Emerging Leaders Council
The Responsible Business Center, part of Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business, has formed an Emerging Leaders Council to support the efforts and further the mission of the Center.
The Council is currently comprised of five Gabelli School alumni, who are passionate about responsible business and sustainability. We encourage you to learn more about our Council members below.
If you would like to get involved with the Emerging Leaders Council, please email: [email protected].
Brendan Charles Batcheller ‘18, ‘19
Brendan Batcheller is a manager in PricewaterhouseCoopers’ International Tax Services group, where he has spent six years. Along with client service, he has designed tax compliance technology and has led technical trainings around the globe, which have taken him to PwC’s offices in Buenos Aires, Bangalore, and Mexico City. He is a double-Ram who earned both a Bachelor’s in Public Accounting and a Master's in Taxation from the Gabelli School. In addition, he is a licensed CPA in the State of New York. Originally from Michigan, he now calls Brooklyn home, where he lives with his fiancée and their miniature dachshund, Rey.
Laura Capasso ‘23
Laura Capasso is a finance professional with 10+ years of experience in financial analysis, stakeholder management, and performance analytics. She graduated from Fordham University's Gabelli School of Business with an M.B.A. in Finance and Global Sustainability and was awarded the Dean's Award for Excellence in May 2023. Capasso is passionate about sustainable business and Jesuit education. Prior to joining the Fordham community, she studied at the University of Scranton and earned a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Italian. She is currently a lead program manager at National Grid, where she manages capital forecasts and budgets for gas construction operations. In her spare time, she enjoys gardening, playing volleyball, and getting together with friends and family.
Monica Palaia
Monica Palaia has over 10 years of work experience that includes public accounting, state and local financial services, sales and use tax, financial forensics and forensic accounting, and business valuation. She started her career at PricewaterhouseCoopers and is now a manager at PKF O’Connor Davies in their Forensic, Litigation, and Valuation Services department.
Palaia is a two-time Gabelli School alumna, having earned a Bachelor of Science in Public Accounting and a Master of Science in Taxation—both from the School. She earned a second Master of Science in Applied Analytics from Columbia University’s School of Professional Studies. She is now back at Fordham University School of Law as a Juris Doctor candidate.
Robert Strang ‘23
A native New Yorker, Robert Strang started his career at The Wall Street Journal after graduating from Penn State University in 2016. He began working on the corporate communications team for WSJ's parent company, Dow Jones. From there, he joined the Memberships Team, followed by the Lve Journalism team. In 2022, he secured a position at Google, as a strategist for the Google Customer Solutions team. In May of 2023,Strang graduated with an M.B.A. from the Fordham University Gabelli School of Business and returned to The Wall Street Journal in July of 2023.