The PSU Big Apple Podcast

Emely Santana is a Registered Nurse in the Pediatric ICU at NYU Langone Hospital. She is a 2010 Penn State graduate from the College of Health and Human Development. She subsequently graduated from John Hopkins School of Nursing in 2015. Prior to her work at NYU Langone, she worked at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and has been a volunteer Emergency Medical Technician for the Teaneck Ambulance Corps. ⁣⁣In this episode, Emely reflects on her time at Penn State, digging into how she found her way through different courses and majors, winding up in the healthcare field. Emely talks about her work environment as an RN and what it was like before the pandemic, during and how it currently is in and out of the hospital. She also shares valuable insight about self care and addressing the importance of managing mental health and anxiety during the pandemic. ⁣⁣A special thanks to Emely and all the healthcare workers in and out of the Penn State community for their service to those in need. ⁣⁣If you are interested in becoming a member or would like to learn more about The New York City Chapter of the Pennsylvania State University Alumni Association , please visit: http://www.psunyc.org⁣⁣

Ben Feller is a Partner at Mercury, a global strategy firm, where he advises companies and organizations and specializes in crafting powerful messaging. He came to Mercury in 2013 after a 20-year career in which he distinguished himself as one of the finest reporters in the nation. Ben served as the Chief White House Correspondent for The Associated Press, the largest news organization in the world. Ben covered Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush and traveled aboard Air Force One to more than 25 countries. An Alumni Fellow, Ben is a ’92 graduate of the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications. In this episode, Ben  shares his journey from graduate to becoming AP Chief White House Correspondent and subsequently landing in The Big Apple as a Partner with the global strategy firm, Mercury. Ben emphasizes the fundamentals and tactics he used along the way and explains what keeps him grounded and humbled, serving on the global storytelling stage. If you are interested in becoming a member or would like to learn more about The New York City Chapter of the Pennsylvania State University Alumni Association , please visit: http://www.psunyc.orgInstagram and Twitter: BenFellerNY LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fellerben/Mercuryllc.com

Drilona Breçani is a Senior Associate Attorney at Fragomen’s New York office, where she advises clients on a range of U.S. business immigration matters. A 2011 Dickinson School of Law graduate, she has experience representing multinational corporate clients across many industries including financial services, information technology, engineering and healthcare. Prior to joining Fragomen, Drilona worked for a national immigration firm in Toronto, Canada as a Manager and Associate Attorney. After graduating from law school, Drilona practiced immigration law at a local immigration firm in New York, where she focused her practice on EB-1 (Extraordinary Ability) and EB-2 (National Interest Waivers) for renowned physicians and researchers. During law school, Drilona worked for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and prior to law school, she served as an in-house Senior Specialist for Global Regulatory Affairs at a wealth management company.Drilona was born and raised in Albania and moved to the United States in 1997 after her father won a U.S. visa through the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program, which is an immigration lottery program that is administered by the U.S. State Department. In this episode, Drilona shares very moving and inspiring anecdotes about early life growing up in Albania and subsequently immigrating to the United States as a teenager. Through a lot of hard work, perseverance, and many long nights, Drilona describes how her life story is a true example of the American dream. If you are interested in becoming a member or would like to learn more about The New York City Chapter of the Pennsylvania State University Alumni Association , please visit: http://www.psunyc.org

Nationally-recognized meteorologist Maria LaRosa is a member of NBC 4 New York’s Storm Team 4 weather team and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Meteorology from Penn State University. Born in the Hudson Valley and raised in Bergen County, LaRosa returned to the Tri-State area in 2019 following nearly nine years at The Weather Channel in Atlanta, where she co-anchored several popular broadcasts including America’s Morning Headquarters, Wake Up with Al and Weekend Recharge. Prior to joining The Weather Channel, LaRosa previously worked as a weekday morning and noon meteorologist for CBS 3/WYW-TV in Philadelphia. She also worked as a meteorologist for Fox affiliate WXIX-TV in Cincinnati and ABC affiliate WTVM-TV in Columbus Georgia.In this episode, Maria shares anecdotes of her time at Penn State and takes us on her career journey navigating through the waters of life as a Meteorologist across the country, ultimately landing back home in the northeast. Twitter: @themarialarosa Instagram: @maria_larosa_wx

Don Roy King has directed more live network television than anyone in the history of the medium including fourteen plus seasons of NBC’s Saturday Night Live. That work has earned him ten Primetime Emmys and fourteen nominations. He has also been nominated for fourteen DGA Awards and won in 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019. Mr. King has won two other Emmys for his work – one for directing The Mike Douglas Show; and one for heading the design team that revamped the graphic look of CBS News. In this episode, Don shares a detailed recollection of his time growing up, attending Penn State, and later breaks down his career with fascinating stories, from smaller local TV markets to backstage as Director of SNL. 

Arianna Davis is the Digital Director for O, The Oprah Magazine, overseeing the brand's website and its editorial strategy, as well as all social media and video production. She is also newly the author of What Would Frida Do? A Guide to Living Boldly, inspired by the life of the iconic artist Frida Kahlo. In this episode, Arianna shares her PSU story highlighting the importance of networking, some memorable PSU moments, her transition from student to professional and explains how "Viva la Vida" is her personal "We Are" mantra. Follow Arianna online:Instagram: @ariannagab Get a copy of her new book!https://www.sealpress.com/titles/arianna-davis/what-would-frida-do/9781541646322/

Linde Miles, President of the NYC Chapter of the Penn State Alumni Association, sits down with host Aaron Bonner to discuss the NYC Chapter, reviewing membership and events from 2020 and highlights what to look forward to in 2021.

Our first episode is scheduled for release in January 2021. Join as as we officially launch The PSU Big Apple Podcast and stay tuned for more information!