Simon Consortium Alumni/Student Profiles
Class of 2010: William Reynolds
Class of 2008: Terrence Liverpool and Silvia Torres
Class of 2007: Salim Holder
Class of 2003: James Buck and Kelly Stone
Class of 2001: Deborah Soffin
Class of 1998: Michael Burkeen
Class of 1983: Kathy Waller
William Reynolds, M.B.A. Intern, Boston Scientific, M.B.A. & Masters in Public Health, Class of 2010
Will graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point with a Bachelor's in Engineering in Systems Engineering in 2002 and is a retired Captain from the U.S. Army. He is earning a dual degree at the University of Rochester, an M.B.A. and a Masters in Public Health; his M.B.A. concentrations include Operations Management, Competitive and Organizational Strategy, and Health Sciences Management. He is an active member of Simon Ambassadors, Simon Immersion, Simon Volunteers and Simon Health Sciences Management Club.
Terrence Liverpool, Manager of Online Promotions, Publishers Clearing House, Class of 2008
Terrence graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Cornell University in 2002 and with an M.B.A. with concentrations in Entrepreneurship and Marketing from the Simon School in 2008. After finishing his undergraduate degree, he held positions at Ask Jeeves, Inc. and at Comedy Central where he handled much of the project management and production responsibilities for advertising opportunities. He is currently working as the Manager of Online Promotions at Publishers Clearing House where he is responsible for implementing new promotions for all of PCH’s online properties and managing the advertising and promotions budget for each property. Outside of work Terrence is active in his community and dedicates much of his spare time to the All Stars Project. He currently resides in Flushing, NY.
Silvia Torres, Creative Assistant Brand Manager, The Procter & Gamble Company, Class of 2008
Silvia is a Creative Assistant Brand Manager at The Procter & Gamble Company in Cincinnati, Ohio, after completing a brand management internship with Procter & Gamble. “I was able to hit the ground running during my internship with P&G because I had the advantage of Simon School’s focus on learning and studying real business issues. Simon gave me the analytical tools I needed – tools not all of my fellow interns had.” Silvia completed undergraduate study at S.U.N.Y. at Binghamton, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Economics in 2001. Prior to her M.B.A. she worked as a Marketing Coordinator for CNN. Silvia completed an M.B.A. with a concentration in Competitive and Organizational Strategy in 2008 from the Simon School.
Salim Holder, Assistant Brand Manager Kimberly-Clark Corporation, Class of 2007
Salim graduated from Hampton University with a Bachelor of Science in Marketing. Prior to obtaining an M.B.A., Salim worked as a Logistics Executive with the Philadelphia District of Target Corporation. He earned his M.B.A. with a concentration in Marketing, Entrepreneurship, and Competitive and Organizational Strategy in 2007 from the Simon School. He currently serves as an Assistant Brand Manager with Kimberly-Clark and resides in Appleton, WI. He is very active in building minority businesses and economic development in historically depressed areas. In addition, Salim is also a Professional DJ and recently started his own Marketing and Promotions Company.
James "Jamie" Buck, Sales Executive, Thomas Reuters, Class of 2003
Jamie used his Simon M.B.A. to launch a career in the Financial Services Industry. Today, Jamie is a Sales Executive working in Corporate Treasury Services for Thomas Reuters. Post-M.B.A. he has also worked as a Client Manager in the Financial Services area for IBM and served as an Associate in Global Operations Equity Derivatives for Goldman Sachs. Jamie graduated from the Simon School in 2003 with an M.B.A. in Competitive and Organizational Strategy and Electronic Commerce. Prior to joining Simon, Jamie was a Project Manager focused on SAP Implementation for IBM. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Providence College in 1997.
Kelly Stone, Senior Marketing Manager, Hasbro Inc., Class of 2003
Kelly is a Senior Brand Manager at Hasbro Inc. in Boston, Massachusetts. She worked with the product line of Iron Man toys in conjunction with the Marvel Comics’ blockbuster theatrical debut. Kelly earned her M.B.A. with a concentration in Brand Management in 2003 from the Simon School. She has also held positions as Associate Product Manager for Playtex Products and Brand Manager for Colgate-Palmolive post-M.B.A. Prior to the M.B.A., Kelly worked for I.B.M. as an Information Technology Specialist and at PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP as a Consultant. Kelly earned her Bachelor of Science in Information Technology from Rochester Institute of Technology. “The rigor of Simon’s curriculum, which is heavily quantitative in nature, continues to help me in my career every day. In a highly creative and fad-driven industry, I cannot overstate the importance of a logical, analytical framework in which to assess business decisions.”
Deborah Soffin, Brand Manager of Iams Dog, The Procter & Gamble Company, Class of 2001
Deborah has responsibility for managing the $1 Billion Iams Brand in North America at Procter and Gamble, the world’s largest advertiser. Appointed Iams Dog Brand Manager in 2007, Deborah reinvigorated the base business with a global re-stage to deliver breakthrough marketing and media innovation focused solely on putting the consumer at the center of every decision. Deborah is a 8-year veteran of Procter &Gamble, joining the company as an Assistant Brand Manager on Dryel. In her second assignment as an Assistant Brand Manager, she launched Gain with a Touch of Softness and created the “Love Letters” advertising campaign. In addition to re-staging the base business at Iams, another key accomplishment included launching the most successful Iams Cat initiative in Iams history, Iams Multi-Cat. Deborah serves on the Board of Directors for the SPCA of Greater Cincinnati. She is truly a pet passionate consumer. She also enjoys traveling to new countries to explore different cultures. A 1996 graduate of Michigan State University, the Buffalo, NY native earned her M.B.A. with concentrations in Finance and Marketing from the Simon School in 2001. Prior to joining P&G, she spent three years at PriceWaterhouseCoopers as an Auditor.
Michael Burkeen, Director of Marketing Capability Development, Con Agra Foods, Inc., Class of 1998
Michael is leading the development of the company’s new Marketing Academy. He joined the company in October 2007. His primary responsibilities include the development and deployment of learning solutions, and oversight of marketing competency learning integration. Michael previously worked at the Procter & Gamble Company for nine years. His past five years were spent as manager of North American Marketing Capability. The previous four years were spent in line marketing on national brands including Gain, Mr. Clean and Swiffer. Prior to working at P&G he spent four years in the hospitality industry in Washington, DC. Michael completed a Bachelor of Science in Hotel Management from Cornell University in 1992. He is one of the co-founders of the National Society of Minorities in Hospitality, a student-run organization founded in 1990 to support individuals in College that are interested in careers in the hospitality industry. Michael completed his M.B.A. with concentrations in Entrepreneurship and Marketing from the Simon School in 1998.
Kathy Waller, Vice President and Chief of Internal Audit, The Coca-Cola Company, Class of 1983
Kathy is the Vice President and Chief of Internal Audit at The Coca-Cola Company in Atlanta, Georgia. She earned her M.B.A. with a concentration in Accounting and Finance in 1983 from the Simon School. “When I began studying for my M.B.A., I knew that I wanted to eventually work in finance, but I wasn't thinking about accounting. My professor – the late Phil Meyers – made the subject matter fun. He challenged me. When I was finished working with him, I knew I wanted to be an accountant. I’m convinced that I am where I should be today because of his guidance.” Prior to her M.B.A. studies, Kathy worked for the City of Rochester, New York in their Budget Bureau. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of Rochester.
