Student Directors
Ela Castelli T’25
Ela comes from Brazil and joined the Tuck School of Business driven by a desire to enact social change through improved access to education. Prior to pursuing her MBA, Ela worked as Head of Commercial Strategy at Brasol, a Brazilian startup backed by Siemens AG and Blackrock. Joining the founding partners during the company's pre-operational stage, she led the development of the commercial area, shaping Brasol into a leading energy-efficiency investment firm from its first contract. Today, Brasol is instrumental in developing, funding, building, owning, and operating energy efficiency assets across 26 states of Brazil, enabling large corporate clients to mitigate costs and environmental impact alike. With prior experience in investment banking at Citigroup, Ela brings a robust foundation in finance and business management to her academic pursuits. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Management with focus in Finance and Sustainability from Fundação Getúlio Vargas – EAESP, where she also served as a Teaching Assistant for accounting and as a project manager for Conexão Social, overseeing social projects and engaging in fundraising activities. During the summer of 2024, Ela will undertake a consulting role as an intern at BCG and serve as Co-chair for Tuck Diversity Conference. Outside of her professional endeavors, Ela is a bucket-lister, constantly exploring new adventures. Her favorite hobbies include scuba diving, hiking, dirt bike trails, cooking and hosting gatherings, skiing, pottery, and reading.
Cameron Causey T’25
Cameron came to Tuck with a desire to establish a career in climate and sustainability that emphasizes impact and leadership. Before attending Tuck, he held various product and strategy roles at Twitter, Inc. and 2U, Inc. His experience includes leading go-to-market initiatives, developing customer-centric product strategies, and conducting market research and data analysis to inform product development and design. Cameron graduated from Davidson College with a degree in Psychology and a concentration in Economics. As an avid outdoorsman, Cameron sees climate and sustainability as an opportunity to align his career aspirations with his personal passions. He also has a keen interest in healthcare, food and agriculture, and education. In his free time, Cameron enjoys skiing, fly-fishing, trail running, and cooking.
Neil Chavan T’25
Neil hails from Cleveland, OH and comes to Tuck with a background in strategy and technology commercialization. He is eager to support founders scaling impactful solutions for climate, food & ag, and education. Neil graduated with degrees in chemical engineering and environmental studies from Case Western Reserve University where he conducted research in novel carbon capture solvents, led a clean water project in Costa Rica, and completed entrepreneurship fellowships in renewable energy and social impact. Prior to business school, Neil worked at a boutique consultancy where he advised specialty materials companies on innovation-driven growth strategies, gaining broad experience in climate tech, medical devices, transportation, electronics, and life sciences. In addition to TSVF at Tuck, Neil is a Fellow at the Revers Center for Energy, Sustainability, and Innovation and a Co-Chair of Tuck Pride. This summer, Neil will join the ventures team at Closed Loop Partners where he will support investments in early-stage startups advancing the circular economy. In his free time, Neil enjoys playing racket sports of all kinds, exploring quaint towns across the Upper Valley, and hiking.
Julia Giorgio T’25
Julia came to Tuck with the desire to explore her passion for consumer investing, particularly in light of the structural, long-term shift in demand towards consumer brands anchored on values such as sustainability and impact. Prior to Tuck, Julia was Director of Impact and Founding Member of L Catterton Impact, one of nine fund strategies of L Catterton, a consumer-focused private equity firm headquartered in Greenwich, CT. The Fund’s mission is to invest in and grow mission-driven consumer companies seeking to make the economy cleaner, healthier, and more equitable. During the previous two years, she served as Chief of Staff to the Global co-CEOs. Prior to joining L Catterton, Julia worked in the Mergers and Acquisitions Transaction Services department at Deloitte where she served private equity clients, primarily Blackstone, on buy-side and sell-side transactions in the consumer and industrial products industry. She graduated from the Mendoza College of Business at the University of Notre Dame with a Bachelors of Business Administration in Accountancy and a Masters in Science of Accountancy and is a licensed Chartered Public Accountant in the state of New York. At Notre Dame, she was a member of the Varsity Women’s Lacrosse Team where she served as a co-captain during her senior season. Outside of TSVF, Julia is a co-chair of the Retail and Consumer Goods Club and a Fellow at the Center for Private Equity and Venture Capital. In her free time, Julia enjoys playing lacrosse for the New York Athletic Club and trail running, tennis, and tripod hockey with friends in the Upper Valley.
Adam Scharf T’25
Adam Scharf is dedicated to advancing financial inclusion and impactful investments throughout his professional career. Prior to Tuck, he excelled as Chief of Staff at Y-Combinator backed BuildZoom, leading the growth team. His experience also includes 4 years at Deloitte Consulting where he led strategy projects across operational model strategy, organizational design, and team culture. Adam is deeply passionate about social impact, evidenced by his longstanding commitment to Habitat for Humanity in creating affordable housing and his involvement with impact-driven funds during his time at Tuck, Rebalance Capital and Unified State Group. This summer, Adam will enhance his skills in the tech sector through a position at BCG. He holds a degree in Mathematics and Economics from Emory University.Outside of work, Adam enjoys skiing, hiking and most outdoor activities as well as board games, guitar, and live music.
Dillon Smith T’25
Dillon came to Tuck with the desire to drive impact in early-stage companies who were bettering the world through business. Prior to Tuck, he worked in strategy consulting at EY-Parthenon, with project work split across corporate strategy and private equity due diligence for tech, media, and telecom clients. His experience working with climate-focused clients sparked a deep interest in building and enabling climate tech companies along with a desire to bring his professional role more in line with his personal interest in sustainability stemming from a childhood exploring the Adirondack Mountains. Dillon will spend his summer working with Peak Energy, a venture-backed, early-stage startup looking to scale next generation grid-scale battery technology in the U.S. He completed his undergraduate education at Harvard University where he was a member of the varsity alpine ski team and graduated with a B.A. in Economics with Honors. Outside of TSVF, he is a Fellow at the Revers Center for Energy, Sustainability, and Innovation, Co-Chair of the Ski & Snowboard Club, and tripod captain. In his free time, Dillon is attempting to become a NH 48er, getting re-accustomed to east coast skiing, training for triathlons, and reading as much as he can.
Natalya Subbotina T’25
Natalya came to Tuck after eight years in the nonprofit sector with the belief that exposure to the private sector, especially venture capital, will help her become more effective at driving social impact throughout her career. Prior to Tuck, Natalya worked in early-stage and start-up education nonprofits focused on supporting historically underserved communities. She primarily served in operations roles across various functional areas, including developing inclusive HR and talent strategies, defining and managing financial excellence, and improving and implementing data infrastructure. This summer, Natalya will intern with Investor Group Services (IGS), a consulting firm supporting private equity clients through transactions and growth initiatives. Outside of TSVF, Natalya is a Peer Support Counselor, Workplace Inclusion Fellow, Nonprofit Board Fellow, and Co-Chair of the Tuck Band. Natalya holds a B.A. in Political Science and Integrated Educational Studies from Chapman University, and a M.S.Ed. in Higher Education from University of Pennsylvania. In her free time, Natalya enjoys baking, tennis, skiing, and running with her partner and dog, Loki.
Jordan Swett T’25
Jordan came to Tuck pursuing a career in climate venture capital with a desire to support underrepresented founders. Prior to Tuck, Jordan spent his spring with Fifth Wall, a climate tech VC focused on decarbonizing the built environment; spent 2.5 years managing the project finance team, Systems and Processes function, and Impact Committee at Sunwealth (an impact investment startup bringing clean, affordable solar power to underserved communities); and started his career in power and utilities investment banking at Mizuho Americas. He will be a 2024 Summer Associate at Powerhouse Ventures. Outside of TSVF, Jordan is a Consortium Fellow and Liaison; MBA Associate at Greenshot (Dartmouth's climate solutions accelerator); Fellow at the Revers Center for Energy, Sustainability, and Innovation; and a Co-Chair of the John Barleycorn Society (Tuck Beer Club). Jordan graduated from Dartmouth College with degrees in Environmental Studies and Development Economics. While at Dartmouth, he founded the Dartmouth Energy Alliance and researched solar development opportunities in rural villages of South Africa. Jordan loves grilling, running in the woods, skiing, cycling, playing with his golden retriever, finding unique craft beers, and learning to woodwork.
Olivia Tabah T’25
Olivia joins TSVF with 8 years of experience across fintech, private wealth, and venture capital. Most recently, Olivia spent 4+ years conducting due diligence and supporting portfolio companies at an early-stage impact fund focused on building equity and sustainability across sectors. fund. In this role, she managed the investment pipeline and led the due diligence process, provided ongoing support to portfolio companies, and led the firm's initiative to integrate DEI in the investment process, among contributions to other strategic projects. Olivia is a spirited advocate for climate action and social equity and is passionate about democratizing access to food, health, and education. Olivia co-chairs the Food and Ag Club, Outdoor Club, and Mental Health and Wellness Initiative and serves as a Peer Support Counselor at Tuck. Olivia graduated from Middlebury College with a degree in Economics and Psychology. This summer, she will intern in management consulting at Boston Consulting Group. Outside of work and school, she enjoys cooking, reading, running, skiing, mountain biking, and exploring the outdoors with her golden retriever Maisie.
Lucy Whitney T’25
Before relocating to Hanover, Lucy worked in investment banking at Citi, focusing on mergers and acquisition transactions for over four years in New York City. She worked globally across technology, healthcare, industrial, and consumer sectors. Lucy holds a degree in Finance and Economics from the University of Virginia's McIntire School of Commerce. While she enjoyed honing her technical finance skills in working with large complex corporations, Lucy felt a strong pull towards early-stage companies and the dynamism of passionate founders. This realization led her to Tuck, where she is actively pursuing her interests in early-stage investing and entrepreneurship. Outside of TSVF, she is involved at Tuck as a co-chair of the Private Equity and Venture Capital club, a volunteer for Tuck GIVES, and a singer in the class band. In her free time, Lucy enjoys exploring the outdoors and skiing in the Upper Valley, reading, and learning about new health and wellness trends. This summer, she will intern in strategic operations at Forterra, a pioneering venture-backed company in driverless technology based in the Washington D.C. area.
Faculty Advisers
Hannah Payson
Hannah Payson is the associate director for the Center for Business, Government & Society at Tuck, where she works across all Center programs in collaboration with many internal and external partners. Hannah has extensive experience in corporate responsibility and community engagement.
For 10 years, Hannah worked at Lloyd’s of London in the U.K. managing its award-winning Community Programme and expanding its corporate social responsibility efforts with a focus on environmental sustainability, ethics and values, diversity, and global reach. Prior to that, she worked for an education-focused nonprofit and in community investing for a German investment bank.
Hannah moved to the Upper Valley in 2014 with her husband and two boys. An avid horseback rider, she can also be found volunteering at High Horses, a therapeutic riding program in Sharon, where she serves on the board of directors.
Ramon Lecuona
Ramon Lecuona is an assistant professor of business administration in Tuck’s strategy group. He earned his PhD in business administration at the London Business School and a Masters of Public Policy at Harvard University. Before joining Tuck, he was part of the faculty at the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University. Prior to that, Ramon served as a staff member of the Office of the President of Mexico for more than seven years. His academic research is focused on the design of organizational structures that make firms more productive and innovative, and he has specific expertise in the field of mobile communications and the offshoring of production facilities to emerging markets. In addition to his academic work, Professor Lecuona has been part of the founding team of multiple start-ups and serves as an adviser for senior leaders of multinational companies and governmental agencies. He teaches Tuck’s core strategy course.
Curtis R. Welling D'71, T'77
Curtis R. Welling D'71, T'77 is a clinical professor of business who teaches courses at the intersection on business, society and government. Prior to Tuck Professor Welling served as the president and chief executive officer of AmeriCares for 11 years, guiding the organization in delivering $9 billion in medicines and supplies around the world. Prior to AmeriCares Professor Welling worked in the investment banking and securities industries for 25 years.
Professor Welling teaches classes on Impact Investing, Social Entrepreneurship, Business and Society.