I am running for reelection to the Board for the Wharton Club of the National Capital Region. Regardless of the capacity or role, I look forward to staying engaged with the club to achieve our mission to support alumni in the DC Metropolitan area. In 2018, the Wharton Alumni office connected me with the founding members of what would become the Wharton Club of the National Capital Region. From the onset, it was a refreshing and invigorating change working alongside alumni who really want to provide for the alumni in the DC metropolitan area.
As a founding member, I supported the activities of the Wharton Club of NCR, more specifically in running the fireside chats where invited Wharton alums in the area are featured in a small setting to participate in an interactive discussion with attendees. I also hosted a happy hour event at my office for alumni in the Tysons area so am experienced in helping brainstorm, plan, and execute events. I served on the Events team working alongside a hardworking group that pivoted to virtual events when COVID-19 impacted everyone. Through this effort, I was able to form relationships with Wharton Clubs across the country – Southern California, Carolinas, and Dallas.
I was fortunate to be elected to the Board in 202, and was then elected to serve as Vice President and have supported activities such as:
- Served on planning team for Wharton Climate Change conference led by Soumitra Das
- Continued to coordinate with Wharton Clubs to cross promote activities
- Drafted outline for launch of Government Affinity group (launch date originally delayed, but will happen in summer 2022)
- Coordinated activities with Advisory Board and President to support election process which our Nominating Committee will execute
In the past since, I was a member of the Wharton Club of DC and served on the Board of Directors in 2016. As an active member working to promote alumni activities in the DC metropolitan area, I also served as the Program Chair of the annual Innovation Summit from 2015 – 2017, and resigned from the Wharton Club of DC at the end of 2017.
I bring relevant skills to the Wharton Club of the National Capital Region listed below:
- I remain engaged with my undergraduate institution, Wilkes University, with alumni relations and am in consideration for the Board of Trustees
- I have served as a youth sports coach in soccer and flag football in the Ashburn, VA area
- I serve on the IT advisory board for the Carlos Rosario Charter School in Washington, DC on behalf of my company, NuAxis Innovations, to help mentor and coach students in the field of information technology
- Since 2021, I also serve on the advisory board for Evolve Impact, a Washington, DC-based coaching and organizational development firm
- From 2016 – 2017, I was a Managing Director with Surdak & Company, a strategy consulting firm where he provided hands-on guidance on the use of leading technologies Data Analytics, Big Data, Cloud, Predictive Analytics, Machine Learning, Cryptography, and Blockchain.
- From 2013 – 2016, I served as Vice President of Consulting Services at Xcelerate Solutions, where I was responsible for the organization, development, and management of the delivery personnel. I led the strategic development efforts that helped the company achieve 35% annual growth year over year. I also championed a Meetup group of 1000 members, called the Federal Big Data Working Group where we hosted a monthly discussion on Big Data initiatives across federal agencies.
- From 2012 - 2013, I was Chief Technology Officer for RF Telematics, an early-stage company focused on delivering the MedLogiq data management platform for the healthcare market.
- From 2011 - 2012, I served as the Chief Operating Officer for MedRed LLC, a Health IT start-up, which developed and sold Medical Records and Clinical Decision Support Systems to both Government and commercial markets.
- From 2003 – 2011, I served in the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer at the U.S. House of Representatives in a variety of technology leadership positions. As the Senior Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, he led 700 employees and 1,100 contractors, and oversight for the $1.4B operating budget. I received a citation in the Congressional Record in 2011 for my years of service (link here)
For my educational background, I received a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Engineering from Wilkes University and an Executive Master’s Degree from the Wharton School and School of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Pennsylvania. I was also selected to attend a program in 2009 at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government called Senior Managers in Government where I participated in case studies and discussions with senior executives in the Federal and International government.
Diversity
I am a firm believer in diversity as it helps promote a healthy blend of viewpoints which ensure that empathy is instilled in the culture of an organization. I am happy to see the side-ranging efforts to incorporate diversity, equity, and inclusion in organizations; and do believe it provides long term benefits for all. Diversity is a personal driver for me where recently I led the effort in my company to help mentor and coach students at the Carlos Rosario Charter School in Washington, DC. I also helped establish the NuAxis ServiceNow
Academy where we partnered with Howard University and Norfolk State University to promote opportunities for students attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) by providing leading edge information technology training through a 12-week immersive internship program where we are getting ready to start our 2nd cohort. Finally, I believe championing diversity is through one’s own actions and this is something I am proud to do my part.
Vision
My vision for the Wharton Club of the National Capital Region (NCR) is to build on the wealth of experience and energy we have among the team. Helping to grow our membership is a top priority, especially reaching out to recent alumni so they can get involved.
Additionally, I would like to pursue the following:
- Help to transition safely to in-person and hybrid events as we navigate to a new normal from the pandemic
- Continue to foster and grow our strong relationships with other Wharton Clubs across the country to build alliances and help our members connect with other members
- Launch the Government Affinity group in DC and elicit inputs for speakers and events
- Plan and launch an annual golf tournament for the Wharton NCR in the fall as a way to have members engage in a fun golf activity, raise funds for a charity, and help promote the club through sponsorships
I love the energy and positive team environment of the club and look forward to doing my part in any role needed to help us meet the needs of alumni in the DC Metropolitan area.