Debbie Millin is a globally recognized executive and board director specializing in guiding early-stage to mid-market technology companies through critical high-growth phases. Renowned for her ability to rapidly scale companies from a concept to multi-billion dollar valuations, she leverages over 25 years of operational expertise to drive strategic innovation.

As the CEO and Founder of UpperLevel Solutions, Debbie partners with CEO —especially first-time founders —to scale companies using a combination of technology and humanity. Her expertise is rooted in direct operating experience, leading two separate companies to achieve the distinction of being the #1 fastest-growing company in Massachusetts demonstrating her proven, repeatable framework for growth.

Debbie was the founding Chief Operating Officer at Globalization Partners (G-P), where she helped create the global employment solutions industry. She scaled G-P from a startup to a remarkable $4.2 billion valuation in under six years. In this role, she grew the organization from 3 people to over 1,100 global employees and managed more than $1 billion in annual recurring revenue, earning the company widespread recognition as a Female-Led Unicorn of 2022 (Crunchbase) and securing a place on the Inc. 5000 list as the #6 Fastest Growing Company in America.

Debbie is a visionary leader who drives financial success with foundational strength, having worked across every department through the course of her career. She has a unique, multi-sector perspective, having worked with innovators across AI, biotech/life sciences, health-tech, HR-tech, legal tech, and fintech to deliver tremendous corporate value, exceptional customer satisfaction, and a thriving global culture.

Deeply embedded in the Boston AI and entrepreneurial community, Debbie is passionate about fostering innovation. She is a frequent speaker and writer on topics including rapid growth, the future of work, AI, and leadership, with her insights featured in publications such as The Economist, Entrepreneur.com, Forbes.com, and the Harvard Business Review.

Debbie has served as an Independent Board Director for multiple technology companies, including her current roles with Neosoma (an oncology software company) and The Stellix Group (transforming manufacturing in energy and life sciences). Her current non-profit board affiliations include serving as a Trustee for the Boston Museum of Science (where she serves on the Executive Committee, Nominating Committee, and Co-Chairs the Advancement Committee), an Advisor for Special Olympics of Massachusetts, an Advisor and Lead Entrepreneur-in-Residence for the Bentley University Entrepreneurship Hub, and a member of the Harvard Business School Alumni Board.

Debbie is an alumna of the Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program (AMP) and has a B.S. in Business Management from Bentley University.

Allison Werder is the Assistant Dean of Marketing & Communications and Chief Marketing Officer at the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst. She also serves as an adjunct faculty member, teaching an undergraduate course in Brand Strategy each semester.

Before joining Isenberg, Allison built a multifaceted career in media, working with major national brands in New York City, including People and Money at Time Inc., as well as Condé Nast/Advance Media. She later served as President of MassLive Media, where she helped lead the organization’s growth into the largest news and information website in New England.

Allison is deeply engaged in the Western Massachusetts entrepreneurship ecosystem. She co-founded WIT: Women Innovators and Trailblazers, a funding and mentoring organization supporting women-led startups and served as a founding board member of Valley Venture Mentors, the region’s startup accelerator and a partner of Isenberg’s Berthiaume Center on the Collegiate Summer Venture Program. As an angel investor, she has advised and backed multiple early-stage startups across the region.

Earlier in her career, Allison held roles in corporate finance, transportation planning, and political consulting. She has run for public office and served on numerous regional boards and charitable organizations.

A native of Western Pennsylvania, Allison earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame and an MBA from Georgetown University. She lives in Longmeadow, Massachusetts with her husband, two teenagers, a German shepherd, and a cat. On weekends, she can often be found trail running, skiing, or golfing—enthusiastically, if not always skillfully.

Bri is an audit senior manager in EY’s Boston office with over 12 years of experience coordinating the strategy, execution, and management of public and private financial statement audits to both emerging growth and large multinational companies. She also serves part-time in the firm’s Quality Network.

Bri has served and currently serves biotechnology and pharmaceutical clients in the life sciences industry in the New England market.

In serving her clients, Bri has gained extensive experience assisting with various business and accounting issues, including, revenue recognition, consolidations and VIE assessments, business combinations, debt and equity arrangements, leases, impairments and stock compensation. Bri’s experience includes working on clients on various registration filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as well as significant merger and acquisition transactions. She has worked on a variety of financing transactions including IPO/SPAC transactions and secondary offerings.

Bri graduated from the University of Massachusetts Amherst with a BA in Accounting and is a CPA in Massachusetts and member of the AICPA.

Bri lives in the Northshore of MA with her husband, 7-month-old son and 5-year-old lab mix.

Rachel is a Director in RSM's Risk Consulting practice in Boston, starting with the firm after graduating from the Isenberg School of Management with a Bachelor's degree in Accounting in 2015. Rachel assists organizations with Sarbanes-Oxley implementation and on-going compliance assessments, with a focus in the life sciences industry. In addition, she serves as a subject matter expert for RSM SEC audits. Rachel serves as the co-chair of RSM's SOX Methodology Steering Committee, overseeing guidance and templates utilized across all of RSM's SOX engagements. Outside of RSM, Rachel serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the Greater Boston chapter of the Institute of Internal Auditors.

Carolyn is a Partner in Grant Thornton LLP’s Accounting Principles Group, part of the National Office of Professional Practice for Assurance Servcies, out of the Boston office. In this role, Carolyn works with audit teams and clients as a subject matter expert across several accounting topics including leasing, revenue, segment reporting, and impairment. Between 2020 and 2022 Carolyn served as a Professional Practice Fellowship at the Financial Accounting Standards Board, where she worked on accounting standard-setting projects for revenue, leasing, goodwill, and digital assets.

Carolyn graduated from the University of Massachusetts – Amherst in 2009 with an accounting degree, and began her career with Grant Thornton in the Boston audit practice, serving clients manufacturing, food and beverage, and not-for-profit industries. Carolyn has been an active leader of Grant Thornton’s Women’s Business Resource Group throughout her career, and in 2023 was named one of the Massachusetts Society of CPAs’ 2023 “Women to Watch – Emerging Leaders”. In her free time she enjoys travel, scuba diving, and cross-stitching.

Victoria Vega is a recognized leader in contract foodservice with over 30 years of experience. As Senior Vice President at CCL Hospitality Group, she drives innovation in resident dining for elder communities.

In 2020, she was awarded the hospitality industry’s highest honor as recipient of the IFMA Silver Plate for Business & Industry Foodservice Management heralding her outstanding contributions to the advancement of corporate dining. A past president of the Society for Hospitality & Foodservice Management, she launched the SHFM Diversity & Inclusion Council and introduced the Rising Star Award. Victoria was honored with the Richard Ysmael Distinguished Service Award for her dedication to workplace hospitality, the SHFM President’s Award and has received an honorary Doctorate of Foodservice from NAFEM.

Victoria supports the Hospitality Tourism Management Department at the Isenberg School of Business at the University of Massachusetts Amherst as the incoming Chair of the Alumni Leadership Board. She has addressed hundreds of undergraduates and faculty as the Keynote Speaker for the Women of Isenberg Conference and guest lectures every semester. Receiving the Stephen Elmont Award is the highlight of her academic legacy.

Amy Reichard is a Vice President and the Head of N.A. Buyside Account Management at Broadridge Financial Solutions. Amy joined Broadridge in 2020 as an Account Manager servicing hedge funds, long only funds, state treasurers, fund administrators and CLO & Private Debt managers. Amy was promoted to lead the Account Management Team in 2022.

Amy has 30+ years of financial services industry experience with her first 14 years at Goldman Sachs specializing in small cap stock trading and equity sales trading. She has also held senior positions at Bank of America Merril Lynch and Bloomberg in both New York and San Francisco and holds her MBA from NYU Stern.

Amy has focused on leadership development and mentorship as Head of Firmwide Recruiting for NYU Stern when at Goldman Sachs and by initiating the San Francisco Women's Leadership Networks at both Bank of America and Bloomberg. At Broadridge, Amy is Co Head of Communications for the Veterans and First Responders Network and serves on the STANY (Security Traders Association of New York) Board and Co Leads STANY WIF (Women in Finance).

Amy lives in New York City with her dog, Pie.

Danielle Major graduated from the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst in 2022 with a BBA in Operations & Information Management, a minor in Psychology, and a certificate in Data Analytics.

While at UMass, Danielle was a member of the Women of Isenberg Conference Planning Committee and the Isenberg Women in Business Club, and worked on campus as a Resident Assistant and at the Recreation Center. As a student, she completed an internship at RSM US LLP and has been with the Firm since graduating.

Danielle is a Senior Associate in RSM’s Technology Risk Consulting practice. Over the past 4 years, she has provided compliance audit and consultation services related to IT general controls for a variety of public and private sector entities across many industries, including banking, manufacturing, and pharmaceuticals.

Danielle is a strong advocate for mentorship, recognizing the mutual benefits it offers to both mentors and mentees. She actively participates in mentoring programs and recruiting efforts within RSM aiming to inspire and support the next generation of leaders. Danielle believes that mentorship fosters personal and professional growth, enhances skills, and builds lasting relationships.

Originally from Andover, MA, Danielle now resides in Somerville, MA. Outside of her professional life, she enjoys traveling, running, attending spin and yoga classes, reading, and spending quality time with her friends and family.

Tiffany Greene is a Career & Leadership Coach who partners with clients navigating career and life transitions to approach work and life with choice and intention. Drawing on 25 years as an HR leader and executive, she brings a guiding principle that people make companies—not the other way around.

Through a holistic and intuitive approach, Tiffany helps professionals find clarity, confidence, and purpose while uncovering patterns that may hold them back. Her work blends career development expertise with compassionate change facilitation to support lasting growth and self-awareness.

A Professional Certified Coach through the International Coaching Federation and certified in the Energy Leadership Index™ Assessment, Tiffany is also a lifelong learner and psychology enthusiast. She finds inspiration behind the camera, capturing the beauty of nature—and treasures her role as “Mom” as her children step into adulthood. Her son Adam is graduating from the Isenberg School (Sports Management and Marketing dual major) in Spring 2026. Tiffany is also a career coach with the UMass Alumni Association.

Maria Jara-Baca is a Buyer for TJX Companies, where she curates unique and stylish products that bring exceptional value to customers’ homes. Her background in merchandising and product planning has equipped her with the skills to negotiate effectively, manage vendor relationships, and optimize assortments for diverse markets. Maria is passionate about discovering innovative products and creating assortments that inspire customers to express their personal style. Outside of work, Maria is an avid skier and an accomplished runner, having completed three half marathons. At home, Maria enjoys spending time with her two dogs, Hope and Thor, who keep life adventurous and fun.

Jenlian Chadwick is the president of Seaboard International Forest Products, a softwood forest products trading floor located in Nashua, NH, part of the Forest City Trading Group, a $4.3 billion company based out of Portland, OR. She is responsible for a team of 40 traders, generating more than $400 million in sales annually. Jenlian graduated from Northeastern University, receiving a degree in International Business & Supply Chain Management in 2004 where upon she came to work at Seaboard to become a trader. While in school she served as president of the Sigma Delta Tau sorority and professionally is active in a number of trade associations. With over 20 years of successful trading experience, Jenlian had previously led Seaboard's Western Spruce department and is recognized in the industry for her expertise and collaborative spirit. Jenlian balances her work life with her personal life. She is a wife and mother, with two active teenagers, two dogs, and one horse at home. Away from work when she's not running between her kids' activities you can find her on the slopes. Welcome Jenlian.

Rachel is a Tax Manager in the Asset Management practice at KPMG, specializing in Regulated Investment Companies. She works with clients to ensure that distribution requirements to shareholders are met by adhering to proper tax compliance and reporting. She started at the firm as a winter intern in 2019 through Isenberg's Semester in the Profession program and had the opportunity to complete part of her internship in Zurich, Switzerland. She joined the firm full-time upon her graduation in 2020 and shortly thereafter obtained her CPA license.

Rachel earned both her Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting and her Master of Science in Accounting through the Isenberg School of Management. While at UMass, she was a teaching assistant for the introductory accounting course and served on the executive boards for Beta Alpha Psi and Chi Omega.

Rachel enjoys mentoring younger members of her team to foster an environment of inclusion and growth. Outside of her professional life, Rachel enjoys traveling, reading, practicing yoga, and spending time with her loved ones.

For over 3 decades Nina has been privileged to hold leadership roles in the events/experiential marketing industry, creating dynamic, compelling, and engaging experiences for audiences, fans, and sponsors. Working with renowned speakers, well-known brands, world-class venues, and incredibly talented event teams she is proud of her history of producing, launching, and managing successful events of all types and sizes. She's thankful for the time spent on the agency side, which challenged her to view events through a more strategic lens. Inside corporate marketing teams she was able to shape and reimagine face to face marketing tactics through experiential activities, sponsorship activations and innovative event elements. Whether it was an internal leadership event, customer hospitality or user conference the goal of surprising and delighting attendees was always at the forefront. It’s her passion and desire to help mentor and educate the next generation of event professionals. Outside of her professional life she's blessed to have an amazing husband and family with whom she spends as much time as possible. If she's not at a yoga class, kayaking or reading she's likely cheering on her Boston sports teams or volunteering with Pittie Love Rescue. #adoptdontshop

Dasha Shterenberg is an Account Executive at The Predictive Index, where she partners with organizations to improve hiring, leadership development, and team performance through data-driven insights. In her role, Dasha works closely with business and people leaders to help them make more informed talent decisions that drive both performance and culture.

She earned her degree in Marketing from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where she was actively involved on campus and served as Co-President of Women in Business. In that leadership role, Dasha helped foster a community focused on professional development, mentorship, and empowering women to pursue careers in business.

Outside of work, Dasha is a certified yoga instructor and enjoys helping others find balance, focus, and mindfulness both on and off the mat. She values continuous learning, personal growth, and building meaningful connections, whether in the workplace or the wellness community.

Julie Haagenson is a dynamic leadership development coach and facilitator, who believes transformation happens at the intersection of creativity, community, and science. As owner of New Pathways Coaching & Consulting, she partners with educational institutions and professional organizations nationwide to design and deliver customized workshops and leadership development programs. Her work focuses on empowering organizations to support and uplift leaders to overcome overwhelm and stress, so they can level up without burning out.

Julie’s unique approach is grounded in over two decades of experience in Montessori education at the secondary and masters level. Her career has been shaped by a passion for cultivating meaningful connections through experiential learning and her deep appreciation for research and neuroscience.

As an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) accredited by the International Coaching Federation (ICF), she holds certifications as a Wiley Everything DiSC Practitioner, and a Certified Professional Coach (CPC) and Energy Leadership™ Index Master Practitioner (ELI-MP) from the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC). Her expertise extends to advanced mental fitness coaching through the Positive Intelligence Program and her training at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence. From the classroom to the boardroom Julie creates space for leaders to exhale and discover new pathways forward.

Sumeit Aggarwal, a Speaker, Entrepreneur and Investor is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Finhive, a social enterprise dedicated to blending business success with social good. At Finhive, she assists women-owned startups with essential functions like business planning, financial reporting, risk management, and record-keeping, demonstrating a strong commitment to financial education for women and young adults.

A recognized expert and speaker, Sumeit frequently addresses topics such as narrowing the gender wealth gap, measuring and achieving financial health, and improving business excellence for entrepreneurs and business leaders. Her dedication to empowering women in business has earned her several honors, including the 2024 Women Who Lift Up Massachusetts Award and the 2023 Woman of the Year - Entrepreneurship Award.

Prior to her entrepreneurial work, Sumeit spent 15 years at Oracle in various roles in Business Strategy, Consulting and Program Management, specializing in sales, consulting systems, and implementing Oracle eBusiness Suite modules. She also held leadership positions at Infor as Director of Sales Operations and Service Process Optimization at Hologic, Inc.

Sumeit is currently pursuing her Doctorate in Business Administration and holds an MBA from Babson College and an MS in Information Systems from Northeastern University. She also serves on the Advisory Board of American India Foundation (AIF), Women for UMass (WFUM), TiE Boston Women

Maggie Ma is a Senior Manager of Tax at CBIZ with extensive experience in private equity tax compliance and data transformation. She earned her undergraduate degree in China and her graduate degree from Suffolk University. Prior to joining CBIZ, Maggie served as a Tax Manager at PwC, where she advised large private equity clients on complex federal and state tax matters. At CBIZ, she plays an active role in leading tax technology and transformation initiatives, managing client engagements, mentoring professionals, and advancing process efficiency through analytics and automation.

Maggie graduated from the University of Massachusetts Amherst with a B.S. in Hospitality and Tourism Management. After graduation, she joined Tarmika, an insurance technology start‑up, as employee #7. Following Tarmika’s acquisition by Applied Systems, Maggie has continued to grow her career in Customer Success. In her current role as a Services Enablement Manager for Product Adoption at Applied Systems, Maggie deploys scaled customer success programs and events that drive product awareness and usage.

Through her varying roles, Maggie has dedicated herself to bringing people together to foster new connections and learn new things through memorable and meaningful experiences. Watching something —whether it is a project, process, or a community that she has helped launch and nurture—become so successful is something that she can not get enough of.

Kristen has 30 years of experience in the sports marketing and management business and over 20 years in venture capital, private equity, investment banking. She is an entrepreneur and pioneer for women in professional athlete representation as the first woman to negotiate an NFL quarterback's contract and including extensive experience in athlete representation, corporate consulting, business development, licensing, sponsorship sales, and event management. She merged K Sports & Entertainment which she founded in 2000 with Vanguard Sports Group in 2017. In addition, she founded K Capital Partners, a FINRA licensed boutique investment banking firm, providing business development and raising capital for emerging companies in the sports, entertainment, technology, media, wellness and consumer product sectors.

Jenn is the CEO of Stellix, a company whose mission is to unite people, science, and technology and deliver transformative solutions for a more sustainable future.

The Stellix Group of companies includes NECI, ZAETHER, KYNOTA, and Stellix Global Services. Together, these companies have a shared mission of partnering with customers in life sciences, energy, and industrial manufacturing to enable innovation, scaling, and speed to market.

Under her leadership, Stellix has earned a place on the Inc. 5000 list of America’s fastest-growing private companies for three consecutive years.

She previously served as NECI’s Executive Vice President of Systems and Software. During her time in the role, she grew her business unit into the largest and most profitable of the organization.

Jenn is passionate about the future and advancing science to change lives for the better. Her vision is to leverage the power of AI, digital and the promise of new science and Industry 5.0 to deliver business impact and a great experience for life sciences, energy, and manufacturing customers across the Stellix Group of companies.

Jackie Tatarzycki is the owner of JET Finance Company, a consulting company fulfilling finance and accounting needs for biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies ranging from pre-launch to public filers. Jackie’s more than 15 years of experience spanning both private and publicly traded companies include building and leading finance functions, raising capital and leading strategic financial planning. Prior to consulting, Jackie was an Assistant Controller at Syros Pharmaceuticals, where she led the transition from private company to IPO. Jackie began her career at Ernst & Young LLP in Boston, where she worked with a variety of public and private audit clients.

Jackie received a B.B.A in Accounting and a B.S. in Sports Management from UMass Amherst in 2011. In 2019, Jackie started the Tatarzycki Family Endowment Fund to fund scholarships to Isenberg students in financial needs.

Allison Levin is the founder and career coach at Career Wave Coaching, where she helps professionals navigate career transitions with clarity, confidence, and strategy. She brings over 20 years of experience across human resources, healthcare, and technology, offering a unique insider perspective on hiring, leadership, and career growth.

Allison holds a degree in Psychology with a minor in Economics from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and an MBA from Fitchburg State University. Her background in human behavior, business strategy, and organizational dynamics allows her to deliver practical, actionable insights to audiences at every career stage.

Known for her thoughtful, results-driven approach, Allison empowers professionals to take ownership of their careers, strengthen their professional brand, and make strategic, impactful career decisions. She is a dynamic and relatable speaker who blends real-world experience with clear, career-focused guidance.

Tara Whitney is the CEO of White Birch Advisory, a boutique firm specializing in leadership development, team alignment training,CFO advisory and certified executive coaching.

As an executive and leadership coach, Tara takes a deeply personalized, human-centered approach to help clients remember who they are, trust themselves, and achieve greater balance so they can lead with clarity, confidence, and purpose.

Drawing on her diverse background as a Big 4 CPA, certified coach, owner of multiple businesses, yoga instructor, two-time published author, and Reiki master, Tara offers a holistic approach that blends sharp business insight, mindfulness practices, and deep coaching presence. She sees her clients as human beings first, leaders second.

Tara has trained with the Gestalt International Study Center, the Imposter Informed Institute, and multiple programs in trauma-informed regulation. Clients value her rare combination of insight, candor, and compassion, as well as the spaciousness she creates for meaningful breakthroughs.

Dr. Patti Fletcher is an Abundant Leadership Architect for the AI era, advising senior women executives and enterprise leadership teams at moments where authority, relevance, and decision-making power are under pressure. Her work focuses on the often-unseen leadership risks that surface during AI-driven transformation—specifically identity fragmentation, authority leakage, and loss of trust at scale.

Patti brings more than 25 years of executive and transformation leadership experience inside some of the world’s most influential enterprise technology companies, including SAP, IBM, SuccessFactors, Workhuman, and Limeade (acquired by WebMD Health Services). Across these organizations, she led global go-to-market strategy, category-defining innovation, and large-scale change initiatives at the intersection of technology, people, and business—experience that now informs her advisory work with leaders navigating similar inflection points.

She is the best-selling author of Disrupters: Success Strategies From Women Who Break the Mold and a widely cited voice on leadership, power, and the future of work, with media coverage and commentary in Fast Company, Entrepreneur, Inc., and HuffPost. Known for her clarity and candor, Patti challenges leaders to confront the unspoken dynamics that determine who retains authority—and who is quietly sidelined—when the rules change.

Margery Piercey, CPA, CGMA is a credentialed financial expert and Audit Committee Chair of Middlesex Savings Bank. She is renowned for strategic board contributions, nimble leadership and risk management. She has C-suite experience as CFO/COO and is a former CPA firm office managing partner and practice leader. A former Isenberg Accounting Department Alum of the Year, Margery serves on the Accounting Department Advisory Committee.

Margery’s purpose-driven networking has led to her prominent leadership roles in the accounting profession including Board Chair of MassCPAs and Board member of the American Institute of CPAs. She has served her communities as Chair of the Metrowest United Way and as a member of The Boston Foundation’s Professional Advisory Committee and the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s Business Partner Committee. Margery co-founded and led the Boston Businesswomen’s Resource Group landing her a shout out in the book Power Chicks. She also established and led the Advisory Council of the Family Business Association. She has been recognized as a Woman of FIRE by the BBJ and a Woman to Watch by MassCPAs. Fun Fact: Having sung the National Anthem at Fenway and the Boston Garden, Margery was dubbed “The Singing CPA” by the Boston Globe.

Kokui Adesokan is a multi-award-winning engineer, tech leader, and keynote speaker with over 15 years of experience shaping strategy and steering high impact initiatives across aerospace, financial technology, and renewable energy. She serves as Chief of Staff at RTX, where she is a trusted advisor to senior executives and plays a key role in setting strategic direction across the enterprise. Previously, she held senior leadership roles at Bridgewater Associates and at Pratt & Whitney, where she led high-impact, multi-million-dollar initiatives in highly complex environments.

Beyond her corporate career, Kokui is the founder of Lead With Kokui, a professional development platform focused on empowering professionals and students to navigate career transitions and grow into leadership roles.

Kokui has received multiple professional STEM honors, including the UMass Amherst College of Engineering Young Alumni Award. She serves on the UMass Amherst College of Engineering Dean’s Advisory Council and holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from UMass Amherst and an MBA from Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

Outside of work, she enjoys going on adventures with her husband and two daughters, exploring new cuisines, and traveling the world.

Melissa Baker, Ph.D. is the Hospitality and Tourism Management Department Chair at the Isenberg School of Management and the Jaime ’76 and Cindy Pereira Faculty Fellow. She is an award-winning teacher having received the 2023 International Council on Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Education Teaching Award (representing 6 worldwide federations and over 350 academic institutions), the 2021 UMass Distinguished Teaching Award (highest teaching award at UMass), the 2020 Poets & Quants Favorite Business Professor, served in the inaugural cohort of the Isenberg Teaching Fellows 2020- 2022. Her research focuses customer experience management, service failure and recovery, and appearance and impression formation. Dr. Baker’s research has been published in top-tier marketing, management, service, and hospitality journals.

Sarah Marsan is a Divisional Vice President, Merchandise Manager at TJX Companies, a Fortune 100 organization and a leading off-price retailer of apparel and home fashion globally. TJX operates more than 5,000 stores across nine countries and six e-commerce platforms.

A proud Isenberg School of Management alumna, Sarah earned her BA in Marketing from UMass Amherst in 2008 and was a captain of the women's rowing team. Since graduating, she has spent the past 18 years building her career at TJX, progressing through roles in planning and allocation, buying and ultimately leadership. For the last seven years, she has led and developed buying teams, combining strategic thinking with a passion for product, anticipating consumer demands, mentorship, and talent development. Sarah's career growth demonstrates the opportunities available for growth at TJX.

Erin began her career in the technology industry, holding a range of customer-facing roles across Sales, Customer Success, Partnerships, and Implementation. Her work consistently centered on building strong relationships while aligning business strategy with customer needs.

In the past year, Erin transitioned into the medical device space, where she currently serves as Head of Talent Acquisition at a Boston-based startup. In this role, she leads recruiting efforts while building scalable hiring processes, strengthening employer branding, and partnering closely with leadership on workforce planning and people strategy. She drives her department’s success by combining a deep passion for people with operational excellence and business-driven strategy.

Erin is deeply passionate about self-development and career strategy, particularly for early-career professionals navigating pivotal transitions. This passion led her to found Winged Coaching, where she supports young women in gaining clarity, making confident career decisions, and building lives aligned with their values.

During her time at UMass, Erin worked in the Isenberg Advising Office and led the Isenberg Ambassador team. In a full-circle moment, she landed her first professional internship through the Women of Isenberg Conference and is excited to return as a panelist to support the next generation of students.

Kate Lewis is an audit principal with BDO and serves as the Market & Practice Leader for the New England Market. In this capacity, Kate is responsible for shaping and executing the market’s growth strategy, overseeing headcount, and managing resources across a region that spans the entire East Coast—from Boston, Massachusetts to Tampa, Florida. In addition to her market leadership responsibilities, Kate acts as the Global Coordinating Principal for a Fortune 1000 technology company, where she leads the development and implementation of a comprehensive account strategy across all BDO service lines and ensures the strength of the bi-directional relationship between the organizations.

Originally from San Diego, Kate relocated to the Boston area about ten years ago. Outside of work, she enjoys a busy family life with her three children—two boys, ages 14 and 11, and a seven-year-old daughter. Her household also includes two energetic dogs who keep her on her toes. Kate values the balance between her professional commitments and her active home life, finding inspiration in both her career and her family.