Meet the Feld Center Staff

Misty Start joined the Feld Center for Career & Alumni Engagement in November 2022 as the Senior Director of Career Services and Strategy. In this role, Misty leads a talented team of career educators by developing and implementing career education strategy that will allow undergraduate and graduate students to thrive in an evolving business landscape.

Prior to joining the Feld Center, Misty served in career leadership positions at Babson College and Franklin Pierce University where she similarly set career strategy, supervised dynamic teams, and successfully delivered numerous high-impact programs and initiatives. As a first-generation college student and job seeker in global markets, she appreciates the unique bridges and barriers each student will navigate throughout their career journey. Misty takes a collaborative approach to career development in which students’ identities, backgrounds, and experiences are honored, valued, and celebrated.

Misty earned her Bachelor of Arts and Master of Education from Franklin Pierce University, and she is currently enrolled in the Doctor of Education in Higher Education Leadership program at Regis College. Beyond academic and professional endeavors, Misty is deeply committed to philanthropic initiatives that empower underprivileged communities and promote diversity and inclusion. In her leisure, she enjoys international travel, adventure-based recreation, and exploring the city of Boston with her dogs, Bay and Beacon.

Questions? Email Misty at startm@bu.edu

Trish Harper joined the Feld Center for Career & Alumni Engagement in November 2015. Prior to joining the Feld Center, she served as a Senior Career Advisor with The Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst. Prior to this she was at Quinlan School of Business at Loyola University of Chicago teaching and providing career counseling. Before returning to school to complete her M.A., Trish worked for several years in Human Resources doing recruitment and talent management. Trish enjoys bringing a business and psychology background to working with students and is often described as disarmingly approachable. In her appointments she aims to be honest, thorough, and direct, but will also regularly inject a pop culture reference, funny analogy, or terrible pun in as well.

In her role as  Associate Director, Undergraduate Career Advising at Questrom, Trish supports undergraduate students in constructing and editing professional documents, increasing interview preparedness, discussing job and internship search modalities, and providing support in career exploration, negotiation of salaries, and navigation of opportunities. Trish also instructs several ES courses each semester and leads content revisions and updates. She also serves as the career liaison to the academic team in the UDC and manages the Career Skills Coach program who operate the Career Drop In services.

 Trish completed her B.B.A. in Management at Stetson University in Deland, FL and her M.A. in Organizational and Counseling Psychology at Adler University in Chicago. Outside of work Trish is an avid sports fan and enjoys playing sports of any kind. She spent several years playing semiprofessional women’s tackle football with the Chicago Force, but now sticks to sports with (a little) less contact like flag football, basketball, volleyball, and kickball. When not outside or on a court, you can find her eating every type of cuisine in the city, sampling New England craft breweries, complaining about winter, and trying to pretend she isn’t crying about the latest seasons had by the Chicago Bears, Sky, Cubs, Red Stars, or Blackhawks.

Sara Davis joined the Feld Center for Career & Alumni Engagement in November 2021 as the Assistant Director of Undergraduate Career Advising. Sara started her professional career as a Graduate Assistant on the Undergraduate Career Team at Questrom. She then shifted to the corporate world to work at a medium sized investment consulting firm as a Human Resources Assistant where she conducted full-cycle recruitment. Next, Sara took on an investment role as a Performance Analyst producing monthly and quarterly reports for clients at the same firm. Having gained experience in both the higher education and corporate space, Sara enjoys using her past work experiences to serve students.

In her current role, Sara supports students through one-on-one advising appointments by hosting resume and cover letter reviews, conducting mock interviews, navigating career exploration, discussing job search strategies, and reviewing offer letters including salary negotiations. She likes to make empathy, active listening, and effective questioning key components of her advising approach so that she can guide students based on the information they share during appointments. Sara also teaches several ES courses each semester to promote students career development through the curriculum. Another component of Sara’s portfolio is recruiting, interviewing, training, and managing six Career Skills Coaches (CSCs) who are current juniors and seniors at Questrom. The CSCs are invaluable members of the UG Career Team who facilitate 15-minute drop-in career appointments to their peers throughout the academic year.

Sara graduated from Providence College with a B.A. in Psychology and a minor in Business Studies. She is currently pursuing her Professional Evening MBA (PEMBA) at Questrom. Outside of work and school, Sara enjoys spending time with family and friends, watching competition cooking shows, being out on the ocean, snowboarding, and playing the piano. She is also a huge dog lover!

Nephthalie Careen joined the Feld Center for Career & Alumni Engagement June 2023 as one of the Assistant Directors of Undergraduate Career Development. Prior to joining the Feld Center, Nephthalie has been assisting the personal and professional advancement of young adults for over 10 years. She directed one of the largest student-led organizations through Phillips Brooks House Association for many years which helped laid her foundation for youth development. Nephthalie’s experience extends into extensive student support services within diverse academic institutions and various grade levels, spanning from early education to higher education. While residing abroad in Central America, Nephthalie continued to advise through an international perspective. In her current role, Nephthalie supports students through one-on-one advising appointments by hosting resume and cover letter reviews, conducting mock interviews, navigating career exploration, discussing job search strategies, and reviewing offer letters including salary negotiations. She is looking forward to empowering undergraduate students at Questrom to achieve immense success. Nephthalie earned her Bachelor of Arts in Developmental Psychology and Education at Wheaton College, MA. Beyond her professional endeavors, Nephthalie deeply enjoys spending time in nature with her huge family, exercising and traveling! You can reach Nephthalie at ncareen@bu.edu.

Scott joined the Feld Center for Career & Alumni Engagement as the Assistant Director of Undergraduate Career Development in July 2023. Prior to joining the Feld Center, Scott garnered five years of higher education experience at Suffolk University, where he worked in the Office of Graduate Admission. His most recent role before transitioning to Questrom was that of a Senior Assistant Director of Recruitment. In this capacity, he oversaw a diverse array of programs, including Suffolk’s suite of MBA programs. He had the pleasure of traveling to four countries in Africa and seven countries in South and Central America.

During his tenure at Suffolk, Scott interacted with a multitude of applicants from all backgrounds, offering them personalized guidance to refine their applications and determine the optimal program aligned with their career aspirations. Scott fostered strong collaborations with faculty program directors and managed relationships with internal stakeholders such as the Center for Career Equity & Development, as well as external partners, including several international recruitment agencies. Previous employment includes positions in community banking, retail, and manual labor.

In his current capacity, Scott supports students through individualized advising sessions. These encompass an array of services, ranging from constructive critiques of resumes and cover letters to in-depth discussions about effective job search strategies. Scott extends his guidance to reviewing offer letters, often navigating the intricate terrain of salary negotiations. He finds purpose in assisting students who are embarking on the journey of career exploration, providing valuable insights to those navigating the labyrinth of industry and functional role choices.

Scott is a first-generation college graduate and a devoted Bostonian. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Bridgewater State University, a milestone which paved the way for his subsequent achievement of an MBA from Suffolk University. His MBA studies concentrated on the realms of talent management and public-private partnerships and included an energy-industry focused travel seminar to Madrid, Spain.

Outside the realm of academia, Scott finds solace in the company of his two cherished chihuahuas, Max and Panko. He is also an avid connoisseur of vegetarian cuisine, an insatiable learner, and an ardent supporter of his favorite Premier League team, Tottenham Hotspur.

Yihan Zhu joined the Feld Center for Career & Alumni Engagement as the Assistant Director of Undergraduate Career Development in February 2024. Prior to joining the Feld Center, Yihan gained extensive experience in institutional research, event planning, orientation coordination, cross-cultural communication, and teaching. Driven by an enduring passion for career development and student support, she conducted research studies in exploring career development experience among international students within US institutions. Leveraging qualitative analysis techniques, Yihan sought to unearth insights into students’ career choices and the support mechanisms crucial for lifelong career management.

Her most recent role before transitioning to Questrom was at the Center for Postsecondary Research at Indiana University. In this capacity, she played a pivotal role in administering surveys for nation-wide institutions, ensuring inclusivity and effective communication across multicultural settings. Additionally, she led various projects aimed at enhancing survey data and sharing outcomes to support institutional development.

In her current capacity, Yihan provides comprehensive support to students through personalized advising sessions. From refining resumes and cover letters to strategizing effective job search techniques, Yihan offers invaluable guidance. She adeptly navigates salary negotiations and guides students through the onboarding process. Drawing from her own experiences as an international student, Yihan is deeply committed to inspiring students to embark on their career exploration endeavors to better navigate the intricate maze of industries.

Yihan holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Human Resource Management and a Master of Science degree in Global Logistics from Arizona State University’s W.P. Carey School of Business. Deepening her understanding of students’ post-graduation experiences and career development needs, she pursued a Ph.D. in Higher Education and Student Affairs at Indiana University Bloomington. Outside of her professional pursuits, Yihan finds joy in traveling, sports, baking, and spending quality time with furry companions.

Peter DeCotis assumed the role of PEMBA Career Coach at the Feld Center for Career & Alumni Engagement in July 2020. His prior experience includes serving as an Associate Director for Specialty Master’s Career Programs where he led a team of career professionals and developed curricula for a largely international student population. Peter has had the privilege of coaching, advising, and partnering with every graduate student population, many alumni, and dozens of employers at Questrom.

Notably, Peter made significant contributions as the pioneer staff member responsible for conceiving and launching all MSBA career programming. He initiated and cultivated partnerships with employers, designed specialized curricula, and orchestrated numerous career-focused events and presentations.

Before his tenure at Boston University, Peter spent over two decades as a technology leader within the financial services sector, where he ascended from a help desk role to executive leadership. Throughout his career, he actively engaged as a hiring manager, mentor, and trainer, amassing valuable experience in these areas. Furthermore, Peter has a background in college admissions counseling and life coaching.

Currently, in his capacity as an Associate Director, Peter is dedicated to guiding and mentoring the PEMBA student population. His responsibilities encompass conducting career-oriented classes and workshops, providing one-on-one guidance to students, fostering relationships with employers, and coordinating various career-related events. Peter also collaborates closely with the MBA Center on social programming initiatives.

Beyond his professional pursuits, Peter derives enjoyment from outdoor activities such as kayaking, traveling, hiking, golf, and tennis. He is a perpetual advocate of lifelong learning and holds both an MBA and a master’s in hospitality.

In August 2023, Gabrielle DiMariano joined the Feld Center for Career & Alumni Engagement as an Assistant Director of MBA Career Coaching. Within this role, Gabrielle is dedicated to cultivating a dynamic and personalized learning environment at Questrom, where the central focus is on tailoring career development to everyone’s unique journey.

Before joining the Feld Center, Gabrielle worked as a recruiter at one of the world’s leading technology companies, where she oversaw the full recruitment cycle for internships and student programs, affording her a valuable insider’s view of the student hiring process. Her responsibilities encompassed interview preparation, seamless collaboration with hiring managers, adeptly matching candidates with projects, extending offers, and guiding students through the onboarding process. Gabrielle helped champion Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, spearheading the development of interview rubrics, crafting comprehensive interview guidelines, training modules, and managing diverse hiring committees.

Gabrielle’s career has been marked by her commitment to community betterment. Preceding her tenure as a recruiter, she dedicated her efforts to nonprofit development, working for local and national community health organizations, focusing on providing underprivileged patients with access to crucial healthcare services. Some of her experience excapsulates managing annual fund development efforts, strategic communication planning, community engagement, stakeholder and donor relations, and project performance analysis.

Gabrielle’s holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership and Administration. Beyond her professional endeavors, she finds joy in outdoor activities, quality time with loved ones, and traveling.

Ramesh Jayavaram joined the Feld Center for Career & Alumni Engagement in November 2023 as an Assistant Director of MBA Career Coaching. Prior to joining the Feld Center, Ramesh worked as a career coach at General Assembly, a global coding bootcamp, where he taught career workshops, provided one-to-one advising, and organized alumni programming. Before working at the coding bootcamp, he worked as a career counselor for specialty master’s students at BU Questrom School of Business and co-op counselor for engineering students at the College of Engineering at Northeastern University. He also ran his own private practice for a few years where he provided career services to immigrants and international students in the US.

In his current role as an Assistant Director of MBA Career Coaching, Ramesh guides and advises MBA students on the entire career and job-search process, from exploration of industries and functional roles to crafting and refining personal branding tools, preparing for interviews, and negotiating salaries and job offers. As part of the Feld team, Ramesh collaborates on developing MBA curriculum offerings and resources, teaches career workshops, and supports the many corporate events held at the business school.

Like many international MBA students, Ramesh came to the US in 2014 to pursue an MBA and is a multiple-time career changer. He was born and brought up in Andhra Pradesh, India. After completing his undergrad, he worked at L&T, a multi-national manufacturing and construction company, in a project management role supporting a $2B green-field thermal power project. During and after his MBA program, he worked at a few Boston-area companies in different marketing roles and volunteered as a Venture Coach at IDEA, Northeastern University’s student-run venture accelerator.  In 2018, he decided to transition to the field of career development to do more meaningful work and make a direct impact on individuals pursuing higher education and better opportunities.

Ramesh holds a Bachelor of Engineering from the National Institute of Technology, Patna (India) in Mechanical Engineering, and an MBA from Northeastern University with a concentration in Marketing. His interests outside work include reading books on personal and professional development, watching documentaries, biking, and spending time with family, especially his 2-year-old daughter.

Mark McGarry joined the Feld Center for Career & Alumni Engagement in May 2024 as an Assistant Director of MBA Career Coaching. Most recently, Mark has served as a certified Mindset & Resiliency Coach and as a Mentor-at-Large in Harvard’s HealthLab entrepreneurship accelerator, where he used many of his business strategy and growth mindset skills in his advising role.

Before joining the Feld Center, Mark worked as an executive at one of the world’s leading sportswear brands and has a 20-year track record of driving growth and product innovation for global market leaders and emerging challenger brands in the footwear and apparel industry. His responsibilities encompassed a $1.3B business unit revenue accountability, driving strategic partnerships with professional athletes and desirable fashion brands and leading high-performance teams in the United States, Germany, United Kingdom, and Japan. As a seasoned entrepreneur, Mark has built two companies from scratch, including a sportwear consultancy that launches new performance footwear and apparel brands and an award-winning ecommerce footwear brand dedicated to personal growth and social impact. Mark is well versed in global brand strategy and marketing, product management, team leadership, early-stage venture strategy, capital fundraising and P&L performance management.

Mark is passionate about helping students, entrepreneurs and executives unlock their full potential in business and in life. In his current role, Mark guides and advises MBA students on career strategy, personal branding tools, interview preparation, negotiating job offers and growth mindset strategies to help them overcome their preconceived limitations to achieve big career goals.

Mark holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Vermont in Recreation Management with a concentration in Business Administration and Entrepreneurship. He is also a certified P.A.R.T. instructor from the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind-Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital and a board member at Stoked, a youth development non-profit that promotes mental and physical health through action sports.

Beyond his professional endeavor, Mark is an avid surfer, snowboarder, marathon runner and enjoys spending time with his family and friends in Boston.

Lucy van Beever is the Senior Director of Career Operations at the Feld Center for Career & Alumni Engagement. Lucy directs all operational and logistical support for key employer-engagement activities, career initiatives, recruiting systems, electronic and print career resources, and office administration. She works collaboratively with other BU and Questrom departments to oversee the planning, policymaking, marketing, implementation, and evaluation of the Feld Center’s events, programs, and services. Previously, Lucy served as the Feld Center’s Director of Employer Engagement and Industry Relations Manager (IRM) for the Social Impact MBA program and Energy & Sustainability sector (2019-2022). As an IRM, Lucy cultivated and built recruiting relationships with organizations to connect Questrom students with jobs and internships. She held career-advising meetings with undergraduates, graduate students, and alumni, and led employment data collection and reporting for Questrom. For over a decade, Lucy has worked at Boston University in career development and business operations functions to streamline processes, implement platforms (Handshake, BU Connects), and help hundreds of students & alumni land employment opportunities. She also serves as a mentor for BU’s BPS Community Service Scholars Program. Prior to working at BU, Lucy held leadership roles in a variety of industries including consulting, retail, health & wellness, and hospitality. She holds an M.S. in Administrative Studies (Sustainable Economic Development & Tourism) from Boston University and a B.S. in Hotel Management from Cornell University.

Patti Collins joined the Questrom Feld Center in June 2015 as Marketing Manager. She has over 25 years of experience at Boston University Questrom School of Business. Before joining the Feld Center, she was an Assistant Director of the Executive Development Roundtable, a research center that focused on enhancing the impact of leadership and organizational development for senior executives and their organizations.

In her current role, Patti oversees the Feld Center’s brand strategy: developing, implementing, and executing the long-term strategic marketing plan as well as the day-to-day marketing efforts of the department. She is responsible for increasing employer brand recognition by supporting the employer and alumni recruiting efforts, through strategically targeted marketing campaigns, to enhance student engagement and career development, and contribute to the employment outcome results.

Outside of work, Patti enjoys spending time with family/friends, and participating in outdoor/indoor activities including being in nature, walking, hiking, golf, spinning, and volunteering at local organizations.

Stacie Nardizzi joined the Feld Center for Career & Alumni Engagement in August 2022 as Assistant Director, Employer Engagement. Prior to joining the Feld Center, Stacie was with Questrom Events & Conferences as an Event Specialist for almost 2 years and served close to 8 years in her role as Program Manager for executive programming with the Executive Leadership Center.

Stacie comes from a diverse educational background stemming from a legal business background with extensive corporate experience to holistic wellness and the theatre arts. In her new role with the Feld Center for Career and Alumni Engagement, she focuses on employer engagement and collaboration connecting Questrom students with job and internship opportunities. Stacie’s attention to detail and clear communicative style helps support the logistics of all Feld signature and Feld sponsored employer-centric events geared for student and employer success.

Certified in yoga and a meditation, Stacie has taught concurrent sessions on Mindfulness Meditation as part of Boston University EDRT’s 2015 fall conference on “Resiliency, Agility & Mindfulness in Leadership”, in addition to Questrom Women’s Summit 2016 and 2017. Stacie taught weekly Mindfulness Meditation sessions pro bono for the Questrom community during the COVID pandemic. She has also had the honor to facilitate a “Leadership and Mindfulness in the Workspace” workshop series for Questrom’s Center for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Spring 2022.

Stacie completed her Master of Education from Boston University Wheelock College of Education and Human Development in May 2022. She earned her degree with a specialization in Applied Human Development. Stacie earned a Bachelor of Arts from Scripps College of the Claremont Colleges in Theatre Arts. Additionally, she holds post-graduate certificates in Classical/Shakespearean Theatre and is a certified instructor to teach adult and child yoga.

Sasha Baptiste joined the team in June 2022 as the new Senior Program Coordinator.  She will be supporting daily operations and customer service for Questrom’s undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, alumni, and recruiters. She has a positive attitude and thrives amongst the chaos, which will serve her well as she manages critical office functions and assists in running 200+ employer engagement events each academic year. Her many years of event marketing experience and problem-solving will contribute to her success in this role. Previously, Sasha was part of the Covid-19 Initiative at BU.

Outside of the office, Sasha is an avid fisher who enjoys hosting family and friends.