2009 Conference Photos

The representatives of the Posse National Alumni Advisory Council (PNAAC) hosted the first National Posse Alumni Leadership Conference on Friday, August 14, 2009 at the New York Times Building. Close to 150 Alumni from around the country attended this year’s conference and 15 industry specialists volunteered their time as speakers and presenters.

Special Thanks to The New York Times and Goodwin Procter for hosting the event.

2009 Conference Highlights

• Erica Spatz, Vanderbilt Posse 4 (New York, ’97), received the 2009 Ainslie Alumni Achievement Award.
• Posse Chairman Jeff Ubben facilitated a workshop on navigating the world of finance .
• Chair Emeritus Michael Ainslie facilitated a session on finding your professional passion.
• Debbie Bial presented on the state of higher education in the United States
• Special thanks to the New York Times Company and Goodwin Procter, LLP who co-sponsored this incredible event.
• Norma Autry and Alice Hildkova won two tickets to Posse’s Gala.

Featured Alumni Panelists

Carlos Carela

Carlos Carela, owner of Cava Wine Bar and Vanderbilt Posse 6 (New York, ’99) Alumnus, was a panelist for the “Be Your Own Boss: The changing landscape of entrepreneurship” workshop. Carlos shared his experience as a young entrepreneur and offered advice on how to avoid typical pitfalls when starting your own business.

Jasmine Vallejo

Jasmine Vallejo, human resource business partner at Google and Brandeis Posse 2 (New York, ’03) Alumna, was a panelist for the “Sex, Religion and Politics: The real deal on diversity in the workplace” workshop. Prior to joining Google, Jasmine was an assistant vice president in human resources at Lehman Brothers in New York, where she sat on the leadership team of their Latin American Employee Network. Jasmine talked about the current state of diversity in the workforce and how to support cross-cultural initiatives across sectors.