- Book a career advising appointment via Career Central
- For MBA career advising questions: mbacdoadvisors@mit.edu
- See the types of Career Advising support available here
MBA Career Advisors:
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Sumayya Essack MBA Career Advisor, Sr. Associate Director essack@mit.edu Sumayya’s background combines psychology, organizational development, and HR/talent management. She has worked across various sectors including technology, law, healthcare, and non-profit. Most recently she was on the management team as the Head of Talent at Entrepreneurial Finance Lab, a Harvard-born global fintech startup, where she oversaw a doubling of headcount growth including commercial, engineering, and product roles; formalized career paths; trained managers on coaching-based management; and project-managed global M&A. She has coached numerous mid- and senior-level professionals on career strategy and planning, with an emphasis on making career changes and communicating one’s background for a successful transition. Her areas of expertise include tech, social enterprise, startups, career change, and global environments. Sumayya received her MSW and MBA from Boston College. Click for full bio.
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Samantha McGurgan MBA Career Advisor, Associate Director mcgurgan@mit.edu As a first-generation college graduate, spouse of a military veteran, and working mom, Samantha has empathetically designed career programming for each throughout her career. She is currently involved with MIT Sloan DEI efforts, focusing on creating a more open + inclusive work culture. She also serves as a faculty member at a local college teaching professional development, and has a private career coaching practice where she uses design thinking to get her clients unstuck. Prior to joining the MIT Sloan CDO, she worked at Sloan Technology Services where she focused on technical training and instructional design for the MIT Sloan community. Click for full bio.
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Georgette Arato MBA Career Advisor, Associate Director Georgette Arato (she/her) is a career advisor for MBA students providing individualized guidance and coaching on identifying, leveraging, communicating, and building their strengths to achieve personal, academic, and career success. Before joining MIT Sloan, Georgette worked at Simmons University where she managed the Simmons Leadership Conference—the longest-running women’s leadership forum in the United States—by engaging sponsors, speakers, MBA, and other alumni in developing resonant programming for diverse audiences. Georgette also co-led the expansion of the conference to Europe for the first time and helped establish the Simmons University Institute for Inclusive Leadership. Previously, Georgette served as Associate Director of Career Services at the Simmons School of Management, advising graduate students and alums of the MBA, Healthcare MBA, and Communications Management programs while leading a broad spectrum of career development programming. Click for full bio.
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Krys Ardayfio (on leave through Fall 2023) MBA Career Advisor, Associate Director kardayfi@mit.edu Krys Ardayfio is a Career Coach with a background in economic development and an expertise in workforce development. Most recently she was a Workforce Development Consultant at Ivy Tech and has worked as the lead diversity officer at two institutions. She’s passionate about growing and living in her purpose; and she’s equally passionate about helping others do the same in their personal, academic, and professional pursuits. Krys earned her MBA from University of Indianapolis. Click for full bio.
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Lindsey Nicholson (available for career advising in the late fall) MBA Career Advisor lindsnic@mit.edu Lindsey Nicholson (she/her) is an MBA Career Advisor, providing individualized advice on career development to MBA students. She is energized by helping people identify and achieve their career goals and/or navigate a career pivot. Prior to joining MIT Sloan, Lindsey worked at Alumni Ventures, a venture capital firm, where she directed their Venture Fellow Program and other career development programs in the venture capital space. Lindsey holds a B.A. in Psychology and Anthropology from Tufts University, and a Ed.M. in Human Development and Psychology from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Click for full bio.
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Mark Cohen MBA/ MSMS Career Advisor ma_cohen@mit.edu Mark Cohen has had a distinguished career as a corporate trainer, Human Resources Leader, Management Consultant and Career Coach. His business experience includes working with international corporations in computer technology, medical devices, and biopharma as well as family-owned businesses. He is a certified mediator and is the co-author of a book, The Twenty Four-Hour Turnaround, about successful management practices in small to mid-sized businesses during turbulent times. He is adept at anticipating needs and adapting accordingly. In working with clients his goal is to create a positive and effective working relationship that removes obstacles and enables students to identify and achieve their passion, develop a path to success and meet their career and life goals. Mark holds a BA in English and Drama from State University of New York at Fredonia and an MBA from Suffolk University. Click for full bio.
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Lew Weinstein MBA Career Advisor lew7@mit.edu Lew Weinstein counsels people in the MBA, Sloan Fellows, and Executive MBA programs, providing career advice and assisting with resumes and cover letters. The balance of his time is spent as a partner in a Boston-based executive search firm which maintains a broad practice but focuses on working with private equity firms and their portfolio companies to expand or upgrade management, and with venture capital firms and entrepreneurs to build teams for early-stage businesses. Lew was raised in the New York area and attended M.I.T. and Harvard Business School. He then spent three years in corporate strategy consulting with Bain & Company in Boston before moving to Los Angeles, where his activities included 18 months at the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee; two years at a large, international search firm; and four years at a medium-sized, general-practice search firm. Click for full bio.
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Nicola Pugliese MBA Career Advisor npuglies@mit.edu Nicola Pugliese specializes in developing and optimally communicating a career narrative and personal brand, through written collateral (resumes, LinkedIn profiles, cover letters), interviewing and networking. She also leverages her experience in global marketing and brand management to support MBA students pursuing careers in marketing, product management, business development, general management and sales across a spectrum of industries.Nicola’s work experience includes Gillette/P&G – Global Consumer Product Marketing, Oxford Strategic Marketing – CPG Marketing and Innovation, Strategy Consulting, National Westminster Bank – M&A Corporate Banking. Nicola holds a Bachelors of Arts in Political Science and German from Lehigh University and an MBA from The Wharton School at The University of Pennsylvania. Click for full bio.
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Mike Stevens MBA Career Advisor mste8199@mit.edu Mike leverages standard coaching methodologies and practices specific to each individual in conjunction with his real-world practical knowledge and experience to drive meaningful actions, real behavioral shifts, and step changes in performance. He has over 25 years of professional experience spanning start-ups to Fortune 100 Companies in a number of industries including Aviation, Financial Services and Medical Servicing and functional areas including Operations, Credit and Marketing. For the last 10 years, Mike has operated his own consulting company, focused on Leadership Coaching, Career Advising and Strategy consulting. Prior to starting his own business Mike held a number of P&L Mgt. roles in Chase and Capital One as well as serving as the CEO of The Coleman Institute, a Medical Servicing company. Before joining Capital One Mike was an internal consultant for US Airways and British Airways. Click for full bio.
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