In this edition of our Real Humans: MBA Students series, we head to New York City to meet some new members of the NYU Stern MBA Class of 2027.
From a yogi founder to a veteran pivoting from service to C-suite skills, NYU Stern’s Class of 2027 brings serious range—and a shared pull toward New York City, EQ-driven leadership, and impact. Entrepreneur-investor Adam Shlomi scaled and sold SoFlo Tutors, launched an investment fund, and now heads to consulting with an eye back to building and buying businesses. Beril Dayanikli arrives from Nike Istanbul, where brand work and community programs inspired her to pair consumer insight with finance and ultimately channel capital toward women’s empowerment and gender-lens investing. Then we meet Hyden Bruce, an 11-year U.S. Army leader, who chose Stern’s Fertitta Veterans MBA for its academic on-ramp, Yellow Ribbon support, and tight-knit network as she targets operations, tech, and entrepreneurship. Software engineer-turned-creator James Scalise blends technical chops with NYC’s cultural scene to pivot into brand/product marketing and strategy. Lisa Sanganeria brings risk and ESG experience from HSBC and Nomura and aims for investment banking with a sustainable finance focus. Finally, Brooklyn-born product builder Nelson Perello has spanned structural engineering, fintech, and edtech; he’s doubling down on product management to scale tools that improve productivity and everyday life.
Across the board, these students cite Stern’s location, alumni access, and high-EQ culture—plus experiential learning like Stern Solutions and LAUNCH—as catalysts for their next chapters. Read on to meet the Real Humans behind the résumés and see how they plan to turn New York’s energy into lasting impact.
