August Experts

Every month, a small group of industry experts donates their time to helping out at Mass Innovation Nights.  You’ll find them in the Cafe, with a seat just for you.  Stop by and get your business questions answered!  Here’s who is joining us this month!

Janet Morgenstern Passani, MBA, has 20 years of marketing management experience specializing in consumer food and lifestyle brands. She has worked with major U.S. and international brands including Smartfoods (now part of PepsiCo), Stride Rite, and Nelsons Bach (based in UK), and was part of the management team for a national natural foods company. Janet is a strategic marketer with a creative twist and expertise in new product launches, marketing communications, and consumer outreach.   As founder of Jute Marketing, Janet launches and grows brands and initiatives committed to healthy, natural living. With two decades of natural products industry experience, she knows the eco-living marketplace – the trends, key players, and challenges. Janet Morgenstern Passani is also founder of BostonEco, a networking community and event series focused on furthering local, sustainable, and environmental ideas in Boston and beyond.

Rama Nandiwada, Founder & President if IT Shore, holds an M.B.A. from Babson and an Masters in Computer Applications from a top Indian technical university (R.E.C, Warangal). Rama has over a decade of experience managing outsourcing projects for major companies, including Wipro, Satyam and Virtusa, both from a consultant and client perspective. She has managed global teams from the U.S., India, and Europe, and possesses extensive experience in application development, quality assurance, strategic business consulting, and human resources management. Her work spans many industries, including but not limited to finance, education, food-oriented companies and retailing; many technologies from e-commerce to storage and CRM to mobile technology.  Rama launched IT Shore in order to bring a more personal, hands-on approach to the global sourcing market. Her vision is to provide services that go well beyond traditional outsourcing; IT Shore’s personnel can form a true partnership with clients to meet and exceed business goals.

Jessica Manganello, New Leaf Legal, is a corporate attorney and legal structuring guru.  She excels at designing initial corporate structuring and expansion plans as well as developing exit strategies and preparing entrepreneurs for their next venture.

Catharine Arnston, AKA “The Naughty Nutritionist” holds an MBA from The Ivey School of Business, University of Western Ontario, Canada, a BA from Queen’s University, Kingston Ontario and an Arts Management Certificate from the Banff School of Fine Arts, Banff Alberta. She is also a Reiki Master. Catharine attended The Institute for Integrative Nutrition/SUNY in New York City and graduated in July 2009 with a certificate in Holistic Health Coaching. During Catharine’s twenty years experience in strategic partnerships, branding, marketing, product launches, and online-retail she has been a Commercial Attache for the Canadian Government and British Government, a Fund Raiser for Vancouver Playhouse and Toronto Free Theatre (now Center Stage),   the Publisher of Design Times, an upscale national interior design magazine, and a founder of three companies including Hoteluxury, YourInteriors and Stealthealth.   Catharine was born in Toronto, Canada and lives in Boston MA. She is having a blast with her new life as The Naughty Nutritionist and is ready to share her fun and vitality with everyone she meets. Are you ready? If so, let’s get naughty and healthy together!

Jay Burstein, CPA, Accounting Management Solutions, Inc. (AMS), is an executive with over 25 years of financial and operating experience in a variety of industries. He has an extensive background in building corporate infrastructures covering all aspects of finance, accounting, IT and administration. In addition, his experience includes M&A, risk management, strategic planning, and system conversions.

While at AMS, Jay has performed and managed Sarbanes-Oxley compliance projects, has overseen CFO and Controller service engagements and performed and managed special projects for clients in varying industries ranging from several million dollars to over $1 billion in revenues, including a local wholesale bakery specializing in artisan breads. In addition, Jay has taken a lead role in developing and training staff on the AMS Rapid Diagnostic(TM), a comprehensive tool designed to assess the health of an organization’s finance and accounting systems.  He has managed and performed many such engagements for both nonprofit and for-profit clients.

Before joining AMS, Jay served as an independent financial consultant, assisting clients with Sarbanes-Oxley implementation and a variety of other needs including private equity accounting, financial analysis, and interim CFO services. Prior to consulting, Jay served in Controller, CFO and COO capacities for businesses including an $8 million venture backed services and technology startup, a $150 million financial services  subsidiary of State Street Bank and a  $220 million mutual fund and bank services operating unit of First Data Corporation.  Jay received his BA degree in English Literature from Brandeis University and an MBA in accounting and finance from Northwestern University’s Kellogg Graduate School of Management. He is a CPA in Massachusetts.