We are always looking for members to assist in organizing events, administration of the organization and general management of the Columbia Alumni Association of San Diego.  If you're interested in learning more about volunteering with CAASD, please contact the organization by emailing CAASD President Anna Belova, [email protected]. In order to be considered for a role as a director of CAASD, we ask that a member first take on a volunteer role.

Board Members

 

Anna Belova ’04 MS, '08 MPhil, '10 PhD (President) 

Dr. Belova is an energy analyst with EY, with over 15 years of experience in global energy markets. Prior to EY, Anna was with a research and consultancy firm based in London, leading the development of analytical and data tools for the global oil and gas industry.

At Columbia University, Anna focused on carbon capture technologies and collaborated on research with Columbia’s Earth Institute and Lenfest Center for Sustainable Energy. She taught engineering and economics classes at Columbia's SEAS and SIPA. Anna holds a B.A. from William Jewell in chemistry and economics. 

Anna and her family enjoy hiking and camping. They are on a quest to put up tent in every US National Park. Anna is passionate about educational and conservation causes, from past involvement with Wilderness Volunteers, Learning Leaders of NYC DOE, and ATPF organizations, and looks forward to community outreach with Columbia alumni at San Diego. 

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Alan Hoffmanner ’87 MBA (Treasurer) is the President of Agiledge, a San Diego based boutique consulting firm focusing on two areas, selecting and developing the right people and building optimal processes for business success.  He is also an adjunct professor, having taught over 100 MBA classes, and is a graduate of Miami University and Columbia Business School a couple plus decades ago.  He is currently the President of the Columbia Business School Club of San Diego, the past president and current Membership VP of San Diego Business Resources, an avid mountain biker, Toastmaster and resident of San Marcos, CA.

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Yessica Diaz Roman ’12 DrPH (Director) 

Dr. Roman is an assistant professor of Social Work and Human Services at Southwestern College. She is actively involved in the San Diego Community and has focused her efforts on promoting diversity and improving the health of those in need.

Yessica holds a doctoral degree in Public Health from Columbia University and a Master's in Social Work and Public Health from the University of Michigan. Outside the classroom, she serves on the City of San Diego Human Relations Commission, is a faculty advisor for the Social Work Club, and is a community liaison, building social work and human services partnerships locally and regionally throughout San Diego County.  

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Jenny Xiaoming Wang, '01 MA (Director) grew up in an intellectual family in China.  She studied at Beijing Renmin University of China and received a Bachelor’s degree in finance.  Jenny came to the United States in the early 1990s, studied at the City University of New York, received a Master’s degree in Economics, and then studied at Columbia University, School of International and Public Affairs and received a MPA degree.  Jenny has held positions at Swiss Bank Corp, Columbia University, Lennar Corp, UCSD, etc., as a Budget Analyst, Senior Accountant, and Accounting Manager.

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Nic Echevestre, '10 LAW (Director) graduated from Columbia Law School in 2010.  Since then, he has represented corporate clients in a variety of complex commercial litigation matters.  Nic’s experience includes defending clients against claims of fraud, discrimination, breach of contract, Labor Code violations, violations of consumer protection statutes, invasions of privacy, and breaches of fiduciary duties.  Nic has also been heavily involved in pro bono legal work in the San Diego community.  In 2017, he was awarded the Pro Bono Publico Award from the Casa Cornelia Law Center for his work successfully representing victims of persecution and torture who were seeking asylum.

Nic is currently a senior associate at Greene & Roberts LLP.  Prior to joining Greene & Roberts, Nic was investment counsel for Legalist, an institutional asset management firm.  And before that, he was a litigator at Cooley LLP and Dinsmore & Shohl LLP. 

Nic moved to San Diego because he enjoys being active and being outdoors.  His hobbies include playing and coaching basketball, mountain biking, competing in triathlons, and going camping.

Svetlana Shammasova, '13 BA (Director) 

Svetlana grew up in a remote village in the Ural Mountains before immigrating to the USA 17 years ago. She spent 11 years in New York City, where she graduated from Columbia University with a BA in Economics. Her professional journey includes working in Equity Sales and Trading at a leading multinational investment bank, building internal development tools as the only female Product Manager at a growing Ad Tech startup, and studying Entrepreneurship and Technology at Stanford Graduate School of Business.  
Svetlana also received full scholarships from Google, MomsWhoCode, and Fullstack Academy, which facilitated her transition into Fullstack software engineering. A passionate runner, she has completed the New York City Marathon three times, successfully raising funds for children from underprivileged families.
Before starting a family, Svetlana and her husband embarked on an unforgettable journey, quitting their jobs to travel the world for several months. Their adventures took them skiing in the French Alps, diving with vibrant marine life in Bali, soaking in traditional onsens in Japan, camping under the stars in New Zealand, and living on a sailboat while exploring the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.
Now settled in San Diego, California, Svetlana continues to embrace adventure with her husband and their two wonderful children—aged six and one—alongside their two adorable Scottish Fold cats.

 

Mark Anthony Torres, '21 BS '22 BA (Director) 

Mark Anthony Torres hails from Edinburg, Texas, just 20 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. In 2017, he made his way to Columbia University’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, where he earned a B.S. in Operations Research in 2021. Loving the Columbia experience, he went on to pursue a double major in Political Science from Columbia College, which he completed in 2022. 
While at Columbia, Mark took on leadership roles in several organizations, including the Columbia Political Review, Undergraduate Recruitment Committee, Eric Holder Institute’s Student Advisory Board, and the Roosevelt Institute. Some of his standout moments were publishing two op-eds in the Columbia Political Review, guiding tours for prospective students, doing community service in the mountains of Peru, and interning at Goldman Sachs. When he wasn’t grinding on campus, you’d probably find him grabbing a bagel from Absolute Bagels or Zabar’s, running along Riverside Park, or checking out a new restaurant with friends every weekend. 
Now new to San Diego, Mark is excited to bring the “Beginner’s Mind” philosophy—instilled by Columbia College’s dean, James Valentini (“Deantini”)—to the local alumni club. He’s looking forward to organizing fun events, exploring new places, and fostering friendships with the Columbia community in the area.

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