Thunderbird Convocation Program (Fall 2025)

Fall 2025

Convocation December 16, 2025 | 4 p.m.

ASU Gammage | Tempe, Arizona

THUNDERBIRD SCHOOL OF GLOBAL MANAGEMENT AT ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY Established 1946 Charla Griffy-Brown, PhD Director General, Dean and Professor of Global Digital Transformation Lawrence Abeln, PhD Deputy Dean, Thunderbird Executive Education and Clinical Professor of Global Management Lena Booth, PhD Deputy Dean, Thunderbird Academic Enterprise and Professor of Finance Jonas Gamso, PhD Deputy Dean, Thunderbird Knowledge Enterprise and Associate Professor Roy Nelson, PhD Senior Associate Dean of Undergraduate Programs and Associate Professor

Convocation Program Platform Processional Parade of International Flags .

National Anthem of the United States of America Dean’s Welcome.............................. Charla Griffy-Brown, PhD

Director General, Dean and Professor of Global Digital Transformation ...................................................... Thunderbird School of Global Management Introductions of Platform Party Oath of Honor............................... Jason Wang and Esperanza Yegon Thunderbird Student Government Representatives Military Service Recognition....... Larry Martinez, MALM ’24 U.S. Army Veteran Sr. Coordinator, Outreach and Recruitment ....................................................... Thunderbird School of Global Management Student and Faculty Awards....... Charla Griffy-Brown, PhD Keynote Address............................. Maria Laine, MIM ’93 Head of Business Capture and Operations Boeing Defense, Space and Security Dean’s Address................................ Charla Griffy-Brown, PhD Presentation of Candidates........ Charla Griffy-Brown, PhD Closing Remarks and Recessional

• National Anthem of the United States of America Oh, say can you see, by the dawn’s early light, What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming.

Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight, O’er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming.

And the rockets’ red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.

O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave.

O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Flag Bearers One of Thunderbird’s most time-honored traditions is the Parade of International Flags, started by students in 1977, and carried by graduates.

Name

Country/Region

Program

Basima Bunyadi

Afghanistan

MGM

Ahcen Abbas

Algeria

MGM

Marianna Silva

Brazil

MGM

Gabriel Osorio

Colombia

MGM

Anna Laine

Finland

MGM

Karla Astudillo-Lainez

Honduras

MGM

Aashna Rajkumar Motwani

India

MGM

Shinta Dwi Ardanari

Indonesia

MGM

Lutfi Qadoori

Iraq

BGM

Danielle Sloley

Jamaica

MGM

Farah AlZanki

Kuwait

MGM

Likhi Castañeda Arreola

Mexico

MGM

Ifra Nasir

Pakistan

EMGM

Ronaldo George

Panama

EMGM

Vital Karangwa

Rwanda

EMAGAM

Cheikh Beye

Senegal

MLM

Mariatu Kabba

Sierra Leone

MGM

Pin-cian lan

Taiwan

MGM

Isaiah Ssekitto

Uganda

BGM

Katarina White

United States

EMGM Space

Henry Fernandez Vera

Venezuela

MLM

Louis Muzangwa

Zimbabwe

MGM

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Thunderbird Professional Oath of Honor

As a Thunderbird and a global citizen, I promise: • I will strive to act with honesty and integrity; • I will respect the rights and dignity of all people; • I will strive to create an equitable and sustainable prosperity worldwide; • I will oppose all forms of corruption and exploitation; and • I will take responsibility for my actions.

As I hold true to these principles, it is my hope that I may enjoy an honorable reputation and peace of conscience.

This pledge I make freely and upon my honor.

Convocation Speaker

Maria Laine, MIM ’93 Head of Business Capture and Operations Boeing Defense, Space and Security

With more than 30 years of aerospace and defense experience, Maria Laine leads Business Capture and Operations for Boeing Defense, Space & Security (BDS) in Arlington, Virginia. She oversees functional excellence across business development, including proposal development for U.S. and international defense campaigns, competitive analysis, financial management, operations, and training teams. Previously, Laine served as Boeing’s president for the United Kingdom, Ireland, and the Nordic region, managing one of the company’s largest international markets. She also led global business development for Boeing’s defense portfolio, with extensive experience in global defense acquisition, U.S. Foreign Military Sales, and international industrial cooperation.

Before her 32-year Boeing career, Laine worked at the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. Embassy in Helsinki. She has served on multiple nonprofit boards, including the Whitehall & Industry Group and British-American Business. Laine holds a master’s in international management (MIM) degree from Thunderbird School of Global Management and a bachelor’s degree from University of California Santa Barbara. Born in Finland and raised in Sweden, she later moved to the United States and has lived internationally throughout her life. She is multilingual, married, and has two daughters.

Thunderbird Student Government As representatives of the student body, Thunderbird Student Government (TSG) seeks to enhance the student experience and support the wellbeing of the greater student community. TSG is committed to fostering an environment that empowers students to grow, lead, and excel during their studies and throughout their careers.

TSG Executive Team 2025 • President: Jason Wang • Vice President of Operations: Esperanza Yegon (July - December 2025) • Vice President of Finance: Jackson Takesuye • Vice President of Undergraduate Relations: Sarah Khumais TSG Directors 2025 • Shahzar Ahmed • Ariana Herrera-Ady • Sydney Labine

• Anna Laine • Sonaalika Sundareswaran • Olive Zimbudzana

Campus Ambassadors Thunderbird School of Global Management’s Campus Ambassadors (CAs) conduct historic and technological tours of our campus, host on-campus speakers, networking events, and spearhead other initiatives aimed at recruiting the next generation of Thunderbirds. Their commitment to academic excellence, coupled with their unmatched leadership capacity, distinguishes them as the top of their class and affirms their reputation amongst faculty and peers. They endeavor to serve prospective and current students, local and global businesses, community organizations, and the greater Thunderbird alumni network.

Leadership Team 2024-2025 • President: Dayoon Kim • Vice President: Porter O’Doherty • Director of Marketing: Abdul Kariim Sharief • Director of Student Engagement: Marianne Trigg Outstanding Graduating Campus Ambassadors • Sara Hambleton • Mariatu Kabba • Anna Laine

• Marianna Brandao de Arimatheia E Silva

• Kathleen Tate Mulligan

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Accolades Barton Kyle Yount Awards Faculty presents this award to two members of each full-time undergraduate and graduate classes who most adheres to the principles of scholarship, accomplishment and character, based on the ideals of Lieutenant General Barton Kyle Yount (USA, Ret.), the first president and founder of the school.

• Kathleen Tate Mulligan • Rami Skooti

• Ashton Lauren • Lutfi Qadoori

Dean’s Circle Awards The Dean’s Circle Award is presented to graduating students who have shown exceptional leadership, have improved the quality of the experience for their fellow students and have made a lasting contribution to the school. Students in all programs are eligible to receive this recognition.

• Mohammed Aiyubbhai Akhunji • Maryam Abdullah Albakhit • Heather Alspach • Ariel Balce Barredo • Nicholas Thomas Neil Bayer • Isaac Bayoh • Katelyn Nicole Brown • Marianna Brandao de Arimatheia e Silva

• Anumoy Chatterjee • Ashton Marie Connaughton • Daria Devera • Bryanna Esther Diaz • Volodymyr Dzoban • Sara Hambleton • Ryan Jessee • Erica Jiang • Seungmin Kang • Anna Karoliina Laine • Leon La Jeunesse

• Ashton Lauren • Kathleen Tate Mulligan • Ifra Nasir • Gleams Nyazi Ndlovu • Norman O’Reilly • Kanika Parmar • Lutfi Qadoori • Krystal Ashley Rodriguez • Samah Salman • Rami Skooti • Acacia Capri Wastchak • Dan David Watson III • Cynthia Jane White • Rupert Ventenilla Wolfert • Nicholas John Zappia • Ambarelia Zepeda • Olive Zimudzana

Founders Awards The Founders Award is presented to two students from each of the school’s degree programs who, through exceptional achievement, most embody the values, standards, and global acumen/international dexterity envisioned by Thunderbird’s founders.

• Heather Alspach, MLM • Ariel Balce Barredo, EMGM Space • Isaac Bayoh, BGM

• Erica Jiang, BSIT • Krystal Ashley Rodriguez, EMAGAM • Cynthia White, BGM • Ashton Marie Connaughton, EMGM Space • Rupert Ventenilla Wolfert, MLM • Ryan Jessee, EMAGAM • Ambarelia Zepeda, BGM

Accolades, cont’d Outstanding University Graduate Student Award The Outstanding University Graduate Student Award is given to graduates who are recognized for excelling in their academic pursuits and contributing to both the greater Arizona State University and Thunderbird School of Global Management community.

• Kathleen Tate Mulligan, MGM

Moeur Award Named for Dr. B. B. Moeur—physician, businessman, and former Governor of Arizona during the 1930s—this award honors undergraduates with the highest academic standing who have completed all coursework at ASU within eight consecutive fall and spring semesters. Established in 1901, the Moeur Award is presented by the ASU Alumni Association.

• Ambarelia Zepeda, BGM

Honors Some of the graduation candidates’ names listed in the program are followed by a symbol. The symbol denotes that these students are members of the following: β Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Society (World Business)

π

Pi Sigma Alpha Honor Society (Political Science)

Academic Regalia During the Middle Ages, students and teachers wore gowns at all times. Today, it is customary for faculty and graduates to wear academic vestments at academic convocations.

Thunderbird continues to take part in this tradition today. Thunderbird graduate students wear a hood decorated in the blue and gold colors of the school, bordered in velvet.

The dark color represents business academic disciplines. The blue and gold honor cords worn by graduating students represent the top 20% of students according to academic standards.

Veterans wear a stole that varies in color and design based on their branch of service.

Doctoral hoods, worn by faculty, are larger and longer. Doctoral gowns generally bear three velvet bars on the sleeves, while masters’ gowns are plain, but may have trailing arms with open sleeves.

The rainbow of colors in the hoods of the faculty conveys the range of academic disciplines and universities represented.

Thunderbird School of Global Management permits students to participate in the graduation ceremony of their choice prior to fulfilling graduation requirements. Participation in the graduation ceremony does not indicate that the degree is officially conferred nor that the candidate is graduating in the term in which the individual participates in the ceremony.

Candidates for Bachelor of Global Management Travis Barzilla Isaac Bayoh Laura Elena Cabrera Galaviz Abril Esther Conde Bryanna Esther Diaz Elizabeth Foley Joshua Murray Freedman Brandon Clark Ghelmegeanu Margaret Gonyo Yuhang Guo Kevin Patrick Hellman Jr. Kevin Charles Izquierdo Ashray Kalsi Seungmin Kang Aiden Kidd Ashton L. Lauren Rei Matsuo Samuel Thomas McDaniel

Shaunak Mitra Christopher Matthew Mullaly Gabriela Paulina Nuñez Estella Marie Ortega-Pham Lutfi Qadoori Bianca Monique Reveles Zachary Roa Daniel John Seliger Diana Silva Isaiah Ssekitto Wendy Viveros Susan Patricia Waite Cynthia Jane White Tristan Robert Douglas White Monika Helena Wyrwa Ziqian Xiu Ambarelia Zepeda Ziyang Zhang

Candidates for Bachelor of Science in International Trade Ryo Edwards Elie Aleksandra Esperanza Andrew Landon Garner Frank Jaimes Erica Jiang Abdul Demetrio Morales

Luis Gerardo Moreno An Thien Ngoc Nguyen Deekshita Sai Patibandla Claire Morgan Picciano Dan David Watson III

Candidates for Master of Global Management Ahcen Abbas Mohammed Aiyubbhai Akhunji β Maryam Abdullah A Albakhit Fatimah Saeed Aldawood Mohammed Homaid Alhomaid Muhammad Ali Fay Ibrahim M Allazzam Rubina Almas Mohammed O S Y Al Althowaikh Farah Sammy AlZanki

Reno Andriyansa β Shinta Dwi Ardanari Karla Mariela Astudillo Aseel Jamal A Babaidhan Weaam Soud Bahhah Mohammad Saleh A Balhareth Jivitesh Balusamy Nolan Christopher Bates Nicholas Thomas Neil Bayer Alexis Josephine Bolin

Candidates for Master of Global Management, cont’d Marianna Brandao de Arimatheia E Silva Marc Buckholz Basima Bunyadi Rui Miguel Busca Pinheiro Da Silva Lemos

Likhi Ezbai Castaneda Arreola Anumoy Chatterjee Wei-Ni Chen Yi-Hsuan Chen Yi-Ting Cheng Zi Yi Cheng Lorraine Tafadzwa Chikwinya Andrew Chindanya Robson Tapfumaneyi Chingono Chihhsuan Chou Yu-Ting Chou Carah Marie Colvin Hayden Olivia Cristofano Ellery Gwen Dalisay Rajdeep Das Akash Dhillon Thi Thanh Dieu Van Heather Rose Dominguez β Mfon Christine Christine Gab-Umoden Leonel Gonzalez Sara I. Hambleton Chun-Hao Hsu Chang Chi Huang Tzu-Yun Huang Wei Huang Aviral Jain Krati Jain Alexandra Marie Johnson Mukund Vasudev Joshi Mariatu Kabba Shane Thomas Lun Kaucheck Deepak Khushalani Youngwook Kim Leon T. La Jeunesse Anna Karoliina Laine Pin-Cian Lan Whitney Eamonn Lance

Qing-Ning Li Ting-An Li β Admire Kokerai Machakaire Janet Madzimure Prisca Madzimure Hussam Hamed H Malibari Lavender Mapasure Sakal Mathur Tafadzwa Mazhambe Umeshwar Singh Mehta Kudzai Obriel Mhako Onette Mhako Victoria Minerva Alford Advocate Mkanga Pilaster Emmanuel Mlilo Aashna Rajkumar Motwani β Locadia Yemurai Muchunga Tendai Mujakachi Kathleen Tate Mulligan Marshall Musuka Future Mutamiri Louis Muzangwa Lorraine Chido Muzuza Pratham Pradeep Nakhawa Gleams Nyazi Ndlovu β Herbert Nechena Prince Njanji Rahaf Nukaly Danai Madonna Nyaungwa Gabriel Felipe Osorio Henao Rishi Pal Kanika Parmar β Bosswell Pasinawako Filipa Penas Castelo Fallon Caswell Prime Ujjwal Puri Kartik Radder β Diegoh Tatenda Sadziwa Kiyotaka Sato Sanjivani Seeliya Nazira Shakirtkhanova

Candidates for Master of Global Management, cont’d Shivansh Sharma Angelica Rose Sherer Manali Kiran Singh Danielle Tara-Lee Sloley Keshav Krishna Somasunderam Varenya Subramanian Akshay Sukumaran Moroj Mohammed A Sultan I Ching Sung Leonard Tinarwo Tiffany T. Trinh Yuhsiang Tseng Emmanuel Tsoka

Nina Disyani Uky Sarab Singh Walia Desiree Walker Xingwei Wang Yuqi Wang Acacia Capri Wastchak π Jia Rong Wu Yaxuan Wu Aizi Xu Chia-An Yeh Qingtao Zeng Olive Zimbudzana β

Candidates for Executive Master of Global Management Katelyn Nicole Brown β Ki Heok Chae Antwon Dewayne Eason Chaz Mancel Fort Fernando Nunez Garibay β Katie Ryan Gillespie β Ronaldo Christopher George

Phillip Tonderayi Kaiyo Mohit Mamodia Ifra Nasir Daniel Guillermo Perez Rami Skooti Nicholas John Zappia β

Candidates for Executive Master of Global Management (Space Leadership, Business, and Policy) Ariel Balce Barredo Ashton Marie Connaughton Gerrit Dalman Ashley Dara Dotz Erick J. Espinoza Ako Matsushiro

Allison Sarah Nicholls O’Raphael James Okoro Devin Marquis Patterson Brian Stanke Katarina Marie White β

•

Candidates for Executive Master of Arts in Global Affairs and Management Maimuna Burnette Travis Ian De Leon Ibrahima N’Daïry Diallo π Alexey Gorbachev β Ryan Jessee β Vital Karangwa π β Ernestina Domukaawono Muulikaa

Norman O’Reilly Krystal Ashley Rodriguez Marissa Rossouw β

Samah Salman Mohamed Ahmed Salman π β

Wayne Algeron Smith β Alejandro Daniel Soto Zuleikha Ruta Tambwe

Candidates for Master of Applied Leadership and Management Liqiang Shen

Candidates for Master of Leadership and Management Bayan Yousef Ahmed Abufardeh Sara Ahrar Sali Alimam Ahmed Mohammed Salem Humood Alqaydi

Heather Alspach Lissette Angeline Alvarez Marthe Maurane Aneck Roxanna Peraza Apaez π Raeanne Chua Austria Yurii Badyvskyi Nicholas Jacob Benavides β Jonathan Benton Cheikh Beye Janel Lyn Campbell Vanessa Anne Carrillo β Chun-Terng Chang Chukai Chen Shuling Chi β I-Ying Chiang Yun Chiang Kylie Sachiko Kahealani Chong Ryan Colby Jenna Kay Colvin β Cassandra Cruz β Sarah-Marie Modesto Daniels Monica Lynne Degard

Alyssa Marisol Duan Emina Durmic Volodymyr Dzoban Emma Engelhardt Jared Michael Erasmus Cory Joe Ertel Ruben Omar Esparza Reyes Sr. Kenia Farias Valdovinos Gilberto Garibaldi Urias Jr. Harkirat Singh Gill Elishevah Sara Godfrey Rylund Joseph Gonzales Daniyel Danica Grancich Yuchen Guo β Michael Haas Calista Maxine Hahs Cassie Rae Henry Edwin Hernandez-Vargas β Darcy Jane Hoban Shuang Hou β Peng Huang Matvii Ilichov Katrina Jazgar Dulcinea Juarez Savannah Grace Kjolhede Andrii Kolomiichenko

Candidates for Master of Leadership and Management, cont’d Kelsey Elizabeth Kotler Alexander George Kurtz β Benjamin Dennett Langman Emma Lapum Lance Jayson Lie Shu-Yu Lin Christopher Long Nathaniel Lamar Love Shigeto Mabuchi Jeremie Mason Andrea Fearon McDonald Isabelle Mary McKercher Jacob Munoz Nazarii Mykolaiets Anviksha Deepak Tyler Ann Nunley Gildardo Felipe Ortiz Ihor Perepecha β Ethan Rein Brian Rios Henry Rivero Vera Jamie Roberts Ivana Ross Priscilla Marie Ruiz Craig R. Russell Benjamin Thomas Sainsbury Denys Samonov

Crystal Lynn Santiago Hsu Shu Ting Artem Olexandrovych Skorupych Kim Smith β Heather Estelle Statzer Ryan Matthew Sweeney Jun Tang Viviana Torres Lamar James Valentina Hielke Leendert Peter van Oosten Lalithesh Sai Vemuri Austin Christopher Venturina Daniel Oliver Waite Conner J. Weber Yinxing Wei Yi-Yu Weng Destiny M. Williams Rupert Ventenilla Wolfert β Chen Yu Wu Chialing Wu Meng-Hsuan Wu Xiaoding Xia Simon Yang Katherine Emily Yatko John Timothy Yelle Jr. Lian Yin Dawei Zhang β

Congratulations Class of 2025

+1 602-496-7125.

About Thunderbird School of Global Management Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University cultivates visionary leaders who harness innovation and a global digital mindset to shape the organizations of the future. Committed to transforming leadership and management education, Thunderbird empowers professionals to drive sustainable prosperity in an increasingly interconnected world. As the premier institution for global leadership and management education, Thunderbird is more than just a school—it is a dynamic global network of leaders, managers, entrepreneurs, and intrapreneurs spanning both the private and public sectors.

For nearly 80 years, Thunderbird has been at the forefront of developing global leaders.

Founded as the American Institute for Foreign Trade, Thunderbird was chartered on April 8, 1946, on the historic Thunderbird Field, a World War II airbase in Glendale, Arizona, where pilots from around the world once trained. General Barton Kyle Yount, recognizing the need for a school dedicated to international trade and global affairs, secured the airfield to fulfill this vision. Since its inception, Thunderbird has upheld a powerful guiding principle, best captured in the words of founding faculty member Dr. William Lytle Schurz: “Borders frequented by trade seldom need soldiers.”

As the world’s first higher education institution dedicated exclusively to international leadership, Thunderbird pioneered a curriculum integrating global management, international political economy, regional business environments, languages, and crosscultural communication. Often described as a “mini-United Nations,” the school fosters a diverse and inclusive student body. Today, Thunderbird’s vast and influential alumni network includes nearly 50,000 graduates across 150 countries, with over 170 active alumni chapters in 70 nations.

In December 2014, Thunderbird became a part of the Arizona State University enterprise, blending its decades-long legacy of cultivating global leaders with ASU’s vast resources and commitment to innovation. In 2018, Thunderbird relocated to ASU’s vibrant Downtown Phoenix campus, uniting the world’s No. 1 ranked Master’s in Management (WSJ/THE) with the No. 1 university for innovation (U.S. News & World Report).

For the fourth consecutive year, Thunderbird has been recognized as the world leader in international trade, a distinction awarded by Quacquarelli Symonds, the prestigious global authority on higher education rankings, in its 2026 International Trade Rankings.

This esteemed recognition positions Thunderbird at ASU as the No. 1 school in the world, ranking ahead of renowned institutions such as Columbia University, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor (Ross) and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (KenanFlagler) in the U.S., as well as the University of Cambridge, the University of Oxford and the National University of Singapore internationally.

This prestigious recognition underscores Thunderbird’s unparalleled leadership in shaping the future of global commerce and diplomacy.

About Thunderbird School of Global Management, cont’d At the heart of Thunderbird’s transformation is the F. Francis & Dionne Najafi Thunderbird Global Headquarters, an ultramodern 110,000-square-foot facility on ASU’s Downtown Phoenix campus. Designed to integrate cutting-edge technology with immersive global learning, this state-of-the-art building serves as a launchpad for the next generation of global leaders.

Further extending its global reach, Thunderbird’s network of regional centers embodies its mission to advance global leadership and education. With over 15 dedicated regional representatives, Thunderbird maintains a strong presence through physical hubs in Phoenix, AZ (Global Headquarters); Geneva, Switzerland; Dubai, UAE; Seoul, South Korea; and Jakarta, Indonesia. Complementing these locations are virtual centers in Tokyo, Japan; Shanghai, China; Mumbai, India; Nairobi, Kenya; Amsterdam, Netherlands; London, United Kingdom; Mexico City, Mexico; Taipei, Taiwan; and Cairo, Egypt.

Additionally, Thunderbird’s partnership with Arizona State University extends its influence to the ASU California Center in Los Angeles and the Barrett & O’Connor Washington Center in Washington, D.C., reinforcing its commitment to shaping the future of global business leadership.

To learn more about Thunderbird visit: thunderbird.asu.edu.

Mission

Vision

Thunderbird educates visionary leaders who innovate with a global digital mindset to shape organizations of the future.

Thunderbird is committed to transforming leadership and management education to create sustainable prosperity in an interconnected world.

thunderbird.asu.edu 401 North 1st Street Phoenix, Arizona 85004