The Lam Family College of Business Congratulates the Graduate Hood Recipient and Honorees for 2025!
Please join us in celebrating this year's Graduate Hood recipient and Honorees, representing each graduate program at the Lam Family College of Business (LFCoB). These seven outstanding students have been recognized with a Graduate Student Award for Distinguished Achievement. In addition, one student has been selected as the college’s Graduate Hood recipient and serves as the college’s graduate representative for the class of 2025 at the San Francisco State University Commencement ceremony.
We are excited to present this year's Graduate Hood recipient and Honorees below:
Phan Quay Su, Master of Science in Accountancy - Graduate Hood Recipient
Phan Quay Su was born and raised in a small village in Vietnam, where she encountered gender inequality, as opportunities for women were far more limited, especially within higher education. She strongly felt that these limitations inhibited her personal abilities while constraining her professional growth. Witnessing these challenges motivated her to pursue academic excellence, break down barriers, and provide greater support for her local community.
As an international, first-generation college student, Phan maintained a high-grade point average while balancing multiple leadership roles and extracurricular activities. During her studies at San Francisco State University, she served as Treasurer for Beta Alpha Psi (BAP), a student organization, and actively participated in professional events like weekly BAP technical presentations, Meet the Firms, and the 2023 BAP Annual Meeting in Las Vegas. For four years, she volunteered significant hours to the VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) Program, where she helped to provide free basic tax services to low-income families, individuals with disabilities, the elderly, F-1 and J-1 visa international students, and individuals with limited English proficiency. During her tenure with VITA, she progressed from serving as a volunteer tax preparer to becoming the site manager and site coordinator. In addition, Phan served as an accounting tutor with the University Tutoring & Academic Support Center (TASC), helping students develop a strong academic foundation through effective study strategies. She was the recipient of multiple scholarship awards including the International Student/Associated Students Scholarship, the Paul Wiese Memorial Scholarship, the Marcum Student Scholarship Fund, and the Martinelli Family Scholarship.
Phan’s journey at SFSU helped her develop communication, leadership, and organization skills. After completing her MS in Accountancy, she plans to obtain a CPA license and work in tax accounting with a public company or non-profit organization.
Raul Alberto Padilla Gonzalez, Master of Science in Business Analytics
As a Bay Area native and first-generation college student, Raul Alberto Padilla Gonzalez joined the Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA) program at SFSU after earning an undergraduate degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Information Systems from UC Riverside (UCR). Raul graduated from UCR Summa Cum Laude and was selected as the Undergraduate Student Marshal for having the highest GPA in his graduating class of approximately 900 students.
Prior to attending SFSU, Raul spent a year interning at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) where he worked as a Reporting and Analytics Intern under an infrastructure project management team. He was responsible for creating visualizations and dashboards to better understand the progress and delays of his team’s projects such as upgrading and installing radar systems for air traffic control towers.
During his tenure as an MSBA student, Raul worked as a Graduate Research Assistant under Professors Sungha Jang and Ian Sinapuelas, where the concept of his culminating experience project, “Utilization of Bike-Sharing as Connection from Rapid Transit in San Francisco, CA,” was developed. His research examined the utilization of BART and bike-sharing in San Francisco. After controlling external factors, his analysis demonstrated increasing conversion rates from BART to bike usage and a growing preference for electric bikes over traditional ones. He empirically demonstrated that the conversion rate from BART to Bikeshare ridership is approximately 3%, with an increasing trend over the years. Raul presented his research at the campus-level CSU Research Competition and the Graduate Research and Creative Works Showcase.
Looking ahead, Raul hopes to pursue a career in public service where he can use the analytical skills gained from his studies at SFSU to help tackle the challenges facing his community.
Saathveenaa Mohan, Master of Science in Business Analytics
As an international student seeking a Master of Science degree in Business Analytics, Saathveenaa Mohan has been engaged with the campus community throughout her studies. She has served as a Tutor and Program Lead with the SFSU Tutoring and Academic Support Center (TASC) as well as a Teaching Assistant for several Decision Sciences undergraduate and graduate classes. In representing SFSU, Saathveenaa was part of the team that won first place at the 2024 International Business Ethics and Sustainability Case Competition at Loyola Marymount University.
Besides her studies, she serves as the Product Engagement & Analytics Lead at the Project Management Institute (PMI) SF Bay Area Chapter. In this role, she leads data strategy and product development initiatives for professional development events while working with cross-functional teams to improve stakeholder engagement and operational efficiency.
Saathveenaa’s culminating project, “Predictive Analytics for Agile Feature Forecasting in Jira,” focuses on using historical Jira data to develop machine learning models that predict story point estimates and defect counts for new features within an agile product lifecycle. The purpose is to improve planning accuracy and efficiency in sprint cycles. Her team’s model aims to reduce manual estimation effort and increase reliability for engineering and product teams. The model has the potential to streamline project management workflows for tech teams.
Besides her academics and professional endeavors, Saathveenaa enjoys diving into books, especially in the areas of neuroscience and fiction. She is deeply passionate about the art of storytelling — whether it’s through data, design, or conversations — and this love fuels her career pursuit of becoming a product manager. Staying active is also a big part of her life — from hiking and Pilates to strength training, she believes in strengthening both body and mind.
Santiago Ricci, Master of Business Administration
Originally from Montevideo, Uruguay, Santiago Ricci moved to San Francisco in pursuit of of his desire for continuous growth, multicultural understanding, and professional advancement in an increasingly interconnected world. Prior to earning his Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from SFSU in Fall 2024, his academic background included Associate degrees in Computer Science and Mathematics from City College of San Francisco along with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Information Systems from SFSU. Santiago graduated with the highest level of honors at each stage of his college education. One of his MBA instructors stated, “Santiago demonstrated the highest level of commitment to academic and professional excellence. He initiated interesting discussions about reading and conceptual material, and he responded thoughtfully to classmates' questions and comments. He took his responsibility as an active learner seriously.”
Santiago’s culminating MBA project, "Airbnb; Elevating the Experience: Strategic Pathways for Airbnb's Global Growth," involved a strategic analysis of Airbnb’s market position, focusing on key challenges such as regulatory pressures and geographic revenue dependency. He proposed strategies to improve regulatory compliance, rebalance global markets, and better target emerging traveler segments. These initiatives aimed to enhance Airbnb’s resilience and diversify its revenue streams.
Santiago’s professional experience includes two years of working with the City and County of San Francisco as a Customer Service Agent for the 311 Customer Service Center. This role offered him a vantage point into the intricacies of public service, helping Santiago adapt to American public-sector workplace dynamics.
Outside of his academics and professional career, Santiago is devoted to his two cats, whom he considers part of his family.
Pooja Singh, Master of Business Administration
Pooja Singh is originally from a small town in the foothills of the Himalayas in North India. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Pune, India, and later came to the United States to pursue graduate studies. After working for several years, she paused her career to focus on raising her family. Pursuing a Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) had always been one of her goals, so when her daughter started kindergarten, she returned to academics. Based in San Jose, Pooja balanced the demands of motherhood with a full-time MBA program in downtown San Francisco. With the strong support of her husband, she completed her MBA degree in Fall 2024.
During her MBA journey, Pooja served as the President of Ascend, a student organization dedicated to strengthening leadership skills among Asian and Pacific Islander students in business-related fields. Additionally, she worked as a Teaching Assistant for courses in International Business Negotiations and Operations Analysis. Currently, she works in the Behavioral Health Services Department for Santa Clara County, where she collaborates with various groups to deliver mental health programs funded by the Mental Health Services Act, ensuring compliance with state guidelines and policies.
She lives in San Jose with her husband, their two children—a 13-year-old son and a 9-year-old daughter—and their golden retriever. In her free time, she enjoys hiking on the trails throughout the South Bay Area.
Thanapol Sinjaroen, Master of Science in Business Analytics
Thanapol Sinjaroen is a first-generation college student who grew up in a suburb of Thailand. He earned a Bachelor of Engineering degree from Chulalongkorn University, widely regarded as one of the best universities in the country, graduating in the top 20 in his class of more than 800 students.
Throughout his life, he was always interested in business, physics, and mathematics. After completing his undergraduate degree, he began his professional career as a Process Improvement Consultant with Ernst & Young (EY), where he gained valuable insight into the world of business. He then spent four years as a Petroleum Engineer with Chevron, sharpening his leadership and analytical skills before moving to San Francisco to become the first in his family to pursue a graduate degree. He will complete his Master of Science in Business Analytics degree following the Spring 2025 semester.
During his tenure as a student, Thanapol worked as a Student Assistant for the College of Professional and Global Education. In this role, he served as a conversation partner for international students from Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan during their English language learning classes at SFSU. He led educational excursions across San Francisco, highlighting the city’s rich culture, technology, and innovation.
Thanapol’s culminating experience project, “Analysis of UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage (MA) Plans for Kaiser Permanente,” analyzed factors such as enrollment, capitation, plan benefits, and their effects on the premiums of United Healthcare MA plans. His project focused on the anticipated increases in premiums, which could allow Kaiser to offer competitive MA plans to boost enrollment and increase revenue.
Following graduation, Thanapol hopes to secure a position as a Business Analyst in the Bay Area and one day launch his own business.
Chin Ting Wong, Master of Science in Quantitative Economics
Chin Ting Wong is an international student from Malaysia with a strong passion for economics and data analytics. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from SFSU in 2020 and pursued nearly three years of professional experience working at the Central Bank of Malaysia. Driven by an interest in quantitative methods and a desire to sharpen her skills in data analysis while staying ahead of industry trends, she returned to SF State to pursue a Master of Science in Quantitative Economics (MSQE).
As part of her MSQE studies, Chin Ting co-led an economic impact assessment of the 2024 San Francisco International Arts Festival (SFIAF) under the mentorship of Professor Anoshua Chaudhuri. In her study, Chin Ting designed dual attendee/merchant surveys (using Qualtrics), analyzed data in R/Excel, and developed an economic model. The findings helped SFIAF demonstrate its value to stakeholders such as the Mission Merchants Association and SF Planning Department, enabling better funding appeals and strategic decisions with programming and partnerships. Her work identified key opportunities to enhance local business engagement and optimized audience targeting. Her analysis established SFIAF's dual role as both a cultural institution and an economic driver for the Mission District, while creating a framework for ongoing impact measurement to support the festival's future growth and community benefits.
As a recipient of the Don W. Scoble Endowment Scholarship (in Spring 2024), Chin Ting worked as a Teaching Assistant for several undergraduate and graduate economics classes during her studies. Outside of academics, she enjoys diving into financial markets where she is currently learning to trade U.S. equities and to conduct independent financial analysis. Looking ahead, she aspires to build a career where she can leverage economic and financial data to drive meaningful insights and decision-making.