Tag Archives: Amherst College
Jean-Luc Charles Finds Fulfillment In Helping Others Through Hard Times
What is it about Jean-Luc Charles that keeps him looking so young, like he could hit the track and give the 21-year-old version of himself a decent race? I’m sure diet and exercise play a role, but he’s also figured out what makes him happy.
Jean-Luc is the Vice President of Human Resources, People and Culture, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at fashion brand Eileen Fisher. He’s also the pastor of the First Haitian Free Methodist Church in Stamford, CT. On the surface, one might assume that moving between these two jobs would require considerable context switching, but having learned how Jean-Luc operates, I don’t think they’re as different as they might appear. In both roles, Jean-Luc helps others overcome challenges and become better versions of themselves. Turns out, doing that work fills his tank, fulfilling him in ways most would love to have in only of their jobs, much less two and at the same time.
In this episode, you’ll learn about:
How Jean-Luc’s Christian faith informs his work.
His adaptive strategy for helping Eileen Fisher become a more diverse workforce and making all its employees feel like they belong.
The tools and resources he recommends to anyone who wants to learn about and implement anti-racism in their places of employment.
His journey to Amherst College.
The member of the Amherst Class of 1994 that he wants me to interview next. Hector Caraballo wanted to hear from Andy Liu, and Andy wanted to hear from Jean-Luc. I can’t wait to interview the person Jean-Luc tags in this episode.
Jay Dickerson’s Extraordinary Career In Science – And The Coin Flip That Started It
Jay Dickerson, Amherst Class of 1994, could give the Dos Equis Most Interesting Man In The World a run for his money. With a career in the sciences that spans not one but two tenured faculty positions, the Brookhaven National Laboratory, and Consumer Reports as Chief Scientific Officer, Jay is as skilled at helping the rest of us understand science as he is at practicing it.
Jay has a PhD in physics, holds two patents, and has published two books and more than 85 journal articles, including one he co-authored with a Nobel laureate. You’ll also find videos of him on TikTok, and he has given more than 40 TV, radio, and podcast interviews.
In this conversation, you’ll learn:
How a coin flip decided which career path Jay would take after graduating from Amherst.
What’s harder: explaining science to a lay audience, or engaging fellow experts in the field?
The life-saving work he did at Consumer Reports to improve product safety.
The member of the Amherst Class of 1994 he wants me to talk to next.
Big thanks to former Pre-Made guests Justin Neely and Ramya Swaminathan for suggesting that I interview Jay.
Ramya Swaminathan, CEO of Malta, Is Building The Essential Piece To Scaling Renewable Energy
Listen to Ramya Swaminathan, CEO of energy storage company Malta, and you’ll understand what it means to have learned how to think. With degrees in anthropology and economics from Amherst College, Ramya is the CEO of her second renewable energy company. Her superb logic, ability to understand and weigh options and tradeoffs, and ask the right questions at the right time all have not only earned her a seat at the table in an engineering-intensive industry. They’ve empowered her to lead, motivate, and inform others, from others who have an interest in this business to White House cabinet secretaries.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
Why Ramya developed a passion for big infrastructure projects
The skills she acquired as a member of the Amherst College debate team and how she draws upon them every day
The inspiration for her pivot from investment banking into starting and growing a hydropower company
What energy storage is and why it is necessary to scale renewable energy
The Amherst College classmate Ramya wants me to talk to next
Connect with Ramya on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramyaxswaminathan, and learn more about Malta at https://www.maltainc.com.
Andy Liu Plans To Live To 100. He Thinks We Should Plan For It, Too.
Andy Liu plans to live to be at least 100 years old and has no intention of easing into retirement.
His 30+ year career in healthcare has him feeling confident that he’ll not only live to see 100, but that he’ll remain healthy and active in his elderly years. In fact, he’s ditching the typical, first-world plan of working into his 60s and then spending the rest of his days living a life of leisure. He thinks those of us who graduated college in the ’90s should follow his lead.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
Why Andy thinks more of us will live to see 100 years old
His ambitious plans for his second 50 years
Andy’s typical reaction to someone telling him “It can’t be done,” and how that drives him
Why he finds himself in the 34th year of a four-year plan to return to his home state of California
The members of the Amherst College Class of 1994 he wants me to interview next
Justin Neely Navigates Shift From IT And Digital To The Arts
Justin Neely may be the most liberal arts-y person you’ll ever know. A polyglot (I had to look it up, too; it means one who is fluent in speaking and/or writing many languages), Justin has achieved impressive things in both the world of business and in the arts.
As with many guests on Pre-Made, Justin is navigating a significant life pivot, in this case from a career defined mostly but not entirely by IT and digital marketing to one that’s entirely focused on his art, at least for now.
In this episode, you’ll learn about:
How a trip to the then-Soviet Union nearly derailed his college plans
The dramatic impact the film Basquiat (starring Amherst College graduate Jeffrey Wright ’87) made on Justin
How former members of Amherst rock band Rosemary Caine encouraged Justin to apply for and eventually land a side hustle he was unqualified to do at the time, and how that work propelled him into a business career in IT and digital
The one person in the Amherst Class of 1994 Justin wants me to talk to next
All about Justin’s artwork and its expression of his worldview, which you can explore on his website, justinneely.com
Photo courtesy of Gordon Eriksen (http://gordoneriksen.com/)
Howard Chung’s Journey from Amherst College to Main Street & YouTube
Howard Chung talks about his life as a main street entrepreneur, a streaming and digital video producer-promoter – and how Amherst College prepared him for his career. In the last 20 or so years, Howard has owned or co-owned restaurants, a construction company, and even a concert promotion outfit. These days, Howard runs a bike shop and a business built around famed maker, YouTube personality, and soon-to-be Netflix star, Jimmy DiResta.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
How a personal loss on 9/11 motivated him to leave a career in finance for main street – and how the events of that day still motivate him
Advice he would give Amherst College students and alumni about going into business for themselves
Why he never puts his job title on his business cards
To learn more about Howard, visit:
The Bicycle Planet (Syosset, NY) Instagram, YouTube, and website
The Amherst College alumni database (login required)
Jimmy DiResta YouTube channel and Netflix trailer for Making Fun, coming March, 2022
Matt Collins' Blog 