Stay Connected with friends and former classmates

Welcome home, Jindal School alumni!

The JSOM Alumni Relations team is dedicated to keeping you connected to your alma mater and helping you support your university! To reach us directly, visit the JSOM Alumni Contact page or email us at jsomalumni@utdallas.edu.

Alumni Spotlight

Brad Perkinson, BS’08, MS’09

Founder,CEO and Brewer, Firewheel Brewing Co., LLC

This Naveen Jindal School of Management grad took the opportunity of getting laid off to pursue a dream of starting what is now known as FireWheel Brewery in Rowlett.

Luis Ortiz, MBA’10

Brand Manager, North America Ericsson

As a young professional, Luis Ortiz found a way to further his company’s goals and initiatives while helping individuals in need. He developed a business initiative for Ericsson that not only met and surpassed company objectives but also helped a nonprofit organization. By looking beyond boundaries between for-profit and nonprofit organizations, Ortiz crafted a creative solution to help Ericsson increase its brand awareness while assisting the North Texas Food Bank.

Brittany Weber, BS’14, MS’15

Assurance Senior, EY

As a member of the Professional Program in Accounting, Brittany Weber graduated with a BS in accounting in spring 2014 and an MS in accounting in spring 2015. Through the PPA recruitment process, she was able to secure an internship and later a full-time offer from EY.

J.B. Yett, BS’09, MS’10

Audit Manager, Grant Thornton LLP

Yett earned both his undergraduate and master’s degree in accounting from Jindal School, where he was part of the selective Professional Program in Accounting. The PPA offers top accounting students smaller classes along with training in soft skills and access to choice internships. Upon graduation, Yett joined Grant Thornton where his current responsibilities include managing multiple audit engagement teams and client relationships. His role includes ensuring high quality audit execution and distinctive client service.

Jason Ellison, BS’03 MBA’06

Entrepreneur

While Ellison began his professional career at KPMG in audit, he now is on his second (or third) career, as owner of Ellison Business Consulting in Allen.

Charles Gillis, MBA’04

Executive Director, Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr, PC

Technology and an evolving mindset about work-life balance is completely changing the legal services profession.

Abhishek Sharma, Class of ’21

Finance Manager at Amazon

My background experience was a mix of technical qualifications as a software engineer and work experience as a futures trader and Sales Finance Manager. Even though I had worked in the finance domain in different capacities, I didn’t have experience of academic finance and when looking for options for my graduate level education my priority was to complement both my previous education and work experience. The MS Finance program at JSOM not only fulfilled all the criteria but also boasted of world class faculty and a very enhanced learning program and facilities.

Tina T. Hoang, BS’09

Financial Advisor, Northwestern Mutual

Hoang, who graduated cum laude with a Business Administration degree, says her degree gave her the knowledge, resources and connections to help people with their financial planning needs. “It helped me build character, business acumen and find the passion for what I do now,” she says. She says she is proud her work will impact families and businesses now “and last … on into the following generations.” She was recently selected as one of 60 representatives nationwide to attend a special fast-track program for young advisers in Milwaukee. While there, she took part in the challenge course.

Steven P. Nelson, MBA’89

Director, Ecosystem and Marketing Platformsfreescale Semiconductor

When Steve entered the Jindal School’s MBA Program, he decided to stray from his engineering background and pursue a concentration in marketing. That unlikely decision uncovered a new passion and ultimately shifted his career path.

Thomas Hunley, MS’90

Retail Risk Executive, PNC Bank

For some, big risks come with big rewards, and for Thomas Hunley, a decision to make a career change after several years in the information-technology sector, was a risk that led to a satisfying new profession. Hunley’s decision to transition into a finance role brought him to the Jindal School, where he received a master’s degree in management and administrative sciences.

Joe Warren, BS’11

Software Engineer, USAA

Each day, I strive to use best practices, creating beautiful and accessible experiences for our internal and member-facing systems.

Sejal Desai, MBA’99

Program Director, Entrepreneurs for North Texas

Establishing the Desai Family Fellowship at Naveen Jindal School of Management is just one thing Desai has done to improve the lives of others.

Samir Patel, BS’13 MBA’14

Founder/Portfolio Manager, Askeladden Capital Management

Askeladden is the investment adviser to a long-only limited partnership (hedge fund) and separately managed accounts (SMAs), running a concentrated, long-term oriented, small-and-micro-cap portfolio. Patel graduated magna cum laude with a biochemistry degree from UT Dallas when he was 19 years old, and concentrated in finance and supply chain in his MBA, which he completed when he was 20.

Geetha Hathikal, MBA’13

Business Analysis Manager, Ericsson

Hathikal, who has been with Ericsson for more than four years, works as a business consultant in the networks strategy planning group of the organization.

Angelica Barriga, BS’03, MBA’08

Director, Global Business Process Management, Adva Optical Networking

Angelica Barriga, an advocate for bold action, believes organizational behavior is an important yet often-overlooked component in developing a business strategy. In her role at ADVA Optical Networking, a telecommunications vendor based in Germany, she oversees the business lifecycle process across global sales, marketing and service organizations.

Lester Dsouza, Class of ’21

Financial Analyst at CBRE

During my research for a good graduate school, I saw that the MS in Finance at JSOM offered more than just quality education, it provided an access to huge knowledge pool and experience from the faculties and the peers alike. It had the widely diverse class with students from all around the world to learn from, while having 200+ student organizations to develop myself outside of the classroom and make friends. Being located really close to Dallas, a major city which has great opportunities also influenced my decision to enroll at JSOM.

Craig Weigel, MBA’03

Human Resources Director, PepsiCo

Weigel, an HR professional for more than 18 years, has worked for multiple Fortune 100 global companies in various roles, including recruiting, mergers and acquisitions, compensation, and business partnership. He is most proud of his short-term projects in Asia and Europe, which broadened his cultural awareness and global business knowledge.