Northeastern Next Podcast

Meet Kerstin Haskell, DMSB'03! The president of World BioHazTec, Kerstin strives to keep her firm true to its mission—to promote health and safety in an ever-changing world. We'll discuss her Northeastern experience, how World BioHazTec came to be, and why it's important to leverage your personal network. Learn more about BioHazTec: https://worldbiohaztec.com/

Meet Emily White, SSH'05! Emily is the host of the hit podcast "How to Build a Sustainable Music Career and Collect All Revenue Streams," as well as a high-profile public speaker. She joins the Northeastern Next podcast to discuss her beginnings in the music industry, why she started her podcast, and why it's important for members of our university's community to attend a Northeastern-based conference. Register for this year's Global Leadership Summit in London: https://eventregistration.northeastern.edu/event/gls2026/summary?rt=32XOyQcVU0eIsFjTVZJdnQ&RefId=25marpod Listen to Emily's podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-build-a-sustainable-music-career-and-collect/id1561859742

Meet Sara Alaoeasheg, CPS'25! The founder of Lillian Prep, Sara looks to harness what she learned during time at Northeastern and convey it into the principles of her new nonprofit. We'll discuss her co-op experience, her interest in human resources and social work, and the mission of Lillian Prep. Learn more about Lillian Prep: https://www.lilianprep.org/

Meet Meet Shah, MS'19! Drawn to Boston’s powerhouse biotech ecosystem, Meet chose Northeastern to immerse himself where scientific discovery meets real-world execution. After launching his career through the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, he focused on one of medicine’s most transformative frontiers: engineering immune cells to fight cancer. Now contributing to next-generation allogeneic cell therapy development at Genentech, Meet works on the manufacturing and process innovations that determine whether breakthrough science can scale to reach patients worldwide. In this episode, we explore how Northeastern’s experiential model shaped his translational mindset, the evolution of cell therapies from autologous to scalable platforms, and what it takes to move cutting-edge research from concept to clinic.

Meet Raymond Tay, MS’24! A transport network engineer, Ray shares his journey from over a decade in the global telecom industry to pursuing a master’s degree at Northeastern University. He discusses how the Gordon Institute of Engineering Leadership helped him transition his role, how his perspectives on global connectivity developed, and how AI is transforming the future of telecommunications infrastructure.

Meet Jenny Taconet, MS'25! A data scientist for Meta, Jenny explains the process of how she was hired for one of the most prestigious tech companies in the world. Additionally, she talks about how her experience at the Khoury College of Computer Sciences impacted her professional development, as well as her thoughts on the integration of Al in the workplace.

Meet Scott Kerman, the co-author of the book The Duke: Weekly Conversations with the Last Honest Politician! A comedian, Scott takes us on the journey of his relationship with Governor Michael Dukakis that inspired him to author this book. Plus, we'll talk about the Governor's continued relationship with Northeastern University. Purchase your very own copy here: https://www.amazon.com/Duke-Conversations-Politician-Political-Comedian/dp/B0F8881S4G

Meet Helen Russell, DMSB'88! Shortly after graduating, Helen moved to the Bay Area and decided to forge her own path as an entrepreneur. After co-founding Equator Coffee in 1995, she and her team have grown it from a small business in a garage to having their blends sold in Whole Foods and Kroger's—even opening a shop in Snell Library. Plus, Equator Coffee has recently launched the Northeastern Legacy Blend, where a portion of each purchase supports the university and its initiatives. Purchase Equator Coffee's Northeastern Legacy Blend: https://www.equatorcoffees.com/products/northeastern-university-blend

Meet Maarten Eenkema van Dijk, E’14, MS’15! Maarten has been making an impact in his field since his time at Northeastern—whether it’s by building structures in Hudson Yards, taking a co-op to design luxury villas on the island of Mauritius, or leading the largest recycling systems supplier in North America as they help New York City sort their waste. Additionally, he recounts his experiences at the four Global Leadership Summits that he has attended, and why members of the Northeastern community should consider attending GLS in London this June. Connect with Maarten: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maarten-eenkema-van-dijk-544b678a/ Register for the 2026 Global Leadership Summit: https://eventregistration.northeastern.edu/event/gls2026/summary?RefId=glsweb&rt=32XOyQcVU0eIsFjTVZJdnQ

Meet Elizabeth Gurian, MS’06! Elizabeth was recently named a Charles A. Dana professor of criminology and criminal justice at Norwich University in Northfield, Vermont. She joins the Northeastern Next podcast to discuss why she chose serial murderers to be her academic focus, why people are drawn to true crime media, and to announce the launch of her data-driven project, the Murder Matrix. Learn more about the Murder Matrix: murdermatrix.com

Meet Brigham Hyde, S'04! Combining his passion for chemistry with his instinct for business, Brigham co-founded Atropos Health—an AI-driven healthcare company that helps those in the medical field make informed decisions on their patients. In this episode, we'll discuss his Northeastern co-op experience, why he started Atropos Health, and his favorite management style. Learn more about Atropos Health: https://www.atroposhealth.com/

Meet Chloe Gold, Khoury'22! Chloe is currently a product manager for an advertising firm in New York City, and credits her co-op experience with helping her begin her professional career. We'll discuss the impact of being a well-rounded Northeastern student, helping students find the perfect co-op, and what makes a great resume.

Meet Peter McKay, DMSB'86! The CEO of the AI-powered security platform Snyk, Peter was recently named a Boston Globe Tech Power Player for 2025. In this episode, we'll discuss his impactful co-op experience, the best management skills needed to be a CEO, and advice for those looking to start their own venture. Learn more about Peter and Snyk: https://snyk.io/contributors/peter-mckay/

Meet Alex Duffy, E'19! Currently the head of AI for Every, Inc., Alex has a long history with the field. As his career has developed, he has worked his way from teaching children about artificial intelligence at a programming bootcamp to consulting media giants like The New York Times on how to properly instill the technology. We'll discuss his overall Northeastern experience, what initially attracted him to AI, and what AI Diplomacy is. Learn more about Every: https://every.to/ Learn more about Alex and AI: https://alxai.com/ Connect with Alex: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-d/ Follow Alex on X: https://x.com/alxai_

Meet Ashley DiLorenzo, AMD'25! About to embark on her professional journey with Disney Cruise Line, Ashley has seen both ends of the spectrum in the entertainment industry—from her time at the Huntington Theater to media giant NBCUniversal. We'll talk about why she chose Northeastern, the skills she learned during her co-op experiences, and how she networked her way to Disney.

Meet Chinonso Morsindi, DMSB'25! A 2025 Compass Award winner, Chinonso made an important impact during her five years on campus. We'll discuss how the co-op laid the foundations for her career aspirations, her involvement with the Black Business Student Association, and her enticing capstone project on economic development in Africa.

Meet Ralph Cabana, BHS'75! Ralph is preparing to celebrate the 50th anniversary of his Northeastern Commencement ceremony as a Golden Graduate with his fellow graduates from the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. We'll discuss how Northeastern prepared him for his career, how the university has progressed since graduating, and why he is excited to be a Golden Graduate!

Meet Samuel Akinin, E'16! An accomplished entrepreneur, Samuel's businesses span across the country of Namibia, providing Namibians with everything from easy bank access to affordable housing. Hear how his Northeastern experience influenced him to become an entrepreneur and shaped his business acumen! Learn about JabuPay: https://www.gojabu.com/ Learn about Atenu Developments: https://www.atenudevelopments.com/ Learn about the ECD Center in Tsumkwe: https://www.instagram.com/atenudevelopments/reel/C6viOzToTHQ/?hl=hu Connect with Samuel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samuel-akinin-97680419/