2014-EDGE-Fellow-Biographies-with-Photos2

EDGE Fellows Biographies Class of 2014 Punkaj Ahuja is currently pursuing a Ph.D in Biomedical Engineering at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) In addition to completing his B.S and M.S at CWRU in Biomedical Engineering, he also participated in FUSION, an interdisciplinary program in design, innovation, and intellectual property management During his graduate studies, he has also worked as an independent consultant to a large diagnostic laboratory He recently co-founded a company that is developing methods for improved stent delivery and lifecycle Punkaj plans to pursue a career where he can work with businesses to develop and support effective, innovative solutions for emerging issues in a technology sector (e.g healthcare, environmental, civil, computer science) Michaela Bailey is currently attending the University of Akron where she is completing her Juris Doctorate Specializing in Human Resources and Entrepreneurship, she earned her BSBA in Business at The Ohio State University and has work experience on the corporate level with Jo-Ann Stores, Target Corporation and FedEx Custom Critical Michaela's career aspirations include working with emerging and developing companies to advise them on legal and general business concerns, as well as starting her own company In her free time, Michaela enjoys reading, watching movies, traveling, and spending time with her family and friends Catalina Briola is a 2015 Global MBA candidate at Case Western Reserve University’s Weatherhead School of Management with a concentration in Marketing Prior to her graduate education, she earned her BSBA in Marketing and International Business from Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio Her career goals include working in the marketing field as a brand or product manager for a global company in which she can combine her love of travel and different cultures with her passion for consumer behavior and product development In her free time she enjoys singing and performing any chance she can Luis Cousin currently attends Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University where he is completing his MBA He earned a B.S in Industrial Engineering with a minor in Systems Engineering at Tecnologico de Monterrey, Mexico He spent two years working in the shrimp industry in Honduras where he was able to work in many stages of the organization like production, processing, packaging, and accounting/management Luis's career aspirations include being an entrepreneur in order to have his own business and make a social impact through education, which he thinks is essential in the development of any country Luis enjoys sports, especially soccer, and he enjoys attending sporting events with his friends and family Craig Dicht is a 2015 MBA Candidate at Case Western Reserve University’s Weatherhead School of Management At CWRU’s Fowler Center for Sustainable Value, Craig authors case studies and serves as a member of the World Inquiry Editorial Board Craig’s experience includes years of progressive responsibility in conservation and non-profit management, including leading crews of AmeriCorps members on desert wilderness projects and co-founding a cooperative school in Joshua Tree, CA Craig wants to use his MBA to help small and mid-size businesses and non-profits become anchors of strong communities His passions include biking, reading, cooking, camping, and spending time with his wife and daughters Learn more by connecting with EDGE Fellows on LinkedIn EDGE Fellows Biographies Class of 2014 Adil Haider is currently a Master of Science in Finance candidate from Case Western Reserve University's Weatherhead School of Management He obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Economics with a minor in Chemistry from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign He enjoys understanding all aspects of businesses from different perspectives His business acumen and curiosity coupled with his extensive financial background will hopefully enable him to have a successful career as a strategy consultant For leisure, Adil enjoys traveling when he can and he loves to watch and play all kinds of sports, currently delving into golf Keisha Johnson received her Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Prairie View A&M University and received a Masters in City Planning and Master of Science in Public Policy from the Georgia Institute of Technology She is currently pursuing a Global MBA degree from Case Western Reserve University She has 15 years of experience in project and construction management and strategic planning In her previous position, she served as the Manager of the Strategic Business Plan (SBP) and Project Management Office for the Cleveland Division of Water She currently sits on the Board of the Famicos Community Development Corporation and serves as treasurer for the National Society of Black Engineers Northeast Ohio Alumni chapter In 2003, she started the Black Singles Network that organizes events and activities that bring single people together while introducing them to the attractions of northeast Ohio Keshia’s career aspirations include working in an innovative organization and assisting them with growth strategy and business development, and her hobbies include traveling, reading, skiing, cooking and hosting parties for her friends Tatiana Mordvinova (Granger) is an MBA candidate at the University of Akron with a concentration in International Business Passionate about foreign languages and cultures, Tatiana received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Linguistics, specializing in English and French Following graduation, Tatiana worked as a public school teacher for several years and received a Fulbright scholarship to teach at the University of Evansville Tatiana aspires to work as an analyst for a start-up or a large firm, where she can apply her communication and analytical skills Shyam Natarajan is currently completing his Masters of Science in Biomedical Engineering at Case Western Reserve University He also earned his Bachelors of Science in Biomedical Engineering from Case In the future, Shyam sees himself in a business management position, working for an engineering firm conducting groundbreaking research in the Biomedical/Biochemical field Shyam enjoys watching and playing sports, exercising, reading sci-fi novels, and music He has been heavily involved in his a cappella group Dhamakapella, who is now working on producing their second studio album Morgan Neiss is currently attending the University of Akron She is working on completing her Master’s degree in Economics She earned her undergraduate degree from Ohio Northern University, where she majored in International Business & Economics and minored in German Morgan’s career goal is to be a data analyst after graduation In her spare time, Morgan enjoys traveling, cooking, reading, and playing the piano Learn more by connecting with EDGE Fellows on LinkedIn EDGE Fellows Biographies Class of 2014 Linisha Patel received her Master’s in Engineering and Management from the Case Western Reserve University She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering from the University of Mumbai, India, and her career aspiration is to work with a company that blends creativity with analytical thinking to solve complex business problems She enjoys performing arts and has a passion for mentoring Her dream is to start an organization that provides a platform for promoting women entrepreneurs Jyoti Sharma is currently pursuing an MBA in Marketing and International business at Kent State University She has eight years of experience working with different leading companies and enjoys working in sales and marketing She received her undergraduate from Delhi University, majoring in Commerce and Accounting After obtaining her MBA, she wants to work with a global marketing firm, designing marketing strategies for its international business clients Jeffrey Stefanov is a 2014 MBA candidate at the University of Akron with a concentration in Finance His undergraduate studies consisted of a BSBA in Marketing as well as Management Information Systems from Ohio University In between his MBA and undergraduate degree, Jeffrey worked in the logistics industry specializing in account management, business development, and customer satisfaction Jeffrey has an interest in pursuing a career in consulting and business development as well as one day owning his own business Jeffrey is very involved in sports, enjoys the outdoors, and has a passion for travel Xiao (Mark) Sun currently attends the University of Akron where he is completing his Master’s in Business Administration with a concentration in Supply Chain Management He earned his Undergraduate degree in Chemical Engineering at The Ohio State University His career aspirations include using his drive for process analysis and continuous improvement While outside of academia, Mark enjoys reading, watching sports with his friends, and enjoying the fine arts with his family Learn more by connecting with EDGE Fellows on LinkedIn