Fordham Alumni Council
John D’Alessandro
John D’Alessandro is a current Columbia Business School MBA student (Class of 2025) and graduated from Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business in 2017 with a Bachelor of Science in Finance. Prior to Columbia, John worked at J.P. Morgan in corporate lending where he worked with management teams and private equity firms in the U.S. on leveraged finance transactions to support buyouts, M&A, and recapitalizations.
John graduated from Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business in 2017 with a Bachelor of Science in Finance and a Concentration in Alternative Investments. During his time at Fordham, John was a member of the Alternative Investments Club, Finance Society, and Integrated Learning Community for Global Business. Additionally, John is a CFA Exam Level III Candidate.
John has been a member of the Fordham Foundry Alumni Council since 2021.
Tijana Buric
Tijana Buric is a CPA with a decade of experience in public accounting serving clients in both US and international markets. She started her career in PwC audit department in Europe and upon graduating from MS Accounting program at Fordham GSB in 2015, she continued her career in Deloitte tax practice.
During her time at Fordham she was co-president of Fordham Accounting and Tax Society and currently serves on the board of Fordham University Alumni Association. She actively participates at alumni panels, mentorship programs and holds workshops for Fordham students on professional and career development.
She was a two times Pitch Challenge participant at Fordham Foundry after which she continued to develop a fashion brand for female cuff link shirts that operates on a buy one donate one model and will serve as a mentorship platform for developing future female leaders. She is also building a tax strategy and business consulting practice with the focus on helping small business owners elevate their brands.
Tijana is a passionate entrepreneur with a mission to empower individuals to transform their potential through building authentic career path and is a creator of careeralchemist profile on Instagram where she shares practical tools and advice.
Ryan Foss-Skiftesvik
Ryan Foss-Skiftesvik is a former investment banker turned entrepreneur and now venture capitalist. His first business in New York was actually an Art Gallery where he fell in love with the idea of investing in Humans. It was understanding that artists were true creative entrepreneurs who could benefit from financial infrastructure. He realized that his true passion was helping other (artists) entrepreneurs build businesses. Ryan currently serves as Adviser to Rose Street Capital, Managing Partner at Skift Ventures, and XiR at Brex.
Luke Johnson
Luke is a Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Rose Street Capital, an early-stage venture fund that invests in D2C brands and SaaS technology. Rose Street Capital launched its debut fund in January 2022 and invests alongside leading firms such as Sequoia, Kleiner Perkins, Greycroft, Index Ventures, Thrive Capital and many more.Prior to starting Rose Street Capital, Luke spent his career working at SaaS technology companies like Dynamic Yield (Acquired, McDonald's), where he helped leading D2C brands such as Warby Parker, Harry's, Glossier, Yeti, Nike, Sephora and more, leverage real-time user data and behavioral statistics to increase website conversion rates and ecommerce revenue.Today, Luke oversees Rose Street Capital's investment decisions and portfolio management. The firm has invested in promising early-stage brands such as Crown Affair, Brightland, Golde, and leading SaaS technology companies like Chord Commerce.
Luke was born and raised in Scottsdale, Arizona and graduated from Fordham University in 2015 with a degree in Economics. Luke resides and works in New York City with his fiancé Raquel, who also graduated from Fordham in 2015.
Brandon Kim
Brandon is a co-founder of Brevitē, a direct-to-consumer brand. He received a BA in Philosophy from Fordham University and his Master of Industrial Design from the Rhode Island School of Design.
Kyle Kruse
Kyle Kruse is a Vice President at Ten Coves Capital focused on emerging growth-stage, B2B SaaS companies that operate in the FinTech ecosystem. Kyle regularly meets with entrepreneurs, evaluating companies for potential capital investment. In addition, Kyle collaborates with portfolio company management teams to help build/scale durable businesses by providing support across a variety of functions including finance, management, sales & marketing, strategy, and technology/product.
Prior to joining Ten Coves Capital at its formation, Kyle was an Analyst at Morgan Stanley in the Corporate M&A and Strategy Group where he evaluated principal acquisitions/divestitures and executed strategic initiatives on behalf of the firm, which included supporting the launch and operation of Morgan Stanley's in-house venture lab.
Kyle received a BS in Finance from Fordham University where he graduated summa cum laude. At Fordham, Kyle worked as a teaching assistant in the Gabelli School of Business, conducted research with a doctor of finance in Gabelli’s graduate program, spent a semester abroad in London, and held an intra-year investment banking internship at Berkery Noyes & Company.
Emily Raleigh
Emily Raleigh is the founder of Spire & Co., the trusted online resource for ambitious young women looking for inspiration and information to live connected, confident lives. Since starting Spire & Co in high school, Raleigh has spearheaded business development, brand development, and marketing. She and Spire & Co have been awarded the 2013 and 2016 Kenneth Cole AWEARNESS Grant, the 2014 Camp Campbell Competition, led by Campbell’s Soup Co. CEO, Denise Morrison, and the 2014 Young Entrepreneurs Challenge, led by Capital One Bank, Sprint, and Front Street. Spire & Co and Raleigh have been featured in Marie Claire, Entrepreneur, Forbes, USA TODAY, Fox Business, and MTV, among others.
Raleigh is a recent graduate of Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business, where she studied marketing, media management, and digital design.
Katherine Tracy
Katherine Tracy is a graduate of the inaugural Gabelli School of Business class at Lincoln Center ’18, with concentrations in Finance and Marketing. Throughout her time at Fordham, Katherine was involved in the Dean’s council as well as the Student Affairs Council and she participated in Fordham’s study abroad program in London. Fordham afforded her the opportunity for several internships, including in consulting, and at KMPG and Wells Fargo, where she currently works as a Financial Analyst in her hometown of San Francisco.
Muhammad Hassan Sarwar
Muhammad Hassan Sarwar graduated from Fordham University's Gabelli School of Business in 2014 with a Bachelor of Science in Finance. While at Fordham, his extracurricular activities included serving as the United Student Government's VP of Finance, President of the Muslim Students Association, and member of the the Gabelli Dean's Council. He is a member of the Young Alumni Committee and previously led the Philanthropy sub-committee. He is a Risk Associate at J.P. Morgan Asset Management's Investment Risk team. He lives in Astoria and enjoys exploring New York City.
