| Net-Impact at Smith |
Smith Net Impact 2009-2010 Board
Alon Gotesman
President
alon.gotesman@rhsmith.umd.edu
Alon received his B.S. in Management in Information Systems from the University of California in Santa Cruz. While living in the city some consider the birthplace of the modern environmental movement, Alon became increasingly interested in the tremendous environmental and social impact created by business. Moving to San Francisco, Alon spent the next five years working in business analytics and strategy roles for internet startups and large technology firms. Alon's projects included a triple bottom line analysis of direct mail marketing campaigns and research of green internet technologies including virtualization and green data center design. As an MBA student, Alon is specializing in Technology Management and looks forward to a future as a responsible manager.
Gregory Kim
VP of Finance
gregory.kim@rhsmith.umd.edu
Gregory received his B.S. in Mathematics from the University of Maryland – Baltimore County and his M.S. in Finance from the Loyola College in Maryland. Having worked as an Economist for the Maryland Public Service Commission Gregory managed Maryland’s Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard Program. Gregory has experience with financial mechanisms utilized to fund alternative energy projects, has provided staff recommendations to the Maryland Public Service Commission and has completed analysis associated with the energy and renewable energy sectors. Gregory is a full-time MBA candidate who enjoys boating and traveling.
Matt Minchew
Executive Vice
President
matt.minchew@rhsmith.umd.edu
Matt received his BA
in Journalism /
Public Relations
from the University
of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill.
Following
graduation, he
worked for PAM
Fastening Technology
first as a sales
representative and
then regional
manager. During his
five years with PAM
Fastening, Matt was
responsible for
growing and managing
the company's
distribution
channels in 14
states, eastern
Canada, and parts of
Mexico.
Matt believes that
companies can "do
well through doing
good," and joined
Smith to further
develop his general
management and
overall business
skills. He sees a
strong opportunity
for companies to
grow their
businesses while
serving as leaders
in issues like
sustainability and
corporate social
responsibility.
Scott Zakheim
VP of External
Relations
scott.zakheim@rhsmith.umd.edu
Scott received his B.A. in American History from Columbia University. Before matriculating at Smith, Scott spent three years working as a stakeholder and media specialist. Scott worked as a communications consultant for Booz Allen Hamilton in McLean, Virginia, and as a public relations coordinator for Howrey LLP in Washington DC. Besides his work in external relations, Scott has experience in organizing and leading various community-service and non-profit initiatives in the Washington DC area. In 2006, Scott led a group of Washington Redskins fans on a mission to New Orleans to gut, repair and re-build homes in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Over the last two years, Scott has led a team of local fundraisers in raising awareness and funds for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation – a national foundation dedicated to combating pediatric cancer. Over the two-year span, Scott’s team has raised over $60,000 for the foundation. In 2008, Scott became the event coordinator for St. Baldrick’s annual head-shaving party at Fado’s Irish Pub in Washington DC. As a student at Smith, Scott has a keen interest in Non-Profit Management, Corporate Strategy, and Corporate Social Responsibility.
Smitha Darisipudi
First Year Board
Member
smitha.darisipudi@rhsmith.umd.edu
Smitha received her
B.S. in Accounting
from the State
University of New
York at Binghamton
and is a CPA with
the state of New
York. After
graduating, she
worked as an auditor
for Ernst & Young
and then as a
controller for
Deutsche Bank.
During this time,
she combined her
business skills with
her passion for
community and worked
with various
organizations to
promote women’s
rights, education
for children, art in
the community, and
youth driven change.
As a current MBA
student at the Smith
School of Business,
Smitha is interested
in Strategy and
Management.
Sarina Gerson
First Year Board
Member
sarina.gerson@rhsmith.umd.edu
Sarina graduated from Indiana University in 2004 with majors in Sociology and Jewish Studies and minors in History and Near Eastern Languages and Cultures. She promptly moved to DC to begin the challenge of tackling social problems through the legislative process. Sarina has spent the last five years working in government relations for non-profits, first running the Confronting Poverty Initiative at the Jewish Council for Public Affairs and later working in the government affairs department at Families USA, promoting healthcare policy on Capitol Hill. Sarina hopes her time at Smith will expose her to alternative vehicles for tacking social problems, specifically through the lens of corporate social responsibility.
Sara Herald
First Year Board
Member
Bio coming soon!
Kristin Thompson
First Year Board
Member
kristin.thompson@rhsmith.umd.edu
Kristin Thompson returns to her native state of Maryland after spending the last 6 years in Asia and Australia developing socially and environmentally transformative projects, recruiting inspiring people to lead them, and photographing their stories. Project themes ranged from climate change and natural disaster relief to human rights, economic growth and democratic governance. A self-employed consultant, her clients included the World Bank, the United Nations, Chemonics International, USAID contractors, and major international NGOs. As a first-year, Kristin is working under a mentorship with Dingman entrepreneur Dan Goodman on the commercialization of green technologies and will be spending summer 2010 in Israel on a fellowship doing similar work. Kristin received her BA in economics from Wake Forest University and began her career as a Peace Corps volunteer in Benin, West Africa.