Together we can.

Founder, Advisor, Investor MPN

Bree Nguyen is an advisor and investor developing early stage companies in sectors like media, gaming and e-commerce. Most recently, Bree was Facebook's Head of Public Figure Partnerships and has worked at entertainment companies like Maverick Records and Warner Bros. Records pioneering the way artists define and establish their brands online. In addition to her entertainment industry experience, Bree is an experienced startup entrepreneur working with early stage technology companies like Archer Education, which she co-founded and helped raise nearly $9 million in funding for, and Rent.com, which was acquired by eBay for $415 million in 2005. As a proud alumna, Bree Nguyen also serves on the advisory boards of the Entrepreneurial Institute as well as the College of Business and Public Policy for California State University Dominguez Hills.

Associate Dean, CSUDH College of Business Administration & Public Policy

Dr. Tayyeb Shabbir is the Associate Dean of the CSUDH College of Business Administration and Public Policy.  A 1987 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania (Ph. D. Economics), Dr. Tayyeb Shabbir is a tenured Full Professor of Finance and has served as the Chair in the Department Accounting, Finance and Economics in the College of Business Administration and Public Policy at California State University, Dominguez Hills. He also served as the Director of the Institute of Entrepreneurship from 2012-2014. Dr. Shabbir joined DH in 2006 after having been a faculty member at the University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton School. Dr. Shabbir has vast teaching, research and consulting experience that has been acquired internationally. His areas of expertise include: prediction, management and prevention of financial crises, investment strategies of Sovereign Wealth Funds, global financial flows, entrepreneurial finance, Microfinance, and human capital investments. Dr. Shabbir has scores of publications and competitive research grants to his credit and has served as a consultant to the World Bank, UNDP and the Asian Development Bank. Recently, acclaimed international academic publisher, Edward Elgar, published Dr. Shabbir's book about financial crises which was co-edited with Professor Lawrence Klein, Nobel Laureate in Economics and Benjamin Franklin Professor of Finance and Economics at the University of Pennsylvania. 

CEO and Co-founder of Wicked Bionic

Dana Arnett has led post-production on well over 6000 hours of television, including The Biggest Loser, Masterchef, and For Love or Money. Dana was the last set of eyes before broadcast. Her typical day included overseeing up to 10 television series and the staff for each, and ensuring quality while managing tight deadlines and multimillion-dollar budgets. Working as a press agent in her twenties, industry execs called her “the make-it-happen girl” because no matter how chaotic a situation became, Dana got things done. Dana is the CEO and COO at Wicked Bionic which is a full service marketing agency in Los Angeles. As CEO and Chief Operating Officer, Dana’s No. 1 priority is making sure that every client gets the VIP treatment they deserve. Putting her clients first and being honest truly guides Dana’s decisions every day. As she often reminds the team, “Any marketing agency can sell services. We’re here to partner with our clients and help them succeed.”

President World Trade Center Los Angeles

EVP Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC)

Stephen Cheung is the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of LAEDC and the President of World Trade Center Los Angeles (WTCLA). In his role as COO, he brings together the capabilities of LAEDC’s mission-delivery department areas, including: Business Assistance and Industry Cluster Development; LAEDC’s Institute for Applied Economics; Communications & Marketing; and Public Policy, into a single team that delivers the LAEDC’s critically important,

public-benefit mission. Cheung also leads investment attraction to the LA County region on behalf of both LAEDC

and WTCLA, and facilitates successful location of new businesses, projects, and deals from both international and

U.S. investors into the region. He also leads the team that supports international trade and international connections for organizations based in LA County. In 2020, Stephen Cheung was elevated to COO after serving as Executive Vice President of LAEDC, and continues in his concurrent role as President of World Trade Center Los Angeles, a title he has held since coming to the organization in 2014. 

VP Compliance and Operations, 

Relationship Management and 

Project Executive 

Jeana Somers is a Vice President of Compliance and Operations at Emigrant Bank in New York, NY. Her responsibilities include client onboarding and due diligence, regulatory compliance, updating and maintaining bank policies and procedures and maintenance and monitoring of existing loan portfolios. Ms. Somers also sits on Emigrant’s Bank Secrecy Act and Corporate Compliance and Regulatory Committees. Ms. Somers has over 25 years in the banking and financial services industry, primarily in Commercial Lending and Private Equity.  Ms. Somers has a number of civic interests, volunteers her time with local and national nonprofits and charitable organizations such as Girls Scouts and Boy Scouts of America organizations. Ms. Somers is a graduate of the CSU Dominguez Hills from the College of Business Administration with a BS in Finance and Business Administration.

Los Angeles Air Force Base; Space and Missile Control Center

Marissa Bazeley is a CSU Dominguez Hills alumnus who earned her Bachelor’s in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance in May of 2020. During her time at Dominguez Hills, she served as the first female president of the Finance Student Society and helped mentor many business students during their educational journeys. She was also a member of the Women’s Success Alliance, where she was involved in a youth mentorship program that visited local high schools to mentor junior and senior girls and helped recruit over 40 new members to the group. She is currently working for the US Space Force as a budget analyst in the Program and Investments department, and is excited to continue her work in the Aerospace industry.

Founder/CEO nova

Sue Chen founded NOVA Medical Products in 1993 with a strong vision...improve lives...with style. NOVA has grown to become an industry leader and innovator of mobility, bathroom safety and independent living products such as beautiful canes, hot walkers, and stylish mobility bags. NOVA is on a mission to unleash the power and potential in millions of physically challenged people and determined to shift the fear, stigma, and discrimination her customers face; reconnecting our human bond that all people deserve to live and thrive. Sue believe in a happily un-balanced and chaotic life and is also a shark advocate, avid diver, classical music junkie, and author of Confessions of the Walker Stalker. 

Treasurer, City of Carson

Monica Cooper is the Treasurer for the City of Carson. She is a CSUDH alumna with her Bachelor's Degree in Public Administration and Master's Degree Public Administration (M.P.A) from CSUDH. She is a Certified Public Funds Investment Manager, Chartered Financial Analyst, Certified Fixed Income Practitioner, California Certified Municipal Treasurer and has served as State of California Revenue Agency Administrator, Project Manager, Illegal Activities Coordinator(financial) Real Estate and Mortgage Company owner, Real Estate and Mortgage Company owner, Investment Manager, and 540 Club Treasurer. 

She is active in her community and serves as Member of the Board of Directors for the Carson/Gardena YMCA, Member of the Carson Sister Cities Association, and has served as a Member of the Long Beach Child Development Center Board of Directors and Carson Utility User's Tax Citizens Budget Oversight Committee. 

Vice-President of 

Administration and Finance

California State University Dominguez Hills 

Deborah Wallace leads the financial, physical, and human operations at

California State University, Dominguez Hills. As vice president, Division of Administration & Finance, she administers finance and contracts; environmental health and instructional safety; human resources and payroll; University Police & parking; emergency preparedness; facilities planning; design and construction; and the CSUDH Foundation. She rose to CSUDH with a storied public service record as associate vice president, Financial Services, CSUN, assistant superintendent/vice president, Administrative Services, Antelope Valley Community College District, Director of Business Services, Antelope Valley College while concurrently

teaching as an adjunct faculty member at Antelope Valley Community College; and fiscal officer, Palmdale School District. Wallace earned a Master's of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix, and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration/Economics

and Finance (honors) from Elizabeth City State University, North Carolina

Treasury Manager, McKinsey & Company

Adam Zatorski is a Treasury Manager at McKinsey & Company based out of New York. In this role, he has overseen a wide range of corporate treasury functions including cash management, investments, payments, operations, foreign exchange, hedging, and bank relations.  Prior to McKinsey, Adam served in various roles in operations, treasury and finance at Barclays.   Adam maintains the Certified Treasury Professional CTP accreditation. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance and Marketing from New York University Stern School of Business.

Assistant Professor, Department of Music

California State University Dominguez Hills

Dr. Hal Weary enjoys working and thinking across genres in music and disciplines in the arts, and has international experience as a pianist, composer, and scholar. His most recent recording, "Serendipity" encompasses a pluralistically lyrical, rhythmic, and harmonically approachable style that intersects Western art music, Jazz and Popular music, and non-Western musics. His research interests include music entrepreneurship and innovation in the music industry. He has a great deal of success working in many different facets of the music industry - Artistry, Industry, Technology, and Pedagogy: “Entrepreneurial & Innovative artists, who obtain musical expression, and advanced knowledge of music industry and music technology increasingly, drive the musical ecosystem. It is essential for artists to develop an immense skill set and a diverse portfolio to thrive in the changing landscape of the 21st century, both locally and globally."

Dr. Weary earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music from San José State University, a Master of Music from William Paterson University and a Doctor of Musical Arts from Five Towns College. He is an Assistant Professor with a specialization in Music Industry at CSU, Dominguez Hills. He held previous faculty appointments at Wayne State University and Albright College, and was an Agent at the Harry Fox Agency in New York City. He resides in DTLA.

Author, Leadership Speaker, Coach

Jennifer B. Kahnweiler, PhD, Certified Speaking Professional, is an author and one of the Top Global Leadership speakers on introverts. She is hailed as a "Champion for Introverts" who helps organizations, teams, and individuals with understanding introverts. Her bestselling books The Introverted Leader: 2nd Edition, Quiet Influence, and The Genius of Opposites have been translated into 17 languages and have helped introverts throughout the world expand their leadership capacity. She has deepened her knowledge and appreciation for introverts through her work as a learning and development professiona and speaker at leading organizations like Merck, NASA, Bosch, and The American Chemical Society, Freddie Mac, and the US Centers for Disease Control, The American Management Association, and TEDx Centennial Park Women. She has delivered keynote speeches and seminars from Spain to Singapore and has been featured in Fortune, Forbes, TIME Magazine, The New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal. 

 Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator

Mayte Sanchez is the Director of Energy at the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator, where she manages and develops energy initiatives that support the region’s clean energy entrepreneur ecosystem. Prior to LACI, Mayte represented manufacturers in energy policy issues. She also worked as the Senior State Affairs Liaison at the California Independent System Operator, advancing initiatives that supported California’s clean electric grid transition. Mayte began her work in energy serving as a Legislative Aide for the California State Assembly, where she led a coalition that passed the Solar on Multifamily Affordable Housing Program. She earned her Bachelor’s degree from Pitzer College.

Mobile Marketing Association

Armed with a Master’s degree in Business Management & a Bachelor’s Degree in Media Communications & Advertising, Shanti is now leading the Indonesia chapter as The Country Manager of Mobile Marketing Association (MMA). The MMA’s mission is to enable marketers to drive innovation & enduring business value in an increasingly

dynamic and mobile‐connected world. Comprised of over 800‐member companies globally & 14 regional offices, the MMA helps marketers lead this imperative for marketing change – in ways that #ShapeTheFuture®.

Before her MMA journey, she managed new businesses of some of the top‐most clients of Edelman Indonesia. Shanti was also selected as the Project Manager in the communications department of The ASIAN

GAMES 2018, under INASCOG & managed their core communications team before joining Edelman Indonesia. 

Canvas Worldwide

Josie Garcia is an analytics professional that has over 10 years of experience in the Advertising and Marketing industry having worked at OMD, Publicis, and Horizon. She started out her career focusing on

entertainment marketing, interning, and working for clients & major studios such as Walt Disney Studios, 21st Century Fox, Paramount Pictures, and Sony Pictures Entertainment. During her time working on the Disney account, she worked on theatrical marketing campaigns for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and Tomorrowland to name a few. After a couple of years focused on the entertainment industry, she pivoted

to working on automobile marketing and is currently a Supervisor of Analytics & Research at Canvas Worldwide working on the Genesis brand, the luxury vehicle division of Hyundai Motor Group. 

University of Southern California 

Roxana Javid joined the University of Southern California in 2019 as a lecturer. Before that, she was an assistant professor of Civil Engineering at Savannah State University, Savannah, GA. She received her Ph.D. in Civil Engineering, with an emphasis in sustainable transportation from Texas Tech University. She is a member of the Transportation Research Board Research, Innovation, & Implementation Management Committee (AJE35). She has been actively involved in a number of state and federal research projects focusing on sustainable transportation planning, data analysis, and energy and environment. Dr. Javid conducts research and educational activities. In particular, she investigates the contribution of sustainable transportation policies on the environmental economics, and public health using data science and statistical analysis.

California State University Dominguez Hills

Dr. Mahmoud Salari is an Assistant Professor of Economics at California State University, Dominguez Hills. He received his Ph.D. in Economics in 2016 from Texas Tech University. Before joining to CSUDH, he taught various courses at different schools including California State University, Long Beach (CSULB), Loyola Marymount University (LMU), Savannah State University (SSU), and Texas Tech University (TTU). His research connects theory with detailed macro and micro level data in order to test the theoretical foundation in political economy, applied economics, behavioral economics, international finance, energy and environmental policy, and big data analysis. His papers have been published in peer-reviewed academic journals such as Research in Economics, Economic Analysis and Policy, Energy Policy, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, and Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment.    

Curacao 

John Shi has over 20 years of progressive experience working in various capacities across a variety of core disciplines, such as information security, network, system, wireless, and applications. Passionate about learning new technologies, solving customers’ challenges, and exceeding clients’ expectations, he has worked with Canon Communication, Aetna, CBS, Smart and Final, and M-Theory, consulted independently, and has been with Curacao as their Senior Director, Infrastructure, Security, and Compliance for three years. He epitomizes lifelong learning and is a product of the California State University system, earning a Bachelor of Science in Finance from CSU Northridge, a Master of Science in Cybersecurity from University of Maryland and a Master of Science in Cybersecurity from CSUDH. 

NewGen Administrative Services

Chitra is a CPA and MBA and a Chartered Accountant (India). She has over 10 years of cross-functional expertise in Public and Private companies. She is an expert in financial modelling, reporting and strategy planning. 

She currently works in the Healthcare industry as the VP of Finance. Responsible for the Finance department to drive the change management. Her focus is on team building and creating a cohesive finance department across 35 facilities nationally.

She collaborates with the teams to implement the best industry standards related to US GAAP accounting and Reporting requirements.
 

She also leads the post - acquisition integration, recruiting and retaining a high-performing finance team. She works with top level management executives to create and implement implement value- added strategic solutions.

Apple

Russell Mansjur is currently an Advertising Operations Specialist at Apple for the Marketing team. He graduated from

Loyola Marymount University in 2017 and previously worked at OMD USA and Hulu before joining Apple.

Northrop Grumman

Kevin Acosta, a CSUDH toro currently works for Northrop Grumman, an aerospace and defense company as a cyber systems engineer. Her transferred to CSUDH from Long Beach City College (Criminal Justice) to earn a Bachelor of Arts in Computer Technology last year.  He is currently enrolled in the CSUDH Master of Science in Cybersecurity program while working full time, and expects to graduate in 2023. 

Rancho Santiago Community College District

Al Adame is an experienced IT Technician with a  demonstrated history working in IT & Higher Education including as a lecturer. Skilled in Windows, Microsoft Office Suite, Computer Repair, Networking, Active Directory, Customer Support, & Technical Support, he has the proven ability to cut through the technical words and break down terms so everyone can understand.  Having earned an Associate’s Degree from Santa Ana College in Computer and Information Systems Security/Information Assurance and a Bachelor’s of Science in Information Technology, Computer and Information Sciences, Al is a double toro with a recent Master’s of Science from CSUDH in Cyber Security in 2021. 

The Siegfried Group

Jay graduated from Loyola Marymount University as an Accounting major in 2016 and has worked for JM Eagle, PWC, American Homes 4 Rent and Air Lease Corporation. 

He is currently working as a Manager at the Siegfried Group where he enjoys working as a consultant. He is a big proponent of work-life balance and mentorship. He is a licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA).    

Clorder, Inc.

Satish Varma serves as CEO and CMO of Clorder, Inc. an innovative cloud-based e-commerce and marketing platform like Shopify. In his leadership role at Clorder since founding in 2014, Satish has been overseeing day-to-operations, including the company’s strategic direction, marketing, and business development. 

He has successfully led the boot-strapped company to a cash-flow positive company since 2019 with gross revenues over $5.5M. Satish has over two decades of technology and management experience spanning roles at both startups as well as having served in various senior management positions at global companies. 

Satish holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration in marketing, strategy and analytical consulting from Kellogg School of Management in Chicago. He also earned a Master’s degree in software systems from BIRLA Institution of Technology and Science in Pilani, India and a Bachelor of Science degree in electronics and communications engineering from Andhra University in Visakhapatnam, India.

Satish is an active board member in startups and non-profit organizations. He gives back to the community through various volunteer roles, including those with Chicago Cares, Dreams for Kids, and beach cleanups. As a robotics coach in the past 7 years, Satish has inspired more than 100 kids in taking up STEM path. 

Co-Founder & CEO, Flourish Savings

Pedro is the co‐founder & CEO of Flourish Savings, a mission‐driven app and SaaS platform that encourages people to establish positive money habits and achieve financial security making savings feel like play.

Pedro has a unique range of financial services, retail management, product, technology and business development expertise. Prior to Flourish, he spent six years (from series D to pre‐IPO) at Oportun, a Fintech company that provides responsible loans to help the Latino community establish credit. He led and expanded the retail operations and spearheaded implementation and growth of the mobile product. Pedro was an important piece in scaling the organization from 250 to over 3500 employees. 

CIO, Refresh Investments, LLC

Pamela's investment and business career spans over 30 years, including as Senior Portfolio Manager at Northern Trust and at U.S. Trust, where she managed over $400 million in assets. She has deep experience

in multiple areas of investments, including equity research, private wealth management, and alternative strategies. Pamela worked as a Certified Public Accountant prior to her investment career with experience in both public and private accounting. 

FiveTran

Fivetran provides customers with fully automated data connectors that continuously sync data from cloud applications, databases, event logs and files in the customer’s cloud-based data warehouse. He joined the Company in May 2019 when the Company was only 130 employees, and they have since grown to 450 employees with no end to the growth in sight. At Fivetran, he manages end-toend

accounting operations and financial reporting. Prior to his professional career, he attended Loyola Marymount University (LMU), where he received my Bachelor in Science in Accounting with a minor in Applied Mathematics. He then attended Northern Arizona University

where he received by Masters in Business Administration with an emphasis in Accounting. He passed all four sections of the CPA in 2014 

Partner, CSuite Financial Partners

Kate is a Senior Management Executive whose 30-year career includes a strong background in privately held and public company financial leadership, including over 20 years in the medical device and biotech industries. As CFO or Senior Audit Executive with companies ranging from start-ups to the Fortune 200, she successfully led rapidly growing organizations, optimized capital structure, consummated M&A transactions, developed highly effective teams, processes and systems and managed effectively through challenging transitions.

PwC

Jordan is a Sr. Associate and Digital Accelerator supporting the Asset & Wealth Management Assurance practice at

PwC. As a Digital Accelerator, he works on automation software implementation and upskilling the practice through training and one‐on‐one project consultation. The son of immigrants, Jordan is originally from Boyle

Heights and attended Loyola Marymount University graduating with a degree in Accounting.

McClatchy

Christian Gutierrez is a Senior Technical Accountant at McClatchy, a newspaper publishing company providing strong,

independent local journalism to 30 communities with operations in 14 states. McClatchy is a publisher of well‐respected

brands such as the Miami Herald, The Kansas City Star, The Sacramento Bee, The Charlotte Observer, The (Raleigh) News & Observer, and the Fort Worth Star‐Telegram. Christian oversees accounting of over 120 leases company‐wide amounting to $15.5M in assets. In addition, Christian is responsible for the management of SOX compliance testing

company‐wide on a quarterly basis, and provides technical accounting support and project assistance on adoption and

application of new accounting standards to senior management and local markets. Prior to joining McClatchy in 2019, Mr. Gutierrez was a Senior Auditor with Deloitte in San Francisco. In that role, he served clients in both the Investment Management and Banking & Capital Markets industry including the second largest Private Equity firm in San Francisco and one of the largest in the world ($50.7Bn in Assets) and the eight largest bank in the world ($2.5Tn in Assets). 

Founder and National Managing Partner of CSuite Financial Partners

 Arthur Cohen is the Founder and National Managing Partner of CSuite Financial Partners, a firm dedicated to providing senior financial executive talent to companies of all sizes across all industries through a variety of flexible offerings including interim, project, and search. At CSuite, we respond to our clients’ sense of urgency and quickly find the right person, with the right experience, who can hit the ground running. Our clients have come to trust CSuite for our quality, reliability, integrity, and unique blend of client service and expertise. Arthur has more than 30 years of experience in senior financial leadership roles, starting as a MBA/CPA with Deloitte, and ultimately serving as CFO for four different companies ranging up to $500 million in revenues. He was formerly the National Managing Partner and Co-Founder of Hardesty, LLC and prior to that, Managing Partner of Tatum’s Southern California practice. His personal experience sitting in c-suite roles as well as his roles in practice leadership has helped lay the foundation for CSuite Financial Partners to provide the trusted quality and reliability that he personally expected and demanded as a financial executive.