AlumCONNECT 

Join us for AlumConnect, a series all about the unique people and experiences that make the Wellesley alumnae network (or the W Network for short!) the strongest women’s network in the world. Comprised of 35,000+ brilliant, multi-faceted alumnae (globally!), the W Network is a cornerstone of the Wellesley experience and a conduit for mentorship, networking, and professional opportunity. 

In this series, you’ll hear from awe-inspiring Wellesley alums who are changing their communities and fields in impactful ways (both big and small!). Each themed session will feature 30 minutes of focused conversation and 30 minutes of Q&A time. Come learn about paths to your professional aspirations, envision how the Wellesley alumnae network can buoy your future goals and plans, and get your questions answered by the people who have walked this path before you. We're continually adding to the growing list of panelists who are participating in AlumConnect, so check back often!

 

Wellesley Alums in Health Professions
10/16/2021 07:00 PM 

The skills developed by Wellesley’s liberal arts education—critical thinking, problem solving, focused service, and effective communication—are highly valued within the health professions. This panel of alumnae will share how their Wellesley experience, including the strong health professions advising, equipped them to make a difference in their field.

Panelist Information

	Stephanie H. Chan '08, President of the Women’s Inclusion Network, Blue Cross Blue Shield  Stephanie H. Chan was pre-med while studying biology at Wellesley. It was during a summer internship at a hospital where she discovered that she didn't like being with patients. With some self-reflection, she discovered the field of public health where she could help lots of people without seeing them face-to-face. After starting out as a public health researcher, she’s held several roles in hospital administration, analytics, and program management. In addition to her love of all things statistical, Stephanie is President of the Women’s Inclusion Network, an employee resource group at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts.
	Mehreen Iqbal '09, Pediatric Cardiologist Mehreen Iqbal studied biochemistry and economics at Wellesley then pursued a career in medicine. She currently resides in the San Francisco Bay Area where she has been completing her medical training at Stanford, most recently an advanced fellowship in pediatric heart failure/transplant. A passion for domestic and global health disparities led Mehreen to medical school, and dictate her career goals to this day and she is focused on bringing equitable cardiac care for all children determined to close the gap in outcomes across race and socioeconomic status.
	Julia Meade '05, Pediatric Oncologist, UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh Julia Meade is a pediatric oncologist at the UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh. She specializes in caring for children with genetic predispositions to cancer and children with Neurofibromatosis. Julia enjoys inspiring Wellesley alumnae interested in medicine
	Anna Pisac '17, Medical Student, Mayo Clinic Anna Pisac studied chemistry and played softball at Wellesley. She spent two years working for a biotechnology start-up in Boston, MA before beginning medical school at Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, AZ. Anna is currently a third year medical student and serves as a delegate for her school on the Arizona Medical Association's Governing Council.
	Allyson Solorzano '02, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Ali studied architecture while at Wellesley and initially worked in the field of urban and campus planning. However, had she listened to her inner voice, she truly always had her heart set on medicine. Ali took a circuitous route to get there - raising three children while chipping away at her coursework. She is very enthusiastic about her role in pediatric primary care, addressing a wide range of health issues in children from birth through college. After some very long days, Ali still leaves work knowing she's in the right place.
	Karen Yokoo '82, Plastic Surgeon  Dr. Karen Yokoo, worked as a pediatric plastic surgery with Kaiser Permanente, Northern California, for 22 years. Over the last half of her career, she dedicated her time and energy towards working with transgender and non-binary individuals towards improved health and quality of life, by using her plastic surgical skills, leadership, and research experience to improve medical care.

 

The Wellesley Network—It’s Global! 
10/24/2021 08:30 AM 

Wellesley’s alum network is the most powerful women’s network—in the world. Join us to meet inspiring alums from around the globe and to hear about the global reach of the Wellesley alum community.

Panelist Information

	Savitri Alvarez Restrepo '16, Senior Manager, Worker Engagement & Programs, ELEVATE Global Savitri Restrepo majored in International Relations – Political Science and minored in Chinese Language and Literature. After graduation in 2016, Savitri moved to China to pursue a master’s degree at Tsinghua University as a Schwarzman Scholar, and currently calls Hong Kong home. Savitri works at ELEVATE, a leading global risk and sustainability solutions consultancy, where she leads programs on supply chain sustainability and modern slavery. Savitri is a native of Colombia, a graduate of the Li Po Chun United World College (UWC) of Hong Kong, a 2016 Albright Fellow, and a 2017 McKinsey NGWL Scholar.
	Anissa Bouziane '87, Educator, Writer, and Literary Practice and Creative Writing Doctoral Candidate at the University of Warwick Born in the United States to a Moroccan father and a French mother, Anissa M. Bouziane is an English language novelist, filmmaker and educator. Her debut novel, Dune Song has been published to critical acclaim in the US by Interlink Publishing, in the UK by Sandstone Press, in France by Les Editions du Mauconduit. Dune Song was awarded the Special Jury Prize in 2017 for the Prix Littèraire Sofitel Tour Blanche. A graduate of Columbia University’s School of the Arts, with a Masters of Fine Arts in Fiction Writing, Anissa also holds a Bachelors Degree in Political Science from Wellesley College, and a Certificate in Film from New York University. She lives and teaches in Paris, and is currently completing a doctorate in Literary Practice and Creative Writing at the University of Warwick and working on her next novel.
	Selena Malla '02, Country Program Manager, Australia Awards Nepal Selena Malla was an international student at Wellesley College. She returned home to Kathmandu, Nepal, where she has worked on international education opportunities for Nepali students, first managing operations of a US State Department funded advising center for students wanting to study in the United States, and currently serving as Country Program Manager for Australia Awards Nepal. She believes in the transformative power of international education and works toward opening access to educational opportunities.
	Ana Sacristán '85, Math Researcher and Professor Ana Isabel Sacristán studied Mathematics at Wellesley, but she was also passionate about Astronomy. She lives in her Mexico City, Mexico, where she has been a researcher and professor of Mathematics Education for over 30 years (having earned a PhD in that field in the UK). She is also very interested in complementary medicines, yoga and spirituality and earned a MS in Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine in 2017. She has been a Wellesley volunteer and admission representative in Mexico for over 25 years.
	Tema Shongwe '20, Analyst and Consultant, International Economics Tema Shongwe was a UWC Davis Scholar who studied Economics and French Cultural Studies at Wellesley. She is from Eswatini but now lives and works in the Boston area as an analyst at an international economics consulting firm. At work, she primarily provides consulting services to big law firms and Fortune 500 companies, but she is also involved in a pro-bono project assisting Partners in Health to understand the prevalence of sexual and gender-based violence in Haiti. Outside of work, she is a member of a network of young Swazi women in the diaspora who came together last year to raise funds in an effort to address the education access and success gap in Eswatini widening as a result of the COVID pandemic.
	Christine Wu '97 Christine graduated from Wellesley with a double degree in Economics and International Relations. She has worked in investment banking, technology, marketing as well as consulting. She is currently based in Shanghai and enjoys raising and traveling with her family of third culture kids.

 

Wellesley Alums in Science, Technology, and Public Health 
11/06/2021 08:00 PM 

Complex problems. Big questions. Investigation and inquiry. In-depth research. Long-term solutions. Innovation and creativity. These are all hallmarks of a Wellesley education—and all key indicators of success across STEM fields. Join a group of Wellesley alums currently working at the very cutting edge of their STEM and Public Health fields to learn how their Wellesley experiences got them there.

Panelist Information

	Abena Asare '18, Public Health Masters Candidate, UC Berkeley Abena Asare studied Psychology with a minor in Health & Society at Wellesley, which inspired her to pursue a career in public health. She lives in Oakland, CA and is currently completing her Masters in Public Health at UC Berkeley in Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health. She moved to the west coast shortly after graduation to work at Prevention Institute, a public health non-profit where she worked with communities across the countries on projects related to intimate partner violence prevention, mental wellbeing, and overall safety. She is passionate about addressing and eliminating health disparities.
	Subha Baniya '19, Research Associate, Celsius Therapeutics Subha Baniya was a UWC Davis Scholar who graduated from Wellesley in 2019 with a degree in Biochemistry. She is passionate about precision medicine, and is currently working as a research associate at Celsius Therapeutics in Boston, MA. Her research is primarily focused on cancer drug discovery, and she hopes to pursue graduate studies in translational science in the near future.
	Gloria Chyou Crawford '98, Co-Founder & COO, InitialView Gloria Chyou Crawford is the co-founder and COO of InitialView, a video platform that provides students an opportunity to insert their voice into the application process in a credible and transparent fashion. Originally from Seattle, she spent over 12 years in Beijing, and is now based in Atlanta, where in addition to running her global company she also “manages” her three kids and co-founder husband. Gloria received her undergrad degree from Wellesley College in psychology and her masters in education from Harvard University.
	Katie Eyring '14, Post-Doctoral Researcher, University of California, Los Angeles Katie Eyring was introduced to scientific research while a student at Wellesley. After majoring in neuroscience, she went onto a doctoral program in neuroscience at New York University. Katie is now a post-doctoral researcher at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
	Amy  Huang '99, Director of Onsite Technical Support, Marsh and McLennan Companies Amy Huang has over 20 years of experience in commercial and government organizations across financial, health, education, and information technology industries. As an IT professional, she has led focused agile teams and global organizations to develop and implement strategic planning frameworks, accomplish strategic initiatives, deliver enterprise-wide system enhancements as well as strengthen operations. Currently, Amy is a Director, Onsite Technical Support at Marsh and McLennan Companies, leading 40+ technology professionals supporting 5,800+ colleagues in 90+ locations in 4 countries. In all of her roles, Amy has served as a diversity and inclusion champion to create a culture of belonging where everyone’s potential can be unleashed. She has been a mentor for the Wellesley in Washington Program since 2009, a speaker at events from United Way Worldwide to the University of Maryland, and in 2020 an elected member to the Wellesley College Alumnae Association Board of Directors.
	Jennifer Peterson '10, Strategic Engagement Manager Jennifer Peterson has held a number of roles in the technology sector, spanning data analytics, digital strategy, and consulting. Prior, she spent time in the advertising industry, building brands for Fortune 500 clients. She studied Economics and Mathematics at Wellesley and pursued an MBA at Yale.

 

Wellesley Alums in the Business World
11/14/2021 07:00 PM 

Wellesley has a stellar tradition of alumnae finding success in Business, Entrepreneurship, Consulting, and Finance. Join this session to hear a few of these alums share how Wellesley’s liberal arts education positioned them for success in the business world.

Panelist Information

	Lily Armstrong '20, Economist Lilly Armstrong studied Economics and Chinese Language & Culture at Wellesley, as an international student from Australia. During her time at Wellesley, she undertook internships in Asia through Career Education, which inspired her to start her career in Hong Kong. She is currently completing a rotational graduate program in a bank, and enjoys seeing her liberal arts degree in action everyday.
	Kelly Feintech '06, Director of Strategy, Bacardi North America Kelly Feintech was a Political Science and French double major at Wellesley. It was through incredible opportunities such as Wellesley in Africa, studies in France, and friendships cultivated with peers from around the world that she was inspired to pursue a career in global business. With an MBA in Global Business, Kelly has a progressive career in Strategy and Business Transformation, currently serving as Bacardi North America’s Director of Strategy. She has guided Fortune 100 companies, family owned privately held companies, as well as start-ups through multiple transformations by supporting organizational and employee readiness. Additionally, Kelly is committed to giving back to her community, serving on the Board of the Miami Alumnae Chapter and the Board of the South Florida chapters for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
	Monique Gibbons '79, Consultant & Business Owner Monique Maas Gibbons studied Near Eastern Archaelogy, and worked for many years in the Museum field as an Art Registrar. After her last child went off to college, she started two personal businesses: working as a consultant Administrative Coordinator for ABA therapy offices and as the owner of a promotional products company. Monique lives in the Los Angeles area and values her time as a community volunteer focusing on women and children’s issues.
	Lamisa Hossain '17,  Associate, The BlackStone Group Lamisa Hossain was a Davis UWC Scholar and graduated in 2017 with a double major in Economics and Political Science. Her senior year, Lamisa was President of Slater International Student Organization, participated in the Albright Institute over Wintersession, and wrote an Honors thesis on the impact of British imperial legacy on Bangladeshi education. She has been living in New York City for the past four years, and works on the Data Science team at Blackstone; she also volunteers on the CSR board of Pencils of Promise, a for-purpose organization promoting access to education globally.
	Erika Woods Kedem '05, Vice President of Global Marketing, Bumble and bumble Erika Woods currently works as the Vice President of Global Marketing at Bumble and bumble (part of The Estee Lauder Companies). She most recently led US and Global Marketing for COVERGIRL at Coty Beauty and Procter & Gamble in New York City. Erika started her career in Brand Management at Procter & Gamble. She previously worked as a Sales Trader on Wall Street at Lehman Brothers. Erika has an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business and a BA in Economics and Spanish from Wellesley College. Serving Wellesley is an honor for Erika as it made such a huge, positive impact on her life.

 

Wellesley Alums in Government, International Affairs, and Law
12/5/2021 07:00 PM 

Wellesley students are passionate about making a difference in the world—a passion that often leads Wellesley alums to careers at NGOs, think tanks, or government agencies. Join us to hear from trailblazing alumnae who effect change on the local, national, and global level through their work in politics, activism, law, and government work

Panelist Information

	Scarlett Kao '16, Environmental Sustainability Advocate, Wellesley College Alumnae Association Scarlett Kao studied International Relations – Economics at Wellesley with a goal of pursuing a career in international development. She is passionate about driving positive environmental and social impact and currently works in the areas of environmental sustainability and energy access. She has volunteered with various environmental, education, and performing arts organizations, and currently serves as the Website Chair for the Wellesley Class of 2016 Class Council.
	Betty Ng '95, Equal Employment Opportunity Officer Betty Ng double majored in American Studies and Chinese Studies at Wellesley, taking advantage of Wellesley’s opportunities to try different activities (Photography Editor at Legenda, cultural clubs, etc.). After teaching at a nonprofit, she studied law and became an attorney for the NJ Attorney General’s Office. Betty is now an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Officer in NJ government and takes pride in enforcing anti-discrimination policy at her agency. She is currently the President of the Central NJ alum club.
	Tere Ramos '93, Education, Disability, and Civil Rights Attorney Tere Ramos is an education, disability and civil rights attorney at Ramos Law LLC. She focuses her practice on special education and Social Security disability law. Her life’s mission is to seek justice for low- and moderate-income families and those who are often underserved by the legal system. Prior to law school and her work as an education advocate, received a Masters in Foreign Service from Georgetown University and worked around the world in economic development and intellectual property rights. At Wellesley Tere majored in Romance Languages.

 

Wellesley in the Arts, Architecture, Communication, and Media
12/12/2021 07:00 PM 

Wellesley alumnae pursue careers in the arts, communication, and media across a wide array of industries—from museums, civic arts and urban planning councils, schools, and other non-profits, to lifestyle start-ups, Fortune 500 companies, and everywhere in between. Join us to hear how a Wellesley education prepares graduates for this exciting and fulfilling work.

Panelist Information

	Shannon Hasenfratz '16, Urban Planner/Designer Shannon Hasenfratz studied Art History and Architecture at Wellesley, and has spent the past five years working as a campus planner for a design firm in Boston, MA. Shannon has recently returned to her studies at MIT, where she'll be pursuing a masters in city planning with a focus on transportation planning and historic preservation.
	Rasheea Hall '99, Standards and Practices Vice President Rasheea (Williams) Hall studied Psychology at Wellesley and went on to get a master's degree in broadcast journalism from Columbia University in NYC. She is a 17-year Standards and Practices vet. In this position, she ensures her network complies with FCC rules. Outside of work, she's a proud mom of two spirited, young daughters and a volunteer NICU "cuddler" in a local hospital.
	Jeannine Otis '74, Performing Arts Professional Jeannine Otis studied sociology and musicology at Wellesley which inspired her to combine the two disciplines in using art as a tool for Social outreach and Change in communities that are labeled 'at-risk". She is also an international acclaimed performer/ recording artist. Jeannine takes pride in the fact that the work she does helps build bridges and set the stage for constructive changes that are lasting and healing through the arts.
	Jessica Sirizzotti '10, Product Manager, Wellthy Jess Planos Sirizzotti studied everything she could at Wellesley, combining her love of physics, art, and history into an Architecture major. Her experience producing plays with the Shakespeare Society and an internship at the Davis Museum led her to PR/Marketing in museums. That turned into managing docents, then customer support teams, and now her current role: wrangling product deliverables for a tech-meets-social-good company. She was recently LGBTQ Events Chair for the NYC Wellesley Club and the inaugural VP for Programming for the Wellesley Alum Pride Alliance (WAPA).
	Jane Vaughan '18, Journalism Masters Student, Northwestern University Jane Vaughan studied English and Art History at Wellesley. She is a journalist and has worked as a newspaper reporter, producer for a daily radio show, and radio reporter. Jane is currently getting her Master's in Journalism from Northwestern's Medill School of Journalism in Chicago.

FACULTY-STUDENT ROUNDTABLES

Dive into all things academic at Wellesley with one of our Faculty-Student Roundtables.

VIRTUAL EVENTS WITH INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERS

Want to connect with us and learn more about Wellesley and some of our peer institutions? Join us at one of our group travel events! These unique visit opportunities allow you to hear from more than just Wellesley College during your college search process. Check out the events below, some of which may require registration with a peer institution.