Meet the TYE Leaders: Co-Chair Backgrounds

A few of the students and parents have asked us about our backgrounds, so we thought we would post some information here. Please let us know if you have any questions or thoughts.

• Curriculum: Hooman Hodjat

A proven leader in execution of strategic initiatives, Hooman’s goal is to build his own enterprise, creating value by leveraging technology to address a market opportunity. He is currently doing so at his startup iRelai, a startup focused on the last mile of e-commerce. After completing his MBA at Babson, he combined knowledge and experience in business and technology as the director of IT for an international sporting goods retailer and manufacturer. There, he successfully implemented strategic and operational initiatives to support the profitability and expansion of the business. Hooman’s career background includes Senior Technology Management, Project Leadership, Management Consulting, Technical and Product Marketing, and Software Engineering. In addition to spending time with his wife and baby girl, Hooman enjoys playing soccer, golf and has passion for martial arts and skiing.

• Curriculum: Pat Noonan

Pat Noonan is an Associate at Commonwealth Capital Ventures, a leading early stage venture capital firm based out of Boston. Prior to joining Commonwealth, Pat worked for the strategy arm of Capgemini, a global management consultancy. Based first in the firm’s Cambridge, MA offices and later in its London, UK offices, he advised start-ups and Fortune 500 companies in the telecom, media, and entertainment industries. Pat graduated from Harvard University, where he serves as Second Class Marshal (Vice President) of the Class of 2003. He is a graduate of the TiE Young Leaders Program and is an active member of TiE, where he manages the Entrepreneur Forum at TiECON East.

• Finance: Geetha Ramamurthy

Geetha Ramamurthy is the Senior Vice President of Marketing and Business Development of Venus Capital. Ms. Ramamurthy is a seasoned management executive, innovative leader and motivator. She has built a global network comprised of successful entrepreneurs, leaders and corporate executives. Prior to joining Venus Capital Management, Ms. Ramamurthy was the Executive Director of the Boston chapter of TiE (The Indus Entrepreneurs). As key member of the leadership team, Ms. Ramamurthy has developed TiE-Boston into the second largest chapter globally and the leading entrepreneurship organization in the Northeast. She was responsible for developing and managing sponsorship, membership, events and education programs, and provide oversight and supervise staff and volunteers. In 10 years the membership grew to 800 members and events to over 60 annually, including the flagship annual TiECON and thematic workshops relevant to current sectors like Cleantech and Lifesciences. Ms Ramamurthy was instrumental in establishing several best practices and new initiatives like TiE Women’s Initiative, Alliance Partner program and the TiE Young Entrepreneurs (TYE). TYE has received the Global award as the unique education program and has received national media recognition. In addition, she plays a pivotal role in the TiE India Connect program, which promotes the direct partnership with participating chapters and entrepreneurs in India. Ms. Ramamurthy founded Legends n Leaders, a platform for global leaders to network, empower, inspire and share ideas. Also, she founded G. Ram, Inc. an accounting and tax services and business advisory firm and co-founded Palsan Business Solutions a business support services company. She is the Managing Director of Carmine Leo Associates, a leadership development firm and director of the board of Trax, a banking services company. She serves as chairman of the board of MITHAS (MIT Heritage of Arts of South Asia) and as the advisor to several startup companies. She began her career as Medical Technologist at Children’s Hospital, Boston, where she played numerous leadership roles.

• Finance: Praveen Sahay

Praveen joined VIMAC in 2003 through the prestigious Kauffman Fellows Program—a program designed to select, educate and train future leaders in the venture capital industry. Praveen brings 13 years of eclectic experience to the firm, including 3 years of venture experience. Prior to the fellowship, he was an Associate at Updata Venture Partners, an early-stage investor in IT and communications startups in Northern Virginia. He has also served as a Strategy Consultant to technology corporations and private equity investors during his tenure at Dean & Company. Prior to his venture career, Praveen managed retail operations for a mutual fund company, explored for oil and gas deposits in the Arabian Sea, and helped build quantitative tools to optimize equity portfolios. While serving as a Deputy Commandant, he led armed troops in situations involving threat to national security in India. He was also the National Elections Coordinator (CIVPOL) at the United Nations Operation in Mozambique where he played a key role in the country’s transition to democracy. More recently, he served in the management team of iCode, an early stage enterprise software company in Virginia still operating and growing successfully. Praveen has an MBA from the University of Chicago and an MS in Nuclear Physics and BS in Physics from St. Stephen's College in New Delhi.

• Operations: Mona Chopra

Mona Chopra is Vice President at Bank of America’s Global Wealth and Investment Management group. She is an entrepreneurial executive and has worked with technology firms such as Keane, Sapient and Segway in various management roles. In each of her roles she had opportunities to manage, lead and/or support innovative product launches. Among all, the launch of Segway HT remains her personal favorite where she worked with the inventor Dean Kamen in marketing the product to college campuses and universities and international markets. Mona also co-founded Ferns N’ Petals, a retail floral boutique in India which she sold to her client prior to coming to the U.S. Mona is actively involved with the Bank’s Diversity Network and Asian Leadership Group. She co-chair’s the TYE (The Young Entrepreneur’s) program that prepares high school kids to create a winning business plan and compete in the Business Plan competition. Mona holds an M.B.A. from the F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business at Babson College in Wellesley, and a MS in Economics from India. She currently lives in Wellesley and enjoys visiting museums, collecting art and promoting the indigenous arts and crafts from India.

• Operations: Ron Beraha

Ron has over 25 years of national and international management, process, optimization, education and integration experience with Sun Microsystems, Pioneer Investments Group, Liberty Mutual group, Fidelity Investments and Digital Equipment Corporation as well as a variety of start-up companies. Ron earned his Masters Certificate in Industrial Sciences and Economics from the Weitzman Institute at the Jazrael Valley, Israel and a BS in Electrical Engineering from Northeastern University. Ron is a member of the MVVF Board at Umass Lowell and is also on the Board of NECC School of Entrepreneurship and the Chairman of the TYE Mentorship SIG and the Merrimack Valley High Tech Council. He is a member of TIE-Boston and NECINA. Ron has co-founded and sold MMM, a media company in the 80s. He helped raise funds for JGR Engineering in the mid 90s and founded, raised capital and sold Horizon Translations in the late 90s and Moon's Tail Enterprises in 2001. Recently Ron has been a co-founder of BridgeGao Strategic Services.

• Technology: Rajeev Arora

Rajeev is a technically accomplished and entrepreneurial-spirited management professional from CCR Pyramid. He has eight+ yearsof hands-on IS and IT expertise including three years of IT management and offshore management experience. He has a track record of success in deploying solutions that increase operational efficiency and ensure optimal interface/experience. He is a graduate of the Wentworth Institute of Technology.