Northeastern Next Podcast

This Northeastern Next bonus episode is the culmination of five women's quest to change the way the world perceives their strength. During her co-op in Northeastern's Advancement division, student athlete and aspiring journalist, Madison Neuner, AMD'24 examines ways in which women own their right to influence social change for themselves and others. From advocating in office spaces to cheering on the track, learn how these alumnae and students are paving the way to overcome disparities and biases in our communities and beyond. Ally Legend, AMD'14, Senior Director of Equality Engagement at Salesforce Michelle Satter, LA'74, Founding Senior Director of Artist Programs at Sundance Institute Ahndraea Allen, AS'05, MS'09, Senior Training Specialist for Sales Academy UAE at Adidas Darrel Schreiner, MS'22, & Dominique Schreiner, MS'22, Co-Founders of CAKE DENIM

While TV medical dramas have ruled entertainment for decades, Dr. Washington, AS’05, was putting in the real work. She received her medical degree from the University of Tennessee College of Medicine, and was the first Black woman to be admitted into the residency program. From a private practice in Texas to a prestigious surgery fellowship in Oregon, Dr. Washington is a lifelong learner, now specializing in liver and pancreatic procedures. In this episode, she speaks about her experience as a Black woman in medicine—from her undergraduate days at Northeastern’s John D. O’Bryant African American Institute to the podcast she started with her two sisters called “The Drs. Washington.” Not only a healthcare hero, she is building a platform to mentor students, discuss medicine, and highlight African American physicians who are making an impact in the field.  Check out The Drs. Washington Podcast

Northeastern alumni can be found around the world—there over 275,000 people who are connected by one global university. Every day our alumni volunteers give their time and talent to make the Northeastern network even stronger.  In this episode, Ilana Gensler, assistant director of alumni engagement, will speak with a few of our volunteers from San Francisco to Thailand.  Volunteers:  Rachel Rappe, DMSB’15, Chicago Community Volunteer, Young Alumni Advisory Board Member, Women Who Empower Mentor Ezgi Kosereisoglu, E’14, Chicago Community Volunteer, Young Alumni Advisory Board Chair, NUCEAO President Emerita Kim Tran, E’17, Alumni Co-op Mentor in San Francisco Dave Wedge, AS’00, Northeastern Rugby Club Alumni President Sureena Sachdev, DMSB’19, Alumni Community Leader in Thailand   Hear what volunteering is all about and why they give back. Visit alumni.northeastern.edu/volunteer to learn more.

“The Breakfast Club with murder” is how Karen McManus, MA’04, describes her first novel, "One of Us is Lying." Now with four books published and more on the way, this New York Times Bestselling author has made writing her full-time career. Karen started in PR and Marketing, but realized it was never too late to make a switch. In this episode she shares how a familiar '80s song inspired her writing and gives updates on the forthcoming TV adaptation of her first book. Visit karenmcmanus.com and follow @writerkmc on Instagram  This episode was recorded in collaboration with the Northeastern Women who Empower Initiative.   

Pandemic pivots became a priority for many entrepreneurs in early 2020, but a variety of factors can influence a product change. In this episode, you’ll hear from two business leaders: Yewande Masi, CJ’09, founder of Ornami skincare and Glen Giovanucci, DMSB’83, CEO at G-Form. This episode features a pre-recorded interview from our virtual entrepreneurship event in November. It’s moderated by Katie Hemphill, MS'19, Associate Director of the McCarthy(s) Venture Mentoring Network (VMN). This university wide resource pairs student, faculty, and alumni-owned ventures with experienced mentors to help with business challenges.

18 billion pounds of plastic enter our oceans each year, a harrowing fact that only accounts for a portion of our planet's pollution crisis. Northeastern innovators are tackling this problem to create sustainable solutions for cleaner oceans. Bureo, an emerging B-Corp, has created a program to recycle fishing nets into a NetPlus™ material, used in products by Patagonia and other partner companies.    Join the conversation to fight plastic pollution with Ben Kneppers, E'07, co-founder and COO of Bureo Inc., and Maarten Eenkema van Dijk, E'14, MS'15, operations manager for Van Dyk Recycling Solutions. This interview was recorded at a virtual event hosted by the Office of Alumni Relations. 

Successful CEOs are not born overnight. Ryan Drexler, AS’93, grew up as the shy kid and lacked confidence in public speaking, but like every Northeastern student, he focused on finding his career path. Ryan majored in theatre, a unique choice at the time, but one that brought him outside his comfort zone to develop essential leadership skills. Fast forward to the present, Ryan is now CEO and president of MusclePharm, a publicly traded sports nutrition company, and shares his advice on leading teams, overcoming challenges, and reaching the top.

Creativity. Diversity. Changemakers. What do these buzz words really mean? Vallabhi Singh, DMSB’17, has been chasing that answer and her own curiosity since she graduated. Unexpectedly, she left her promising career in New York City to return to her home country of India, but she brought with her a deep passion for entrepreneurship, collaboration, and connection. She focused her energy and founded Creatives Around The World (CATW), in the midst of the global pandemic, to bring diverse minds together and #NetworksForGood. Hosting several virtual roundtables since May, the CATW network is growing, pushing boundaries on how we approach problems and define creativity.Find Creatives Around The World on Instagram and YouTube

An American passport changed her life. Alexandra Tarzikhan was born in the United States to her American mom and Syrian dad. She grew up in the city of Aleppo, returning to Boston to attend Northeastern. But in 2011 at the start of the Syrian civil war, Alexandra could easily hop on a plane thanks to her passport. Her lived experience became drastically different than the refugees struggling for safety and asylum in Europe. Instead, she experienced the migrant crisis in Lesvos as a volunteer. Alexandra received a JD/MPH dual degree and is passionate about pursuing a legal career in human rights and humanitarian operations with a focus on migration and health. Her Instagram account @meetarefugee helps share stories and bring attention and awareness to the refugee crisis.

What do the Beanpot and Chicken Lou’s have in common? They are both beloved Northeastern traditions, and Men’s Hockey Head Coach Jim Madigan speaks fondly of both. Coach Madigan set foot on campus for the first time in 1981 as a first-year student. Graduating in 1986, he landed his first assistant coaching job at Northeastern, and 34 years later, hasn’t looked back. Coach Madigan is a six-time Beanpot champion and has held roles in athletics, facilities, and advancement, proudly serving the university as an alumnus, staff, coach, and parent. However, the soul of Northeastern goes beyond academics and athletics, and Coach Madigan remembers a special friend and campus icon, Lou Ferretti, the late founder of Chicken Lou’s, a little sandwich shop on Forsyth St. Chicken Lou’s closed in 2020 after 30 years of bringing joy through food to the campus community and in this episode, Coach recounts where it all began. To pre-order a commemorative Chicken Lou's plate visit: giving.northeastern.edu

If sports journalism makes you think of box scores and game recaps, you are only scratching the surface. Kade Krichko, AMD'12, is a freelance writer, editor, and photojournalist who makes a living traveling the world and chasing stories. Covering skateboarding in Cuba, and the history of skiing in China, he writes with a unique lens at the intersection of sports and culture and is published in The New York Times, ESPN, Outside Online and more. Kade is also an editor for Northeastern’s Game Plan, a student-run publication exploring the future of sports journalism. During the pandemic, we have seen live sports grind to a halt, and while fans have to adapt, so does the journalism industry. Listen to hear Kade’s experience living in Spain when COVID-19 hit Europe and what he is working on next. Visit: kadekrichko.com Twitter: @caskade88

What's "African fashion?" Audrey Lang, DMSB’15, finds it almost impossible to define for the most culturally diverse continent in the world. Born in France to two Cameroonian immigrants, she has lived in the US since she was three with the goal to work in Africa after her Northeastern experience. Having built a career in retail and e-commerce, Audrey landed an opportunity in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire at the largest marketplace for African-inspired goods. The market is complex, and faces unique challenges. She is also a freelance writer for Okay Africa, Travel Noire, and Afriquette, capturing authentic travel diaries and photographs of beautiful, historic places. Hear from Audrey about how the pandemic has impacted her work, industry, and future travel plans. View Audrey's Instagram takeover at @northeastern_alumni and follow her personal account @audreymejou. Read Audrey's Travel Diary: Côte d'Ivoire on Okay Africa. 

What is the “heart” of your ideal workplace? Who are the people, the values, and the shared goals? The answers to these questions help define an "employer brand"—the look, feel, and voice of a company. Employer branding and recruitment marketing are growing fields in the modern work landscape, where talent acquisition is competitive and employees are expecting more. Rian Finnegan, AMD'11 is a champion for the employee experience and followed a passion for creating engaging and inclusive company cultures. Rian’s experience spans diverse companies like Twitter, Pandora, Squarespace, and now, Instacart. Hear the latest trends in recruitment, and how a strong and authentic employer brand can attract and retain top talent. As many of us are working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic, Rian also shares some tips to stay connected in a remote working environment. Find Rian on LinkedIn

Simply making it to Shark Tank might be the ultimate dream for an entrepreneur. But, last year, Jamie Ratner, MS’01, founder and CEO of CertifiKID, closed a deal with Mr. Wonderful himself, for her discount website for family-friendly activities. Before starting CertifiKID, Jamie worked in security for almost a decade after receiving her master’s in criminal justice at Northeastern. But, as a parent and self-proclaimed deal-finder, Jamie and her husband saw a gap in the market for kid-friendly events, offering amusement parks and birthday parties instead of spas and restaurants. Their solution—Certifikid. However, like many others, the COVID-19 pandemic impacted Jamie's business, forcing her to pivot and offer awareness and discounts for virtual kid programming. Today, she's working hard to stay resilient, and is ready to share the lessons she's learned from navigating through the unique circumstances. Visit certifikid.com

There are five times as many books about trucks than there are about any children of color. When Sailaja Joshi, DMSB’06 was searching for authentic and appropriate stories of Indian culture for her own children, she found a huge diversity gap in children’s literature. So, she decided to solve the problem, and launched Mango and Marigold Press, an award winning independent publishing house focusing on the South Asian experience. Serving as the CEO and founder, today the press has over a dozen titles, and recently launched the #1001DiverseBooks initiative, with the goal to bridge the accessibility gap, and raise money to donate diverse children’s literature to underserved communities. Northeastern’s IDEA venture accelerator gave this alumna a leg up, and she later utilized SCOUT, the student-led design studio, for her company’s rebrand. Visit: mangoandmarigoldpress.com Follow: @mangoandmarigoldpress on Instagram

We might love the sun, but it is also very harmful to our largest organ—the skin. Lauren Rampello, DMSB’11 is the founder of Pure Glow—a company dedicated to bringing an organic and sunless tanning solution to Boston. Lauren built her business on knowledge and transparency, focusing on natural ingredients, while prioritizing health and the unique client experience. And, Lauren has leveraged Northeastern resources to give her a boost. Northeastern has a robust entrepreneurial ecosystem and offers support to both students and alumni. Lauren was matched with a mentor in the McCarthy(s) Venture Mentoring Network, setting her company up for growth and continued success. Visit: pureglow.com Follow on Instagram: @pureglowtanning

Students who like biology often go the pre-med route, but what if being a doctor isn’t the right fit for you? Navigating the medical career landscape can be daunting, but Katie Lemons, MS’19 found a way to combine her passions and carve a unique path. Recently earning her Physician Assistant degree and license from Northeastern, she also has a master’s degree in nutrition and manages a popular blog called, “Twist of Lemons” with over 118,000 followers on Instagram. Katie is a lover of all things wellness and uses her platform to provide easy recipes, and accessible and realistic health tips, backed by science. Visit: twistoflemons.com Follow on Instagram: @twistoflemons

If you've been in Boston, you might recognize the classic pedicab—the three-wheeled bicycle pedaled by local college students who shuttle tourists and fans to Fenway Park. Ben Morris, DMSB’05, knew that a pedal-powered vehicle could go even farther. What started as a Boston-based fleet of five, today has grown into the largest pedicab company in the country, called Coaster Cycles. And Ben—now CEO and founder of Coaster Cycles—has no plans to stop. He's brought in Brian Schatz, DMSB’10, as VP of Sales and Solutions, and former Boston Pedicab driver to take their venture to the next level. Their journeys have intersected a number of times throughout their career, creating the perfect example of the power of the Northeastern network. Today, the two alumni are geared to take their concept to the rest of the globe.  Visit: coastercycles.com Follow on Instagram: @coastercycles

Sweat. Inspire. Transform. Raise the Bar. You’ll find these words on the walls of The Handle Bar Indoor Cycling Studio, founded by Jess Fracalossi, AS'10, in 2013, with a mission far beyond the bike. Six years later, she has four award-winning locations in Boston, loyal riders, and a brand centered around passion, community, and wellness. From angel investors and the brick and mortar real estate game, to hiring a strong team to support the business, Jess is an ambitious fitness entrepreneur. Her impact reaches farther than spin class, and her nonprofit branch, “Handle with Care” tackles stigma around mental illness through local community events. Visit: handlebarcycling.com  Follow on Instagram: @the_handle_bar

In a world of Nike, Adidas, Reebok, and Under Armour, is it possible to break through and create a new and competitive sportswear brand? Jason Yau, DMSB’17, founder of Zyphr apparel, thinks so. Athletes in Hong Kong rely on foreign brands, and Jason saw a gap in the market for his homegrown premium sportswear company. With global fast fashion trends and low barriers to entry, Jason is setting his brand apart by focusing on the quality, and creating a perfect match between performance fabrics and fashion. Jason is also a member of the Young Global Leaders—alumni who help advance the international scope of the university. Visit: zyphrapparel.com Instagram: @zyphr_apparel Attend: Dream, Discover, Disrupt | Nov. 19 | A Celebration of Entrepreneurs at Northeastern

Crime thriller novels and TV shows have always been popular, but author Brian Shea, CJ’97 has literally been at the scene of the crime. After serving in the US Navy, Brian spent over 10 years in law enforcement as a detective, and now writes what he knows. What do a terrorist, human trafficker, and serial killer have in common? They’ve all been hunted by his leading character, FBI agent, Nick Lawrence. Brian has mastered the art of creating the suspenseful “page turner” and at Northeastern, when not in class, he was usually found with his nose in a book. His most recent crime thriller series is set in Boston, and the first book, Murder Board, hit the bestseller list on Amazon and held the #1 spot for New Release in the Mystery category. Visit: brianchristophershea.com Get Murder Board at Barnes & Noble or Amazon  

Sophia Moon, MBA’13, is an artist, entrepreneur, marketing consultant, and community builder who has always followed passion in her career. Instead of a side hustle, she designed a life she loves with many major hustles, giving each her full attention. She now owns Essem Art Studio in Charlestown, MA, leading art and music labs for children. She is also the Boston Chapter host of Creative Mornings, a monthly lecture series and global movement of 206 chapters in 65 countries. With only 24 hours in a day, how did she do this? By networking! We all use the “networking” buzz word in the pursuit of career dreams, but Sophia gives real advice on how to create relationships that can help you succeed. Check out Creative Mornings and find a chapter near you: creativemornings.com  Follow Sophia on Instagram @iamsophiamoon

When he was 11, Jonathan Ulman dreamed of playing drums with Pearl Jam. Fast forward to today, he is a three-time winner of the Boston Music Award's Session Musician of the Year, a teacher at the Berklee College of Music, and has over 20 years of experience playing in live concerts and on hundreds of records. Jonathan understands the hustle involved in making a music career a reality, but more importantly how to market yourself—a skill relevant in every industry. How do you become ready for your big break or dream job? How do you hone your craft and build the skills that will propel you past your goals while redefining new ones? Visit: jonathanulman.com Follow: @jmudrums on instagram and twitter Vote: bostonmusicawards.com/vote

Northeastern alumni programming spans the globe, serving more than 257,000 community members. Who makes it possible? Our volunteers! Hear from some our community leaders from France, Brazil, Spain, Greece, Singapore, the UK, and Boston, about why they choose to come back to serve their alma mater.  If you are interested in getting involved, visit: alumni.northeastern.edu/leader Our featured leaders include: France - Fred Hoffman, BHS’79 Brazil - Gabriella Silva, CPS’20 and Rodrigo Vieira, DMSB’11 Singapore - Yuki Shuck, DMSB’17 United Kingdom - MJ Paradiso, DMSB’10 Spain - Elena Hernandez, CPS’02 Greece - Peter Contis, MBA’83, MS’86 Boston - Shaun Hamilton, DMSB’14 Office of Alumni Relations - Ilana Gensler, MA’19

What happens when you combine a love of craft beer with a passion to do good? You get Redemption Rock Brewing Co., led by alumni Dani Babineau, AS’10, and Dan Carlson, AS’10. Their brewing company is a registered benefit corporation—a for-profit organization that is legally bound to include positive social, community, or environmental impact. Redemption Rock brews for the community, focusing on local partnerships, corporate transparency, women in business and beer, and above all—good citizenship. So how did an architecture and journalism major end up creating a socially-conscious brewery? Listen to their story! Visit: redemptionrock.beer Follow: @rr_brewingco on Instagram

Sarah Stokey could be a Hollywood action hero. The Massachusetts native moved to Alaska after graduation, to pursue her dream of sled dog racing. In 2019, she finished her second Iditarod race—a grueling 1,000-mile sled dog race from Anchorage to Nome, Alaska. From an early age, Sarah discovered her love of dogs, and took a leap of faith in making it a full-time career. Sarah is both a musher and an entrepreneur and runs the Turning Heads Kennel with her partner, where they breed Alaskan huskies for racing. Sarah's company leads year-round sled dog and helicopter tours in Seward, Alaska, and was nominated by USA Today as a readers’ choice top helicopter tour in North America. Follow @turningheadskennel on instagram and @turningheadsAK on twitter Visit: turningheadskennel.com Vote for Seward Helicopter Tours: USA Today Readers' Choice

Daniel Clarke, DMSB’12, always had a passion for storytelling, entrepreneurship, and supporting wildlife. After graduating from Northeastern, he moved to Los Angeles to start a wildlife media company. In his podcast, "Escape the Zoo," Daniel interviews leading wildlife photographers, conservationists, and scientists to learn about the awe-inspiring species we share a planet with, revealing the beautiful and sometimes extreme stories from the wild. Daniel is also a documentary filmmaker, and is finishing a project uncovering the ethical dilemma of feral cats and the critically endangered native species of Hawaii.   Visit: @escapethezoo on instagram Escapethezoo.tv feraldocumentary.com

As a people person who was looking to make an impact, Charles Cormier, BHS’17, spent his five years at Northeastern studying health sciences just to realize that he did not want to pursue healthcare as a career. In his final year, he found his passion for fundraising through Northeastern's Senior Legacy Committee—a senior-led, senior-focused student group that encourages giving. Starting at Harvard University, and recently returning to Northeastern, Charles has worked in higher education fundraising for almost two years, and currently oversees the same student group that he was a member of during his undergraduate. Visit: givingday.northeastern.edu Connect with Charles on NUsource, your new exclusive Northeastern networking platform. 

Molly Beck, DMSB’09 is the founder of podcast creation site, Messy.fm, and author of Reach Out, a career advice guidebook published by McGraw-Hill. As a social media user and avid blogger turned podcaster, Molly identified a need for the “Wordpress of podcasting,” allowing users to have a one-stop-shop for recording, editing, and publishing. Before founding Messy.fm, she helped launch the Forbes Podcasts channel, and also worked in marketing at Hearst and Venmo. Connect with Molly Beck on all social platforms @MsMollyBeck Visit: www.messy.fm

Kyle Kornack, S’13, graduated from Northeastern with a BA in environmental studies, an entrepreneurial spirit, and a drive for social change. With fellow alumni, David Cooch, S’13, and Liam Madden, S’12, he co-founded, and is the executive director of Green Gas, a nonprofit organization that uses innovative fundraising to offset carbon emissions at the gas pump. Transportation is the largest driver of greenhouse gas emissions in the US, and these donations directly support tree-planting and climate action projects, allowing users to drive “carbon neutral.” Kornack and Cooch were named in the 2019 Forbes 30 under 30 Social Entrepreneurs list. Connect with Kyle on Twitter @krKornack and @GreenGas_org Visit: greengasmovement.org

In hearing culture, American Sign Language (ASL) and the Deaf community remain a mystery to many, but some hearing individuals have dedicated their careers and personal lives as advocates and interpreters for the deaf. Madeleine Eames, MBA’18, and Tom Lauterborn, SSH’13, MS’18, are skilled hearing ASL interpreters, who have both discovered a career path and interest in deaf culture. Eames most recently worked at the Center for Atypical Language Interpreting (CALI), a grant-funded center at Northeastern. Lauterborn worked as a staff interpreter and administrator for Northeastern’s American Sign Language program until recently starting a full time freelance career in interpreting.

At Northeastern, entrepreneurship is in our DNA, and the innovation ecosystem has helped many students and alumni take their venture to the next level. This Northeastern Next bonus episode is a slightly different format in celebration of Global Entrepreneurship Week. In October, we held an event on campus called, "The Market," featuring nine alumni vendors and small business owners. Almost 150 attendees spent the evening connecting with alumni behind local brands, and sampling unique food and beverage products from chocolates and teas, to savory dips. In this episode you will hear a preview of each vendor's entrepreneurial journey.   Our featured vendors include:Noank Nibbles - Elisa CoppelmanThe Happy Cactus - Tucker Gaccione, DMSB'19Serenade Chocolatier - Nur Kilic, E'82VermarjeTea Co. - Mary Fernandes, DMSB'83Amie Bakery - Amie Smith, AS'87Recreo Coffee & Roasterie - Miriam Morales, E'90(f)x foods - Sophie Gechijian, SSH'16The Ancient Bakers - Tonya Johnson, MS'18

For Sarah Gaines, AMD’15, what began as a blog called Fit University to help college students stay strong and healthy soon attracted a nationwide community. And, thanks to her Northeastern network and the university’s venture accelerator, IDEA, Fit University is now a global phenomenon, with Gaines holding fitness and health events, workshops and retreats around the world. Recently, USA Today invited her to do a Facebook Live workout for that news outlet’s million-plus online followers. Gaines also hosted a Huskies Fitness class for alumni and established Y Society, a forum to support young women’s social and professional development. Connect with Sarah @sarahjgaines: Instagram, Twitter, Website

Imagine if switching on your favorite sports game was actually an important part of your career. Tom Giles, AS’09, majored in communications, and was recognized as the voice of Northeastern basketball on the campus radio station, WRBB 104.9 FM—a platform that launched his career. The proud western Massachusetts native began his on-air television career in Grand Junction, Colorado, before moving on to Spokane, Washington. He can now be seen on air from 9-11 p.m weeknights as a co-host of NBC Boston Sports Tonight.

It took just one event for Seema Brodie, L'01, founder of BikeBus, a cycling gym on wheels with a patent-pending safety system, to get reconnected to Northeastern. She hosted a Huskies Fitness class, part of an event series organized by the Office of Alumni Relations. From there, she became involved in the Women Who Empower program’s annual summit. She was also a featured guest at the She Started It Film Festival, organized by OAR and IDEA, Northeastern’s student-run venture accelerator—where she found business-development support, networking opportunities, and access to new investors. Today, Brodie is leveraging the McCarthy(s) Venture Mentoring Network, and she has given talks at the School of Law about her startup. Book a bike at bikebus.com Connect on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram: @bikebusboston

Binja Basimike wears countless hats, and as you will hear, she aims to give each role 110 percent! Binja serves as the chair of Northeastern's Young Alumni Advisory Board and is a frequent volunteer, host, and panelist for alumni events. She currently works as a Healthcare Business Systems Consultant at Synthesis Health. A double husky, she received a BS from Bouvé College of Health Sciences in 2012 and her Master of Public Health in 2014. In her free time, Binja runs a blog called African Cocktail.

The Northeastern Next Podcast is your channel to your global alumni network. In this show, we will catch up with alumni to hear what they do every day to achieve what’s next, and learn about their journey after Northeastern. Tune in to season one to hear from entrepreneurs, TV personalities, fitness experts, and more.  Questions, comments, or ideas for next guests can be emailed to me.brisson@northeastern.edu.