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College Success Summit

On Saturday, January 12th, The TEAK Fellowship hosted its 2nd Annual College Success Summit, an educational and enriching day filled with guest speakers, workshops, and panels geared at helping TEAK college students prepare for their next steps. TEAK is grateful for the support of our speakers and volunteers, particularly the event host, RBC Capital Markets.

 

The day featured keynote speaker, Dan-el Padilla Peralta, Assistant Professor of Classics at Princeton University and author of the 2015 memoir Undocumented: A Dominican Boy’s Odyssey from a Homeless Shelter to Ivy League. Dan-el shared his personal story of his extraordinary arc from poverty and life as an undocumented child living in a homeless shelter to the prestigious all-boys Collegiate School in Manhattan to his undergraduate experience at Princeton University and Masters and Doctorate Degrees that he earned at Oxford and Stanford Universities.

 

Through lecture, personal narrative, and a group discussion he led students through a reflection of their own experiences. Students felt inspired by his honesty and a deep connection to his story. Read more about Dan-el’s story in his NY Times feature.

 

The day also featured a welcome address from Christina Seda, TEAK alumna from Class 2 and the following workshops: Adulting 101- Budgeting in College and Adulting 201 – Budgeting for Life After College; LinkedIn Workshop hosted by LinkedIn; Diversity in the Workplace; Practice Interviews hosted by RBC; Digital Citizenship & Media Literacy; and an extensive Career Panel featuring 7 mid-level professionals across a wide array of industries who spoke candidly about their education and career paths. There were also smaller discussion groups for students interested in Law School, Medical School, and Fulbright Scholarships. View the full list of facilitators and speakers and their bios below.

 

Thank you to all of our volunteers, staff, students, and especially our host RBC, who made this event a success.

 

Volunteer and Workshop Leader Bios

ALUMNI WELCOME ADDRESS 

Christina Seda | Litigation Associate at Patterson Belknap

TEAK Class 2 alumna from The Bronx. Christina is currently a litigation associate at Patterson Belknap, and their 2017 Diversity Fellow. Prior to joining Patterson, Christina served as a clerk for Judge Nelson Roman of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. From 2014 to 2016, Christina was a member of the Litigation Department at Paul Weiss where she worked on commercial matters, and engaged in education-related pro bono work. In 2014, Christina received her J.D. from Yale Law School where she was a Co-Director of the Advocacy for Children and Youth Clinic and Vice President of the Black Law Students Association.

Christina received her B.A. in Public Policy & Law and Latin American Studies from Trinity College in 2009. Between college and law school, Christina conducted research on cultural education initiatives in Chile, South America, through the Fulbright Research Grant Program.

 

ADULTING 101: BUDGETING IN COLLEGE

David Bazile | Public Speaker, Accountant & Certified Tax Preparer

David previously worked at EHM Group LLC and GROW Brooklyn. As a presenter for Centsability, David educates individuals and businesses across a wide-range of financial literacy topics. David holds a degree in Accounting and when he’s not in the office or delivering workshops, he spends his time volunteering with Operation Hope, Junior Achievement of New York, and the WISE Foundation.

 

ADULTING 201: BUDGETING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE

Robert Kalsow-Ramos | Principal, Apollo Global Management

Robert is a Principal in Apollo Global Management’s Private Equity business based in New York. Mr. Kalsow-Ramos is responsible for the evaluation and execution of private equity transactions across a variety of sectors including financial and business services and chemicals, among others. Mr. Kalsow-Ramos joined Apollo in 2010 as an Associate and completed an international assignment (United Kingdom), before being promoted to Principal in 2014. Prior to joining Apollo, Mr. Kalsow-Ramos was an Analyst in Morgan Stanley’s Investment Banking Division from 2008 to 2010 where he worked on a broad range of strategic corporate advisory assignments and capital raisings.

Mr. Kalsow-Ramos has a Bachelor of Business Administration from the Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. Mr. Kalsow-Ramos graduated with High Honors and was recognized as a James B. Angell Scholar. While a student at the University of Michigan, he was a part-time Research Analyst at the National Quality Research Center working on the American Consumer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). Mr. Kalsow-Ramos continues to be actively involved with the University of Michigan and regularly serves as a panelist at the Stephen M. Ross School of Business.

Mr. Kalsow-Ramos currently is a member of the board of directors of West Corporation, Hexion Inc. and Momentive Performance Materials Inc. Mr. Kalsow-Ramos was previously a member of the board of directors of Noranda Aluminum (NYSE: NOR) and is actively involved with the TEAK Fellowship as co-chair of the Next Generation board and mentor. Mr. Kalsow-Ramos was recognized in as a leader in finance by Forbes in their annual 30 Under 30 list (2016) and by Business Insider as a Rising Star on Wall Street (2017).

 

DIVERSITY IN THE WORKPLACE

Chelsea Williams | College Code

Chelsea is originally from Raleigh, North Carolina. Chelsea obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Spelman College as a Jackie Robinson Scholar.

Prior to leading College Code, Chelsea served as a Vice President at Lazard Freres & Company where she managed early career talent and launched global workplace and community initiatives. Chelsea holds a diverse skill-set in talent management, compensation, employee relations, diversity and inclusion, and community affairs.
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Chelsea serves on the Northeast Scholar Advisory Selection Committee for The Jackie Robinson Foundation, on the Alumni Association for Education Pioneers, and on the College Advisory Instructor Team for SEO Scholars. An avid writer, Chelsea also contributes workplace and leadership content for The Muse, a beloved and trusted resource for crafting fulfilling careers.
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A proud resident of Harlem NYC, Chelsea is an active member of Trinity Church Harlem and the Harlem chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. When not at work, Chelsea enjoys indoor cycling, boxing, the New York City Arts Scene, podcasts, and cooking.

 

KEYNOTE ADDRESS

Dan-el Padilla Peralta | Author of Undocumented and Assistant Professor of Classics, Princeton University

Born in Santo Domingo and raised in New York City, Dan-el Padilla Peralta is Assistant Professor of Classics at Princeton University, and an affiliate faculty member of the Programs in Latino Studies and Latin American Studies and the University Center for Human Values. His 2015 memoir Undocumented: A Dominican Boy’s Odyssey from a Homeless Shelter to Ivy League (Penguin Press) received an Alex Award from the American Library Association and a Guanin Youth Literature Award from the Dominican-American National Roundtable. He has co-edited a volume on appropriation in Roman culture for Cambridge University Press (Rome, Empire of Plunder: The Dynamics of Cultural Appropriation [2017]) and publishes regularly on Roman literary and cultural history. His book on state formation and religious practice in 4thand 3rd-century BCE Roman Italy is under contract with Princeton University Press, and a co-authored book on 338 BCE and the beginnings of Roman empire is under contract with Harvard University Press.

 

LINKEDIN WORKSHOP: MAKING THE MOST OF LINKEDIN

Jason Everitt | Sales Manager, LinkedIn

I attended University of California, Santa Barbara, where I majored in political Science. I also received my Master of Arts in International Relations and Master in Public Administration from University of Southern California. My background is primarily in the nonprofit sector. I have spent my career working with organizations that specialize in economic empowerment and environmental protection. Moving to LinkedIn has allowed me to continue to pursue those interests with a very different type of organization.

Grace Rochford | Engagement Manager, LinkedIn

I attended Emerson College in Boston and majored in Theater Education. After graduating, I moved to NYC and began working in arts nonprofits. As my career progressed I took on leadership roles within the nonprofit industry. Outside of work, my interest in technology grew. I made the career shift into the start-up industry with a company that focused on connecting volunteers with nonprofit organizations. I have since started working at LinkedIn, where I work with nonprofits to help them better leverage their networks for change.

 

DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP & MEDIA LITERACY

Nate Green | Information Specialist & Instructional Coach, Flint Hill School

Nate serves as the Information Specialist and Instructional Coach at Flint Hill School in Virginia where he teaches a course on social media. He speaks at schools and conferences to promote what he calls “passion-based learning through social media.” To Nate, social media represents a valuable yet under-appreciated tool to develop curious and insightful lifelong learners. His instruction focuses on training savvy, informed, and responsive digital citizens—digital citizens who learn online and are understood as such by building robust digital portfolios that benefit them in school and beyond.

 

CAREER PANEL

David Andersson | Jr Project Manager, NYC Department of Housing Preservation & Development

David joined Bloomberg Associates in November 2018. As a member of the Cultural Assets Management team, he advises cities in their efforts to support their local arts and cultural communities. Offering guidance in equitable grantmaking, program development and evaluation, non-profit governance, and public art investments, he helps municipal arts agencies to strengthen their cities’ cultural ecologies and promote vibrant art experiences for all of their residents and visitors.

Prior to joining Bloomberg Associates, David worked as the Director of Special Projects for the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, where he helped manage the City’s Cultural Development Fund, an open, competitive grant program that awarded roughly $50 million to over 900 cultural nonprofits each year. In addition to overseeing the annual application and reporting processes, he selected peer panelists and led funding panels, analyzed extensive data about the City’s arts organizations and their programming, and collaborated frequently with other City agencies around the development and evaluation of special initiatives.

David is a member of the Next Generation Board for the TEAK Fellowship, an educational enrichment program for high-achieving students from underserved communities in NYC. He holds an undergraduate degree from Harvard University, and is a practicing visual artist.

 

Andrew Fine | Executive Director of Fair Housing Policy & Investments

Andrew is a graduate of Harvard College and the New York University School of Law. After law school, he worked at the New York City Law Department for three years, where he gave legal advice to the Mayor’s office and many City agencies and drafted local, state, and federal legislation. In 2017, he clerked for a federal judge in Albany, and he recently returned to New York City to work for the Department of Housing Preservation & Development, where he is the Executive Director of Fair Housing Policy & Investments. He is married to David Andersson, a proud TEAK mentor.

 

Angel Acosta | Doctor of Education, Ed.D. in Curriculum & Instruction

Angel is currently pursuing his Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Curriculum & Instruction at Teachers College of Columbia University. While working towards his Ed.D., Angel continues to serve as Program Director at College for Every Student, where he has worked with over 90 schools creating college-going cultures. Angel pays a particular focus to schools in NYC but provides support in other areas throughout the country. Through staff and student leadership development, Angel helps schools marshall the necessary resources to increase access to higher education by implementing the CFES core practices–mentoring, leadership through service and pathways to college.

 

Jackson Patterson | Consultant, EY LLP

Jackson is a consultant in the FSO Advisory Services practice of EY LLP and engages in work across sub-service lines as part of the Business Advisory Program (BAP). He graduated from Colgate University with a degree in Economics and joined EY full time in September 2017. Jackson is passionate about teamwork and client engagement. He has demonstrated strong time management, leadership, communication, and teaming skills throughout his professional, academic, and athletic endeavors.

 

Christina Segerholm | Software Engineer for Google Maps

Christina is a software engineer for Google maps. Christina works on a backend infrastructure team that stores all the data used to generate maps. Christina started working at Google in September of 2017 where she joined as an Engineering Resident. She graduated from Rutgers New Brunswick University with BS in Electrical and Computer Engineering. She has a double major in Computer Science and a minor in Economics. Christina played for for the Rutgers Women’s Club Ice Hockey team and built houses with the Habitat for Humanity club. Previously she worked as a software developer for TD Ameritrade and AT&T. Christina really enjoyed teaching as a TA for Computer Science at Rutgers. She also worked as a camp counselor (which was her favorite job), and both a busboy and waitress for Carrabba’s Italian Grille.

Christina is very into fitness, she plays in a street hockey league, take HIIT classes, and teach a weekly body pump class. She is currently teaching myself how to play the drum set. Her best song is “Say It Ain’t So” by Weezer. Christina is also a mentor for TEAK. She has a lovely seventh grade mentee who she is currently teaching how to ice skate. She’s a huge fan of coffee and chicken (not together though).

 

Jenny Hirsch | Director, Product Management, Work & Co

At Work & Co, Jenny is focused on launching breakthrough digital products that people use every day. She has led enterprise builds, mobile app development, and strategic frameworks for clients including CAVA, Planned Parenthood, Google, and Lowe’s Home Improvement. Prior to working at agencies including Huge, AKQA, and R/GA, she worked in the health policy program at the Nathan Cummings Foundation. She has a BA in Dramatic Art of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

 

Kristen Askin | Associate, Securities Division, Goldman Sachs

Kristen is an associate in the Securities Division at Goldman Sachs in New York. She interned at Goldman Sachs in the summer of 2012, and has been with the firm full time since graduating from Cornell University in 2013. At Goldman she is a member of the Women’s Network and Asian Professionals Network. She is also serves as an officer on the alumni board for her collegiate business fraternity, Delta Sigma Pi. Outside of these activities, she enjoys reading, yoga and traveling.

 

LAW SCHOOL DISCUSSION

Denisha Bacchus | Law Clerk, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of NY

Denisha is a law clerk at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. She serves on the New York Bar Association’s International Law Committee and has previously worked at the UN’s Counterterrorism Division, the State Department’s Office of the Legal Adviser, the law firm O’Melveny & Myers, and the Department of Justice, where she received an Assistant Attorney General Award for her work. Denisha attended M.S. 226 and Elmont Memorial Junior-Senior High School, went on to college at Columbia University, and received her law degree from Yale Law School. She enjoys traveling, hiking, singing and listening to jazz, mentoring other low-income and first-generation college students, and hanging out with her TEAK mentee, Isabella.

Christina Seda | Litigation Associate at Patterson Belknap

TEAK Class 2 alumna from The Bronx. Christina is currently a litigation associate at Patterson Belknap, and their 2017 Diversity Fellow. Prior to joining Patterson, Christina served as a clerk for Judge Nelson Roman of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. From 2014 to 2016, Christina was a member of the Litigation Department at Paul Weiss where she worked on commercial matters, and engaged in education-related pro bono work. In 2014, Christina received her J.D. from Yale Law School where she was a Co-Director of the Advocacy for Children and Youth Clinic and Vice President of the Black Law Students Association.

Christina received her B.A. in Public Policy & Law and Latin American Studies from Trinity College in 2009. Between college and law school, Christina conducted research on cultural education initiatives in Chile, South America, through the Fulbright Research Grant Program.

 

MEDICAL SCHOOL DISCUSSION

Tarif Chowdhury | MD, NYP Hospital – Columbia Presbyterian

Tarif was born and raised in Queens, NY and completed all of his education in NYC, from Stuyvesant High School to NYU for his undergraduate studies. Tarif went on to attend medical school in the Bronx, at Albert Einstein College of Medicine – affiliated with Montefiore Medical Center. He recently completed his residency in Anesthesiology at Columbia University’s campus of NYP Hospital.

 

FULBRIGHT DISCUSSION

Tony Claudino | Lead, Student Outreach, Partnerships & Communications for Fulbright

Tony is currently the Lead of Student Outreach, Partnerships, and Communications for the Fulbright Student Program. Previously, Mr. Claudino was Head of Outreach & Recruitment at IIE representing over 30 programs. In terms of Fulbright U.S. Student Program, Mr. Claudino has extensive experience in recruitment, publicity, and shaping the program over the last ten years. Mr. Claudino has worked in Brno, Czech Republic as founder and director of the TESOL Teacher Education Program at Masaryk University. He also was a lecturer in the university’s English Department and a coordinator at Masaryk University’s International Office. Mr. Claudino holds a B.A. from Middlebury College and an M.A. from the Universidade Aberta, Lisbon and an MPA in Public and Nonprofit Management and Policy at NYU.

 

ADDITIONAL VOLUNTEERS

Sang Park | Partner, Igicom LLC

Sang is a software engineer with extensive experience and management skills and is a partner at Igicom LLC. He is responsible for architecting, and managing the development process for dozens of projects. He has a passion for sports (baseball in particular) and statistical learning, and founded Benchcoach.com in 2007 which applied statistical analysis to Fantasy Baseball leagues to help predict outcomes. He received a Masters degree in Computer Science from New York University and a Bachelors in Science degree in Chemical Engineering from Brown University.

Lauren Lampen | Consultant, OTH Strategies

Lauren is a consultant with OTH Strategies, a strategic communications firm that provides corporate brand strategy counsel to some of the world’s most admired companies. She joined the company in 2017, with a focus on corporate reputation and thought leadership programs.

In her role as a consultant prior to joining OTH, Lauren has led integrated marketing and communications programs for clients in a range of industries. Projects included branding and design, corporate messaging, content creation and digital marketing. Previously she worked with corporate clients at Edelman Public Relations in Washington, DC and New York. Her work included reputation management, thought leadership and media relations for clients in the professional services and financial services industries.

Lauren is a graduate of Lehigh University with a degree in Finance.