President
Taona was born and raised in Tbilisi, Georgia, and graduated from Oregon with a BS in Chemical Engineering. She works as a Senior Process Engineer at a battery recycling facility and enjoys the dynamic nature of the manufacturing industry. Additionally, Taona actively champions the empowerment of women, leading a global steering committee at her workplace to foster personal and professional growth for others. Outside of work, she enjoys exploring the outdoors with her pup, Dash, who looks like a real-life version of Scrappy Doo. Planning and organizing excursions with her friends and family are a source of genuine joy for Taona, As the MGSA.PM president, she's excited to connect people and make the 2023-2024 academic year unforgettable!
Devon is entering her third year as a candidate in the MBA.PM program. She has over eight years of human resource and business operations experience in various industries including tech, retail, and non-profit.
She is excited to serve as president of the Marshall Graduate Student Association, Professionals & Managers, support the Marshall Consulting & Strategy Club, and work as a Peer Coach for the upcoming academic year. She looks forward to interning at Deloitte in the Los Angeles office this summer.
When not at school, Devon loves to teach yoga, travel, and read - send her your recommendations!
VP of Academics
Alexis grew up in Orange County, CA and moved to LA to complete her degree at USC. After graduating with a B.A. in International Relations, Global Business, Alexis earned a B.S. in Food and Nutrition through the University of Alabama (online). After a variety of commercialization and strategy roles at different food companies, she currently works as a program manager for The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. She enjoys traveling, trying new restaurants, pilates, and spending time with her pets. She's excited to bring positive changes to the PM program!
VP of Alumni Relations
Katie is a second-year MBA.PM candidate at USC Marshall, serving as the VP of Alumni Relations for the Marshall Graduate Student Association. Her commitment to this position stems from her appreciation for the value and strength of the Trojan network, which she has experienced firsthand as both a student and staff member at USC Marshall. With 8+ years of experience as a marketing professional in higher education, Katie currently serves as the Associate Director of Marketing, MarTech at USC Marshall. In this role, she specializes in integrated marketing strategy, CRM management, and digital marketing to drive enrollment and support the university's strategic objectives. Outside of her work and studies, Katie enjoys spending quality time with family and friends or sneaking away on weekend roadtrips.
VP of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Jazlyn is a second year candidate with over six years of professional experience across various industries such as higher education, banking, manufacturing and automotive. She chose to pursue my MBA at USC Marshall for its vibrant and supportive community, which resonates with my passion for celebrating individuality and promoting DEI. Her diverse background and multi-cultural experiences have deepened by appreciation for these values. In my free time, She enjoys planning my next travel itineraries, outdoor activities, and playing tennis. As VP of DEI, she is excited to advocate for the program's diverse backgrounds and ensure an inclusive experience for everyone throughout the academic year and time at Marshall.
Co-VP of Events
Ahmed is a 2nd year MBA/MRED candidate.
He is a seasoned professional in the Real Estate Industry, focusing on Commercial Development.
Co-VP of Events
Prianka is a 3rd year MBA Candidate in the class of 2025.
She is an experienced Commercial Strategist and Analyst in the Biotech industry. She is focusing on product development and pursuing the Management & Strategy Consulting certificate. In her free time, she likes to spend her time traveling, being active, and trying new foods with her husband.
VP of Finance
Michael is an MBA candidate, class of 2025. He has experience in data analytics and growth marketing, working in the ecommerce and retail industries.
For the upcoming academic year, he will serve as Vice President of Finance in the Marshall Consulting and Strategy Club (MCSC) and as Vice President of Finance for the Marshall Graduate Student Association (MGSA.PM). This summer, Michael is excited to be interning at Visa in San Francisco.
Outside of class, Michael enjoys playing tennis and watching sports (football, baseball, and tennis).
Co-VP of Marketing & Communications
Co-VP of Marketing & Communications
Nick is in his third year in the MBA.PM program. He has five years of digital marketing and business development experience in the automotive industry, and interned this summer as a consultant at EY-Parthenon.
In addition to his work for MGSA, Nick also serves as a board member for Marshall Pride and the Marshall Consulting and Strategy Club. When not in class, Nick loves the theatre, RuPaul’s Drag Race, and going to the MBA.PM tailgates - say hi when you see him there!
Co-VP of Merchandise
Joey is a second-year student with nearly eight years of professional experience in global supply chain and operations, spanning various industries including aerospace, food & beverage, and now fashion & retail. In his previous role as Global Manager of Sales & Operations Planning at Vans, he had the privilege of working with iconic brands like The North Face and Supreme and traveled to visit their design studios in Tokyo and sourcing office in Singapore. Currently, Joey is at SKIMS, where he leads new retail store openings, merchandise fulfillment, and operations. He is most passionate about merchandise collaborations and is focused on blending timeless style with affordability and sustainability.
Co-VP of Merchandise
Clarisse is a 3rd year MBA.PM student with over 8 years of experience in the entertainment industry, having worked on shows like The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Survivor, Severance. From a young age, she has loved to dress up and was once described as always “dressing to kill.” Passionate about fashion, she designed her prom dress in high school. With that said, she is excited to serve as your Co-VP of Merch. Clarisse also serves as VP of Events in MCSC and VP of External Affairs in GWiB. She is a consulting intern at Deloitte for the summer.
Co-VP of New Student Development
Born and raised in Southern California, Natali completed her B.S. in Business Administration at Cal Poly Pomona and is entering her 3rd year in the MBA.PM program. Looking for balance between numbers and networking, she is also obtaining certificates in Business Analytics as well as Strategy & Management Consulting while holding a Finance position in the Aerospace & Defense industry. When not working or in the classroom, she enjoys salsa and bachata dancing, solidcore, Dodger Baseball, travel and times with friends and family.
Co-VP of New Student Development
Jose Roca-Leon was born in Guatemala but has called Los Angeles his home for the last 30 years. His early career was a mix of construction, warehouse, and retail sales work but pivoted to corporate finance while enrolling in community college nights and weekends. He completed his undergraduate degree in management information systems in 2021 at Cal Sate Long Beach (go dirtbags!) and immediately pivoted from corporate FP&A to business consulting at EY, and then applied to the MBA.PM program at USC within the year.
The MBA.PM program has been one of the most fulfilling and transformative experiences of Jose’s life which is what drove him to run for VP of New Student Development. In his off time, he is passionate about yoga, travel, cooking, eating, and his work with kids in foster care, adoption, and homeless youth.
Co-VP of Professional Development
Valerie is entering her second year as a candidate in the MBA.PM Program. She is a CFA Charterholder and has over 7 years of experience in the Investment Management industry working with fixed income trading and portfolio management. She is excited to serve as the Co-VP of Professional Development in the Marshall Graduate Student Association alongside Ashley Chen to help fellow Trojans achieve their career goals. When not in school or at work, Valerie enjoys traveling, trying new foods, spending time with friends and family, and taking care of her rescue lab pit mix named Icon and rescue cat named Miu Miu.
Co-VP of Professional Development
Ashley is a third year MBA.PM student emphasizing in Organization & Management while obtaining her Graduate Certificate in Technology Commercialization. As a first generation college student and Los Angeles native, she received her undergraduate degree in Business Administration from UC Irvine. Upon graduating in 2020, Ashley started her career at Northrop Grumman as a F-35 Fighter Jet Contract Administrator and now serves as a Principal Specialist at Raytheon, an RTX Business, supporting the development of cutting-edge radar technology through contracts to strengthen our nation’s defense capabilities. Outside of her corporate role and entrepreneurial ventures, she practices yoga and pilates, plays pickleball and golf, tries new restaurants as a Beli Global Top 75 and four-year Yelp Elite, and - most importantly - is a dog mom to her rescue pup Biscuit. As Co-VP of Professional Development, Ashley is honored and excited to assist her fellow MBA.PM students in securing their dreams jobs. Fight On!
Co-VP of Philanthropy
Originally from the metropolitan Washington DC area, Philip is a second year candidate in the MBA.PM Program with over 7 years of Nuclear and Mechanical Engineering experience in the manufacturing and defense industry after graduating from Virginia Tech. He served as one of the Co-Vice Presidents of Philanthropy for the 2023-2024 First Year Saturday Core alongside Julie Ferguson Patel and is also currently an Ambassador for the MBA.PM Program.
Outside of work and class, he enjoys photography, traveling the world, and spending time his family and friends. A foodie, engineer, wanderer, photographer, and not so subtle Asian traveler.
Co-VP of Philanthropy
Julie Ferguson Patel is a second year student in the PM program and is excited to serve another year as a VP of Philanthropy. Outside of USC, Julie is an attorney at NBCUniversal, advising on the promotional, marketing, and publicity campaigns for films, TV shows, and Peacock. Julie graduated from UC Irvine with a B.A. in Public Health Policy and received her J.D. from Chapman University School of Law. In her spare time, Julie enjoys traveling, trying new restaurants, and watching the latest movies.