.Young Alumni Advisory Board
The purpose of the Young Alumni Advisory Board is to continue engagement with alumni 35 years old and younger who were members of the Student Advisory Board or have other strong affiliations to the Student Life division. The Young Alumni Board serves as a platform to help with the transition from being a college student to next steps in life, and also provides Student Life an outlet for feedback from this particular population.
Andrew Askounis
Andrew Askounis graduated from Purdue in May 2024 with a Bachelor of Science in Management, studying finance and accounting. He is from Houston, Texas, and is a second-generation Boilermaker. After two years of involvement in the legislative and executive branches of Purdue Student Government (PSG), Askounis served with president Shye Robinson as the student body vice president during his senior year. He and his team advocated for student housing solutions, increased the undergraduate minimum wage, provided resources to legitimize Mental Health Action Week and expanded the availability of the PSG Small Grant. He also played violin in the Philharmonic Orchestra for four years, served as Acacia Fraternity’s vice president of recruitment for two years and was a member of the Student Fee and Student Life advisory boards.
Askounis is an aspiring Certified Public Accountant. He will be joining Baker Tilly as an audit associate in Chicago in October 2024. He enjoys spending his free time golfing, cooking, playing music and reading.
Aaron Banks
Aaron Banks graduated from Purdue in December 2019 with a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering. While at Purdue, Aaron was a quarterback on the Purdue football team and served as president of the student body. In 2018, Aaron received the Kiwanis Citizenship Award, which is awarded annually to the Purdue University football player who demonstrates noteworthy achievements as a citizen, leader, athlete and student.
Aaron currently works as a management consulting analyst at Accenture in New York City. Aaron’s passions include entrepreneurship, sustainability, art, music and reading.
Molly Beatty
Molly Beatty graduated from Purdue with a Bachelor of Science in Health Science Pre-Professional (concentration in pre-medicine) and a minor in Spanish. As a student at Purdue she was on the rowing and ultimate frisbee teams, served as a senator for the College of Health and Human Sciences (HHS) on Purdue Student Government, participated in the HHS Mentor and the College Mentors for Kids programs, conducted undergraduate research and was a student representative on the Athletic Affairs Committee (AAC) and the Student Life Student Advisory Board. While at Purdue, Molly was also a patient care assistant at Franciscan Health Lafayette East. She traveled to Spain for a study-abroad program the summer before the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, she started as a first-year medical student at the IU School of Medicine, West Lafayette campus. Boiler Up! Her hobbies include rock climbing, playing basketball, snowboarding and woodworking.
Hannah Darr
Hannah Darr graduated from Purdue University in 2021 with a degree in health science and minors in biology and Spanish. While at Purdue, she was a member of Timmy Global Health, Purdue Foundation Student Board, Cru Campus Ministry and the Purdue Honors College and served as the 2020-2021 Purdue Student Government Vice President. Hannah was also involved in her community as a 2019 Indy 500 Festival Princess and an American Legion Auxiliary Girls State counselor. Hannah is currently a graduate student at the University of North Carolina in the Gillings School of Global Public Health. At UNC, she works as a research assistant for a tobacco cessation project between the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center and Fort Bragg. In her free time, Hannah enjoys playing tennis, running and spending time with family.
Mitchell Demerly - Chair
Mitchell Demerly graduated from Purdue in 2021 with degrees in computer science and economics. He is originally from Avon, Indiana, where he was born and raised a Boilermaker.
While at Purdue, Mitchell was involved in a variety of organizations. He served as president of Purdue Foundation Student Board and as president of Purdue Science Student Council. Mitchell was also a member of the Rising Professionals Central Committee, Purdue Student Government, the Student Life Student Advisory Board and Iron Key.
Upon graduating from Purdue, Mitchell moved to Cincinnati, Ohio to join Fifth Third Bank’s Consumer Leadership Program. He currently works at the bank as a senior business analyst, where he focuses on data strategy, process optimization and identification of strategic opportunities.
Mitchell currently serves as the service chair of the Purdue Alumni Club of Cincinnati and is excited to continue his involvement with Purdue as an alumnus.
Joshua Facello
Joshua Facello graduated from Purdue with a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering in May 2024. At Purdue, Josh was a 4-year concertmaster of the Purdue Philharmonic, first violin of the Sandra Yover-Haas String Quartet, member of the Lafayette Symphony, and founder of the Purdue Soli, a community service-oriented performance organization. These efforts earned him the Louis Sudler Prize in the Arts, awarded to a single graduating senior in the Purdue Bands and Orchestras program.
Josh was also involved in the Purdue Engineering Student Council, The Data Mine, and the Purdue Pickleball Team.
After graduating, Josh joined the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company in Phoenix, Arizona as a systems engineer. He continues his passion for music as concertmaster of the Scottsdale Symphonic Orchestra.
Jennifer (Jenn) Garson
Jenn Garson completed undergraduate and graduate studies at Purdue University, graduating with her Doctor of Pharmacy in May 2023. While at Purdue, Jenn served as the president of Mortar Board and director of Rising Professionals. She was also actively involved with the American Pharmacists Association - Academy of Student Pharmacists both locally and nationally, Old Masters, Phi Lambda Sigma Pharmacy Leadership Society, Boiler Gold Rush, the Student Life Advisory Board and Kappa Alpha Theta sorority. Additionally, Jenn completed various training and research opportunities at sites including Mayo Clinic, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, and Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret, Kenya.
After graduating, Jenn began a two-year Health System Pharmacy Administration and Leadership residency program at Duke University Hospital in Durham, North Carolina. She is also a graduate student at the University of North Carolina working toward a Master of Science concentrating in Health-System Pharmacy Administration and Leadership. Through these programs, she is working on research in oncology and medication access initiatives. In her free time, Jenn likes to visit family in her home state of Wisconsin, travel and try new foods and cheer on Boilermaker basketball.
Garrett Garver
Garrett Garver graduated from Purdue University with a Doctor of Pharmacy in 2023. As a student, he was on the Boiler Gold Rush Student Orientation Committee and a member of Phi Delta Chi Professional Pharmacy Fraternity, Phi Lambda Sigma Pharmacy Leadership Society, Rho Chi Pharmacy Honor Society, Honors College Mentor Program and Student Life Advisory Board. Garrett is currently completing PGY1 Pharmacy Residency training at the Indianapolis VA Medical Center. As a pharmacy resident, he is completing clinical pharmacy training in acute care and primary care, conducting research and teaching several courses at the Purdue University College of Pharmacy. Garrett also currently serves as a technology liaison for the Indiana Pharmacy Teaching Certificate Program, which provides pharmacy residents, fellows, graduate students and pharmacists with an opportunity to enhance their teaching skills. In his free time, you can find him marathon training, getting coffee at Starbucks and spending time with family and friends.
Hannah Gee
Hannah Gee graduated from Purdue University in 2024 with a Bachelor of Science in Animal Sciences and a minor in Food and Agribusiness Management. She also received the Purdue Certificate in Entrepreneurship and Innovation.
While at Purdue, Gee served as the vice president of programming for the Lilly Scholars Network (Purdue Collegiate Chapter). She was an active member of the Student Life Student Advisory Board, served as a teaching assistant for multiple animal sciences courses and was a Group X fitness instructor at the France A. Córdova Recreational Center.
Gee now works for the Indiana Beef Council as the education and industry relations director. She manages various marketing campaigns throughout the state and builds classroom lesson plans about the beef industry for Indiana schools. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, playing sand volleyball and spending time outside.
Molly Grotjan
Molly Grotjan graduated from Purdue University in 2022 with a Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness and minors in supply chain management technology, communication, and global food and agriculture systems.
While at Purdue, Molly served as president of the Purdue Foundation Student Board and as president of the Purdue Grand Prix Foundation. She also was an active member of Purdue Ag Week Task Force, Rising Professionals, Ag Ambassadors, Old Masters and the Student Life Student Advisory Board. Molly received the Emerging Women in Agriculture Leadership Award in 2021, which recognizes the accomplishments of a high school or undergraduate student who has made a positive impact on agriculture.
After graduating from Purdue, Molly joined the Supply Management Development Program at John Deere where each day, she manages the experimental part procurement process, defines supply management part transition processes and supports cross-functional, cost reduction projects as the supply chain integration lead for John Deere’s compact utility tractor product line. In her free time she enjoys reading, spending time with friends and family and exploring local farmer’s markets on the weekends.
Heather Isaacs
Heather Isaacs graduated from Purdue University in December 2023 with a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering and a minor in Russian. As a student, she was heavily involved in the Purdue Bands & Orchestras department, serving as the supply and equipment team lead and then as the executive team lead in the volunteer management teams. As ETL, she oversaw the eight teams which strive to support the department in its daily operations and provide unique volunteer opportunities for students. Within the Bands & Orchestras student life team she served as an ambassador, encouraging high school and current Purdue students to pursue music. Heather was also a member of the Purdue “All-American” Marching Band for five seasons. In this ensemble, she served as a trumpet student leader for four seasons, with her final season as the section leader. Heather was an active brother in the Gamma Pi chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi, a co-ed national honorary band fraternity, serving as the historian from fall 2020 to spring 2021.
After graduating from Purdue, Heather now works as an aerospace engineer in a rotational program for Williams International in Pontiac, Michigan which specializes in small gas turbine engines and cruise missile jet engines. In her free time, she enjoys cycling, completing movie marathons and traveling.
Olivia Keller
While at Purdue, Olivia was involved in Purdue Student Government and served as the vice president of the student body in 2018-19. Olivia was also involved in Old Masters and College Mentors for Kids, and served in several leadership positions in Delta Zeta Sorority and as chair of the search committee for the 2019 student trustee on the Board of Trustees. Olivia is currently a change manager at Amazon in Las Vegas, Nevada, where she leads process and change management for the fulfillment center.
Kaustubh Ray
Kaustubh Ray earned a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering from Purdue University in 2022. While at Purdue, Kaustubh served as president of the Interfraternity Council (IFC). He was involved in a variety of organizations, including Theta Tau, Student Life Advisory Board, Mortar Board, Purdue Space Day, Aerospace Engineering Student Council, Order of Omega and Iron Key. He was also involved in research within the mechanical engineering, and aeronautical and astronautical engineering departments. Kaustubh received the Thomas B. Robinson IFC Man of the Year award in 2022, and the Research and Innovation Pillar of Excellency, Keith Krach Endowment Leadership Scholar, Iron Key Sparks Scholar and Andromeda Movement awards in 2021.
Kaustubh now works as a spacecraft systems engineer at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. He works on the Mars Sample Return mission, one of the most ambitious and complex planetary exploration endeavors aiming to return Martian samples to Earth. At NASA, he focuses on entry, descent and landing - a mission-critical phase involving the safe delivery of payloads to planets, moons and other celestial bodies. Kaustubh enjoys cooking, hiking and triathlon training in his spare time.
Daniel Romary
Daniel Romary earned a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering from Purdue University in 2018 and later completed a Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering in 2019. He served as the student trustee on Purdue’s Board of Trustees from 2017-19, working on the 50-year campus master plan and the launch of Purdue University Global, among other initiatives. Daniel was also an active member of the Purdue Foundation Student Board, Purdue Student Government and Mortar Board. During his time in Purdue Student Government, he spearheaded projects to increase student mental health resources and expand campus dining options. He was the 2018 recipient of the G.A. Ross Award, given to the most outstanding graduating senior male. He also received the Charles C. Chappelle Fellowship for his graduate studies and was featured in the Lafayette Journal & Courier’s “30 to Watch” series.
Daniel is now pursuing a doctorate at the Indiana University School of Medicine, where he also serves on the Curriculum Council Steering Committee. He has held several biomedical research positions across the country at Purdue, Indiana University, the University of Michigan and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, one of Harvard Medical School’s teaching hospitals.
Daniel spends his time between Indianapolis and his hometown of New Haven, Indiana. He is active in his church and enjoys golfing, cycling and climbing in his spare time.
Carl Russell III
Carl Russell III, from San Ramon, California, graduated from Purdue University in 2023 as a Senior Engineering Fellow with a major in biomedical engineering and a minor in psychology. While at Purdue, he was a project manager of the EPICS Biomedical Engineering team, president of the 2023 Student Organization of the Year—Caduceus Club, a Biomedical Engineering tour guide and ambassador, secretary of the award-winning BME honor society – Alpha Eta Mu Beta, an undergraduate research assistant and on the Student Life Student Advisory Board. He also participated in a cooperative education experience working as a quality engineer co-op at Zimmer Biomet and as a research and development co-op at Cook Medical. His undergraduate research explored the biomechanics of and manufacturing interventions for impact sports, mobile healthcare interventions for patients with chronic kidney disease and implantable biosensor development in adhesive hydrogels and antifouling mechanisms. Carl’s current research interests lie in nephrology interventions in mobile healthcare interventions, dialysis devices and acute kidney injury therapeutics.
Carl is now enrolled at the Indiana University School of Medicine and Purdue University Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, participating in the collaboration Medical Scientist Training Program (MD/PhD) to pursue his goal of becoming a physician-scientist. He currently serves as a graduate advisor for the Engineering Honor Society – Tau Beta Pi, a student editorial board member of the Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research (JPUR), a communications ambassador with the IU School of Medicine and as a vice chair of the LCME Independent Student Analysis Committee for the IU School of Medicine. As a prospective physician-scientist, he aims to positively impact renal patients by developing his research, engineering and medical skills.
Noah Scott
Noah Scott graduated from Purdue University in 2020 with dual Bachelor of Science degrees in Industrial Engineering Technology and Organizational Leadership. He also received his Master of Science in Finance a year later in 2021.
While at Purdue, Noah was appointed by Governor Holcomb to serve as the student trustee on the Purdue University Board of Trustees from 2019-21. In addition, he was an active member of student life, involving organizations like Old Masters, the Interfraternity Council, Sigma Tau Gamma, Community Standards Board and the Student Life Advisory Council.
Noah currently serves as a director of development for the Daniels School of Business at Purdue.
Rachel Svetanoff
Rachel Svetanoff is the executive director of InternetBar.Org Institute and co-founder of Global Futurist Initiative. A young leader dedicated to championing innovation in social impact causes, Rachel has helped work on all 17 U.N. Sustainable Development Goals where she has contributed to more than 100 projects with 89 organizations across 37 countries.
Rachel is an International Monetary Fund Youth Fellow, Liechtenstein Institute for Strategic Development LEAP Fellow, One Better World Collective Liaison, UNITE 2030 Youth Delegate alumna, Youth Marketplace YOMA Rules! Taskforce member, and Harvard Seminar for Leaders in China instructor. She is also a founding member of the North American Changemaker Xchange global community. For her service, Rachel is the recipient of the Top 10 Under 40 of Tippecanoe County Award, the 2021 Purdue University Student Life Young Alumni Award, the 2021 Gold Presidential Volunteer Service Award of AmeriCorps, the 2021 J.B. Dondolo, Inc. WASH Changemaker Award, and an InnoCentive Challenge winner.
Izzy Weber
Izzy Weber graduated from Purdue University in December 2023 with a Bachelor of Science in Multidisciplinary Engineering with a concentration in engineering management and minors in management and art history, and a Certificate in Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Throughout her time at Purdue, Izzy was heavily involved with the Purdue Panhellenic Association and Purdue Student Government, culminating with her serving as vice president for both organizations during her senior year. She also served as a mentor for the Women in Engineering program, held several positions with the Alpha Omicron Pi sorority and was appointed to a number of university committees, including search committees for the new provost and student trustee, Student Engagement & Communication Committee, Student Fee Allocation Board and the Student Life Advisory Board.
Izzy will begin working for Anheuser-Busch in August as part of their Supply Future Leader Program. In her free time, Izzy enjoys hiking with her dogs, spending quality time with her friends and family, discovering new places and cheering on Purdue at any given chance.
Rachel Wong
Rachel Wong graduated from Purdue University in 2024. She has dual Bachelor of Science degrees in Marketing and General Management from the Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr. School of Business.
During her time at Purdue, Wong served as the president of Steps to Leaps and oversaw marketing efforts for the Purdue Foundation Student Board, Old Masters and Mortar Board. She was also actively involved with the Brock-Wilson Center for Women in Business, the Student Life Student Advisory Board, the Student Grant Allocation Board and Iron Key. Wong received the Charles O. McGaughey Leadership Award, which recognizes students who embody American values through leadership, community service and service to Purdue, as well as the Brock-Wilson Center Advancing Women Award in 2024.
Since graduating, Wong has been building her career in the marketing sector. She splits her time between Chicago and her hometown of Lexington, Massachusetts. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, spending time with friends, solving Sudoku puzzles and cheering on the Boilermakers.
Olivia Wyrick
Olivia graduated from Purdue in 2023 with a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources and Environmental Science. She studied abroad in fall 2023 to complete her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. While at Purdue, she was a student leader and activist in roles including vice president of Purdue Student Government, secretary of the Association of Big Ten Students, member of Student Life Advisory Board and two research projects. She is moving to Washington, D.C. in February 2024 to start a career in federal consulting with Accenture Federal Services. Her prior professional experience has included summer internships with an environmental/agriculture trade organization in D.C., the Indiana State Department of Agriculture and a carbon credit development start-up. She enjoys traveling, hiking, the New York Times mini crossword, cooking and camping. She even completed a solo cross-country National Park Road trip during the summer of 2023.