Advisory Board 24 - 25

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Platinum Members

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Lindsay Bridenbaker is Sr. Director of R&D at PepsiCo, the Fortune 50 multi-national food and beverage company aiming to drive a positive impact on the planet and people. In her role, she leads the digital transformation for the global beverages packaging organization. Her team is transforming R&D processes and building new smart capabilities to move from physical development and testing to a virtual-first development process, using virtual design tools, first-principle based modeling & simulation, and advanced data analytics, machine learning and AI models.

She joined PepsiCo in 2011, bringing engineering and R&D experience from General Mills, Mondelez and Campbell’s. Lindsay earned a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Cornell University and her MBA from the University of Connecticut School of Business, with a Management of Technology Concentration. She is based at PepsiCo’s global R&D center in Valhalla, NY and resides in Stamford, CT.

Joseph Radziewicz is an accomplished Senior Finance Executive and Board Member with more than 25 years of success in the manufacturing and technology industries. Leveraging extensive experience with taking companies public, change management, and crisis management, Joseph is a valuable asset for companies seeking guidance on any kind of transformation, expansion, and international operations. His areas of expertise include IPO, finance, governance, growth, turnarounds, new technology acumen, AI, robotics, developing outperforming teams, human capital development, strategic planning, competitive analysis, M&A, process & cost optimization, compliance, risk management, foreign exchange, treasury, and investor relations.

Throughout his executive career, Joseph has held leadership positions with Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. (NYSE: SWK); Specialized Technology Resources, Inc. (NYSE: STRI), and PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC). In his current role at  Stanley Black & Decker as Vice President - Corporate Controller and Global Shared Services, he has been responsible for ensuring accurate financial accounting & reporting, maintenance of effective internal controls and implementing processes for order to cash, procure to pay and inventory management to drive free cash flow generation.

Prior to this role, he served as VP Finance – Chief Internal Audit Executive at Stanley, where he was responsible for ensuring that the highest controllership standards were maintained including those related to stewardship of assets and integrity of financial transactions. Previously, as VP & CFO at STR, Joseph teamed with an investment bank and Board of Directors to assess optimizing stockholder value, including assessing acquisitions, the sale of the Company and/or return of capital, resulting in $24M Dutch tender offer to repurchase 15 million (35%) common shares. During his prior tenure as Manager; Senior Associate; Associate – Audit & Business Advisory Services at PwC, key clients included United Technologies Corporation, Eastman Kodak, Barnes Group, Inc., and LEGO Group. Joseph has a proven history of supporting the success and growth of multi-national corporations ranging from $30 million to $30 billion in annual revenues. He has managed global financial operations, generating shareowner value while maintaining a strict adherence to ethics.

Joseph obtained a Bachelor of Business Administration in Financial Accounting (summa cum laude) from Bryant University; he is a CPA, CMA, CFM, CGMA, and CSCA. He serves or has served as a Board Member for Junior Achievement of Southwest New England, Inc., Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Connecticut, Bristol Boys & Girls Club & actively involved in various Town of Somers youth sports with his three children.

Gold Members

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Fred is a successful entrepreneur who has built several technology-based businesses. He is the CEO and co-founder of Potoo, the premier data analytics firm that protects brands and offers online marketplace insights. He has 19 years of experience, including general management of mid to large-size organizations, product development, business operations, and strategy. Fred has held senior roles at Pepsi, Prudential, and Gartner. Fred holds an Engineering degree from Stony Brook University.

Nitya Joseph is a dynamic data and analytics leader with over 20 years of experience in Data Development Life Cycle Management. As AVP of Enterprise Analytics at American Eagle Financial Credit Union, Nitya is spearheading the creation of a strategic data framework grounded in DAMA standards and Agile practices. Her leadership is fostering a culture of collaboration and data literacy, driving the adoption of self-service analytics, while enhancing data centralization. Through scalable data governance models and cross-functional partnerships, Nitya is enabling actionable insights that power strategic and operational decision-making.

Before transitioning to financial services, Nitya spent 16 years in healthcare data management, leading complex data initiatives that enhanced clinical and operational outcomes. Nitya is widely recognized for her ability to balance strategic vision with hands-on leadership, consistently delivering innovative solutions that drive business impact. Nitya’s ability to align strategic vision with scalable data frameworks, has earned her recognition for operational excellence and innovation. Passionate about empowering the next generation of data leaders, Nitya mentors teams and partners closely with executives to ensure data strategies align with organizational goals. Nitya holds a Master’s in Computer Information Technology from Central Connecticut State University and a Bachelor’s in Electronics and Communication Engineering from Mahatma Gandhi University. As a member of the UConn Digital Frontiers Initiative (DFI) Advisory Board, Nitya contributes her expertise to advance innovation and data driven strategies.

Ashley Kalinauskas is the founder and CEO of Torigen, a biotechnology company helping our furry best friends live longer, healthier lives. Their initial product, VetiVax, is a personalized cancer vaccine that was originally developed to move forward for human clinical studies, but was repositioned to help the millions of dogs, cats and horses after a cancer diagnosis. Ashley has grown the company from an idea on the scientific benchtop, to a company of over 30 employees poised to help grow the animal health industry.

Christina Mrachek is a dynamic leader driving impactful change within Otis Elevator Company's Digital Technology organization. With a focus on developing data-rich, interconnected products and services for the digital age, she is dedicated to cultivating the next generation of leaders through the DT Rising Leaders program.  This initiative is designed to provide leadership, business, and hands-on learning experiences through challenging assignments, aligning with Otis's innovative vision and strategy, all while building strategic relationships for inspiring personal and professional growth.

Bringing over two decades of technology experience in the manufacturing, aerospace and utilities industries, Christina has held diverse roles across digital technology, including software development, infrastructure operations and project management in addition to serving as chief of staff for the global CIO and CDAO. Her expertise spans communications, organizational effectiveness programs, and agile transformation, reflecting her commitment to driving strategic impact.  She is also the founding chairperson for the Otis Women in Technology ERG.

Christina holds a master’s degree in Business Analytics and Project Management from the University of Connecticut and a bachelor’s degree in Computer Information Systems from Palm Beach Atlantic University. She is a certified SAFe 6 Lean Portfolio Manager (LPM), SAFe 6 Agilist (SA), SAFe 6 Practitioner (SP), and Project Management Professional (PMP). Teena is an influential force shaping the future of digital technology leadership and innovation at Otis.

Dennis Nash is president of Control Station, Inc. In 2004 Dennis successfully transitioned the company from a hobby business residing on the campus of the University of Connecticut to what is today a multi-million-dollar enterprise that is widely recognized as the leader in industrial process analytics and optimization.

Under Dennis’ leadership, Control Station licenses software-based solutions to over half of the manufacturers listed in the Fortune 500 and supports facilities located in over 70 countries. In recognition of its global growth, Control Station was recognized in 2018 as the SBA Exporter of the Year for the State of Connecticut and in 2022 the company received the President’s “E” Award for excellence in exporting. Dennis was recognized by the SBA as the 2023 Businessperson of the Year for the State of Connecticut, and in 2024 he was appointed by the US Secretary of Commerce to serve a three-year appointment on the board of the Connecticut District Export Council. Prior to joining Control Station, Dennis held business development roles with venture-funded companies, including American Mobile Satellite, DIGEX, and USinternetworking.

Dennis earned a BA from the University of Notre Dame and an MBA from the University of Connecticut. As a graduate student, Dennis held the position of President of the Graduate Business Association. Upon graduation from UConn, Dennis served three years as an officer of the School of Business Administration’s alumni organization.

Márcio is the Co-founder and CEO of e-Core, a digital consulting services partner, providing technology solutions that range from strategy and execution to empowerment and support. With a team of more than 700 professionals serving over 270 clients worldwide, e-Core has built a truly global footprint across North America, Latin America, and Europe. The company partners with industry leaders such as Atlassian, Google Cloud, and AWS to deliver transformative solutions that help organizations accelerate digital transformation and achieve lasting impact.

As CEO, Márcio leads strategic initiatives and reports directly to the board, guiding e-Core’s mission to help enterprises transform, optimize, and scale their digital operations. He has been instrumental in fostering a culture of innovation, agility, and high performance, while maintaining a strong commitment to people and organizational values.

Márcio holds a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from ULBRA (2002) and an MBA from ESPM (2005). He has also concluded the Owner/President Management (OPM) program at Harvard Business School (2010-2012) and attended different executive education programs from HBS, FGV and online programs by Coursera, Udacity and NovoEd.

He is an active member of the Harvard Business School Alumni Angels of Brazil and the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO), where he has held leadership roles in the Porto Alegre chapter. Márcio has also contributed to the Pan American School of Porto Alegre, serving in leadership roles that supported the institution’s international and educational mission.

Student Members

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Amal Abbasi is a senior in the UConn School of Business majoring in Finance and double minoring in Economics and Supply Chain Management. She is also pursuing UConn’s Accelerated 4+1 M.S. in Financial Technology, with anticipated graduation in May 2027, and is a member of the Honors Program. Amal has held multiple leadership positions, including Vice President of the Muslim Students Association at UConn Stamford, Vice President of the Business Connections Learning Community, and Forté Foundation Campus Ambassador. She currently serves as Treasurer for Al-Nisa, supporting Muslim women at UConn. Through these roles, she has developed skills in strategic leadership, collaboration, and organizational management. Having studied at both the Stamford and Storrs campuses, Amal understands the unique opportunities and challenges across UConn’s campuses. She is passionate about bridging those gaps and would bring valuable insight, student representation, and a future-focused perspective to the Digital Frontiers Initiative Advisory Board.

Manasa Ramaka is a Master’s student in Business Analytics and Project Management at the University of Connecticut, with a strong interest in combining analytics with project and program leadership. Her professional background spans roles across technology and business, where she has worked on building solutions, analyzing markets, shaping product strategies, and uncovering insights that support decision-making. Most recently, she interned with Novartis, contributing to reporting and analytics projects that supported digital transformation in healthcare.

Manasa’s expertise lies in bridging data-driven insights with structured execution frameworks. She is particularly interested in how organizations can align analytics with project and program leadership to improve efficiency, anticipate risks, and deliver long-term value. With hands-on experience in data visualization, reporting automation, and process improvement, she brings not only technical skills but also an understanding of stakeholder engagement, strategic planning, and change management.

She enjoys working in spaces where technology and strategy come together, ensuring that innovation doesn’t stay on paper but translates into measurable outcomes. Outside of her academic and professional work, Manasa explores her creative side through glass painting, photography, and storytelling pursuits that she believes sharpen perspective and fuel problem-solving.

As part of UConn’s Digital Frontiers Initiative Advisory Board, she looks forward to building stronger ties between academia and industry and contributing to Connecticut’s digital future.

Astik Mehta is a graduate student at the University of Connecticut–Stamford Campus, pursuing his Master’s degree in Business Analytics and Project Management with a concentration in Supply Chain Analytics.

Back in India, Astik earned his Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and Engineering from the Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT). During his time at IIIT, he was introduced to traditional techniques for Data Analytics and Machine Learning in Python, which formed the foundation of my analytical skills. While building models, his curiosity grew around how data drives business decisions and influences outcomes.

Astik became particularly fascinated by how informed decision-making can impact project and business management, as well as the tools required to enable it. This interest led me to shift slightly away from the core computer science path and focus more on business analysis and project management — which ultimately brought him to UConn.

Through his role on the Advisory Board, Astik aims to contribute the knowledge I have while continuing to learn from the experiences and situations that arise.