“Your Road, as a Part of the NAF Family, Does Not End After Your Schooling”
This November, during Alumni Month, NAF’s Alumni Leadership Council (ALC) brought together a dynamic group of past chairs for a special panel that featured reflections on their journeys, the role NAF has played in their lives, and what it means to give back to the next generation.
Our alumni spoke candidly about the doors NAF opened for them—through early exposure to career pathways, supportive educators who believed in their potential, and real-world experiences that helped them step confidently into college and career. They highlighted how the practical skills and professional networks they built as NAF students have continued to shape their growth long after graduation.
The Panel:
Moderator: Lauren B. Goren — The current chair of the ALC and a 2015 Academy of Finance alumna from Lancaster High School in Lancaster, NY. Lauren now works with Johnson & Johnson as a U.S. Regional Lead in Commercial Transformation, is a graduate of Babson College, and is currently pursuing her master’s from the University of Pennsylvania.
Jacqueline Burgos —Jackie was Chair of the ALC from 2016 to 2019. She is currently a Senior Sales Lead at Google and is a graduate of both Pace University and Harvard Business School. A 2004 graduate of the Academy of Finance at the Brooklyn Academy of Global Finance High School, Jackie is a long-time champion of NAF students. She met NAF founder, Sandy Weill, while interning at Citigroup, and still considers him a mentor to this day.
Erich de la Fuente — Erich is the Founder/CEO of EDF Consulting Inc. He is also a Senior Research Fellow and adjunct professor at Florida International University. Erich is a 1989 Academy of Hospitality & Tourism alumnus from Miami Springs Senior High School. He was a founding member of the ALC and its very first chair.
Shatiek Gatlin — An inaugural member of the ALC and its most recent chair, Shatiek is a 2012 graduate of the Academy of Finance at the High School of Economics & Finance in New York City and holds an MBA from Columbia, along with a bachelor’s degree from Babson College.
Natasha Ghatak Singh — Natasha chaired the ALC from 2019 to 2021 and is an Academy of Finance alumna from Gaithersburg High School in Gaithersburg, MD. She is now a Senior Special Projects Coordinator for the town of Jupiter, FL. Natasha holds an MBA from the University of Chicago and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland.
Highlights of Topics Covered:
On how the NAF experience endures
“So much of what I love about my life today and so much of my success is because of my NAF academy experience, and it’s given me the desire to give back.” – Jacqueline
On the importance of alumni solidarity
“One of the best examples of NAF leveraging the alumni voice is this push to be beyond a 9-12 organization and to continue to support alums and enable your successes after high school. And that is in no small part to the ALC. It’s been really heartwarming to see that evolution over time.” – Shatiek
“Your road as a part of the NAF family does not end after your schooling. It really begins a more important phase. [As a NAF alum], you stay connected and you meet amazing people all over the world.” – Erich
“There is so much joy when we come together and celebrate our successes. It’s incredible to see how far we’ve come and how far we’ll go.” – Natasha
On continuing to support the NAF community
“Serving on the ALC and the board, it helps you to see the bigger picture. What I learned from a leadership perspective is about helping people connect to the broader vision and understanding how what is happening on the local level connects to the overall mission.” –Shatiek
“It’s not about any one individual and that is why we constantly rotate [on the advisory boards and the ALC], because it’s always about the organization.” – Erich
“When NAF sees alumni success like us, they see many more, and they see who we represent. And I think that is why people like [CEO, Lisa Dughi] really listen to our suggestions and they take what we have to bring into true consideration.” – Jacqueline
On the future focus of the ALC
“Technical skills are so important, but critical thinking is also so important and always needed and is important in any job you do. We call that a ‘soft skill’ but to me it’s a ‘hard skill’!”- Erich
“My dream for NAF is: How do we reach a million kids per year? We know that NAF works; how do we make sure it’s an opportunity that more kids experience?” – Jacqueline
“How do we reach out to alumni and continue to support this network? Once you graduate, it’s just the tip of the iceberg on your NAF journey. What happens 20 and 30 years after you graduate?”- Natasha
To view the full video, click here and follow NAF on social @NAFCareerAcads for more Alumni Month highlights all season long!
