Proud to BU

Latest Episodes:

S2 E4: Advice from a Physician turned Chocolatier Nov 13, 2019

Show notes

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

Elaine’s unique entrepreneurial story takes place right here in Boston where she is one of more than 86,000 alumni. You’ll hear Elaine’s reflections on why she believes The Hub was the right place to launch her business.

If you would like to learn more about Elaine, we encourage you to drop by her Cambridge shop or visit her website, ehchocolatier.com. For more on the Proud to BU podcast, visit bu.edu/alumni/podcast.

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S2 E3: Southwest Airlines Strategist on Solving a Universal Problem Oct 23, 2019

Show notes

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

Ajay joined us on the podcast from Dallas, TX which is one of BU’s top 20 cities by alumni population. He shares his insights into what makes the greater Dallas area an attractive place to build a career for the nearly 2,000 Terriers who call this city home.

As you’ll hear in the podcast, Ajay is an advisor on the Career Advisory Network so if you’d like to get in touch, you can find his information through bu.edu/alumni/can. For more on the Proud to BU podcast, visit bu.edu/alumni/podcast.

Support the show (http://www.bu.edu/give)

S2 E2: Transforming Banking in Bangkok Oct 16, 2019

Show notes

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

Phonpimol is a volunteer leader among BU alumni in Thailand; a growing community comprised of over 1,100 Terriers. You’ll hear Phonpimol discuss the upcoming Asian Alumni Business Forum which will be hosted in Bangkok on November 1-3, 2019.

If you’d like to learn more about Phonpimol, you can connect with her on LinkedIn. If you’re interested in learning more about the Asian Alumni Business Forum, visit bu.edu/alumni/asianbusinessforum. For more on the Proud to BU podcast, visit bu.edu/alumni/podcast.

Support the show (http://www.bu.edu/give)

S2 E1: Google’s Founder-in-Residence on Challenging the Status Quo Oct 02, 2019

Show notes

Parag Vaish (Questrom’03) has built a career at the forefront of digital innovation, marketing, and design. He rose through the ranks at companies like Disney, Microsoft, MSNBC, StubHub and Tesla prior to tackling his most recent challenge as a founder-in-residence at Google’s internal incubator, Area 120. During his time at Tesla, Parag worked closely with founder, Elon Musk, on all digital developments and customer facing experiences. He is a proud graduate of the Questrom School of Business where he received both an MBA and an MS in information systems back in 2003.

Parag is one of more than 9,000 BU alumni who call the Bay Area home, and he’s in good company with over 200 fellow Terriers also working at Google in California.

If you’d like to learn more about Parag, you can connect with him on LinkedIn and to keep up on all his recent developments, you can also follow him on Twitter. If you’re interested in even more of his career advice, check out his profile in BU Today. For more on the Proud to BU podcast, visit bu.edu/alumni/podcast.

Support the show (http://www.bu.edu/give)

S1 E25: Thomas W. Jones (Questrom’78), Civil Rights Activist & Global Investment Executive May 15, 2019

Show notes

In 1969, Thomas W. Jones (Questrom’78) stood firmly at the center of the armed student takeover of Willard Straight Hall at Cornell University. Pulitzer Prize-winning images of Jones and his fellow classmates emerging from the student union after a peaceful resolution powerfully captured widespread frustration over stalled civil rights efforts. Upon leaving Cornell, Jones entered the financial services industry, earned his MBA from Boston University, and continued to break new ground as a pioneering African American executive atop renowned firms like John Hancock, TIAA, Citigroup, and more. Jones recently published a memoir, From Willard Straight to Wall Street, and he joined us on Proud to BU to explore his remarkable journey.

You can purchase Jones’ new memoir, From Willard Straight to Wall Street,online or find it in your local bookstore. You can also learn more about the book and keep up with his speaking engagements on Facebook. For more on the Proud to BU podcast, visit bu.edu/alumni/podcast.
A transcript of this episode is also available. Please note, transcripts may be edited for clarity and do not represent a verbatim record of dialogue.
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S1 E24: Jeremy Shure (LAW’03), Silicon Valley Bank Managing Director & Kauffman Fellow May 08, 2019

Show notes

As a Managing Director at Silicon Valley Bank, Jeremy Shure (LAW’03) is a partner to startup founders as they navigate the early stages of their business development. Recently named a Kauffman Fellow, Jeremy is now part of a world renowned network of innovative leaders working to transform relationships between entrepreneurs and venture capitalists. On this episode of the podcast, hear Jeremy reflect on his time at BU and how he intends to scale his impact in the innovation economy.
As noted in this episode, Jeremy’s perspective as an industry thought-leader has been published widely, including articles like “Hiring for Startups is Hard: We are Here to Help” and “Out of Office: I’m in Prison.” If you’re curious about what BU is doing in the startup and innovation space, check out Innovate@BU and the BUild Lab at bu.edu/innovate. For more on the Proud to BU podcast, visit bu.edu/alumni/podcast.

A transcript of this episode is also available. Please note, transcripts may be edited for clarity and do not represent a verbatim record of dialogue.
Listener Survey: We want to hear from you! Complete a 3-minute survey and claim your pair of our custom-made limited edition Proud to BU podcast socks!

Support the show (http://www.bu.edu/give)

S1 E23: Joanne Steinback (Wheelock’66), Special Education Teacher & Classroom Innovator Apr 24, 2019

Show notes

As a lifelong educator, Joanne Steinback (Wheelock’66) worked at the forefront of the transformation of special education in the American school system. Her career is centered on implementing innovative strategies to effectively engage children with emotional challenges and learning disabilities. Joanne reflects on the lessons she learned, the challenges she faced, and the role BU played in sparking her life’s passion.
To learn more about the two schools at the center of Joanne’s extensive work in special education, visit oschool.org and hydeparkday.org. For more on the Proud to BU Podcast, visit bu.edu/alumni/podcast.

Support the show (http://www.bu.edu/give)

S1 E22: Somil Trivedi (LAW’09) ACLU Staff Attorney Apr 10, 2019

Show notes

Are we living in a renaissance for criminal justice reform? Somil Trivedi (LAW’09), Staff Attorney at the ACLU Trone Center for Justice and Equality, joins Proud to BU to explore his unique perspective on this prescient topic. Somil traces the origins of his passion for social justice and shares the prominent role BU played in scaffolding his platform as a public-minded lawyer.
To learn more about the ACLU’s Campaign for Smart Justice, visit aclu.org/smartjustice and if you’d like to connect with Somil directly, we encourage you to reach out to him on LinkedIn. For more on the Proud to BU podcast, visit bu.edu/alumni/podcast.

Support the show (http://www.bu.edu/give)

S1 E21: Andrea Feldman (Sargent'06, MED'09) Crime Scene Specialist, Prince William County Police Department Mar 27, 2019

Show notes

What’s the best part of being a crime scene specialist? For Andrea Feldman (Sargent’06, MED’06), nothing compares to the instant gratification when her forensic evidence helps bring the ‘bad guys’ to justice. As an undergraduate at BU, Andrea earned a degree in health studies from Sargent College and she went on to earn a master’s in biomedical forensic sciences at the School of Medicine. While she may not have followed the path she expected, pursuing her life’s work has brought Andrea tremendous satisfaction.
If you’d like to connect with Andrea directly, you can find her in BU’s Career Advisory Network. As one of our nearly 8,000 advisors, Andrea has generously made herself available to current students and her fellow alumni who are looking for career advice, job shadowing, mentoring and more. Visit bu.edu/alumni/CAN for details. For more on the Proud to BU podcast, visit bu.edu/alumni/podcast.

Support the show (http://www.bu.edu/give)

S1 E20: Michael DiSalvo (COM'09), Ogilvy PR Senior Vice President, Health & Wellness Mar 20, 2019

Show notes

What does it mean for a company to emphasize people over profit? Michael DiSalvo (COM’09) is a self-proclaimed Ogilvy enthusiast having called the company his professional home for the last 9 years. In that time, Michael has quickly climbed the corporate “staircase” as he would call it to become the company’s youngest Senior Vice President and was recently named one of PR Week’s 40 under 40. Michael joined us on the podcast to explore his journey beyond BU, the importance of drinking the free coffee at the office and what he’s learned about creating an authentic, positive, workplace culture.
To connect with Michael, be sure to reach out to him on LinkedIn. For more on the Proud to BU podcast, visit bu.edu/alumni/podcast.

As you’ll hear, this episode of the podcast is hosted by Dan Gardiner from the Office of Alumni Relations. Our regular host, Jeff Murphy (Questrom ’06) will be back behind the mic for our next episode!
A transcript of this episode is also available. Please note, transcripts may be edited for clarity and do not represent a verbatim record of dialogue.
Listener Survey: We want to hear from you! Complete a 3-minute survey and claim your pair of our custom-made limited edition Proud to BU podcast socks!

Support the show (http://www.bu.edu/give)

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