Class of 2009
Sam Salganik
Columbia JD
InSITE Novalsys Team Spring 2008
Prior to law school, Sam spent five years in Prague working in real estate development. He worked on the acquisition and development of over 3,000 apartments and over 200,000 sq. ft. of non-residential development capacity. He managed the development of two residential projects, of 230 and 108 units, on a day-to-day basis from start to finish. He focused generally on legal, financial and tax issues in the business. Before going to Prague, Sam earned his bachelor degree in mathematics from Brown University.
Joseph Moser
Columbia MBA
InSITE Gradefund Team Spring 2009
InSITE StyleHop Team Fall 2008
At Columbia, Joseph concentrated in Entrepreneurship and Finance. Prior to graduate school, Joseph spent five years at Nissan Technical Center – North America, most recently as the lead marketability engineer for Nissan’s first North American commercial vehicle program. At Nissan, he was responsible for commercial vehicle performance target setting & achievement, research & implementation of customer usage requirements and competitor vehicle benchmarking. He also maintains a strong interest in motorsports as a professional racecar driver, having competed in several top North American racing series. Joseph holds a BSE in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
Matt Weinstein
Stern MBA 2010
InSITE Maestro Market Team Spring 2009
InSITE StyleHop Team Fall 2008
Prior to his graduate studies, Matt worked for five years at Bear Stearns. While at Bear Stearns, Matt was a trader on the commercial mortgage backed securities desk where he worked as a Vice President and then an Associate Director. Before joining the trading desk, Matt was an analyst in the Mortgage Finance group specializing in residential mortgage securitization. While attending college, he co-founded HungryTime.com, a web based start-up marketing restaurants to the local community. Matt graduated from Cornell University with a B.S. in Industrial Labor Relations.
Jason Ye
Columbia MD/MBA 2010
InSITE Novalsys Team Spring 2008
Jason previously engaged in vascular surgery research at Massachusetts General Hospital, where his project on spinal cord ischemia secondary to central aortic surgery was accepted as the plenary session presentation at the 2007 National Meeting of Society of Vascular Surgery. Jason has also worked in various software development roles at Oracle (on Oracle Enterprise Manager), Pegasystems (on business process managment software), and the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (on data viewing and analysis suites). While in medical school, Jason founded Summa cum Laude, a New York based not-for-profit that raises money for biomedical research and medical mission work. Jason graduated Brown University with a Bachelor of Science, Magna cum Laude, with Honors in computer science. He plans to pursue a career as an orthopaedic surgeon and an independent consultant in new health care ventures and biomedical device development.
Class of 2009
Ralph Acosta
Columbia MBA
InSITE TableExchange Team Spring 2008
Houtan Afkhami
Columbia MBA
InSITE Greenzer Team Spring 2008
Vikram Bhaskaran
Stern MBA
InSITE Cutcaster Team Leader Spring 2008
Vikram is Senior Business Development Managers for Media and Technology and the New York Economic Development Corporation. He completed an MBA at the NYU Stern School of Business with concentrations in Finance, Media and Entertainment and Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Prior to graduate school, Vikram spent four years in Washington DC at the Corporate Executive Board (CEB), a best-practices strategy research firm. At CEB he worked closely with chief strategists and business unit presidents advising them on issues ranging from post-merger integration to product complexity to market entry strategies. He was also part of a three person new business development team that helped the company launch an emerging markets service with a focus on the Indian and Chinese business landscapes. He has also worked at Deutsche Bank and Accenture, has co-founded a travel company and has provided strategic support to social entrepreneurs through an organization called Ashoka: Innovators for the Public. Vikram holds a BA in Economics with minors in Mathematics and Philosophy from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
Benjamin Canet
Stern MBA
InSITE Gradefund Team Spring 2009
InSITE Royal Felt Team Fall 2008
InSITE Novalsys Team Leader Spring 2008
Benjamin works in Sales and Trading at UBS Securites, and completed an MBA from New York University. Over his summers, he completed the Sales & Trading rotation at UBS Equities in New York. Prior to business school, Benjamin spent five and half years as an analyst and then as an associate in the M&A department of Calyon Securities (Credit Agricole Group’s investment bank) in New York. Benjamin worked on various M&A transactions in the U.S., France and Brazil for KB Home, EnergySolutions, Fidelity National Information Services, Braskem, Quiksilver and Dow Corning Corp. He holds a B.A. from the Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris and a M.S. from ESSEC Business School Paris.
Zubin Canteenwalla
Columbia MBA
InSITE VP External 2008-2009
InSITE Greenzer Team Leader Spring 2008
Zubin a venture capitalist at NGEN Partners, and completed an MBA from Columbia Business School. While completing his MBA, he worked with Investor Growth Capital, a growth-stage venture capital fund, as part of their clean-tech investment team. Prior to business school, he spent two years working in Toronto as a Business Analyst for PriceMetrix, a boutique consulting firm. Before joining PriceMetrix, Zubin spent four years working in sales and engineering at a clean energy start-up that focused on providing refueling infrastructure for alternative fuel vehicles. He worked with many of the top global energy companies, automakers and clean technology developers while also sitting on several North American safety standards writing committees. Zubin holds a BSc in Mechanical Engineering from Queen’s University in Canada.
Nicole Cross
NYU JD
InSITE Greenzer Team Spring 2008
Prior to completing a law degree at NYU, Nicole worked for three and a half years at Horne, LLP, a regional public accounting firm in Nashville, TN. There, she worked primarily in the tax department, but was also involved in various consulting and assurance engagements. Nicole is a certified public accountant (licensed in TN), and holds a BS in Accounting from the University of Evansville.
Hugh Dornbush
Stern MBA
Hugh has completed the first-year of an MBA student at NYU’s Stern School of Business. He has experience with several technology startup companies, most recently with Rave Wireless, a New York based-provider of mobile phone software and service to college students. Prior to that, he ran business development at Drillteam, a young-adult focused marketing agency that builds clients’ brands within influential music, culture and lifestyle communities. Hugh graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a BA in Psychology.
Hernando Forero
Columbia MBA
InSITE Gradefund Team Leader Spring 2009
InSITE Royal Felt Team Fall 2008
InSITE Wakozi Team Spring 2008
Hernando has completed an MBA at Columbia Business School. Before starting his MBA, Hernando started a series of real estate ventures in Florida where he actively participated in fund raising and oversaw the operational execution. These ventures included real estate development projects, a real estate investment fund and a mortgage brokerage firm. Before working on these ventures, Hernando worked for a global logistics company where he acted as the Sierra Leone Country Director and managed the company’s contracts with the UN peacekeeping mission in the country. Hernando graduated Magna Cum Laude in International Political Economy from Boston University. During college Hernando was also an active entrepreneur. He founded a concert production company and an internet calling card store.
Joelle Rauh
Columbia MBA
InSITE VP Communications 2008-2009
InSITE TableExchange Team Leader Spring 2008
Joelle is the Director of Comcast Interactive Media. She completed an MBA from Columbia Business School, where she concentrated on Finance and Media. Joelle spent her summer internship in the corporate development group at The Walt Disney Company focusing on early stage acquisitions. Prior to business school, Joelle worked as a consultant in the media and communications industries where she lead LBO due diligence processes, and assessed product development and marketing strategies. Previously, Joelle worked as the Media, Internet and Telecom Equity Specialist at JP Morgan. Joelle completed her undergraduate studies at Princeton University.
Robert Liebesman
Columbia MBA
InSITE Social Bomb Team Fall 2008
InSITE Frutels Team Spring 2008
Prior to completing an MBA at Columbia Business School, Rob was an Associate at Catterton Partners, a middle-market LBO fund focused in the consumer industry. Before joining Catterton, he was an analyst at Morgan Stanley in the Investment Banking Division. At Morgan Stanley, Mr. Liebesman worked in the Global Energy and Utility Group focusing on mergers and acquisitions as well as equity and debt financing activities. Mr. Liebesman graduated Cum Laude from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where he received a Bachelor Science in Economics, concentrating in Finance and Accounting.
Andrew Meyerson
NYU JD/MBA
InSITE VP NYU Recruiting 2008-2009
InSITE QSmart Team Leader Spring 2009
InSITE Rightsflow Team Leader Fall 2008
InSITE Greenzer Team Spring 2008
Andrew is an attorney at Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP. During his time at NYU, he split his final summer between the investment banking department at Credit Suisse and the corporate law practice at Willkie Farr, a New York-based law firm. Andrew spent his second summer at Willkie Farr, where he focused on corporate matters, specifically in venture capital. Previously, Andrew worked as a Summer Associate in the New York office of Dorsey & Whitney LLP, where he focused on intellectual property and corporate transactions. In other summers, he has had the opportunity to work alongside a professor at his startup robotics company, Vortex Holding LLC, as well as an electrical engineer intern at Predator Systems, Inc., a defense contractor specializing in hydraulic and pneumatic systems. In 2004, Andrew and his team won first place at the International Climbing and Walking Robot Competition in Madrid, Spain. He has a Bachelors of Science in Engineering from Duke University where he majored in Biomedical and Electrical Engineering while also minoring in Economics. Andrew’s main interests are in the development, financing, and growth of biotechnology and medical device companies.
Vinay Patel
NYU JD/MBA
InSITE Frogtek Team Leader Spring 2009
InSITE Frutels Team Leader Spring 2008
Vinay is a consultant at McKinsey & Company in New York. During his JD/MBA at NYU, he has spent summers in corporate law and management consulting, and he has done semester internships in government and venture capital, both focusing on education. While at Cooley Godward Kronish LLP (DC office), Vinay worked on venture financing contracts and IPO filings. And while at McKinsey & Company (NY office) he worked on a strategy and operations engagement for a large credit card company. During semesters, Vinay has focused on the education sector, interning at the NYC Department of Education and later at Ascend Venture Group where he worked with portfolio companies in the education technology sector. Previous to enrolling at NYU, Vinay graduated with honors from the University of Chicago in 2005, with a concentration in Economics. Vinay was born and raised in New York City, and currently resides in the West Village.
Evy Philippidi
Columbia MBA
InSITE Royal Felt Team Fall 2008
InSITE Wakozi Team Spring 2008
Evy completed an MBA at Columbia Business School. Prior to CBS, she founded and managed a high tech in-store marketing company that provides subscriptions services using hardware and software to enhance the branding, atmosphere and surroundings of public and retail spaces. Through this venture, she gained significant exposure to retail, marketing, merchandising and technology product development. Evi earned a B.A. in Economics and in International Relations from Tufts University.
Geoffrey Reed
Columbia JD/MBA
InSITE VP Columbia Recruiting 2008-2009
InSITE Wakozi Team Spring 2008
Geoffrey is a consultant at McKinsey & Company in New York. During his JD/MBA at Columbia, interned at Triton Pacific Capital in Los Angeles. He spent his previous two summers at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom in Los Angeles, and at McKinsey & Co. in New York. Prior to starting at Columbia, Geoffrey was an associate at L.E.K. Consulting in Los Angeles where he worked primarily in the Media and Entertainment Group. While there, he constructed a model forecasting the financial impact of piracy on the motion picture industry, and evaluated the effects of various retailing strategies on movie studies. At L.E.K., Geoffrey also worked with private equity firms performing financial and operational due diligence for potential investments. Geoffrey graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University with a degree in Social Studies.
Richard Rosenblatt
Columbia MBA
InSITE Quartzy Team Spring 2009
InSITE StyleHop Team Leader Fall 2008
InSITE Frutels Team Spring 2008
Richard is a Manager at the Richard Franco Agency. While an MBA student at Columbia Business School, Richard interned at a non-profit start-up that focuses on marketing sustainable apparel. In that role, he is building operational and financial structure of the business. Prior to business school, Richard spent three years working at The Richard Franco Agency (RFA), a commodities broker specializing in edible nuts trading. Richard’s experiences at RFA included personnel and operations management, financing, and trading. Specifically, Richard led efforts to reduce loan risk and financing cost and expanded brokerage services to underserved markets. In addition, Richard was a stakeholder in the African Cashew Alliance, a non-profit organization consulting west-African governments and corporations to develop a sustainable cashew industry. Prior to working at RFA, Richard was an operations analyst at Capital One. Richard holds a Bachelor of Science in Management Science and Engineering from Stanford University. Richard is especially interested in family business and international development.
Jason Spindler
NYU JD
Jason is Managing Director at I-DEV International. Upon graduating from the University of Texas, Austin, Jason worked at Citigroup as an Investment Banking Analyst in Leveraged Finance and Institutional Recovery Management (IRM). After completing the Analyst Program at Citigroup, he joined Questor Management Partners, the private equity arm of the operations-based turnaround and restructuring consulting firm AlixPartners. In 2004, Jason joined the Peace Corps and served as a Business and Economic Development Volunteer in the Peruvian Highlands. Jason served as Interim-Director Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) where he worked to transition the organization from a traditional non-profit, dependent on external financing, to a sustainable, for-profit manufacturing business owned and operated by local farmers. In 2006, Jason returned to seek start-up capital for the project. Jason graduated NYU Law in 2009.
Ted Traum
NYU JD/MBA
InSITE Gradefund Team Spring 2009
InSITE MediaMerx Team Leader Fall 2008
InSITE Wakozi Team Spring 2008
Ted Traum is an associate at Morgan Stanley. He completed his MBA at Stern School of Business. Prior to business school, Ted was an associate for two years in the Mergers and Acquisitions group at Davis Polk & Wardwell. At Davis Polk, he worked on a broad range of transactions involving financial and strategic buyers including CVS Corporation’s $4 billion acquisition of Albertsons Inc.’s standalone drug store business and the Limited Brands, Inc.’s $628 million tender offer for La Senza. During the summer of 2007, Ted was an intern at Sherwood Partners, a financial advisory boutique in Palo Alto, CA. During the summer of 2008, he was a summer associate in the Investment Banking Division of Morgan Stanley in New York. Ted holds a JD from NYU Law School and a Bachelor of Arts from Columbia University.
Julian Wong
Stern MBA
InSITE Rentricity Team Leader Spring 2009
InSITE Cutcaster Team Spring 2008
Julian completed an MBA from the Stern School of Business. Prior to business school, Julian spent four and a half years at Google, Inc. in Mountain View, California. There, Julian built and managed an engineering team to protect Google’s online advertising network against click fraud. Julian also worked on the AdSense and Froogle products. Before Google, Julian was a Field Engineer at Schlumberger Limited and a Web Engineer at CNET Networks. Julian holds a Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley. His hobbies include basketball, poker, and traveling.
Shun-ning “Shaun” Wong
Stern MBA
InSITE Social Bomb Team Leader Fall 2008
InSITE Novalsys Team Spring 2008
Shaun is a leveraged finance associate at Credit Suisse. He completed an MBA from the NYU Stern School of Business. Most recently, Shaun started an investment fund with $1.2mm in assets under management focusing on macroeconomic trends. Prior to that, he was Senior Director of Finance and Strategy at EcoKool, Inc., a start-up focused on advanced eco-friendly refrigeration technology. He was responsible for the marketing of EcoKool to investors as well as the transfer of its intellectual property through its eventual sale. Prior to EcoKool, Shaun spent four years at Goldman Sachs and Co., first as an Analyst in Corporate Treasury and later as an Associate on the Fixed Income trading desk. He interned at Credit Suisse during business school. Shaun holds a BA in Philosophy from Princeton University.
Weilin Wang
Columbia MBA
InSITE Quartzy Team Leader Spring 2009
InSITE Wakozi Team Leader Spring 2008
Class of 2008
Eric Calder
Columbia MBA
Eric is a 2008 MBA candidate at Columbia Business School. Prior to business school, Eric co-founded and operated three small businesses, including a multi-unit franchise of Quiznos Subs in the greater-Philadelphia area, and was a master franchise and area developer for a national coffee concept, and worked for a residential development company in Boston. After receiving his bachelor’s degree from Cornell University, Eric worked at Deloitte Consulting in its Strategy and Operations Group, where he helped telecommunications and media companies refine their sales force systems and processes.
Kyusik Chang
NYU MBA
Kyusik is currently CEO and co-founder at discovereads, where users get book recommendations personalized to their tastes. Prior to enrolling at NYU Stern, he was the Product Manager of Advertising at Zillow a real estate start-up based in Seattle. There he managed the sole source of revenue and built the home valuation engine that places a price on over 50 million homes every day. Before joining Zillow, Kyusik worked as a Lead Program Manager at Expedia, where he was responsible for the Hotels Systems back end projects, including integration with suppliers and Hotels.com. Prior to Expedia, he spent 2 years working for Sapient, a technology consultancy, as an Engineer, where he gained financial and hospitality industry experience as well as off-shore project management experience. Kyusik graduated from Yale University in 2000 with a B.S. in Mathematics and Computer Science.
Mark Davis
Columbia MBA
Mark is a venture capitalist focused on the information technology sector. He currently works at DFJ Gotham Ventures, a leading early-stage IT venture capital fund based in NYC. In addition, Mark is the author of Get Venture (markpeterdavis.com) a syndicated column designed to help entrepreneurs raise venture capital. Earlier in his career Mark was an active entrepreneur. He founded Zotspot, an Internet search destination, and advised numerous startups. Before entering the venture space he advised Fortune 1000 and private equity clients on the strategic and financial attractiveness of acquisition targets at both Bain & Company and KPMG. Mark earned his B.A. in Economics with a minor in History at Duke University and his MBA at Columbia Business School, where he was the Co-President of the Private Equity and Venture Capital Club and the Founder of the Columbia Venture Community.
Jack Hasler
Stern MBA
Jack currently works in investment banking at Credit Suisse in the Consumer Products and Retail Group. Prior to Credit Suisse he was the Manager of Corporate Development at Refac Optical Group, the sixth largest optical retailer in the United States. For the majority of Jack’s time at Refac Optical Group, the company was a public shell controlled by a private equity fund of Palisade Capital Management, L.L.C. During this period, Jack worked on a disposition of assets and operating subsidiaries during a liquidation and several acquisition searches, which cumulated with the mergers that created Refac Optical Group. Jack also performed consulting work for some Palisade’s other portfolio companies. This consulting work included the evaluation of potential investments and the management of public company regulatory compliance for a development stage biotechnology company focusing on gene therapy as a treatment for Parkinson’s disease. Jack graduated from Tufts University with a B.A. in Economics and received his MBA from NYU’s Leonard N. Stern School of Business.
Todd Heglund
Stern MBA
Prior to Stern, Todd spent five years working for General Atlantic, a global private equity firm focused exclusively on information technology, in both the Greenwich, CT and Palo Alto, CA offices. During his time with GA, he focused on a broad range on industries within technology and services, including; healthcare, business process outsourcing, human resources, logistics, enterprise security and consumer media. In addition to identifying and evaluating investment opportunities, Todd worked with both public and private portfolio companies worldwide to support them in their business development, strategic planning and M&A initiatives. Before joining GA, Todd worked for Greenwich Associates, a strategic consulting firm within financial services, in the middle market banking group where he advised large commercial banks on market strategy and competitive positioning. Todd holds an AB from Brown University in both Business Economics and Organizational Behavior & Management.
Andrew Henderson
Columbia MBA
Prior to attending Columbia, Andrew spent seven years working as an investment analyst in the hedge fund and mutual fund industries. Most recently, Andrew worked as an equity analyst for RS Investments. He served as generalist for the fund’s Value group. Prior to RS, Andrew was the head credit analyst at Marin Capital Partners, a multi-strategy hedge fund. Andrew graduated with a degree in Economics from the University of California, Berkeley.
Chris Gimbert
Stern MBA
Christopher Gimbert has been actively involved in the venture community from several perspectives. From the financing side, he currently works at Contour Venture Partners, an early-stage venture capital fund focused on information technology and new media. As an entrepreneur, he has also operated an internet search company and acted as an advisor to several early-stage ventures. Earlier in his career, Christopher worked in the M&A Advisory Group at KPMG where he advised private equity and Fortune 1000 clients on mergers, acquisitions and new business ventures. Prior to consulting, he was an analyst with Merrill Lynch in their Alternative Investments Group. Christopher holds a BSBA from Washington University in St. Louis.
Paresh Lala
Stern MBA
InSITE Wakozi Team Spring 2008
Paresh received his MBA from NYU’s Stern School of Business, specializing in Finance. Prior to Stern, Paresh spent three years at CIBC World Markets, Inc. in Toronto. For the first two and a half years he was in Credit Capital Markets, managing a large credit portfolio and working on leveraged transactions in the Diversified Industries Group. For the final half year at CIBC World Markets, Paresh was working in Investment Banking, primarily advising Diversified Industry clients on M&A and equity issuances. Currently, he works in the Investment Banking Division of Goldman, Sachs & Co., focusing on companies in the Healthcare industry. Paresh holds a BBA with a specialization in Finance from York University.
Bronson Lingamfelter
Columbia MBA
InSITE Novalsys Team Spring 2008
Andres Moran
Columbia MBA
While at Columbia, Andres interned at Milestone Venture Partners, an early-stage technology venture fund. Prior to business school, Andres spent three and a half years launching and operating his own business. He opened a medical spa in Miami named Sutera (after the Indonesian word for silk), specializing in non-surgical cosmetic treatments such as laser hair removal, photorejuvenation and microdermabrasion. Before opening his business, Andres worked as a management consultant with A.T. Kearney in New York, where he helped a client save $3 million annually by restructuring its bill collections process. Andres is also actively involved in the community, sitting on the Board of a group he helped found: Young Professionals of the Red Cross. Andres graduated magna cum laude with a degree in Civil Engineering from Vanderbilt University. He also spent a year traveling through Southeast Asia.
Nora Murphy
Columbia MBA
Prior to business school, Nora spent nearly five years in the Investment Bank at JPMorgan. As an Analyst, Nora worked on various corporate transactions for large-cap Telecom, Media and Technology clients including M&A, debt financing and equity issuance. Later as an Associate, Nora worked in the Investment Bank’s Strategy and Business Development Group where she was responsible for executing upon strategic initiatives as identified by the Management Committee and for oversight and management of the bank’s Strategic Investments Portfolio. In this capacity, Nora gained experience working with early stage companies, deploying the bank’s capital in new ventures to drive strategic returns. Nora spent her summer working for Viacom’s Mergers, Acquisitions, and Strategy Group. Nora holds a BS in Languages and Linguistics from Georgetown University.
Nana Murugesan
Columbia MBA
Prior to business school, Nana spent nearly six years at Cisco Systems in the San Francisco Bay Area. At Cisco, he worked on the development of the Carrier Routing System (CRS-1, Cisco’s latest flagship product), and was awarded the Pioneer Technology Award for innovation and risk-taking. Also, he played a key role in establishing a large Cisco seed-funded project at the University of Wisconsin – Madison, where he earned a MS degree in Electrical Engineering in 2001. Nana is active with the community and is a board member at Pacific Environment.
Richard P. Nespola Jr.
Columbia MBA
While in business school, Richard spent time as a summer associate for Stonehenge Capital Partners, a nationwide venture capital firm specializing in both equity and mezzanine financing for growth oriented companies. Richard was responsible for writing key segments of the firm’s private placement memorandum, reviewing business plans, conducting due diligence on target investments, conducting portfolio review/valuation, and prospecting investment opportunities at trade shows. Prior to his enrollment at NYU, Richard worked as a Manager of Structured Transactions and Mortgage Insurer Relations for Freddie Mac. During his tenure, Richard designed and managed strategic credit enhancement programs, and led seven successful mortgage product development initiatives, two of which have been filed for US Patent. Prior to Freddie Mac, Richard was a Lead Consultant for Groundswell, an eCommerce management consulting firm, where he specialized in enterprise portal strategy and business transformation process redesign. Prior to Groundswell, Richard was an analyst for The Management Network Group, a global telecommunications, media, and entertainment consulting firm. Richard graduated from Washington University in St. Louis in 1999 with a B.A. in Psychology.
Andre Ribeiro
Columbia MBA
Prior to CBS, Andre was an associate director of the Corporate Advisory Division of Banco Finantia, a leading Portuguese investment bank. While he was at Finantia, Andre provided strategic corporate advisory in privatization and M&A deals and worked in project finance advisory in a wide array of industries including: Infrastructures, Banking, Tourism, Pulp & Paper, Oil & Gas, Media, and Retail Food. Along the past year, Andre founded with 3 partners, Oneway Group, an alternative advertisement firm. Andre earned an M.A. in Management from Universidade Catolica Portuguesa.