Alumni Association Board of Directors New Members 2022
We are excited to announce our new Alumni Association Board of Directors members, joining us in the new academic year, beginning on September 1.
Read their bios and statements of excitement for joining the board.
“Wagner College helped me to become a successful leader. I look forward to keeping new alumni connected and reclaiming alumni from past years. I love how we continue to evolve and prepare tomorrow’s leaders.”
Courtney Bennett ’82
Courtney was born and raised in New York City. He graduated from the High School of Music and Art in Harlem (now Laguardia H.S.) and attended Wagner College on an academic/music scholarship. While at Wagner, he helped found Sigma Phi Rho Fraternity to provide more men of color an entrée to Greek life. His sister, Debra Bennett, also attended Wagner. Following a brief stint in corporate America, Courtney became a teacher to give back to his community. Teaching led him to work with the renowned Boys Choir of Harlem. While there, he served as director of tutorial and was introduced to nonprofit management. Now a career nonprofit professional, Courtney is currently Executive Director of One Hundred Black Men of New York (OHBM)–the founding chapter of a 100-chapter network of leaders throughout the country. Founded in 1963 by future NYC Mayor, David Dinkins, Hall of Famer Jackie Robinson, and others, OHBM serves thousands by providing scholarships, internships, mentoring, entrepreneurship training, and small business grants.
Courtney serves on the boards of Camille A. Brown Dancers; HARLEM WEEK; Daniel Taylor Group, and West Harlem Group Assistance. He is a member of several organizations including the Order of the Feather Fraternity; Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Professional Music Fraternity (Wagner); Sigma Phi Rho Fraternity (Wagner), and a Prince Hall Mason.
“I’m so grateful for all the memories and opportunities that Wagner afforded me. I look forward to partnering with the Alumni Association Board of Directors to further enhance and curate experiences for students, alumni, and the broader Wagner community.”
Andrew Burt ’14 M’16
Consulting Advisor
Andrew is a 2014 graduate from Wagner College with a B.S. in Business Administration: Marketing and minor in History. As part of the Wagner Plan experiential component, he interned at Richmond University Medical Center, as their first administrative intern. This ultimately led to a career in healthcare and a return to Wagner College’s Nicolias School of Business where he earned his MBA: Healthcare Administration in 2016.
During his undergraduate studies at Wagner College, he was actively involved across campus. He served on the Student Government Association as a Senator, Vice President of Campus Events and in his senior year, President of SGA. He co-chaired the Senior Week and Senior Gift Committees, WagCAB’s campus events, was a founding organizer of Wagner Cares following aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, Peer Leader, MOFO and contributed articles to the Wagnerian. Academically, he was published in the Undergraduate Research Forum for research related to gentrifying communities. As part of the Expanding Your Horizon’s program, he studied a selection of Hawaiian healthcare issues and ethics in Waikola Village, Hawaii. A Gillroy Foundation Scholarship Recipient, he has been the recipient of the Student Government Award, Leader on the Horizon Award, Joseph Gabrielline Memorial Award and at the conclusion of his graduate studies, the Graduate Healthcare Administration Highest GPA Award.
Professionally, his career in healthcare marketing expanded into roles ranging from: quality, experience, performance improvement, and more within academic medical centers and later into healthcare advising. Currently, he is a Consulting Advisor for Press Ganey. In this role, he provides a deep understanding of the healthcare landscape while leveraging best practices to impact experience outcomes, culture, and caregiver engagement in partnership with clients across the country. He is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and holds the distinction of Certified Patient Experience Professional.
Beyond his career, Andrew currently resides in New York, where he still enjoys a happy hour with friends he met at and through Wagner.
"I could not be happier to join such an outstanding team. Joining the Alumni Board reinforces my strong connection with the Wagner Community past, present and future!"
Stephanie Jiannetto-Alesi ’96
Managing Director, Global Head, Citi Tax Information Reporting Citi Shared Services
As Citi’s Global Head of Tax Information Reporting (TIR), Stephanie is responsible for leading tax information reporting operational activities globally including ongoing consolidation and standardization of these activities across the global Bank. The organization supports all business lines, in all geographies, ensuring standardized process, rules and controls. Stephanie’s team provides operational, client service, certain advisory and support functions for TIR activities, including Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA), US 1099/1042/Qualified Intermediary tax regimes, and Common Reporting Standard (CRS), a world-wide tax information data exchange. The team also covers US state/local non-income taxes (sales, use, property) coverage.
Under Stephanie’s leadership, the organization has also implemented a bank-wide governance framework, which includes Assurance and Compliance (ACT) which governs and reviews activities that impact compliance and Tax policy adherence. Stephanie and her team partner with numerous Product and Client Coverage teams on tax servicing/capability offerings to some of Citi’s largest foreign intermediary, hedge fund and wealth clients.
Prior to this role, in her 26 years at Citi, Stephanie has held several leadership roles within the former Smith Barney, Global Wealth Management, and Institutional Clients Group Broker/Dealer Operations.
Career Summary
- Has managed a diverse group of operational areas in addition to Tax, primarily within the US broker/dealer and Wealth Management space. Some include, Retirement and 529 Plan Operations, New Account Maintenance and Control, Bank Transaction Settlements, Corporate Research Library, Monthly Statement Reporting, Securities Registration and Insurance Licensing, and Fixed Income High Net Worth Operations.
- Since 2010, has led teams responsible for end-to-end program implementation of new regulations such as FATCA, Cost Basis Reporting, CRS, 871m, for numerous lines of businesses and implementation of Citi-wide solution for local jurisdictional FATCA and CRS reporting covering 65 jurisdictions; currently program sponsoring Citi-wide 1446(f) implementation.
- Had been an active member of previous Women’s Leadership Council and co-chaired numerous committees in this council. Actively engaged in numerous Citi Talent, Culture and Diversity initiatives.
- Series 99 (Operations Professional) Registered
- Active member of the Wagner College Women’s Professional Network and Wagner Alumni Association.
Personal
- Stephanie holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from Wagner College, Staten Island, NY where she was involved in Student Government Association and Greek Life (AOII).
- She enjoys spending free time cooking and entertaining family and friends at home along with her with her husband Gerard, and two children, Julia, age 17 and Gerard Jr., age 12.
"I am beyond excited to be joining the WCAB! My years at Wagner opened the door to my entertainment career & life today in California. Thrilled to be participating in this next chapter of the school to help bring those opportunities to new incoming students and build Wagner's connection with alumni."
Scott Lewers ’98
Executive Vice President of Multiplatform, Live & Tentpole Events – Discovery, TNT, TBS, Animal Planet, Science & TruTV, Warner Bros. Discovery
Scott Lewers serves as Executive Vice President of Multiplatform, Live, Events, & Specials for Discovery, TNT, TBS, Animal Planet, Science & TruTV. Reporting to Chief of Content for Discovery Animal Planet, Science, TruTV, TBS, TNT, Nancy Daniels, Lewers is responsible for the networks’ specials and live events as well as the overall digital strategy for each network. Charged with creating content for events like Shark Week & Puppy Bowl he works across key teams including Marketing, Communications and Sales, Lewers identifies opportunities to expand the networks’ audience reach on linear, online, and all other platforms. In 2021, under his strategic lens, Discovery has continued to dominate the cable universe with 4 of the top 10 unscripted cable series, more than any other network, among M25-54. His strategic vision has helped propel Discovery to end the year as a Top 5 cable network.
Prior to his current role at Warner Bros Discovery, Lewers was most recently the Executive Vice President of Multiplatform Programming, Factual & Head of Content, Science overseeing both the digital and programming teams and the entire Science network. As Head of Content, Science, Scott led the teams who developed and produced Space Launch Live was the #1 non-Prime telecast in the history of Discovery Channel and the first ever telecast in the history of Science Channel to earn a 1.00 P25-54 and won an Emmy® for Outstanding Daytime Special Event.
Previously, Lewers served as Senior Vice President of Multi-Platform Programming and Digital Media at TLC, overseeing both the digital and programming teams. Lewers’ innovations included building “bingeable” nights of premiere television, driving growth in prime-time viewing of nearly 20%. He also developed the first digital original series on TLCGo, “90 Day Fiancé: What Now?” as well as the successful launch of TLC’s first original series with Snapchat, “Royal Wedding.”
Prior to TLC, Lewers served as Discovery Channel’s Senior Vice President of Programming, responsible for overseeing all aspects of program planning for Discovery Channel. During his tenure at Discovery, Lewers spearheaded new types of content for the network, including Shark After Dark, a live late night talk show airing during Shark Week. He has also championed Discovery’s digital content, such as the record-breaking Skywire Live with Nik Wallenda, which won an Emmy® for Outstanding Creative Achievement in Interactive Media – Multiplatform Storytelling.
Before joining Discovery, Lewers held senior programming roles at NBCU and Lifetime Entertainment.
Lewers has received recognition and awards for his work, including the 2012 Sports Emmy® Award for Outstanding New Approaches Sports Event Coverage for his part in the team effort in bringing to Discovery Channel Space Jump Live, Felix Baumgartner’s death-defying leap from space to Earth.
Lewers earned his B.S. in Economics/Business Administration from Wagner College in Staten Island, New York. He resides in Manhattan Beach, California with his wife and two daughters.
"It is an absolute honor to serve on the Alumni Board of Directors here at Wagner College. During my time at Wagner I created friendships that will last a lifetime and I look forward to contributing to this wonderful family and expanding on what the current team has put in place."
Evan Odeseye ’14
A graduate of Wagner College in ’14 with a B.S. in Business. Evan began his career in Healthcare management before transitioning into management. He created a clothing brand called First love Yourself along with starting Unrestricted Sports and Entertainment management where he begin to manage a few NBA and NFL players. Evan then went on to pursue his current career which is a working Actor. He’s been seen on Showtime hit series “City on a Hill” starring alongside Kevin Bacon and Aldis Hodge. Evan also walked in his first New York Fashion week show in 2022.
Evan currently resides in New York City and has a 10 year old son named Christian. In his free time he coaches his sons youth football team, spends time with family and likes to travel.