2023 Graduate Diploma Ceremony Speakers
Graduate Diploma Ceremony Guest Speaker
Valerie Irick Rainford (FCRH ’86)
Valerie Irick Rainford rose from a young life of tragedy to create a 30+ year, trailblazing career in financial services at two iconic institutions. The first 21 years focused on leading businesses at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (FRBNY), where she ascended to become the youngest person promoted to officer and then, the first African-American female to achieve the rank of senior vice president.
These extraordinary accomplishments were followed by 12 years as a managing director at JPMorgan Chase, where she led a range of efforts in the throes of the financial service crisis. Rainford’s career culminated in leading JPMC's Advancing Black Leaders strategy, where she headed the firm's efforts that resulted in historic gains of a 50%+ increase in black executive leadership in just three years.
After 30 years of driving change in Corporate America, Rainford launched the consulting firm, Elloree Talent Strategies, which specializes in Independent Equity Assessments. She serves as chief executive officer and as strategic advisor to executives who are interested in and serious about innovative data-driven approaches that move the needle on diverse talent representation.
Rainford is a best-selling author. Her book “Until the Brighter Tomorrow: One Woman’s Courageous Climb from the Projects to the Podium,” chronicles her life as the daughter of southern sharecroppers and her formative years in the projects, where her mother's steadfast work ethic and undying support motivated her to choose a different path than that of her high school friends. It also focuses on the devastating deaths of her brother and mother, and her determination to beat the odds and embrace her generational current of strength, ultimately going on to graduate with a B.A. in Economics from Fordham University (FCRH) in 1986.
Rainford is a sought-after, inspirational speaker on success, resilient leadership and advancing diverse talent, and is a member of the Fordham University Board of Trustees. In addition, she is a member of FINRA’s inaugural Industry Diversity Council and serves as a board member of The Executive Leadership Council. She also is a co-founder and board chair of Black Women of Influence.
Graduate Diploma Ceremony Student Speaker
Aghya Goel
A lover of all things digital, Aghya Goel has a passion for creating experiences that captivate and engage people. She truly believes in the power of giving back to society even in the smallest ways—with that being said, a journey of a thousand miles starts with the first step. Goel is graduating with an M.B.A. with specializations in marketing and information systems from Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business. During her time at the Gabelli School, she has had the honor of leading the Student Advisory Council, serving as its president. She describes herself as a high-energy, critical thinker with a collaborative spirit and a "no task is too small" mentality. When she's not working, you can find her exploring new tech or practicing her dancing skills.
M.B.A. Leadership Award Student Speaker
Catherine Gbogi
Catherine Gbogi (Cat) is originally from Plainfield, NJ and currently lives in Hoboken, NJ. She is graduating with an M.B.A. with concentrations in marketing and media and communications. She served as the 2022-2023 vice president of full-time students at the Gabelli School of Business. Upon graduation, she plans to work as a brand marketer/strategist within the entertainment industry. During her time in the Full-time MBA program, she gained valuable professional experience by interning, the spring of her first year, at CSM Sport and Entertainment in the area of integrated marketing. This past summer, she was a digital products and operations intern at NBCUniversal. Prior to enrolling in the M.B.A. program, she graduated in 2018 from Seton Hall University's Stillman School of Business, where she double majored in marketing and management, and minored in psychology.
During her time at the Gabelli School, she sought to make connections with as many individuals as possible, including students, staff and faculty members, and guests. This was achievable due to her work as a graduate assistant in Admissions and in the Office of Advising and Student Engagement. She treasures all of the relationships she has forged, and also has played an instrumental role in organizing a number of “social hangouts” within the program and among its different cohorts. In addition, she spearheaded the launch of the newly implemented All M.B.A. and All Master’s Mixers. She believes in inclusivity and encourages everyone to take the initiative to understand the different dichotomies of a person. This philosophy and the events she helped to create have allowed Gbogi and her fellow classmates to create new memories and build new and possibly fated connections. “You never know the friends you’ll make and where they will take you,” she notes. She hopes she’s been able to foster these relationships through her efforts.
Although she is still figuring out her post-graduation plans while job hunting, she is looking back at her time at Gabelli with gratitude, happiness, and admiration. It was a great journey with lots of memories made, relationships built, and self-discovery. She wishes the members of the graduating Class of 2023 all the best as they move on to the next chapters of their lives, and hopes they can all keep in touch. In the words of Natasha Bedingfield's “Unwritten,” she leaves her class with this lyric: "Today is where your book begins, the rest is still unwritten." The future is unwritten but remains in your hands to mold. Don't stress, we are all going to make it.
M.S. Leadership Award Student Speaker
Lilianne Liang
Lilianne Liang, who is graduating with an M.S. in Business Analytics (MSBA), boasts a strong academic background and has a passion for fishing, baking, and gardening. Prior to pursuing the MSBA, in 2021, Liang earned a B.S. in Resource Economics from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She chose the Gabelli School’s MSBA program for its comprehensive and flexible curriculum; strategic location; and for the wealth of career opportunities New York City has to offer.
During her studies at the Gabelli School of Business, Liang explored numerous career paths by enrolling in courses in both the M.B.A. program and Fordham Law School. This unique combination of regulatory frameworks, data science, and management piqued her interest, leading her to secure an internship with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) over the summer. Under the mentorship of industry professionals, she gained invaluable insights into the nexus of financial regulations and emerging technologies.
As she graduates, Liang’s diligence and commitment have been rewarded with a full-time position at FINRA. In her new role as an examiner, she now leverages her multidisciplinary expertise to help shape the future of financial regulation.