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2011 - 2012 Board of Directors
Officers
Brett Friedman is a director with McGladrey & Pullen since 2005. He has worked in public accounting since 1994. He has over fifteen years of experience in public accounting. His industry experience includes governmental, commercial, SEC, employee benefit plans and not-for-profit clients.
Brett has been a CPA since 1994. He graduated from the University of
Miami with a Masters in Business Administration, and he graduated from the State University of New York at Albany with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting and Economics.
Brett is a member of various professional affiliations including the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants. He is a member and Past-President of the Miami Downtown Chapter of the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants, an Associate Member of the Government Finance Officers Association, Florida Government Finance Officers Association and a Committee Member of the FICPA State and Local Government Section. He is a member of the University of Miami School of Accounting Corporate Advisory Board, Chair of the FIU Career management Services Advisory Board. He also is a past member of the FIU School of Accounting Advisory Board.
As a current member of the Government Finance Officers Association Special Review Committee, Brett has participated in the review process for awarding the GFOA Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting. He has also served as a national instructor for various training courses and a speaker at the School of Government Finance. He is the Co-Chair of the A&A track of the 2008 FGFOA conference. He also serves as the lead recruiter for Florida International University and the University of Miami and is involved in other firm recruiting activities for the Coral Gables & Fort Lauderdale offices.
Daniel Yip is the founder and owner of Nexus Business Consulting, Inc. He is a consultant and manager with four years of Big Four consulting experience. His area of focus is Enterprise Resource Planning software implementations. Mr. Yip has more than thirteen years of system implementation experience and specializes in process improvement and re-engineering, system development, process/product support, internal controls assessment, and quality assurance. He has experience supporting efforts in the Entertainment, Publishing, Financial Management, Wireless Telecommunication, Mortgage and Insurance industries.
At Nexus Business Consulting, Mr. Yip has assisted in projects primarily focused on the internal controls assessment and implementation for the IT segment of five South Florida-based companies. He is currently serving as a team member to redesign full application-level security for a core custom-built system for a full-service mortgage company in South Florida.
Prior to founding Nexus Business Consulting, Mr. Yip was a Manager and Consultant in the PeopleSoft track at both Andersen and BearingPoint.
Mr. Yip received a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering from the Worcester Polytechnic Institute in 1992. In 2010, he was awarded the Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) designation, and in 2011, he was awarded the Certified in Risk and Informations Systems Control (CRISC) designation. He is a member of ALPFA, currently serving in multiple roles: as Secretary as well as VP of Communications & Marketing for the Miami Chapter. He has also served as the Co-Chairperson of the ALPFA National IT Committee from 2010-2011. In 2010 Mr. Yip was one of ten ALPFA professional members awarded the ALPFA Miami / University of Phoenix Leadership Scholarship. With this scholarship, he is currently working on earning a Masters in Business Administration.
Vice Presidents and Directors
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Juan Roberto Ruiz, Jr.
VP of Student Affairs
studentinfo@miami.alpfa.org
Manager - Financial Services, Prudential Insurance Company of America |
Robert Ruiz has held the position of Manager, Financial Services at The Prudential Insurance Company of America's South Florida Agency since 2007. His work involves: recruiting, selecting, developing, and supervising Financial Services Associates.
In 2007, Robert came to Prudential where he has succeeded steadily in his career. That same year he obtained the company’s Achiever Award which recognizes outstanding life insurance sales. Robert is an active member of the Miami-Dade Chapter of The National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors. Mr. Ruiz is also a graduate of Florida International University where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration.
He resides in Miami, FL and is actively involved in the community and in community projects, including Hands on Miami, as well as other local volunteer programs.
Mayra Herrera is currently an audit senior with Kaufman, Rossin & Co. within the Audit Financial Services group, where her focus is on assisting clients in the hedge fund and private equity industries. She is responsible for addressing her clients' accounting, auditing and business needs in order to strengthen their financial reporting, internal controls and GAAP compliance. Prior to joining Kaufman, Rossin & Co., Mayra worked at PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP (PwC) in New York City in the Alternative Investment Funds group from 2004 until 2008. In her time with PwC, she worked on audit services for multi-billion dollar hedge funds and private equity funds.
Mayra has been a member of ALPFA since 2003. In 2004, Mayra helped establish the student chapter of St. John's University in New York as President of the organization. Currently, Mayra works with the ALPFA Miami professional chapter serving on the Programming Committee.
Mayra is originally from Tampa, Florida and attended the University of South Florida before she moved to New York in 2003 and completed her Bachelor's Degree in Accounting at St. John's University.
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Valerie Colimon
Co-VP of Programs & Events
events@miami.alpfa.org
Supervisor - Audit Services, McGladrey & Pullen, LLP.
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Maria M. Lopez is a member of Ernst & Young LLP National Tax Department, Tax Accounting and Risk Advisory Services-Tax Process Advisory (TARAS-TPA) and lives in Miami, FL. Maria practices in the areas of FAS 109 income tax provision and FIN 48 Uncertainty in Income Taxes with a particular emphasis on corporate domestic tax issues and transactions. Maria also practices in the areas of SOX 404 Internal Controls, Redesign of Provision for Income Taxes, Document Management Systems, and Domestic corporate tax compliance and tax consulting services.
Prior to joining Ernst & Young LLP, Maria was a tax manager at PricewaterhouseCoopers, in the South Florida practice, Chicago and New York city offices, where she managed several projects in the areas of corporate tax compliance and tax consulting services for several enterprises with particular emphasis in the Financial Services Industry, including large commercial and community service banks, financial advisory firms, mutual funds/RICs, real estate investment trusts, investment partnerships, etc. Maria also co-managed the roll-out and implementation of a document management system for the U.S. tax practice of PricewaterhouseCoopers, advised clients in DMS and Filenet systems, and worked in the implementation of a like-kind exchange program for the leasing business/division of a Fortune 100 Financial Institution in the Midwest.
Maria Lopez received a B.S. in Accounting from Florida International University and a Master of Science in Taxation from the same university. She is a certified public accountant licensed in the state of Florida. In addition, Maria is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Maria sits on the South Florida Chapter Board of Directors of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and the Miami Chapter Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting.
Roberto Paredes attended Florida State University where he received a BS in Accounting and Finance. He began his career in Accounting with the SEC group of a billion-dollar publicly traded company located in Miami, FL. Three years into his career, Roberto realized that he lacked passion for the accounting profession and transitioned his career to the professional staffing and recruitment industry. Roberto spent five successful years with Stephen James Associates, where he played an integral part in the growth of the local market and earned an excellent reputation for client service and always managing to deliver exceptional talent to every organization he serviced.
It is his broad-based experience in business and relationship-focused approach which has enabled Roberto to work in partnership with his clients in all phases on the corporate lifecycle. His ability to support growing companies as they work to build an elite infrastructure has resulted in the development and maintenance of deep-rooted relationships with companies and corporate leaders throughout South Florida.
Roberto is heavily involved in the community. He currently serves as Vice President of Membership for ALPFA's Miami chapter, which is one of ALPFA's leading chapters with close to 1,000 members. ALPFA is the largest professional Hispanic organization in the U.S. Roberto is also actively involved with Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Greater Miami and has been a guest speaker at various events. He has been a Big Brother since 2008.
Alex Zaldivar is a Vice President at Solutions@MBAF (Solutions) and has served in such capacity since combining his former practice, FAS Group, with Solutions in 2010. Alex's primary role within the Solutions organization is the continued development and expansion of the practice, specifically within the financial application, business process redesign, and business intelligence / reporting consulting areas. Mr. Zaldivar's business development efforts are broad in scope but focus on medium-to-large publicly-held companies, private equity firms, and large-scale private companies. His role also includes oversight over the firm's resource management and quality control initiatives. Alex is a proactive leader that leverages the strengths of his team and his overall experience as part of his ongoing commitment to client service.
Within his personal life, Mr. Zaldivar is equally committed to community service and to the South Florida community particularly. He has been a member of the Miami Beach Kiwanis Club for several years, including roles on the local and state board of the organization, and with the local and state youth organizations sponsored by Kiwanis International. Additionally, Alex has served as a member and former board member of ALPFA and as a member of the Financial Executive Institute. Alex is also a member of the Board of Accountancy of the State of Maryland, the South Florida Association for Financial Professionals and the Latin American Business Association.
Before joining Solutions, Mr. Zaldivar was one of the founding principals of the FAS Group, a Gold-Certified Microsoft Business Solution Partner, while also serving as the firm's Managing Director. His duties as Managing Director included managing day-to-day operations, administrative functions, resource management, client relationships and overall practice development. Under Mr. Zaldivar's leadership, FAS Group grew from one to over 30 professionals in less than four years while serving clients such as HealthSouth, Raymond James Capital, Vail & Rock Resorts, Jamba Juice, Swisher Hygiene, and many others.
Prior to partnering in the formation of the FAS Group, Alex held management positions with two global accounting firms (Big Four / Five firms). Such positions include five years as an auditor and transaction advisory services professional with Arthur Andersen LLP, where his ultimate title was Manager; and, two additional years as an Experienced Manager and auditor with Ernst and Young LLP. Alex concentrated on financial statement audit and merger and acquisition services for public registrants during his tenure at Arthur Andersen and Ernst and Young. Mr. Zaldivar earned his Bachelor's in Science within Business and Accounting from the University of Miami. He is a Certified Public Accountant in the state of Maryland.
As a whole, Mr. Zaldivar has dedicated his professional career to client service. Now, he maintains his focus in this area as he continues his endeavors in growing Solutions@MBAF and his individual role within the community.
Dan Brea is a portfolio officer for BNY Mellon Wealth Management. In this role he works directly with clients to address their investment and wealth management needs. He has 11 years of experience working with clients on investment management, all of them at BNY Mellon. Dan received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Miami and an MBA from the University of Miami. He is also a CFP® professional.
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Gene Falcon
Director at Large
Tax Recruiter, KPMG LLP |
Gene Falcon has been involved in various aspects of human resources, specifically staffing management, and in business development for over 20 years. His experience includes working at several Big Four firms in a recruiting and client service capacity, and working at corporations of varying sizes in business development and/or in sales positions. The Big Four firms offered a great learning environment and an excellent opportunity to practice and hone his recruiting and HR expertise. Gene also has experience in developing local staffing firms, including a successful start-up business in the 1990’s.
Gene graduated from the University of Miami in 1984 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and in his professional life has attended and facilitated various seminars on Interviewing techniques, employment law, resume writing and the overall process of job hunting.
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John Pagelsohn
Director at Large
Financial Reporting Senior Manager, Lennar Corporation
LinkedIn Profile |
John Pagelsohn is a Financial Reporting Senior Manager with Lennar Corporation, headquartered in Miami, FL. His responsibilities include the preparation, review and timely filing of all quarterly and annual filings required by the SEC as well as assisting with and preparing accounting fact sheets and completing special projects. Prior to Lennar Corporation, John was an Audit Senior Associate with KPMG in Miami where a majority of his time was spent on SEC clients.
John received a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Florida in 2007. John is also a graduate of the University of Miami, where he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting in 2001. While at the University of Miami, John was actively involved in Beta Alpha Psi and held a leadership role in the Honors Fraternity as Vice President of Membership.
John has been a Certified Public Accountant since March 2003. Today, John continues his involvement within the community as VP of Membership of the ALPFA Miami Chapter and through participation with various community service events throughout the year.
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Carlos Segrera
Director at Large
Vice President, Willis North America
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Carlos Segrera has over a decade of professional experience in the South Florida market. He has 8 years of recruiting and business development experience and currently leads the South Florida operations for Stephen James Associates. Carlos began his career with KPMG, the prestigious “Big 4” accounting firm where he served companies both large and small during his nearly four year tenure there. Carlos worked as a Vice President with Kramer Professional Staffing, Inc. (a leading provider of professional recruitment services serving the South Florida marketplace) for 5 years. Kramer Professional Staffing, Inc. was acquired by Stephen James Associates in December, 2006. Stephen James Associates is part of the Allegis Group network of human capital management and talent acquisition companies. With more than 250 offices in cities and towns across the U.S., Canada, and Europe, Allegis Group is the third largest human capital provider in the U.S.Carlos has built a reputation as a leader in the South Florida recruitment arena and he and his teams focus on partnering with companies ranging from entrepreneurial to Fortune 500.
An alumnus of the University of Miami where he graduated with high honors he served as the President of Beta Alpha Psi, the honorary accounting organization. He is an active member of his alma mater’s alumni organization and actively participates (since 1999) in the mentor program offering career guidance to students at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. He serves on the Board of Directors of ALPFA (Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting) focusing his efforts on corporate development. Carlos is involved with AICPA (American Institute of CPA’s), CACPA (Cuban American Association for CPA’s), GMCC (the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce) and he is active in the Beacon Council where he has served on the “Young Leaders Task Force”. Carlos is an active member of the YMCA where he volunteers his time to serve the local community.
Carlos received a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Miami, with a concentration in Accounting
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Gilbert Santiesteban
Director at Large
Senior Manager, Deloitte & Touche |
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Julie Codina
Director of Events Communications and Assessments
Financial Analyst - Business Planning, American Airlines |
Julie Codina is currently a Financial Analyst at American Airlines, where she is responsible for preparing and monitoring operational and capital budgets for assigned cities through Latin America and the Caribbean. Prior to joining at American Airlines in July 2010, she was an Investment Analyst at Dimension Capital Management (DCM), a Miami-based wealth management firm, for almost four years. At Dimension, Julie worked closely with the CIO to drive the analytical and research process of over $400 million in investments across traditional and alternative funds. Julie graduated Magna Cum Laude from Florida International University in 2006 with a Bachelor's Degree in Finance and successfully completed Level II of the CFA Exam in June 2009.
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Dennis Villon
Director of Events Communications
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Yaimy Chavez, CPA, EMST
Director of Community Affairs
Revenue Agent, Large and Mid-Size Business division of the Internal Revnue Service
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Yaimy Chavez is a Revenue Agent with the Large and Mid-Size Business (LB&I) division of the Internal Revenue Service. As a Revenue Agent for over two years, she has examined business and corporate tax returns with over $10 million in assets and related individual returns to determine correct federal tax liabilities and to ensure compliance with technical requirements imposed by the Internal Revenue Code.
Previously Yaimy Chavez was an Audit Manager with KPMG, LLP (KPMG). Having over six years of experience in public accounting, she has been involved in audits of large publicly held corporations and medium-sized privately owned companies primarily in the radio broadcasting, restaurant, cruise line and security service industries Her audit experience includes Securities and Exchange Commission filings audits, financial statement audits, and internal controls over financial reporting audits for compliance with SOX (Sarbanes-Oxley Act).
Yaimy graduated from:
Florida International University with an Executive Masters in Taxation in 2008.
University of Miami with a Bachelor in Business Administration with concentration in Accounting in 2003.
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Rosmery Osuna
Director of Membership Growth
Audit Assistant, Deloitte
LinkedIn Profile |
Rosmery Osuna is an Audit Assistant at Deloitte out of the Boca Raton, FL. office. She is part of Deloitte's Future Leaders Apprentice Program (FLAP). FLAP is a comprehensive, professional leadership development program that spans a two-year period. She is an active member of United Way and Hands of Miami.
She graduated from the Honors College at Florida International University (FIU), where she received a Bachelor of Accounting - Cum Laude (09) and an Executive Master of Science in Taxation (10). Rosmery has been a member of ALPFA since 2008. She served as secretary of the FIU student chapter during the summer and fall of 2008, receiving the Presidential Award for her outstanding services. She also holds an honorary Director of IT position with the Miami-Dade FICPA Chapter since July 2010. She is from Merida, Venezuela and resides in Broward County.
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Erika Ruiz
Director of Membership Retention
Senior Auditor, Mayer Hoffman McCann, P.C.
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AnaCristina Owen
Director of Membership
Registered Client Associate, Merril Lynch Wealth Management
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Silvia Sosa
Director of Student Conversion
Associate, PriceWaterhouseCoopers |
Silvia Sosa is currently an experienced Associate in the Assurance practice at Pricewaterhouse Coopers in Miami, working for PwC for two years. She was born and raised in Maracaibo, Venezuela, and she moved to Miami with her family in 2002. She has always had a passion for accounting and started her career back home by attending Rafael Belloso Chacin University and completing five semesters of accounting. After moving to Miami, she attended Florida International University and obtained both her Bachelors and Masters in Accounting in 2008 and 2009, respectively.
She has been a member of ALPFA since 2007. She was Vice President of the ALPFA at FIU chapter in spring 2008 and Parliamentarian during summer and fall 2008. She received the Presidential Award given by the student chapter board for her work. She is very involved in ALPFA and has attended the ALPFA Conventions since 2007. She is also a part of the Diversity group and Recruiting team at PwC. She is involved in the community and is an active member with Feeding South Florida and Relay for Life - American Cancer Society.
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Francesco Balli
Director of Corporate Relations
President, Balli Enterprises |
Francesco Balli is currently president and owner of Consultecnica, Inc., d/b/a Balli Enterprises, a firm providing specialized business consulting services including: interim-CFO services, best practices consulting for the airport / turnpike concession business / industry, federal / state tax credit and incentive administration, private acquisition brokering and negotiating, complex project and / or business viability, feasibility and other analytical services, internal accounting controls and financial functions restructuring; company policies and procedures design and implementation, and strategic consulting on markets and corporate structures.
Before Consultecnica, Inc., Mr. Balli was the Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Finance at Areas USA, Inc ("Areas USA"), a wholly owned subsidiary of Areas, S.A. ("Areas"). Areas is a $1.2 billion USD global concessionaire with over 1, 200 locations operating in nine countries. In 2006, Areas won a concession contract in Miami, Florida, thus forming Areas USA and hiring Mr. Balli in late 2007 to develop and oversee its accounting, finance and administration departments. Mr. Balli formed part of the start-up executive team and played a critical role in Areas USA's explosive growth. This growth was demonstrated best with winning the largest turnpike concession contract in history, the Florida's Turnpike concession contract which was valued at over $6 billion. Mr. Balli developed and directly managed eight corporate departments, including: accounting, financial reporting, treasury, information technology, human resources, loss prevention, corporate & legal affairs, and company policies & procedures. Mr. Balli oversaw a total of 45 corporate personnel.
Before Areas USA, Mr. Balli was a Manager in Ernst & Young's Fraud Investigation & Dispute Services. Mr. Balli was based in the Miami office and was focused on the Latin American market. Mr. Balli has served clients in the manufacturing, retail, distribution, real estate, healthcare, financial services and other industries.
Before joining Ernst & Young's Fraud Investigation & Dispute Services practice, Mr. Balli was a Senior Auditor in Ernst & Young's Miami Audit practice. Mr. Balli planned, performed, supervised and reviewed financial statement audits, agreed upon procedure and attestation of internal control type engagements. He also assisted in the compilation and preparation of financial statements for privately and publicly held companies in various industries.
Mr. Balli holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from the Fisher School of Accounting from the University of Florida, and a Master of Business Administration degree from Florida International University. Mr. Balli is also a Certified Public Accountant.
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Derrick Garcia
Director of Corporate Relations & Development
Portfolio Manager, BNY Mellon Financial
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Tessie Brunken
Director of Student Affairs
Adjunct Instructor, Florida International University |
Teresita (Tessie) Brunken, CPA is the Administrative Director of the School of Accounting at Florida International University. She also teaches both undergraduate and graduate tax courses. Tessie, an FIU graduate, began her career with Rachlin, Cohen & Holtz where she was promoted to Senior within 7 months. She left public accounting after two years for Stiefel Laboratories, Inc. a privately held multi-national pharmaceutical company for over 20 years in ever increasing capacities with such titles as Global VP of Tax & Treasury, Chief Financial Officer-US Division and Treasurer.
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Daniel Zamora
Director of New Student Chapter Development
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Daniel Zamora is currently launching his career as a recruiter, motivational speaker, and career coach. After completing various internships at public accounting firms, he realized his passion for helping others achieve their career goals. He serves as a mentor to many students and guides them in both career and leadership development. He has also served as a speaker in various workshops for student organizations about topics in career, leadership, and professional development. In addition to his passion, Daniel also serves as a consultant for business startups, sharing his knowledge in formulating business plans, strategic plans, and business development.
Daniel is actively involved in several professional and philanthropic organizations. Currently, he serves on the Board of Directors of ALPFA Miami as the Director of New Student Chapter Development, helping launch student chapters at the University of Miami and Nova Southeastern University. He is also involved in other organizations such as the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce in its Leadership Miami program, the Doral Toastmasters as a member, and Big Brothers Big Sisters as a Big Brother and campus spokesperson.
Daniel received a Bachelor of Accounting from Florida International University in 2010. He is currently pursuing his Master of Accounting at Florida International University and is expected to graduate in 2012. During his undergraduate studies, he served as President-Elect, President, and Consulting Officer of ALPFA FIU. Through his leadership, the chapter earned the South Region Chapter of the Year award. He was also recognized as the 2009 ALPFA National Student of the Year at the 2009 ALPFA National Convention. In addition, he attended various leadership conferences and led or coached teams in numerous case competitions.
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Kevin Zamora
Student Representative
President, ALPFA at Florida International University |
Kevin is currently a sophomore at Florida International University pursuing a bachelor's degree in Accounting. He plans on graduating in December 2014 and will also begin an internship with Deloitte this summer in the Miami office as part of their (program). Kevin plans on pursuing his Master of Accounting upon graduation and sitting for the CPA as well. Kevin is highly involved on campus and currently serves as the President of ALPFA FIU, the leading national finance and accounting association on campus and the top student chapter in the nation.
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Nicholas Andrial
Student Representative
President, ALPFA at University of Miami |
Nicholas Andrial is a senior at the University of Miami, pursuing a Bachelor of Business Administration with a major in Accounting and a Master's of Accounting. He has been an active member of various clubs and societies on campus. He is the current President of ALPFA at UM. Nicholas studied abroad for a semester at the University of Kent in England, which allowed him to expand his cultural and educational horizons. He has also worked throughout his three years at school as a student assistant at Deloitte & Touche. After graduating next year, Nicholas will be joining Deloitte & Touche full-time in New York City. |
