Back Pocket mentors, each paired with a member, share their personal experiences transitioning into the workforce and help their mentee do the same. We are proud to introduce our first 15 mentors.

Ahlea Isabella-Cochran is a Marketing and Communications Manager for Innovate@BU. When she isn’t helping student startups thrive at Boston University she runs her side hustle Map Maiden Calligraphy, an Etsy-based shop featuring hand-lettered and illustrated art and home goods.

Alyssa Espiritu currently works at Adobe in NYC, connecting their consumer insights to improve overall business. Alyssa was also a part of our Women@Work series! She graduated from Boston University with a degree in communications. 

Ariel Kraten is the co-founder of GoBlu International.  She has volunteered with the Peace Corps, worked in sustainable fashion, and spent time living abroad. She also was a part of our Women@Work series and wrote a guest blog for Holdette on sustainability! She received her MS in Nonprofit Leadership/Leadership for Social Change from the University of Pennsylvania.

Gillian Dunn, was also featured in our Women@Work series! She currently works on the digital marketing team for Boston Seaport. She also works as a freelance social media coordinator for JP Linguistics and is always working on collaborative, digital branding projects. She graduated with a B.S. Fashion Merchandising, a minor in Fashion Media, and a concentration in sustainability from Kent State University.

Hannah Thompson is a Cyber Security Engineer at Booz Allen Hamilton. She loves cross-stitch, softball, and sports videography. She graduated from Swarthmore College with degrees in Engineering and Computer Science.

Kaitlyn Merola is the CEO and Founder of Möve Marketing based in Boston. She was featured on our Women@Work series talking about all things marketing and how she balances her startup with being a spin instructor. She graduated from the University of Connecticut with a degree in Marketing and got her MBA from the University of Texas. 

Kharlita Chambers-Walker is the Advance Coordinator to Boston Mayor as well as the Martin J. Walsh City of Boston's Women's Employee Resource Liaison! She got her Masters in Advertising from Boston University and enjoys playing basketball, hanging out with her family, and being an advocate.

Katherine D'Angelo is the Program & Events Manager at Boston University's Hariri Institute for Computing. She loves camping, sports, and running and is even participating in the 2020 Boston Marathon. She graduated from Johnson and Wales University with a degree in Sports and Entertainment & Event Management. 

Katie Diasti, another Women@Work feature and guest blogger, is founder and CEO for Viv For Your V, “a mission-driven startup providing womxn with earth-friendly period care products delivered to their door.” A recent Boston College alum, she is interested in all things entrepreneurship, creative strategy, and nonprofit. 

Olivia Owens is Head of Partnerships at IFundwomen and a University of Maryland alum. When she isn’t helping female entrepreneurs and small businesses raise capital, she loves to listen to podcasts.  She previously worked at Under Armour before becoming one of the founding employees of IFundWomen. 

Rachael Rogers is a Senior Implementation Director at Veracross, but she is also a yoga instructor and an Instagram travel influencer on top of her full-time job. She’s interested in public speaking, female leadership, and fashion. She is an alum of Covenant College where she got dual degrees in Music Performance and Business. 

Rebecca Sacks is a Coordinator for the Advertising and Planning Strategy of the PGA tour.  She loves baking, making her most of her peloton bike during quarantine, and house plants. She graduated from the University of Florida with a degree in advertising.

Reilly Zlab is the Director of Product Management for the City of Boston. Reilly is a big runner and is training for the 2020 Boston Marathon. Reilly currently lives in the Fenway and calls Boston her home, but is originally from the Midwest. She received her M.A. in Communications Management from Emerson College.

Tori Deems, one of Holdette’s early Women@Work features, works as a Marketing Associate at Deloitte. She recently graduated from UMass Amherst and has been busy exploring NYC.  New to the workforce, she is a great person to turn to for advice on finding internships and how to best prepare for interviews.

Toya Del Valle works as Area Vice President for Client Success Services at Cornerstone OnDemand. She received her MBA from the University of Arizona and is interested in Human Resources. She enjoys creating experiences and connections where everyone benefits and is interested in rowing, environmental justice, and sustainability.  

Want to get to know these incredible mentors? Join Back Pocket, our new membership program! We’ll see you inside.