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Club Officers

President
 
VP, Finance
 
VP, Marketing
 
VP, Operations
 
PEMBA Representative
 
First Year Representative
 
First Year Representative

Faculty Advisor

Dean Katherine Nolan

Questions/Comments?

2009 Conference Panelists

Healthcare

Meredith Gannon
Senior Manager of Marketing Intelligence, Philips 

Nancy Levy, Ph.D.
Managing Partner, Biohealth Management 

Nancy Levy is the Managing Partner and founder of BioHealth Management LLC, an international biomedical advisory firm specializing in value creation at the pivotal intersection between science, technology and business.   She applies her extensive expertise in business development, market development, and clinical development to identify and execute critical steps for her clients resulting in significant increases in valuation. She is hired by companies, investor groups and international trade organizations on a project-by-project basis to define and achieve specific business goals.   She has been involved in partnering pharmaceuticals in areas such as cancer and inflammation, devices in areas such as biomarkers and infectious diseases, and obtaining investment for many clients over her career. Dr. Levy has raised funds for her clients from venture capitalists, angels, corporate partners and grants.  Dr. Levy has managed successful pre-IND and IND applications and is the US agent for her clients. She has completed successful Orphan Drug applications with FDA and EMEA in areas such as liver cancer and scleroderma.  At specific companies, such as Millennium Pharmaceuticals, she established a successful collaboration with alliance partner, Genentech, to bring a Phase II product with potential first drug in indication to market. Dr. Levy served for four years as President and CEO of Immunetics, a medical devices company located in Cambridge, MA, where she raised three rounds of financing, wrote multiple grants and managed the processes for the first FDA products. She has extensive international experience and has managed multiple projects with international trade groups on economic development missions.


Dr. Levy is on the Board of Directors of Acceleration, Inc. as well as a member of Newton-Wellesley Hospital Board of Overseers.  Other honors include: featured entrepreneur in the Wall Street Journal, Closing the Gender Gap, and first place in Business Plan contest, Worcester Polytechnic Institute.  She has been invited to speak at numerous international conferences including a recent conference in Barcelona entitled IP, Licensing and Value Creation. She is currently the author of a monthly column entitled Building Bridges of Value between the US, European and Canadian BioMedical Communities.  Nancy has been on the faculty at Harvard Medical School, where she also did her fellowship. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of Chicago.

Elizabeth Daake
Planning at Cambridge HA, ECG Consulting

Technology Panel

Mary Finlay
Deputy Chief Information Officer of Partners HealthCare

Mary Finlay is the deputy Chief Information officer of Partners HealthCare System, Inc., a $7.1 billion healthcare delivery system in Boston and the largest private employer in Massachusetts.  In this role, Ms. Finlay is responsible for the management of 1,500 information systems and telecommunications staff. Previously, she was the Chief Information Officer of Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

Mary’s leadership has helped position Partners as a national leader in the area of electronic medical records (EMR) and as one of the Top 100 places to work by Computerworld. 

Ms. Finlay is on the board of the Massachusetts Technology Leadership Council, YearUp and is an appointed member of the Governor’s IT Advisory Council. She is also active in the Boston Chapter of the Society of Information Management (SIM). She has been recognized with leadership awards from the Simmons School of Management, CIO, the New England Business and Technology Association, YearUp and Babson College.  She received her BA from Allegheny College and her MBA from the Simmons School of Management.  She is also a member of the faculty for the Simmons School of Management and the CIO Bootcamp of the College of HealthCare Information Management Executives (CHIME).

Patricia Hillman 
Managing Director and Executive Vice President of technology for Devonshire Investors

Patricia Hillman is managing director and executive vice president, technology for Devonshire Investors, the Boston-based private investment group affiliated with Fidelity Investments. In this role, Ms. Hillman provides business and technology support to Devonshire Investors’ enterprise technology initiatives. She is responsible for evaluating emerging technologies and the technical feasibility of proposed solutions, coordinating key technology initiatives and effecting continuous improvement in the quality of Devonshire Investors’ technology efforts. She also serves on Fidelity Investment’s Global Technology Board.


Ms. Hillman joined Fidelity in 1990 as vice president of applications planning for Fidelity Investments Systems Company.  She then managed the internal customer service function including Fidelity’s Help Desk, problem management, and quality programs.  In 1994, she was promoted to executive vice president, customer and technology services, responsible for customer service, architecture and testing services, and Fidelity’s Center for Applied Technology.  She was named to her current position in September 1999.

Prior to joining Fidelity, Ms. Hillman was managing director of treasury systems and operations for Bank of Boston. Her earlier experience includes executive, management and consulting positions with MultiSystems, Inc., Bain &Co., Index Group, and General Electric Information Systems.

For the past 20 years, she has served on the Board of the Robert F. Kennedy Childrens Action Corps.  She is a member of the Board of Trustees of the College of Notre Dame of Maryland. She is also a member of the Boston College Women’s Council.

Ms. Hillman received a Bachelor of Arts degree in mathematics from the College of Notre Dame of Maryland. She also earned an MBA in finance from Boston College. 

Finance Panel

Cosette Maroney
Partner, Audit Practice, PricewaterhouseCoopers
 

Cosette Maroney is an Assurance partner in PricewaterhouseCoopers' Technology practice.  She has a wide range of experience in accounting, auditing and financial reporting. 

Over the years, Cosette has served numerous publicly and privately-held software, Internet, hardware manufacturing and services companies and has deep experience in SEC reporting, public offerings, revenue recognition and equity-based compensation.  Her experiences include a tour of duty in PwC's National Office, where she worked closely with the Firm’s U.S. National Office professional practice leader in formulating and implementing firm positions and policies on many of the most complex and controversial matters facing clients, the Firm and the profession.  PwC’s National Office has overall responsibility for formulating the Firm’s positions on technical accounting, auditing and SEC reporting matters, developing the Firm's audit policies and methodology and providing technical accounting and auditing guidance to the Firm’s audit professionals. 

 Cosette earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Management with a concentration in Accounting from Boston College and is a Certified Public Accountant in Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York.  She is a member of the American Institute and the Massachusetts State Societies of Certified Public Accountants.  


Amy Cheng
Sr. Portfolio Manager, Global Structured Products Group, State Street Global Advisors

Socially Responsible Business Panel

Talya Bosch
Account Director, Cone's Cause Branding
 

An Account Director in Cone’s Cause Branding Group, Talya Bosch helped develop and is working to support the implementation of Western Union’s Our World, Our Family, a five-year, $50 million corporate citizenship program that fosters global economic opportunity. She also is supporting PNC Financial Services as that company prepares for the five-year anniversary of PNC Grow Up Great, a ten-year, $100 million commitment to school readiness.

Talya brings a rich background in communications, marketing, and brand and issues management in both the corporate and non-profit sectors. Prior to joining Cone, she was the associate director of the Public Conversations Project, a highly-respected facilitator of off-the-record conversations among opposing leaders across the divides of highly polarized conflicts. In her work there, she overcame branding and organizational development challenges to create new strategies and campaigns that secured major media coverage, boosted the number of grants and contracts by nearly 600%, and increased year-to-year revenue 51%. 

At Porter Novelli International, then the world’s fourth largest global public relations agency, Talya crafted and oversaw Kids ThinkLink, an original community service program which engaged employees in more than and 10 countries, garnered awards and positive media coverage, and drove bottom-line results. She also helped led the company’s charitable response to the attacks on 9/11, directed a highly successful workplace giving program, launched an internal campaign around company values after crafting and generating consensus on a global ethics policy, and conducted research and offered counsel that laid the foundation for a new client service offering in cause-related marketing. 

Talya’s agency experience has included work for Canon USA, Procter&Gamble, TWA, and the governments of Greece and Thailand. She also spent several years heading a team responsible for issues management for IBM’s Personal Systems Group, providing strategic counsel and overseeing global communications efforts. Her expertise includes external and internal corporate positioning, original market research, development of intranet and website strategy and content, trade shows and special events, new product and service launches, and all aspects of internal and external communications.

With a triple major in sociology, political science and international affairs on the undergraduate level, Talya soon will receive her master's degree in organizational development from Columbia University. She has served as a mediator for the New York state court system and as a volunteer and board member for a number of national and local non-profit organizations, including Creative Response to Conflict, Habitat for Humanity, and Oracle’s ThinkQuest.

Donna Gandt 
Senior Manager, Strategic Initiatives, The Timberland Company
Adjunct Faculty, MA in Socially Responsible Business and Sustainable Communities - Goddard College

My professional journey has been a varied one. I joined the Navy during college to help pay for school. After serving for seven years as an instructor and a program manager, I left the Navy for the business world. I excitedly embarked on what would be a traditional and progressive career path, working in technology, process improvement, project management, client and relationship management. The traditional business environment left me longing for more. I found myself wondering why more people could not balance success in business with helping to address the social, environmental and economic challenges facing our global communities.

I joined the Timberland Company several years ago to help give back – by leveraging my business skills in a socially responsible business environment. In my role, I work with our Corporate Social Responsibility team as well as committed individuals from around the globe who believe and work towards a triple bottom line: Business Success, Environmental Sustainability and Social Responsibility.

My professional strengths include strategic and long range planning, facilitation, working with international teams and levering technology to improve processes. I am passionate about social entrepreneurship and the intersection between business and social justice. Additionally I have experience working with sustainable product development, social media, cause marketing, product compliance and engagement of employees through community service. I work with other companies, consulting firms, colleges and organizations to help educate and encourage sustainable business practices, skills based volunteering and community service in for-profit businesses.

My personal passions include anything in the outdoors. I spend my free time hiking, kayaking, biking, cooking, camping, gardening and enjoying my two children and husband on the beaches of New Hampshire. I have a strong sense of adventure, enjoy traveling and have a hard time saying “no” to new experiences.

Educational background: Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from Boston University and Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, NJ.

Entrepreneurship Panel

Leslie Capachietti
Principal, Automated Financial Solutions
 

Leslie Capachietti  is the Founder and Principal of Automated Financial Solutions an accounting systems consulting firm that specializes in helping small business owners get the most from their QuickBooks software.

Leslie is a nationally recognized QuickBooks expert, speaker and author. She served on Intuit’s Accountant and Advisor Council from 2003-2005 and as a member of Intuit’s Accountant Training Network Leslie has trained thousands of fellow accountant's on how to better serve their QuickBooks clients.

Her current books include: QuickBooks 2010: The Official Guide and QuickBooks Point of Sale V9.0:The Official Guide, both published by McGraw-Hill.

Leslie holds both her undergraduate and MBA degrees from Boston University and lives in Winchester, MA with her husband and two children.

Susan Ward, Ph.D.
Consultant to startups and venture capital 

Dr. Ward has served as an interim executive helping young Biotechnology and pharmaceutically-oriented software companies transition technology into products since 2002. Beginning her career at Sterling Drug in 1982, Dr. Ward became a prominent researcher in the pain field, led the team that discovered new chemistries and the first known antagonists at cannabinoid receptors.  In 1993, she joined Wyeth Research as VP Research (UK facility, and CNS Disorders worldwide). From 1996-2000, Dr. Ward led Wyeth’s global Project Management function, establishing one of the first project management capabilities in drug discovery in the industry, and overseeing the development of 30+ new and life cycle extension products, including global approvals for Enbrel, Mylotarg, Sonata, Rapamune and Protonix.  In 2000, Dr. Ward joined Millennium Pharmaceutical as a corporate officer and Snr VP for the company’s Productivity and technology functions.  Subsequently, she designed an integrated, award-winning infrastructure as EVP at Infinity Pharmaceuticals Inc., and developed the initial research strategy for Alnylam Pharmaceutical, a leading RNAi company.  Dr. Ward is a co-founder of ThoughtLynx Inc, and serves as the Development Sciences lead for Conformia Software. 

Dr. Ward earned her Bachelors, Masters and PhD degrees in Pharmacology from the University of Manchester, UK.  She has over 50 articles in peer-reviewed journals, holds 9 patents, and is a frequent invited speaker and topical writer on systems driving productivity in the industry.  Dr. Ward has serves on the Advisory Boards of software and venture capital companies, and has been an executive Director for Select X Pharmaceuticals, Inc. since 2003.

Diana Gonzalez
Founder, President & CEO of Top MBA MomTM

Diana Gonzalez Blanco is the Founder, President & CEO of Top MBA MomTM the only worldwide, membership based, professional and social community for high profile women who MBA applicants, students and graduates; and are already moms or see motherhood in their future. Top MBA MomTM provides MBA women a place to connect, share experiences, socialize, meet role models, establish business relationships, discuss relevant topics, stay informed, and empower themselves and other Top MBA Women.

Diana began her professional career as part of the founding team of a successful telecommunications start-up in Spain, that grow up to be the third telecom service provider in the country. Diana proved her versatility, entrepreneurial spirit, problem-solving skills and strategic thinking holding several executive positions in different areas (strategy, sales, marketing, operations and finance), and firms around the world, such as Comunitel Global S.A. (Vodafone), ZARA (Inditex Group), Dow Jones Inc. (Wall Street Journal and Barron’s brands), and Citigroup, where she was part of one of the most prestigious and competitive rotational executive program at the bank.

Diana was awarded “Paul J. Friedman Small Acts of Kindness” Fellowship in recognition of outstanding internship performance and exceptional commitment to the betterment of the non-profit community, for her work as pro-bono consultant to Step Up Women’s Network. Diana serves in the Advisory Board of SOL Professionals, a non-profit dedicated to propel Latino professionals.

 Diana earned her Bachelors degree in Business Administration from the University of Wales, her Masters in e-Business from La Salle Business School, and her Master in Business Administration (MBA) from New York University’s Stern School of Business.

Marketing Panel

Maria T. Feicht
Senior Vice President of Marketing, Bertucci's Corporation

Maria T. Feicht joined Bertucci’s in May 2005 as Vice President of Marketing.  Currently serving as Senior Vice President of Marketing and a member of the executive team of Bertucci’s corporation, Feicht oversees all facets of marketing and brand management, research and menu development, and guest relations.

Prior to joining Bertucci’s, Feicht worked for Dunkin’ Brands, serving as Director of Brand Excitement for Baskin-Robbins.  She started with Dunkin Brands as the Director of Marketing of Togo’s.  Feicht also worked for Digitas, a marketing and internet firm, where she held the positions of VP-Director of Training and Development and VP-Associate Director of Marketing for the AT&T consumer account.  Prior to Digitas, Feicht worked for several other consumer products companies, including TAG Heuer where she was Director of Marketing; Nabisco in both Foodservice and Retail; and she spent eight years working in food and beverage at Unilever.

Feicht graduated from the University of Delaware with a B.S. degree in Business Administration-Marketing and has an MBA from Fairleigh Dickinson University.

Tara McRae
Senior Director of Marketing, PUMA North America 

Tara McRae is a seasoned marketing expert who comes from a diverse background in corporate and agency experience in both Fashion/Sports and Consumer Electronics.  McRae joined PUMA as the Media/Advertising Manager in 2006 where she worked collaboratively with the marketing team to develop and execute media strategy for both Sport and Lifestyle.  McRae quickly succeeded in her role, executing multi-million dollar campaigns for major PUMA programs including the 2006 FIFA World Cup.  In 2007, McRae took the helm of Sports Marketing as Director.  McRae drove the development of the Golf, Soccer, Sailing and Running categories and developed big ideas including the widely successful PUMA Open, Boston’s takeover with PUMA City and the launch Women’s Professional Soccer with PUMA as the official founding sponsor.  Shortly after the success of PUMA City in May 2009, McRae was promoted to Senior Director of Marketing, overseeing Sports & Lifestyle marketing for North America, as well as all the cross-functional teams of PR, Media, Creative and Entertainment. 

McRae’s approach to marketing is consumer focused, launching creative programs and plans that are interactive and speak to the PUMA brand experience.  McRae believes strongly in integrated marketing communication plans that encompass all elements of the marketing mix.  McRae’s background also includes strong analytical and ROI tools, ensuring that all marketing plans are measured for effectiveness, awareness and sales. 

Prior to PUMA, McRae spent several years at Bose Corporation in media planning & buying as part of their internal advertising agency.  She also spent time in Los Angeles, CA at Smileworks.com in Marketing. 

McRae hails from Massachusetts and holds a Bachelors of Arts in Communications from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a Masters of Science of Professional Communication from the Clark University.  McRae is an active player in regional theater, both on and off stage.  She has both directed and performed in both musicals and plays. 

Kerry Locke Bedard
Marketing Director, S&P Financial Communications