Graduate Student Advisory Board
College of Business Graduate Student Advisory Board
The Student Voice Driving Change and Innovation
Shaping New Initiatives with Student Input
The Dean's College of Business Graduate Student Advisory Board provides a forum for MBA and MS students in the College of Business to provide feedback to the Dean and other administrators in the College of Business. This is accomplished through ongoing meetings and open dialogue. The information provided by these students assists in driving change and they act as a sounding board for new initiatives.
Learn more about the Graduate Student advisory board members
MBA Programs
Peter Caravousanos
Peter Caravousanos is currently a student in the MBA program with a concentration in operations analytics. He received his BS in Architecture from the New York Institute of Technology and has since developed as a cross disciplined, dexterous strategic leader with multiple professional designations and certifications including NYS Registered Architect (RA), Certified Construction Manager (CCM), and a Project Management Professional (PMP) with approximately 30 years’ experience in project / program delivery. Translating mission and strategy into teams, and outcomes has led to numerous, prominent positions and leadership assignments throughout his career. Peter brings to the Dean’s Advisory Board his diversity of thought, innovation, strategic creativity, and willingness to facilitate engagement across student body and the School of Business toward optimized initiatives, planning and outcomes.
Natalia Fernandez
Natalia graduated from Stony Brook University in 2021 with her BS in Business Management with specializations in marketing and operations management. She is currently a part time MBA student and works as an estate manager. Throughout her diverse career she has had the opportunity to experience different industries. She is fortunate enough to be trilingual, speaking English, Spanish, and Portuguese. Natalia loves to travel and learn about different cultures around the world. Natalia is an avid learner and hopes to experience different opportunities throughout her career that can uplift communities. In her free time she enjoys music and visual arts. Her newest endeavor is learning how to play the ukulele.
James Ferraiuolo
James is an MBA student who currently work at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) as an Environmental Technician. His responsibilities in this role include coordination with contractors to ensure the completion of routine sample collection, review and revision of standard operating procedures, and collection of environmental samples to ensure compliance with relevant regulatory standards. Prior to BNL, he worked at J.R. Holzamer P.E., LLC (JRH) as an Environmental Scientist involved in aspects of project management. He also worked for the Town of Babylon as an Environmental GIS Analyst where he was responsible for management of spatial data for multiple infrastructure projects. At each step of his career, he has been exposed to multiple leadership opportunities. This exposure is what prompted him to apply for the MBA program at SBU. Furthermore, he feels that being an active and dedicated member of the Dean's Advisory Board will allow him to further cultivate his passion for leadership, and ultimately, allow his to grow as a leader.
Kayla Yousefzadeh
Kayla is a full time student in the MBA program. Kayla graduated from Stony Brook University in May 2023 with her Bachelors in Business Management with specializations in Accounting and Marketing, and a Minor in Communications and Innovation. While an undergrad at Stony Brook University, Kayla was involved in many organizations around campus. Kayla served on the Dean’s College of Business Undergraduate Student Advisory Board, she was the President of the Jewish Student Association, and a teaching assistant for various undergraduate business courses. This past summer Kayla was fortunate enough to intern with the Finance Department at Effy Jewelry, and she cannot wait to put what she learned to use when she graduates with her MBA in May of 2024. In her free time, Kayla enjoys playing tennis, spending time with family and friends, and trying new restaurants!
Accounting Programs
Oliver Pitts
Oliver is completing his final year of the MBA in Accounting program and is on track
to become a NYS Certified Public Accountant (CPA). Oliver completed his undergraduate
studies at Stony Brook, graduating with a BS in Applied Mathematics and Statistics
and Economics. Oliver currently works as a student assistant in the Office of the
University Controller, familiarizing himself with SUNY expenditure and IFR accounting.
Ansa Zubair
Ansa Zubair is a full-time Masters in Accounting and Analytics student at Stony Brook University. She has previously graduated from SBU with her BS in Business Management with a minor in Accounting. Currently pursuing her CPA designation, Ansa brings valuable experience in accounting and consulting. During her time at Stony Brook, Ansa was an active member of the Business Honors Program, where she consulted for the Fortune 500 company Broadridge and co-led the planning and hosting of the inaugural College of Business Club Awards Ceremony. Her professional journey includes roles at two boutique CPA firms during the summer and fall of 2024, as well as contributing to a cloud implementation initiative in collaboration with Deloitte and Stony Brook University. She is set to further her expertise through a spring tax internship with PKF O'Connor Davies. Beyond her professional achievements, Ansa has held leadership roles as the Director of Reporting for Beta Alpha Psi (BAP) and Secretary for the Commuter Student Association (CSA). She has also been an active member of Deja Vu and Junoon. In her free time, Ansa likes to play sports, game with her friends on Xbox, and have new experiences.
MS in Finance
Bas Beckhoven
Oliver is completing his final year of the MBA in Accounting program and is on track
to become a NYS Certified Public Accountant (CPA). Oliver completed his undergraduate
studies at Stony Brook, graduating with a BS in Applied Mathematics and Statistics
and Economics. Oliver currently works as a student assistant in the Office of the
University Controller, familiarizing himself with SUNY expenditure and IFR accounting.
Maxwell Rodriguez
Maxwell Rodriguez is currently pursuing his MS in Finance at Stony Brook University, where he also earned his BA in Economics. Over the years, he has developed a strong passion for economics and finance, with a particular interest in capital markets, macroeconomics, and investment research.
His experience ranges from conducting economic and financial research at the New York State Comptroller’s Office to his current role as an Investment Analyst for the Stony Brook Foundation. These roles have allowed him to gain valuable industry knowledge and enhance his technical skills. His graduate studies in finance have further deepened his understanding of financial concepts, which he has been able to apply directly to his professional experience.
As part of the MS program, Maxwell has engaged in graduate research and served as a teaching assistant within the College of Business. These academic experiences have provided him with a unique perspective, enabling him to analyze financial topics through both research and practical applications.
Passionate about continuous learning and professional growth, Maxwell is committed to expanding his expertise every day. After graduating in May, he will be joining Microsoft’s Finance Rotational Program, where he looks forward to building on his existing skills while exploring new areas within the field.
