Carsten Becker (Neely Practitioner Fellow 2023-25) is faculty lead for extended reality at the Iovine and Young Academy for the Arts, Technology and Business of Innovation. Joining USC in 2019 as a lecturer for design and communication, he developed the academy’s curriculum in exploring creative technologies for the development of purpose-driven narratives and impact. He has created many industry connections for the academy and USC including with Niantic, Nike, Meta, Microsoft, Qualcomm, and Snap and teaches courses related to extended reality, spatial computing and other narrative technologies for IYA bachelor’s and master’s degrees. In his professional practice, Becker is a director-producert for immersive content and experiences. A lifelong passion for visual storytelling and interactivity put him behind the camera on film sets, on stop motion stages, leading social AR teams, and as head of a creative 3D and effects studio. He’s designed movie sequences, animation, avatars, and augmented reality games. His work has launched products and campaigns for A24, Adobe, Cirque du Soleil, Netflix, Marvel, Meta, Netflix, Snap and Sony. Carsten pursues the potential of maturing XR forms to surpass all existing mediums for human engagement. He works with design and development teams for AR, mixed reality, and Apple Vision Pro. The VR short film Echos of Ash Valley (exec producer) a premiered at the Venice Biennale. Becker is an active member of extended reality and spatial computing communities at conferences and social platforms. He is a lecturer and liaison for the Academy in USC’s Fashion MFA and Minor programs, a mentor to the Neely MBA Ethics & Technology Fellows program, and faculty advisor of the Spatial SC student club for XR design and development.
Gilda Brasch (Neely Student Fellow 2024-25) is an MS candidate in Entrepreneurship and Innovation at USC Marshall’s Lloyd Greif Center, with an aim to launch a media-tech venture in interactive and immersive XR. Beginning her career as a journalist for ABC’s Nightline, American Public Radio, and the Christian Science Monitor, she transitioned to entertainment after studying screenwriting at UCLA. Gilda has produced and directed content for industry leaders including Oprah Winfrey, PBS’s American Experience, and helmed a hit franchise for Paramount+. Her award-winning social justice documentaries, supported by the Levi Strauss Foundation, have screened at Google and universities nationwide. She serves on an Executive Committee of the Television Academy, and previously on the board of the International Documentary Association. As a Neely Center Fellow, Gilda will focus on the intersection of immersive storytelling and ethical content creation. In an increasingly AI-filtered world, Gilda aims to harness emerging technologies to authentically preserve and illuminate our fragile humanity.
Guljaha Shaik (Neely Student Fellow 2024-25) is an MBA candidate at the University of Southern California, with a strong foundation in Electronics and Communication Engineering and over five years of experience in the tech industry. Her expertise spans cyber security and project leadership. During her MBA summer internship at an AI startup, she successfully led the development of launch criteria for an advanced multilingual API platform. As a leader at USC’s Adam Smith Society and High-Tech Association, Guljaha drives initiatives to foster connections between students and influential thought leaders in business and policy. With a passion for emerging technologies and strategic innovation, she is dedicated to solving complex challenges at the intersection of technology and business. In her free time, she enjoys playing badminton, hiking, and immersing herself in a wide range of books.
Ishita Singh (Neely Student Fellow 2024-25) is a full-time MBA candidate at USC Marshall, bringing 3 years of experience in orchestrating digital transformation strategies for enterprise software customers, accelerating their growth and maximizing the value of their investments in Microsoft products. Originally from India, she has a background in electronics and communication engineering. With expertise in innovation and early-career mentorship, she has won multiple awards at global hackathons and case competitions, and presented on multiple forums on the topic of Gen AI adoption. Her interest in emerging technologies and their ethical adoption at scale brings her to Neely Center. Outside work, you can find her networking, public-speaking, writing on LinkedIn, managing community events, or planning her next coastal trip.
Marine Galstyan (Neely Student Fellow 2024-25) is a strategist and product marketer. Currently pursuing her MBA at USC Marshall, she serves as VP of Emerging Technology for the Marshall High Tech Association. She has worked at advertising agencies, WPP and IPG, advising clients such as Amazon, Match, Nature Made, and the Hong Kong Tourism Board, and has led go-to-market strategies for an HR tech startup. Most recently, Marine interned as a Product Marketing Manager at Adobe. Beyond her professional achievements, she is passionate about art, XR, and using creativity to drive change, particularly in nonprofit initiatives. As a Fellow at the Neely Center for Ethical Leadership and Decision Making, Marine is excited to explore the role of emerging technology and mixed reality in shaping the future of business and society.
Walmir Luz (Neely Student Fellow 2024-25) is an MBA candidate at USC Marshall School of Business (Class of 2026) with over nine years of experience at the intersection of design, architecture, entrepreneurship, and marketing. A forward-thinking and curious professional, Walmir is passionate about leveraging innovation to unlock the potential of emerging technologies. His interests lie particularly in the transformative possibilities of extended reality (XR) and its capacity to address pressing societal challenges, including mental health. Walmir is committed to exploring how immersive technologies can create meaningful, human-centered solutions, blending his creative expertise with a business-oriented approach to drive impactful change.
Priyanshu Bhatt (Neely Student Fellow 2023-24) is an innovation-focused professional with 11 years of extensive experience in technology services, tech-consulting, and project leadership, specializing in new product development and data analytics. He led global teams across Europe, North America, India, and Australia, delivering transformative solutions in Big Data, AI, Cloud, and Analytics. Currently enrolled in a leadership development program, cultivating a lifelong network. Excels in driving collaborative change, commercial software development, leveraging data for decisions, and fostering collaboration within diverse global teams.
Cindy (Ningxin) Chen (Neely Student Fellow 2023-24) has over ten years of experience in cross-border technology operations and venture investment. She has worked for the publicly listed online retailer JD.COM, as well as venture capital firms such as Comet Labs and WI Harper Group, where she was responsible for tech investments in semiconductors, the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), intelligent manufacturing, among others. Additionally, she co-founded a SaaS platform for electronics manufacturing, where she successfully developed the business development and marketing team and formulated a global go-to-market strategy. Cindy holds a bachelor’s degree in physics from Fudan University and is an MBA candidate at the University of Southern California. As a Fellow at the USC Neely Center, she is dedicated to researching ethical methods for investing venture capital funds within the technology sector, particularly in VR/AR.
Tejaswa Gavankar (Neely Student Fellow 2023-24) is an MBA student and one of his leadership roles is heading emerging technology for the graduate technology club at USC Marshall. XR and Neely Center’s work is a natural extension of this interest. He has an undergraduate degree in computer science from the College of Engineering Pune. He began his career at Credit Suisse, building technology products and has since moved into consulting. At KPMG, he advised aerospace and defense clients on growth strategy. And his MBA summer was with EY’s technology strategy team where he plans to return full-time. He has also interned with Meta and HP Tech Venture in product marketing and corporate VC roles respectively. In his free time, he enjoys hiking and reading up on topics far removed from his profession.
Callie (Yu-Wen) Huang (Neely Student Fellow 2023-24) specializes in digital transformation and streamlining business processes with innovative solutions. She is passionate about exploring how advanced technologies, including mixed reality and AI, can boost corporate profits and drive business success. She is currently an MBA student at USC Marshall School and a fellow at the Neely Center for Ethical Leadership and Decision Making. Callie has a strong background in the tech industry, including working with an AI-powered startup in Silicon Valley and with Big 4 consulting firms. Demonstrating adept leadership, she led global team to upgrade the global operations system across the U.S., Europe, and Asia.
Nicole “Zara” Oparaugo (Neely Student Fellow 2023-24) is a dual degree MD/MBA candidate. She is currently completing her MBA at USC Marshall School of Business and Medical school at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine. Zara is passionate about increasing access to health care and using technology to bridge gaps.
