Officers and Board

Jason Rabinovitch, B.S. 2008, Executive Vice President

Jason Rabinovitch is an Assistant Professor in the Mechanical Engineering Department at Stevens Institute of Technology (Hoboken, NJ, USA). Prior to Stevens, he was a Mechanical Engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), California Institute of Technology, where he worked in the Entry, Descent, and Landing & Formulation Group. Jason received a B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from Yale University in 2008, an M.Sc. in Aerospace Engineering from the California Institute of Technology in 2009, an M.Sc. in Fluid Mechanics from École Polytechnique (Paris) in 2010, and a Ph.D. in Aeronautics from Caltech in 2014. While at JPL, Jason was fortunate to work on a wide range of projects, from delivering flight hardware to the Mars 2020 mission, designing, implementing, and testing a low-density low-speed open jet fan-array wind tunnel for the (successful!) Mars Helicopter, to developing a hybrid rocket propulsion system for small satellites. His current research interests span various topics related to experimental and computational fluid mechanics applied to EDL, vehicle design, propulsion, and geophysical applications.

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Elissa Dunn Levy, B.S. 2009, Secretary

Elissa graduated from Yale (Berkeley College) in 2009 with a BS in Physics (Intensive). She spent 8 years in the hedge fund industry in a variety of analyst, project manager, and senior program manager roles. By day, she is now a high school physics and computer science teacher in northern Virginia. By night, she is a mom, a yogi, a teacher workshop leader, and – of course – a proud YSEA board member.

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Joseph Cerro, B.S. 1989, Treasurer

Joseph Cerro ’89 received the 2020 YSEA Award for Meritorious Service to Yale University. After graduating from Yale with a BS in Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, he earned degrees in Cell Biology and Anatomy from Columbia University. At Bayer Healthcare, Joe was Head of Informatics, ran a genomics laboratory, and held leadership roles in several groundbreaking research collaborations. As a consultant, he helped to develop some of the healthcare industry’s first smartphone apps and wearable technology concepts. Volunteering for Yale, Joe presided over the launch of YSEA’s pioneering alliance with FIRST Robotics, helped to establish an endowed fund to support STEM at Yale and in the community, supported departmental accreditation efforts, and has been an enthusiastic supporter of 1stGenYale programs. Joe currently serves as Vice President of Information Technology at Mnemo Therapeutics, a Paris-based biotechnology startup.

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Anita I. Kishore, B.S. 1999

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Staci A. Leisman, B.A. 1999

Staci (Mesher) Leisman, MD (SY 99, BA English Language and Literature), is an Associate Professor of Nephrology, Medicine and Medical Education at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.  In addition to seeing patients, she is a co-director of curriculum at the ISMMS and the course director for the Human Physiology course. Staci also serves on the editorial boards of the American Society of Nephrology Kidney Self-Assessment Program and the Journal of Chronic Kidney Disease, as well as on the Education Committee for the International Association of Medical Science Educators.

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Andrew Reardon, B.S. 2021

Andrew Reardon (Pauli Murray ‘21, BS Electrical Engineering) is a proud member of the YSEA board. He helped spearhead the inaugural YSEA pitch competition and is a part of the grants committee. Andrew won a NASA grant in 2019 for his research in soft robotics. He is passionate about entrepreneurial thinking and innovation.

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Laurel Reitman, B.S. 1999

Laurel Reitman (JE ’99, BS Electrical Engineering) is a General Manager at Microsoft. Laurel joined Microsoft from DocuSign where she was VP of Product. Prior to DocuSign, Laurel held Product Management leadership roles at Adobe, Joyent, and Microsoft developing products and services across a broad range of cloud technologies. Laurel is passionate about helping to improve diversity and inclusion in the technology industry.

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John Siemon, M.S. 1990

John is a licensed Professional Engineer with engineering degrees from the University of New Hampshire and Yale. He holds over 50 patents in the field of information technology (IT) infrastructure. In 2013, John was awarded the Astin-Polk International Standards Medal for distinguished service in promoting trade and understanding among nations through the advancement and development of international standards.

John also enjoys time with his family, cycling, skiing, ice hockey and is a Former President of the Yale Science and Engineering Association.

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Kristine Budill, B.S. 1989

Kristine has seven years of teaching experience in the areas of engineering, computer science, math and finance. Prior to her role as an educator, Kristine spent over ten years working at a private equity fund that invested university endowment funds and contributions from high net worth individuals in medical device companies. She also served as the Director of Business Development at Haemonetics Corporation, where she was responsible for analyzing, negotiating, and managing corporate investments in new technologies and businesses. Her early career included a variety of technical and managerial roles at General Electric Aircraft Engines and ITT Fluid Technology Corporation. Kristine holds a NYS Teacher Certification from Manhattanville College, a master’s in Management Science from MIT Sloan School of Management, a master’s in Electrical Engineering from MIT and a bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering from Yale University.

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John Frank, B.S. 1999

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Rick Koster, B.S. 1982

Rick Koster graduated from Yale (Berkeley College) in 1982 with a BS in Electrical Engineering. Rick started his career at Texas Instruments, followed by work at the US Army, Ikos Systems, Bytex Corporation and a couple of startups. Returning to Ikos systems in 1996 he is now at the Siemens Corporation as Ikos was acquired by Mentor Graphics which was then acquired by Siemens.  His career focus has been around the functional verification of Integrated Circuits.  Rick is currently the awards coordinator for YSEA. He is also the Dallas area Yale Alumni Schools Committee (ASC) director in charge of coordinating local admissions undergraduate interviews. Rick is actively involved in politics running for office in 2006 and 2010 and is also an avid workout and sports enthusiast.

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James Lockman, B.S. 1989

James Lockman BS ‘89 is a former President of YSEA. He manages Adobe’s Enterprise Customer Onboarding programs in the Americas. His team also develops software integrations that close gaps in creative workflows. James is an Adobe Founders’ Award winner, projecting the Adobe Values as a Boy Scout leader, STEM Education advocate, and volunteer Game Announcer with FIRST Robotics. He was the FIRST Robotics Volunteer of the Year at the Detroit Championship event in 2019. He lives in Maine, where he makes maple syrup each spring with his family.

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Austin P. Bishop, M.S. 2013

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George Chen, B.S. 1977

Daniel R. Delmar, B.S. 1973

Dan Delmar (Yale BS 1973, Stiles) is an angel investor, entrepreneur and a mentor of startups. He is the chief mentor and a board director of the Harvard Business School Alumni Angels of New York, living in the Seattle area. He was a strategy consultant (Bain, Accenture, and for more than 20 years, his own firm). Dan’s most recent corporate position was as an executive in IBM’s Corporate Strategy Department for six years. Dan has been a board member of YSEA for more than 30 years, as well serving on other non-profit boards over the years.

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David K. Gonda, Ph.D. 1986

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Jonathan Hartman, B.S. 2009

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John L. Troutman, B.E. 1965

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Jeffrey Sherman Katz, GRD. 1989

Jeff Katz is the Connecticut District Vice President of the Yale Science and Engineering Association. He is the Technical Leader of IBM Global University Programs. Prior to that he was the CTO of the IBM Energy and Utilities industry, and the Manager of the Computer Science department at ABB Corporate Research US. He is a Senior Member of the IEEE, and a member of both the IBM Academy of Technology and the IBM Industry Academy.

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IBM

Hahn Chou, M.E.M. 2004

Christopher Carosa, B.S. 1982

If you don’t know it, Chris Carosa is a man who wears many hats. He’s written thousands of articles (on topics ranging from global finance to white cream donuts) and more than a half dozen books (focusing on anything from finance to history, including the true story of the origin of the world’s first hamburger). An astrophysicist by training, he not only founded our local newspaper – the Mendon-Honeoye Falls-Lima Sentinel – where he serves as publisher, but he’s also President of Carosa Stanton Asset Management and Chairman of the Board of Bullfinch Fund, Inc, a nationally recognized family of independent no-load mutual funds. On top of that, he’s a past-President of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists and is on the Board of the New York Press Association. He’s served in various official capacities (including President) for the Yale Alumni Corporate of Rochester, where he’s presently acting as its YAA rep. A proud member of Davenport College, he graduated in 1982 after majoring in Physics and Astronomy. Given all this, he’s probably best known as the “Hamburger Historian.”

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Waleed Nasir, M.B.A. 2015

Waleed Nasir, MBA ‘15 is the Metropolitan District VP at YSEA, where his role is to foster collaboration and engagement within the community through events and webinars. For ideas and suggestions related to events and community engagement, please feel free to get in touch with him.

Waleed is a seasoned technology and product management executive and has founded several technology ventures. He serves on the advisory board of a number of accelerators and venture capital firms.

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Mid-Atlantic District: Antonio (Tony) Underwood

Bob Kunkler, B.S. 1988

Bob is Vice President, Global Commercial Operations for Abbott Diabetes Care, leading customer facing strategy and operations.

He began his career with Abbott’s Diagnostics Division in July 1993 and has led Commercial Operations for Abbott Point of Care and Abbott Molecular. Prior to this role, Bob served as Divisional Vice President & General Manager for Abbott’s Consumer Diagnostics business.

Bob has a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Yale University and a Masters in Management (MBA) from Northwestern University’s Kellogg Graduate School of Management. Bob serves on the Boards of the Yale Science and Engineering Association, the Yale Crew Association and the National Rowing Foundation, and is a member of the Yale Alumni Schools Committee.

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Mountain District: OPEN

New England District: OPEN

Maxwell Micali, B.S. 2012

Maxwell Micali is a practicing engineer focused on data-driven design and control of modern robotic systems. He holds a B.S. in mechanical engineering from Yale. Max continued his studies with M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in mechanical engineering from the University of California, Berkeley, where he was awarded a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship. He has also spent time as a Science Policy Fellow at the Science and Technology Policy Institute in Washington, D.C., and has served as an adjunct member of ASME’s Board on Government Relations. Born and raised in the Bay Area, he enjoys exploring the rich local histories of industry in Northern California.

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Aunica Steele, B.S. 2015

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Benjamin Ofori-Okai, B.S. 2009

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James Baird, B.S. 1963

Gail Kalison Reynolds, B.S. 1978, M.F.S. 1981

Gail Kalison Reynolds (MC 1978, BS Biology, FES 1981, MFS Forest Ecology), directs the Middlesex County Master Gardener Program and the statewide Master Composter program for the University of Connecticut, Department of Extension. She also represents the University of Connecticut in several biological control research projects with the University of Rhode Island. Gail retired from a 30-year career in technology, where she served in senior manager and strategist positions. She holds five information security industry certifications. Her interests include natural areas, Yale, and fitness.

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Michael Rosenberg, B.S. 1972