Laura Velez, BSBA ’22: Suffolk’s Lessons in Leadership Jumpstart a Career

Raised in Cuba, at age 13 she emigrated to the U.S. and settled with her family in Trumbull, CT. Despite having no knowledge of English, Laura was able to quickly adapt. Five years later, during her naturalization ceremony, Laura received an email confirming that she had been admitted to Suffolk and accepted into the Honors Program. In 2022, she graduated Summa Cum Laude with a BSBA degree in Finance (concentration in Corporate Finance and minor in Business Law).

Laura has high praise for such Suffolk courses as Introduction to FinTech taught by Kenneth Mooney, BS ’77, MBA ’80 and Business Foundations taught by Bari Bendell. In a marketing course taught by Pelin Bicen, her group’s research project focused on how Mass General Hospital could create successful podcasts, and they won a competition among 64 student teams.

Laura cherished her membership in the Sawyer Business School Honors Program (now joined with the College of Arts & Sciences in a single University Honors Program) because of the access it provided to advanced courses. In one such course, Laura and peers analyzed management issues at Tesla, proposed solutions, and developed a presentation for company executives. The Honors Program also introduced Laura to other students, who, like herself, had impressive talents and wide-ranging interests. Another key Honors benefit was a spring break trip to Spain, where Laura toured Madrid, Segovia, and Toledo.

While at Suffolk, Laura was strongly committed to service. At the Center for Learning and Academic Success, she was a peer tutor for students in 11 business courses. “Suffolk made such a big difference in my life,” Laura remarks, “and this was one way to give back.” As founding president of the university’s chapter of FinTechWomen, she helped to create a safe space for women to find their voices in the traditionally male realm of financial technologies. Laura has continued with FinTechWomen as an advisory board member.

One of Laura’s most significant Suffolk experiences was her internship at KPMG, a multinational company and one of the “Big Four” accounting firms—and this led to her being hired for her first post-college job. In three-plus years at the company, Laura has held increasingly responsible posts. In her current role as an Economic and Statistical Consulting Senior Associate, Laura advises clients in such sectors as technology, finance, venture capital, government, and retail on how to most efficiently employ financial data.

A Suffolk course on environmental sustainability taught by Joshua Boyce, BSBA ’09 sparked Laura’s passion for this topic. Among her responsibilities at KPMG is climate risk quantification, where she advises clients on mitigating the consequences of climate change, which can affect availability and pricing of resources such as energy and water.

The practice of leadership is at the heart of Laura’s work life. She co-chairs KPMG’s Latino Business Resource Group. In support of the company’s talent acquisition team, she visits Boston-area universities, including Suffolk, to recruit and mentor students. In the past year, Laura was selected by KPMG as one of just 61 employees nationally to serve on their Tax Leadership Council. Laura comments, “I love KPMG because they present so many opportunities for learning and professional growth. There are a lot of interesting, smart people working here.”

Outside of work, Laura is active with running clubs, Pilates, and martial arts. But her greatest enthusiasm is for the art of wine. She is certified as a Level 1 Sommelier, which covers wine knowledge, service, and tasting—so she’s much in demand among friends who need a recommendation for a fine bottle.

Laura returns to Suffolk regularly to inspire new generations of students. In April 2026, she was on campus as a recipient of the 2026 10 Under 10 Award, which recognizes alumni achievement during their first decade post-graduation. In a relatively short time, Laura has consistently applied a core lesson of her Suffolk experience: “We shouldn’t be afraid of taking on leadership roles—there’s so much for us to learn and gain.”