Whitman Class Notes Spring 2024

1980- 1989

New Positions and Promotions:

Hugh Johnston ’83, a member of the Whitman Advisory Council, was appointed senior executive vice president and chief financial officer of The Walt Disney Company. Previously, Johnston served as chief financial officer for PepsiCo.

Bryan Subotnick ’86: Chief Operating Officer, ACE Financial Management Services

Awards and Recognitions:

John Buhrmaster ’86, president and chief executive officer of 1st National Bank of Scotia, has been elected as a Class A Director representing Group 3 for the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

In the Media:

Gisele Marcus ’89, Syracuse University Trustee and professor of practice in diversity, equity and inclusion at the Olin Business School of Washington University in St. Louis, authored an article, “Bridging Borders: Strategies for Thriving in the Multicultural World of International Banking,” in International Banker.

1990- 1999

New Positions and Promotions:

Corrina Wilcox ’91: Laboratory Relations and Outreach Manager, SUNY Upstate Medical University Hospital

Trent Bridges ’92 MBA, G’93 (IST): Sales Manager Enterprise Accounts, Charter Communications

Awards and Recognitions:

Brian Kreischer ’91, managing partner, Frank, Rimmerman and Co., has been appointed board chair of Baker Tilly, a global provider of assurance, tax and consultancy services, ranked among the world’s top 10 networks by revenue. Kreisher is a member of the Syracuse University San Francisco Regional Council.

2000-2009

New Positions and Promotions:

Jeff Garlow ’01 (A&S), ’03 MBA: Senior Director, Satisfyer and President, EIS Inc.

Eric Goode ’05: Startup Mentor, EforAll

Courtney Handy ’06: Director, Bonadio Advisory and Consulting

Jeff Palumbo ’06 MBA: Member, Esports Advisory Board for the University of North Carolina Wilmington

Erica (Ravich) White ’08: Executive Director of HR Search and Recruitment, Frazer Jones

Alex Pisani ’09: Director, Community, Salesforce

Mergers and Acquisitions:

Chad Bender ’05 and his wife, Liz, welcomed daughter Zara on Jan. 17. Zara joined big brother Jonah for the Bender family party of four.

2010-2019

New Positions and Promotions:

Sierra Bromley ’10, ’11 M.S.: Senior Customer Success Manager, Centrical

Michael Freudberg ’10: Director of Product Management, AD.net

Lisa Sonneborn ’10: President of Clinical Trial Services, Ichor Life Sciences

Kyle Barrett ’12: Real Estate Team, Airbnb

Zach McClure ’12: Senior Talent Advisor, Starts Align

Chris Marino ’13: Head of Agency, Google Customer Solutions

Lara Marto ’13 MBA: Senior Brand Manager, Danone

 Jason Berger ’14: Executive Director, J.P. Morgan Private Bank

Kate Ristau ’14: Tech Strategy & Trans formation Lead, JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Alex Schwartz ’14: Vice President, R4 Capital LLC

Fernando Soto ’14: Managing Director, Head of Private Banking, Chicago, Brown Brothers Harriman

Katherine Caminero ’15: Vice President, Ares Management Corporation

Sissie Cong Cui ’15 MBA: Senior Manager, Brand Customer Insights, Hilton

Naomi De Vass Gunawardena ’15: Executive Assistant, Brevan

Howard Zach Goldberg ’15: Data and Analytics Lead, LVMH

Ben Schon ’15: Senior Vice President, Trammel Crow Company

Marissa Blanchard ’16: Associate Producer and Editor, Sundance Institute

Brian Parese ’16: Managing Regional Director Southeast, F/m Managers Group

Alana Smetaniuk ’16: Associate Media Manager, Blue Buffalo, General Mills

Catherine Smith ’16: Senior Vendor Manager, Lawn and Garden, Amazon

Keelan Erhard ’17: Director of Finance and Operations, Partnership for the Public Good

Matthew Foster ’17: Logistics Manager, A.P. Moller, Maersk

Jason B. Harriott ’17 MBA: Regional Director of Field Services, Armoured One LLC

Sam Levis ’17: Mid-Market Account Executive, Gong

Jake Brown ’18: Vice President of Business Development, Secure Access & Digital Systems

Berk Cangir ’18: Regional Sales Manager, Park Energy Services LLC

Catherine Cummings ’18: Manager, Allocations, Saks OFF 5th

Michael Durso ’18: Ops Specialist, EDD/ AML Ops, Morgan Stanley

Olivia Feng ’18: Vice President, Investment Banking, BDA Partners

Nicholas Goodwin ’18: Assistant Vice President, Blackstone

Michael Ogburn ’18 MBA: Distribution Manager, Arxada

Matthew Petrosian ’18 MBA: Vice President of Operations, HiddenLayer Inc.

Orlando Rivera ’18 MBA: Global Accounts Manager, Chatsworth Products

Carla Spera ’18: Supply Chain Planning Manager, K. Hovnanian Homes

Alessandro Alessi ’19: Vice President, Benefit Street Partners

Nicole Anes ’19: Omni Senior Assistant Buyer, Women’s Active Shoes, Bloomingdale’s

Kaylah Felipe ’19: Sourcing Manager, Lovesa

Awards and Recognitions:

Ryan Benz ’11 M.S., partner at Redev CNY, was recognized in City & State’s 2023 Economic Development Power 100

Chelsea Ransom-Cooper ’15, chief planning officer and director of financial planning at Zenith Wealth Partners, was named by Financial Planning as one of 24 people who will change wealth management in 2024. Ransom-Cooper is a member of the Young Whitman Advisory Council and chairs the Council’s Membership Committee. She received the Whitman Dean’s Citation for Exceptional Service in 2023.

Olivia Bowser ’16, founder and CEO of Liberate, was recognized by Forbes as one of the 30 Under 30 North America in the social impact category.

Mergers and Acquisitions:

Ryan Novak ’11, owner of the Chocolate Pizza Company, and Christie Novak ’10, ’11 M.S., assistant teaching professor at the Whitman School, welcomed daughter Sienna Anne Nov. 5, 2023.

Roz Amirfazli ’12 and husband, Joseph, welcomed daughter Rumi, pictured with big brother Cyrus and dog Waldo.

2020-2024

New Positions and Promotions:

Benjamin Berk ’20: Accountant Executive-Publisher Development, Surfside

Zachary Gunther ’20: Associate, Blackstone

Quinn Hecker ’20: Capital Formation Group-Investor Relations Data Management Analyst, Fortress Investment Group

Sandhya Iyer ’20: Marketing Communications Specialist, Chief

Noah Marek ’20: Personal Account Associate, Rockefeller Capital Management

Madison Paddock ’20: Marketing Manager, Paramount

Jonathan Quinlan ’20: Committee Member, Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve

Christopher Ragusa ’20: Senior Financial Analyst, AIG

John-Austin Ricks ’20: Regional Account Manager, Red Bull

Greyson Sklba ’20: Equity Research Associate, Goldman Sachs

Edward Weaver ’20: Senior Associate, Financial Analysis, JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Dylan Wheeler ’20: Wealth Management Advisor, Cedrus

Evan Asante ’21: Senior Analyst, L’Oreal

Michael Bottazzi ’21: Associate, Goldman Sachs

Yathniella Lubin ’21 M.S., ’21 MBA: Program Manager, Georgetown University

Jared Lynch ’21: Promo Planner, Target

Bettina Papageorge ’21: Senior Financial Analyst, Global Business Solutions,

Fiserv Sabina Seredneva ’21 MBA: Business Intelligence Engineer II, Amazon



Michelle Truong ’21: Corporate Communications Coordinator, Paramount Streaming

Luc Ayoub ’22: Account Executive - Retail and Consumer Goods, MuleSoft

Deborah Feldstein ’22: Senior Program Manager, Saab

Rob Knapp ’22 MBA: Sales Account Manager, Jadak

Meaghan Tyrrell ’22, ’23 MBA: Associate, Gaffney Bennett PR

Caroline Whinney ’22: Market Center Administrator (CFO/COO), Keller Williams Doylestown & New Hope

Tiffany Yang ’22: Agency Securities Lending and Reinvestment Analyst, Citi

Mergers and Acquisitions:

Kara Montellano ’23 MBA and husband, Victor, welcomed Emma Victoria Nov. 27, 2023.