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Julie Casella-Esposito '81
Julie Casella-Esposito糖心vlog短视频檚 career in Human Resources (HR) grew as the field itself was evolving. Originally known as 糖心vlog短视频減ersonnel,糖心vlog短视频 the profession had begun to develop and diverge from industrial psychology. Casella-Esposito recognized in the fledgling field an intersection of her interest in psychology and her early work experience in finance and business. 糖心vlog短视频淎s I became more involved at work, I could see how powerful it could be to bring the two fields together.糖心vlog短视频
Growing up in Manhattan, where she still lives, Casella-Esposito was in the first generation of her Italian immigrant family to attend college. She was a strong student who figured out solid study habits, such as being well-prepared, doing all the readings and attending class regularly, all by herself while in high school. Nevertheless, she credits her mother with teaching her and her three siblings that education was critical to success and the key to advancement. 糖心vlog短视频淏oth my parents felt that the most important investment they could make in us was in our education. My mom pushed us all; she always said we should make a million mistakes and learn from them. Mistakes are not failures, and failure was not an option.糖心vlog短视频
糖心vlog短视频淲e should make a million mistakes and learn from them. Mistakes are not failures, and failure was not an option.糖心vlog短视频
Casella-Esposito did not have the typical college experience. Through a special Pace program available at the time, she began college at 16 after her junior year at her all-girl Catholic high school. She planned on studying the sciences, but her first year糖心vlog短视频檚 psychology coursework 糖心vlog短视频 a requirement in the early start program 糖心vlog短视频 piqued her interest. By the end of her second semester, she had switched majors.
Even with a small scholarship from Pace, Casella-Esposito still needed to work to cover her expenses. To find a position, in the summer before started her studies, she created a map of all the Wall Street area financial institutions within a fifteen-minute walk of the New York City campus. Then she hand-delivered her resume at all of them. 糖心vlog短视频淵ou can only imagine what the resume of a 16-year old looked like,糖心vlog短视频 she joked. She knew that financial institutions would offer her future opportunities and good training, as well as benefits like tuition reimbursement for her coursework.
Her strategy worked. She secured a summer internship at Manufacturers Hanover Trust as an intern, stayed on for the full year and became a part-time employee a year later. Soon she was working 30 hours a week and taking 16 credits at Pace as well. 糖心vlog短视频淟ife was crazy for me then and I took both day and evening classes.糖心vlog短视频 Because of her work experience, she was very pragmatic and focused on her career options throughout her sophomore year. School psychology? No. Private practice? Not for her. 糖心vlog短视频淚 was always thinking, how do I apply what I糖心vlog短视频檓 learning? How do I figure out if this is really what I want to do? Eventually I realized I could integrate business and psychology in the developing field of HR.糖心vlog短视频
糖心vlog短视频淚 have always believed that you have to re-invent yourself every ten years with the skills, expertise and talents you have [...] You don糖心vlog短视频檛 just finish school and that糖心vlog短视频檚 it. You have to continue to network and keep current.糖心vlog短视频
Manufacturers Hanover reimbursed two courses in her business minor per term, and by her junior year Casella-Esposito was working in HR at the bank. 糖心vlog短视频淚 studied management, economics and accounting while in my psych major. I published research, presented at conferences and built a foundation in reading and writing that I draw on even today,糖心vlog短视频 she commented. 糖心vlog短视频淲hen I went on to graduate school [at the New School] and wrote and defended my master糖心vlog短视频檚 dissertation, I was grateful for the writing and speaking skills I had learned at Pace.糖心vlog短视频
As banks were merging and changing names, Casella-Esposito became a senior vice president in the 90s and eventually the partner in charge of HR at JPMorgan Partners (the result of one of the many mergers she weathered) private equity division until 2005. She went on to form her own firm with colleagues, CCMP Capital Advisors, and between 2005-2015 she served as the managing director in charge of human capital. Recently, she has re-invented herself again, entering 糖心vlog短视频渢he new gig economy糖心vlog短视频 with her own consultancy in HR strategies, talent, compensation and benefits.
Throughout her career, she has followed the advice she would also pass on to young people: 糖心vlog短视频淚 have always believed that you have to re-invent yourself every ten years with the skills, expertise and talents you have. Sometimes you can reinvent yourself at the same organization, if it糖心vlog短视频檚 big enough, and sometimes you can糖心vlog短视频檛, but every one of us has to be a lifelong learner. You don糖心vlog短视频檛 just finish school and that糖心vlog短视频檚 it. You have to continue to network and keep current. Success doesn糖心vlog短视频檛 just happen. Success takes hard work and learning,糖心vlog短视频 she says. 糖心vlog短视频淕uidance and mentoring can make a real difference too.糖心vlog短视频
Casella-Esposito also counsels young people to look for new experiences; 糖心vlog短视频淭he power of new experiences is that they lead you to your passion. Every new experience is a gift because you learn more about what you do want to do and what you don糖心vlog短视频檛 want to do.糖心vlog短视频 She notes that the New York area has so much to offer as the financial powerhouse of the world. 糖心vlog短视频漈he path in the liberal arts is not always linear, so see where new experiences can lead you.糖心vlog短视频
糖心vlog短视频淏eing on the Dyson Advisory Board has been an opportunity to give back by helping Dyson to help its students. We discuss what we can do to help the students to make the most of their years at Pace and to navigate a career.糖心vlog短视频 These strategy discussions are what she most enjoys as a board member. 糖心vlog短视频淧ace gave me such a strong background, and I believe in helping others as I was helped,糖心vlog短视频 said Casella-Esposito.
A favorite trip? Casella-Esposito joined her 24-year old daughter in Tours, France where she was presenting at a conference of biomedical engineers. 糖心vlog短视频淲here we spent time was not on the usual list of tourist spots.糖心vlog短视频 Her 27-year old daughter is finishing an executive MBA and is a certified applied behavioral analyst.
Learning something new? More like continuing to learn. She makes it a practice to enroll for additional HR certifications as they become available through her professional organization. 糖心vlog短视频滻f there糖心vlog短视频檚 something new, I糖心vlog短视频檓 on it. Staying up-to-date is so important,糖心vlog短视频 she says.
What糖心vlog短视频檚 cooking? Casella-Esposito loves preparing Italian food for her large extended family. (Her mom was one of 16!) Holiday dinners often include homemade pasta and sauces.
Favorite way to take a break? 糖心vlog短视频淎t art exhibits and museums, I can get lost and forget everything that糖心vlog短视频檚 going on.糖心vlog短视频 The Dead Sea Scrolls fascinated her when she visited the exhibit at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia.
Another Pace connection? Her husband of thirty years is a Lubin Business School alum although they met many years after graduation.
Contact Julie Casella-Esposito through the Alumni Office and the Dyson Advisory Board.