Bruin Success

Cathy Choi is senior director of programs at The Eisner Foundation, overseeing the planning, strategic development and distribution of $7 million in annual grants. She develops grantee relationships during and after the grant-making process and works to build organizational sustainability among the foundation’s partners, promoting innovative practices and creative solutions to social justice challenges in Los Angeles and beyond. Cathy has more than 20 years of diverse professional experience in philanthropy and the nonprofit and public sectors. Before joining The Eisner Foundation, she was a program officer at the California Community Foundation (CCF), managing a number of special grant programs covering issues such as access to health care, arts education, youth programs and historic preservation.

In addition to her professional experience, Cathy’s volunteer service includes leadership roles with Asian American/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy, Southern California Public Radio, Korean American Coalition, the Democratic National Convention (2000) and The Advisory Council on Democratic and Peaceful Unification, Republic of Korea. Cathy received her Bachelor of Arts in Economics from UCLA and Master’s in Public Administration from the Maxwell School of Citizenship & Public Affairs at Syracuse University. During her days at UCLA, Cathy served as Vice President of Undergraduate Business Society (UBS) and an active leader for various campus ministry and community outreach efforts. Cathy is member of the UCLA Alumni Association Board of Directors and a Gold Member.

Bruin Success is hosted by Katie Russo, produced by Christian Chavez '13 and made possible by UCLA Alumni.

Vito A. Costanzo is a partner in the litigation section of the Los Angeles office of Holland & Knight, where he assists technology companies in protecting their intellectual property rights. Costanzo was formerly employed as a trial attorney by the Los Angeles County District Attorneys’ office. He is an active speaker and author and is the recipient of several client service awards, including the BTI Client Service All-Stars Award for the years 2014, 2016 and 2017.

Costanzo has a B.A. in economics from UCLA and a law degree from Loyola Law School. Costanzo is a Gold Member of the Alumni Association.

Bruin Success is hosted by Katie Russo, produced by Christian Chavez '13 and made possible by UCLA Alumni.

Steve O’Dell and Robbie Page '14 are the founders of Tenzo Tea, a lifestyle brand founded on the belief of better energy for the mind and body. Steve is the CEO and Robbie is CMO.

Steve’s years as a D1 college athlete & entrepreneur taught him the importance of energy and nutrition for max performance, which ultimately led him to a drink called matcha green tea. Steve partnered with UCLA teammate and lifelong friend, Robbie Page, to start Tenzo Tea, share matcha with the world, and give back to those who need it most. As the head of operations, Steve has built the engine from ground zero to serving over 20 million cups of Tenzo across the world. Robbie’s years as a D1 college athlete & professional volleyball player taught him the importance of energy and nutrition for max performance, which ultimately led him to a drink called matcha green tea. Robbie joined forces with UCLA teammate and lifelong friend, Steve O’Dell, to start Tenzo Tea, share matcha with the world and give back to those who need it most.  Since its founding in 2017, Tenzo Tea has sold over 20 million servings of its proprietary blend of matcha through two main channels: e-commerce subscription and wholesale partnerships. As head of e-commerce and content, Robbie has led the acquisition of thousands of “Tenzo Tribe” subscribers with a focus on sales funnels, brand development, product design, and customer experience.

Bruin Success is hosted by Katie Russo, produced by Christian Chavez '13 and made possible by UCLA Alumni.

David Eisman '92 is head of the Northwest Region and co-head of the firm’s West Region Advisory Group in the Investment Banking Division. He has worked with many of the firm's most important clients in the Retail, Consumer and Food sectors. David has also been involved in the firm's coverage of financial sponsors. He joined Goldman Sachs in 1998 in the Mergers & Acquisitions Department in New York. In 2002, David joined Investment Banking Services, and in 2008, he relocated to Los Angeles. In 2017, David relocated to the Seattle office. He was named managing director in 2005 and partner in 2010. Prior to joining the firm, David worked at the law firm Sullivan & Cromwell. He serves on the Board of Directors of The UCLA Foundation. David earned a BA and MA in Philosophy from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 1992, and a JD from Columbia Law School in 1995.

Bruin Success is hosted by Katie Russo, produced by Christian Chavez '13 and made possible by UCLA Alumni.

Suzanne Seplow Ed.D. '01  is the Assistant Vice Chancellor, Student Development. The areas within Student Development provide programs and services designed to support students reach their full potential and achieve their life goals. The departments within Student Development that Suzanne oversees are the Bruin Resource Center (BRC), Campus and Student Resilience, the Career Center, Center for Accessible Education (CAE), Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), First-Year Experience (FYE), Graduate Student Resource Center (GSRC) and Residential Life. Suzanne’s passion for developing inclusive communities that engage students in the fostering of their academic success, personal growth, leadership development, social responsibility and career aspirations is captured in each of the areas she has the privilege to work within Student Development.

Originally from Newton, NJ, Suzanne received her Bachelor of Science degree in Natural Sciences/Biology with a concentration in Education from Muhlenberg College in Allentown, PA. She went on to receive her Master’s from Teachers College, Columbia University in Student Personnel Administration. After 9 years as a practitioner working at the University of New Hampshire, Dickinson College and UCLA, Suzanne returned back to academia. In 2001, she earned her Doctorate in Educational Leadership from UCLA. Suzanne started at UCLA in 1995 and hasn’t left! She feels very fortunate to have grown her career here at UCLA. Seppy is a Bruin, through and through!

Suzanne also enjoys being in the classroom and has taught in the Fiat Lux, Honors and the Masters in Student Affairs (MSA) programs. She continues to teach Identity Development Theory for the MSA program and serves as a Faculty in Residence.

Family is everything to Suzanne. She is blessed with her partner Robin, for over 25 years, and their beautiful children, Tesfanesh and Elsae. Suzanne enjoys sports (now watching more than playing!), card games, and family adventures.

Bruin Success is hosted by Katie Russo, produced by Christian Chavez '13 and made possible by UCLA Alumni.

Peter Taylor '80 has been the president of ECMC Foundation since May 2014. During his tenure, he has overseen more than $165 million of grants and PRI investments in initiatives affecting higher education outcomes, especially among underserved student populations. The major area of focus for the Foundation has been career technical education. He recently did a TedxTalk on this subject at UCLA in May 2019.

Before joining ECMC Foundation, Mr. Taylor served as executive vice president and chief financial officer for the University of California system. During his time there, he oversaw aspects of financial management at the 10 campuses and the five academic medical centers.

Most of Mr. Taylor's professional career was in investment banking, with nearly 16 years in municipal finance banking for Lehman Brothers and Barclays Capital, where he was managing director for the Fixed Income Group. Before obtaining his master’s degree, he spent six years on the legislative staff of the California State Assembly Majority Leader working at the state capitol in Sacramento.

Mr. Taylor is an appointee of Governor Jerry Brown to the Board of Trustees of the California State University system, where he chairs the Educational Policy Committee after two years as chair of the Finance Committee. He also serves on the boards of Edison International, Pacific Life, the Parsons Foundation and the Kaiser Family Foundation, where he chairs the Investment Committee.

In his various volunteer roles, he previously served as president of the UCLA Alumni Association Board of Directors, the Chair of the James Irvine Foundation Board of Directors, the alumni representative on the UC Board of Regents, the Chair of the UCLA Foundation Board of Directors, a board member of the J. Paul Getty Trust where he chaired the Audit Committee, and the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board.

Mr. Taylor is an accomplished speaker and author, with a particular focus on the role of career and technical education (CTE) in closing the skills gap—a central challenge facing our nation's economy—and the need for a collective effort among stakeholders to break down the stigma that holds CTE and its students back. His perspective has been published by The Washington Post, CNN, The Wall Street Journal, The Hill, the Dallas Morning News, the Detroit News and InsideSources.

Mr. Taylor received his undergraduate degree from UCLA, his Master’s Degree from Claremont Graduate University, and a certificate in public affairs from Coro Southern California.

Bruin Success is hosted by Katie Russo, produced by Christian Chavez '13 and made possible by UCLA Alumni.

Elisabeth Michaels graduated from UCLA in 2009 with a B.A. in Political Science. She currently leads Strategy & Operations for the AR/VR (Augmented and Virtual Reality) Global Sales organization at Facebook. In this role she runs strategy, business, executive communication and management initiatives for a team across 10+ offices globally. Prior to Facebook, Elisabeth held roles across Sales, Strategy and Marketing over the course of 8 years at Google. She completed her Master’s degree at the Oxford Internet Institute directly after graduating from UCLA, focused on technology and politics. Elisabeth is passionate about driving diversity and inclusion in technology. She is a Steering Committee Lead for the Women of AR/VR Education Committee at Facebook and volunteers with YearUp, where she empowers young adults from non-traditional backgrounds to build careers in technology.

Bruin Success is hosted by Katie Russo, produced by Christian Chavez '13 and made possible by UCLA Alumni.

Fashion-forward, athletic, cultured and full of personality. All of these traits describe WNBA player, Monique Billings. Born on May 2, 1996, Monique isn't a stranger to being an underdog. Many underestimated her talent and counted her out, but she proved them all wrong when she was drafted by the Atlanta Dream in the 2018 WNBA Draft. Most are not afforded the opportunity to do something they love, which is something Monique recognizes. This is why she took full of advantage of the opportunities presented to her during her student-athlete journey at UCLA. While attending the university, Monique discovered and explored her love for sports broadcasting, modeling and self-improvement.

Always looking to inspire and empower others, Monique aims to be a voice and light for women and girls trying to figure out everyday life just like she is.

Bruin Success is hosted by Katie Russo, produced by Christian Chavez '13 and made possible by UCLA Alumni.

D'Artagnan Scorza '07, Ph.D. '13 and his work is grounded in efforts to create communities where all people can thrive. His expansive research, education, grassroots organizing, and policy experience has made a significant impact in high need communities throughout California. While at UCLA, he helped pass policies that established veteran’s service centers and prioritized $160 million for student services across UC campuses. He also improved sustainability in Inglewood schools, having served as chair of the Measure GG campaign, where he helped to secure $90 million to support school construction efforts. He is published in multiple academic journals and is a lecturer in the Fielding School of Public Health at UCLA.

In his role as the Founder and Executive Director of the Social Justice Learning Institute, Dr. Scorza empowers individuals to become leaders who rise up, create change and help their communities flourish. His current service on the Inglewood Unified School District Board of Education and the UCLA Alumni Association Board further illustrates his desire to scale up solutions that improve educational outcomes for all students.

Dr. Scorza is a US Navy Iraq War Veteran. He received a B.S. in Liberal Studies with a concentration in Business Management from National University, as well as a B.A. in the Study of Religion and a Ph.D. in Education from UCLA. He is a UC Regent Emeritus, was a 2010 Education Pioneers Fellow, and was a 2013 Business Alliance for Local Living Economies (BALLE) Fellow. 

Bruin Success is hosted by Katie Russo, produced by Christian Chavez '13  and made possible by UCLA Alumni.