Alumni Panel: Adapting Communication

Nick Alico ’21, Research Software Engineer III, Charles River Labs Inc.

Nick Alico graduated from the College of IST with a degree in Human-Centered Design and Development and was a Schreyer Honors Scholar. As a Research Software Engineer at Charles River Analytics, he develops AI-enabled, human-centered bioinformatics tools. Nick is also pursuing a master’s degree in computer science at the Georgia Institute of Technology and conducting research on explainable AI in education.

Erik Connors ’00 ENG, ’02g ENG, ’06PhD IST, User Experience Researcher, eBay

Erik S. Connors, Ph.D., is a seasoned user experience (UX) researcher and human-centered design (HCD) leader with more than 20 years of experience delivering innovative, accessible, research-driven solutions. His expertise spans human factors, service design, cognitive ergonomics, and system usability across federal, industrial, commercial, and civic technology sectors. He has built and mentored cross-functional teams, aligning technical solutions with human needs and championing inclusive design in complex environments. Erik is especially passionate about solutions that advance the public good, civic engagement, and meaningful social impact.

Outside of work, Erik enjoys gardening with his wife, cheering on his daughter at swim meets, applauding his son’s clarinet performances, and tackling the next DIY project at home.

David Cruz ’20, Technical Product Owner, Markets Data Lake, J.P. Morgan

David Cruz earned his degree in IST: Integration and Application. He began his career at Goldman Sachs in New York City, working in Core Engineering on data strategy, analytics, and storage supporting the firm’s trading and transaction data. After four years, he transitioned to JPMorgan Chase, where he currently serves as a Technical Product Owner for the Markets Data Lake. David brings experience in cloud-based storage, Python development, and data pipeline architecture, leveraging tools such as Tableau, Snowflake, Databricks, AWS, and enterprise ETL solutions.

John Esteves ’18, Co-Founder, ME2 Consulting, LLC

John Esteves is based in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, where he leads ME2 Consulting, LLC, a firm providing technology, marketing, and strategic consulting services to nonprofits, small businesses, government agencies, and community organizations. Prior to launching his own business, he worked at Comcast within the Advertising Technology and Universal Destinations & Experiences organizations, supporting project delivery and operational excellence.

John serves as Communications Chair for the IST Alumni Society Board and as Co-Chair of the Board of Directors for North Central District Allied Connections, where he supports individuals living with HIV/AIDS.

As a Penn State student, John was actively involved with the Theme Park Engineering Group, the College of Engineering’s Entrepreneurship & Innovation program, and LaunchBox. He joined the IST Alumni Society Board to support current students and strengthen alumni engagement.

Bailey Rumford ’22, Senior Associate, PwC

Bailey Rumford is a Senior Associate in Technology Consulting at PwC, where he works within the Business and Supply Chain Operations (BSCO) platform in the P&C Operations & Technology practice. In this role, he helps organizations optimize operations and leverage technology to drive strategic transformation.

Beyond his professional work, Bailey serves as President of the Metro Washington, D.C., Chapter of the Penn State Alumni Association, leading alumni engagement initiatives, strategic programming, and community-building efforts that strengthen the Penn State network across the region.

Bailey earned a bachelor of science degree in Enterprise Technology Integration from the College of IST. He also completed minors in Information Sciences and Technology and Business, as well as a certificate in Security Risk and Analysis.

Melanie Treff ’19, Strategic Partnership Lead, Microsoft

Melanie Treff serves as a Technical Consultant for Microsoft Federal. Prior to joining Microsoft, she worked as a Cyber Risk Consultant at Deloitte and as an Information System Security Officer at Raytheon Technologies. She earned her MBA from Georgetown University in 2024 and graduated from IST in 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in Security and Risk Analysis, concentrating in Intelligence Analysis and Modeling. Originally from Boston, she now lives in the Washington, D.C. Metro area.

As an engaged IST alumna, Melanie remains deeply connected to the college. She currently serves as President-Elect of the IST Alumni Board and has been an active participant in the IST Alumni–Student Mentorship Program for the past five years.

Mary Ward ’16, Product Lead/Gen AI, Capital One

Mary Ward spearheads the development of GenAI infrastructure at Capital One, a role she began in 2023. With nearly a decade of experience in product management, software engineering, robotics, and machine learning, she brings a wealth of expertise to her role. Mary earned a bachelor's degree in 2016 and a master's degree in 2019, both from the College of IST. At Penn State, she was also a Division I varsity softball player.

Throughout her career, Mary has passionately advocated for women in STEM—serving as a leader and mentor in nonprofit organizations such as Women in Tech and Stem for Her—and championing women's empowerment in sports.

Mary grew up on a farm in central Pennsylvania, and currently resides in Arlington, Virginia.