Carving out time to explore why feelings matter with a mentor from the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence or researching the carbon-neutralizing potential of trees with an ecologist at Columbia doesn’t just enhance a resume or knowledge base; it also allows you to take ownership over learning and gives you confidence to ask and answer questions about the world in which we live.
Hugo was founded with a vision for helping intellectually curious students gain access to exceptional mentors to guide them in taking their learning to the next level.
Bettina spent her career building brands and new businesses for leading digital media companies and platforms. She worked as a strategy and marketing executive at larger companies such as Time Inc. and Yahoo! and at startups as part of the founding team at CNET and Vencast.
Bettina has also served on the advisory board of several early stage businesses; on the digital advisory board for several educational institutions including The Yale University Press and The Nightingale-Bamford School; and volunteers with Stanford's undergraduate admissions office as an alumni interviewer.
Bettina holds a BA from Yale and an MBA from Stanford as well as a certificate in Public Management from Stanford's Graduate School of Business.
Christine has two decades of experience guiding students through the process of research and exploration. She has taught science at both the college and grade school level and led numerous education projects as a board member of a charter school and the founder of a nonprofit dedicated to promoting environmental and social justice.
A strong believer in the power of mentorship, Christine served as Program Director of New York University's GSTEM program and has personally mentored dozens of undergraduates.
Christine earned dual degrees from Rice University in Biology and Fine Arts, and a Ph.D. in Biology from the University of Nebraska.
Jennifer has worked with early stage businesses on establishing operations and administrative procedures. She spent twenty years raising her children in New York City and volunteering at her children's elementary, middle, and high schools (Allen-Stevenson, Collegiate, Spence and Trinity) where she served in various capacities and as the co-chair of the Allen-Stevenson annual fund for four years.
Jennifer devoted much time and energy to guiding her own children and other young people as they explored their passions in their high school years and transitioned to college and beyond.
Jennifer holds a BA from Barnard College and a JD from Columbia Law School.
Nadia is passionate about helping students combine their different talents and interests in a successful and meaningful way. She brings a unique perspective through her background as an award-winning writer and director whose short films have shown throughout festivals in Europe, and her non-profit work, which spans from coordinating food assistance for the elderly to tutoring.
For the past 15 years Nadia has served as an alumni interviewer for Princeton's Undergraduate Admissions Office.
Nadia graduated Summa Cum Laude with an AB from Princeton University. She also received a Certificate in Digital Filmmaking from NYU’s School of Professional Studies and a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University’s eCornell program.
Damian is a writing teacher and environmental economics specialist with administrative and project management experience in organizations ranging from small businesses to law firms. She has taught writing and research methodology at American University’s Writing Center, and conducted research on plastic pollution at an environmental research institute.
Her interest in mentorship began during college, where she experienced the power of expert mentors while participating in a mentoring program for young women in finance.
Damian holds an MA in Global Environmental Policy from American University’s School of International Service, where her research focused on climate change mitigation policies, and a BBA in Economics from Baruch College’s Zicklin School of Business.
Jared works closely with students to help them explore, refine, and grow their interests and currently teaches developmental psychology at the university level. He has spent nearly a decade seeking out opportunities to mentor and advise adolescents and has a particular interest in helping students communicate their ideas clearly through writing and reflection.
Jared brings a strengths-based, optimistic perspective to his work, grounded in his belief that growth itself is one of life’s greatest rewards. Outside of work, Jared is a baker, crocheter, musician, and pickleball enthusiast.
Jared holds a B.S. in Psychology from Brigham Young University and an M.A. in Positive Developmental Psychology and Evaluation from Claremont Graduate University, where he worked as a Research Assistant in Dr. Kendall Bronk’s Moral Adolescent Lab.
Alannah is a public health professional whose research focuses on the ways social systems and group identities intersect to shape health outcomes. Her background in public health and pre-medical studies has sharpened her insight into scientific research, clinical practice, and community outreach.
Alannah discovered the power of mentorship in high school as the director of a program that aimed to bridge the STEM gender gap by mentoring middle school girls in science. She continued to hone her mentorship capabilities in college as a volunteer at an organization empowering youth in the New Haven community.
Alannah holds a BS in psychology from Yale College, an MPH from the Yale School of Public Health, and a certificate in pre-medical studies from Johns Hopkins University.
Miranda is passionate about finding ways to combine students' unique interests and experiences, looking for ways to combine her love of math and engineering with the arts. She is currently researching undergraduate engineering student motivation and how programs can be developed to better support students in broader STEM fields.
Miranda loves teaching and serves as a graduate teaching assistant in the first-year engineering program. Outside of academics, Miranda is an Irish Dance instructor, teaching classes for students from Pre-K to adult, and she also volunteers at a local ceramics studio.
Miranda holds a B.S. and M.Eng in Industrial and Systems Engineering from Virginia Tech and is currently pursuing her PhD in Engineering Education there.
Jason has 20+ years of experience helping large and small businesses run their offices and manage their finances.
Jason is a CPA and CITP with extensive experience in establishing digital businesses and ensuring cybersecurity compliance. For the past three years he has served on the board of the Accountants Club of America and in the past has served as the Chair of the Information Technology Committee for The New York State Society of CPAs as well as holding several other board positions with industry groups. He has written extensively on cybersecurity and other business critical topics.
Jason graduated from NYU Stern School of Business with a BS in Accounting, Computer Applications & Information Systems.