telling his story of how he was able to create connections that lead to jobs, leadership positions, and even his…

Meet Martell Mason, a graduate of the College of Social Sciences and Humanities in 2007! Beginning as a Starbucks barista while taking classes at Northeastern, Martell fell in love with the coffee industry. After spending time working as a coffee importer/exporter in Turkey, Martell asked himself, "How can I make coffee more accessible to underrepr…

Meet Kade Krichko, a graduate of the College of Arts, Media and Design in 2012! After graduating from Northeastern, Kade began pitching sports stories that touched on the human condition to media giants like the New York Times and ESPN. After building relationships in the industry and writing award-winning pieces, Kade now teaches a class on media …

Meet Rick Leary, a graduate of the D'Amore-McKim School of Business in 1989 and recipient of a Masters in Public Administration in 1992! Beginning his career in public transportation as a train attendant for Boston's famous Green Line, Rick ascended to becoming the chief operating officer of the MBTA in 2005. In 2014, Rick moved to Canada to work f…

Rian Finnegan, a 2011 graduate of the College of Arts, Media and Design, returns to the Northeastern Next podcast with two years worth of stories and accomplishments. Currently the Head of Employer Brand and Recruitment Marketing at Snap, Rian additionally runs the Little Loaf Bakeshop in Poughkeepsie, New York, a vegan bakery that moonlights as an…

Meet Ioana Good, a 2000 graduate from the College of Arts, Media, and Design and the College of Social Sciences and Humanities, and Bianca Vranceanu, a 2022 graduate of the College of Arts, Media and Design! After founding the PR and Branding Agency, Promova, Ioana wanted to give back to her alma mater, to which she accredits much of her success. I…

Meet Dave Fatula, a 2001 D’Amore-McKim School of Business graduate and founder of a one-of-a-kind guided hiking business! After 20 years behind a desk, Dave gave up his career in the world of real estate finance to launch his own business and pursue his passion for the great outdoors. As the owner and operator of Guineafowl Adventure Company, Dave …

Meet Dr. Nash Hernandez, GC’07, MSc’07, PhD’09! With a career spanning nearly three decades, Dr. Nash is currently a member of the board of directors for GloboScience, a pharmaceutical and medical technology consultancy. Focusing on rare diseases, gene therapy, cell therapy, and advanced tissue products, Dr. Nash has utilized his unique background …

Meet Rishya Narayanan, MS’19! With a passion for environmental science and fighting climate change, she is currently the climate change communications strategist for the Conservation Law Foundation nonprofit in Boston. Pivoting from her initial career aspirations of becoming a therapist, Rishya has spent time advocating for environmental nonprofits…

Meet Michelle Calderon, MBA’21! A winner of the Northeastern Women Who Empower Innovator awards in 2021, Michelle has recently soft launched her company Addition Beauty, a makeup brand that uses high-quality formulations that are safe and free of endocrine-disrupting chemicals. With the introduction of three new shades of lipstick and a roadmap to …

Meet CJ Grasso, B.A.’16, M.S.’17, MBA’22. CJ began his journey at Northeastern as a business major. However, during his first co-op at a small law firm, he realized the need for change and found a new passion in community resilience and homeland security. A triple husky, CJ stays in touch with his co-op coordinator and continues to visit the univer…

Meet Elke Thoms, a graduate of the College of Social Sciences and Humanities in 2018 and currently a stand-up comedian and writer based in Los Angeles. Elke's comedic journey began during her time at Northeastern after taking classes at Improv Boston, igniting a passion for the art of comedy. With a captivating stage presence, Elke has been perform…

Meet Donna Halper, LA’69, MEd’70, MA’73! A remarkable trailblazer in the world of radio and music, Donna made Northeastern history in 1968 as the first female DJ of WRBB. One of Donna's most significant contributions came in the early 1970s when she played a vital role in discovering the legendary rock band Rush. Recognizing their immense talent, D…

Meet Hannah Ung, DMSB’23! The founder of one of Boston’s most innovative startup companies, Boxy, Hannah has been helping college students find storage through a host’s underutilized space since 2022. With the support of Northeastern’s entrepreneurial network, Hannah has grown Boxy through market research and building a rapport with customers in th…

Meet Mike Troxell, DMSB‘10, Principal and Founder of Modern Financial Planning. After working in finance and wealth management, Mike opened a financial planning business in 2018 that serves millennials and Gen X in the tech industry. He completed two co-ops throughout his time at Northeastern, including one at Merrill Lynch on Wall Street during th…

Meet Gina V. Dunn, CSSH'06, CPS'13! A double-husky, Gina lives by the philosophy of to not just learn for school, but for life. Being a self-described lifelong learner, Gina has an eclectic resume and diverse career history—from surviving the 2008 recession to writing Paris Possibilities, her new innovative and informative guidebook for those visit…

On this special episode of Northeastern Next, meet three entrepreneurs with exciting side hustles! Our first guest, Ben Brakenwagon, transcends the typical entrepreneur convention through his own personal side hustle selling rock climbing equipment, his work at a tech startup, and everything in between. Following Ben, current Northeastern student B…

Meet Kate Weiler, CPS ‘13! Co-founder of the beverage company Drink Simple, she is a hardworking and motivated entrepreneur with a passion for nutrition and sustainability. Using Northeastern's IDEA program to build the framework of her business, Weiler launched the Drink Simple brand to critical acclaim. Learn about her entrepreneurial journey to …

Meet Valerie Robert, Khoury'23, CSSH'23! A Women Who Empower Innovator award winner in 2022, it's no secret that Valerie is an incredibly motivated individual—from holding a variety of leadership positions on campus to having aspirations of starting intersectional businesses, it's clear she is on a path towards success. Learn about her entrepreneur…

This Northeastern Next bonus episode is the culmination of five women’s quest to change the way the world perceives their strength. During her co-op in Northeastern’s Advancement division, student athlete and aspiring journalist, Madison Neuner, AMD’24 examines ways in which women own their right to influence social change for themselves and others…

While TV medical dramas have ruled entertainment for decades, Dr. Washington, AS’05, was putting in the real work. She received her medical degree from the University of Tennessee College of Medicine, and was the first Black woman to be admitted into the residency program. From a private practice in Texas to a prestigious surgery fellowship in Oreg…

Northeastern alumni can be found around the world—there over 275,000 people who are connected by one global university. Every day our alumni volunteers give their time and talent to make the Northeastern network even stronger. In this episode, Ilana Gensler, assistant director of alumni engagement, will speak with a few of our volunteers from San F…

“The Breakfast Club with murder” is how Karen McManus, MA’04, describes her first novel, "One of Us is Lying." Now with four books published and more on the way, this New York Times Bestselling author has made writing her full-time career. Karen started in PR and Marketing, but realized it was never too late to make a switch. In this episode she sh…

Pandemic pivots became a priority for many entrepreneurs in early 2020, but a variety of factors can influence a product change. In this episode, you’ll hear from two business leaders: Yewande Masi, CJ’09, founder of Ornami skincare and Glen Giovanucci, DMSB’83, CEO at G-Form. This episode features a pre-recorded interview from our virtual entrepre…

18 billion pounds of plastic enter our oceans each year, a harrowing fact that only accounts for a portion of our planet's pollution crisis. Northeastern innovators are tackling this problem to create sustainable solutions for cleaner oceans. Bureo, an emerging B-Corp, has created a program to recycle fishing nets into a NetPlus™ material, used in …

Successful CEOs are not born overnight. Ryan Drexler, AS’93, grew up as the shy kid and lacked confidence in public speaking, but like every Northeastern student, he focused on finding his career path. Ryan majored in theatre, a unique choice at the time, but one that brought him outside his comfort zone to develop essential leadership skills. Fast…

Creativity. Diversity. Changemakers. What do these buzz words really mean? Vallabhi Singh, DMSB’17, has been chasing that answer and her own curiosity since she graduated. Unexpectedly, she left her promising career in New York City to return to her home country of India, but she brought with her a deep passion for entrepreneurship, collaboration, …

An American passport changed her life. Alexandra Tarzikhan was born in the United States to her American mom and Syrian dad. She grew up in the city of Aleppo, returning to Boston to attend Northeastern. But in 2011 at the start of the Syrian civil war, Alexandra could easily hop on a plane thanks to her passport. Her lived experience became drasti…

What do the Beanpot and Chicken Lou’s have in common? They are both beloved Northeastern traditions, and Men’s Hockey Head Coach Jim Madigan speaks fondly of both. Coach Madigan set foot on campus for the first time in 1981 as a first-year student. Graduating in 1986, he landed his first assistant coaching job at Northeastern, and 34 years later, h…

If sports journalism makes you think of box scores and game recaps, you are only scratching the surface. Kade Krichko, AMD'12, is a freelance writer, editor, and photojournalist who makes a living traveling the world and chasing stories. Covering skateboarding in Cuba, and the history of skiing in China, he writes with a unique lens at the intersec…

What's "African fashion?" Audrey Lang, DMSB’15, finds it almost impossible to define for the most culturally diverse continent in the world. Born in France to two Cameroonian immigrants, she has lived in the US since she was three with the goal to work in Africa after her Northeastern experience. Having built a career in retail and e-commerce, Audr…

What is the “heart” of your ideal workplace? Who are the people, the values, and the shared goals? The answers to these questions help define an "employer brand"—the look, feel, and voice of a company. Employer branding and recruitment marketing are growing fields in the modern work landscape, where talent acquisition is competitive and employees a…

Simply making it to Shark Tank might be the ultimate dream for an entrepreneur. But, last year, Jamie Ratner, MS’01, founder and CEO of CertifiKID, closed a deal with Mr. Wonderful himself, for her discount website for family-friendly activities. Before starting CertifiKID, Jamie worked in security for almost a decade after receiving her master’s i…

There are five times as many books about trucks than there are about any children of color. When Sailaja Joshi, DMSB’06 was searching for authentic and appropriate stories of Indian culture for her own children, she found a huge diversity gap in children’s literature. So, she decided to solve the problem, and launched Mango and Marigold Press, an a…