During the 2025–2026 academic year, students in the Department of Resource Economics had many opportunities to learn from alumni who once sat in their seats. Through a department-wide panel and a series of events hosted by the department and supported by the Professionalism in Applied Economics Society (PAES), alumni joined students in Stockbridge Hall and over Zoom to share their career paths, offer practical advice, and show where a degree from the department can lead.
November Alumni Panel
The department's biggest alumni event of the year took place on Friday, November 14, 2025. The Virtual Alumni Panel provided an opportunity for those alumni far from Western MA to connect with our current students, featuring alumni from all over the US and one from abroad. The event brought more than 100 student attendees between Stockbridge Hall, Room 303, and those joining over Zoom. Over the course of the afternoon, the event was organized into three panels, each covering a different set of career paths open to the department’s graduates. Pizza was provided for in-person attendees.
The Environmental Panel featured Sam Curnyn '23, Strategy and Planning Analyst at Avangrid Power (Portland, OR); Nate Ryan '20, Energy Markets & Sustainability Analyst at Veolia North America (Brooklyn, NY); and Arnav Tanna '22, Biofuels Analyst at Essar Future Energy (Mumbai, India). They talked with students about careers in energy markets, sustainability, and the transition to renewable fuels.
The Business Panel featured Matthew Schreibman '17, VP at Goldman Sachs (NY, NY); Averey Mackin '21, Client Services Associate at Morgan Stanley (Arlington, VA); Anant Vijay Trivedi '21, Consulting Sales at Deloitte (Washington DC); and Ryan Newberry '09, VP and Commercial Loan Officer at Kearny Bank (Harrington Park, NJ). Together they covered finance, wealth management, consulting, and commercial banking.
The Data Analytics & Technology Panel featured Affaf Kashif '23, Business Data Analyst at Dexian (Charlotte, NC); Folasayo Adigun '21, Tax Accountant at Andersen (Washington DC); and Kerla Sylvestre '24, Associate Product Manager at Google (SFO, CA). They showed students how analytical and quantitative skills lead to roles in data, accounting, and tech.
Across all three sessions, students heard from alumni in recent classes and from those more than fifteen years out. Many stayed afterward to network and ask follow-up questions.
PAES Alumni Events
Alongside the department panel, PAES hosted three more events featuring alumni.
Photo: Alumni speaker, Michael Doherty '89, at PAES alumni event. October 28, 2025.
Alumni Speaker Event: Michael Doherty '89
On Tuesday, October 28, 2025, PAES welcomed Michael Doherty, a 1989 Managerial Economics graduate and Director of Product Management at Fidelity Investments. Doherty talked about life at UMass and after it, the hard and soft skills that matter most in the workplace, and advice for professional development. He also described what his work as a director at Fidelity involves. With more than three decades in the industry, he gave students a long view of how a Managerial Economics degree can grow into a leadership career.
Guest Speaker: Olivia Tremblay '22
PAES continued the series in the spring with a guest speaker event on Wednesday, April 1, 2026. Olivia Tremblay '22 is an Events Specialist at Greenberg Traurig LLP in Boston. She earned a B.S. in Hospitality and Tourism Management from the Isenberg School of Management with a secondary degree in Managerial Economics. Her talk showed students how pairing economics with another field can open career paths outside traditional finance and analytics roles, including planning and running events for a major international law firm.
Young Alumni Panel
A week later, on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, PAES welcomed back two of its own for a Young Alumni Panel. Jordan Story '24, Underwriter at QBE North America, and Hannah Lee '24, Project Manager at Epic Systems, are both Managerial Economics graduates and former PAES board members. They returned to talk with current students about career paths, professional growth, and the move from college to the workplace. The panelists described how they got started in insurance and project management, what their first years on the job have been like, and what they have learned since graduating. Having graduated in 2024, both panelists offered advice from a recent firsthand look at the job search students are facing now.
With Gratitude to Our Alumni!
The department and PAES are grateful to every alum who gave their time this year. Your stories and advice give students a real picture of where their education can take them. Photos from the Michael Doherty event and the November Alumni Panel are on the PAES Instagram at @umasspaes. Alumni who would like to take part in future events can contact PAES at @email.