September 2019

September 2019
Randi B. Nelson

(MBA, Taxation, ’98)

Q & A:

• What was your favorite class, who was your favorite professor, or what is your fondest memory of Hofstra?
  It’s been over 20 years since I attended Hofstra, but the moment that stays etched in my mind is a class I took that required us to act out a scene regarding a business dilemma. I was with two other classmates, and I remember how fun and interesting that project was. It is something that has stayed with me all these years.
• What was your first job after graduating from Hofstra, and what was the most valuable thing learned in that position?
  I obtained my MBA while I was employed with one company. However, once I graduated, I obtained a higher-level position in another company that was considered a promotion, where I was able to utilize managerial skills. I was the controller for one of this company’s subsidiaries. I was involved with all business decisions and worked under the CFO of the parent company. I learned that I could run a company, a business.
• What is your field of specialty, and how did you come to work in the industry?
  Currently, I am a pediatrician. Prior to that I worked as an accountant in the investment banking industry. I received my undergraduate degree in accounting and secured a general accounting position shortly after graduation. A friend of mine referred me to Morgan Stanley and that is how I ended up in investment banking.
• What advice would you give Hofstra students?
  I would advise Hofstra students to work toward their dreams, be flexible and open. Consider all options before making a concrete decision. And if that decision turns out to be an unfavorable one, pick yourself up and try again.
• In one word, how would you describe Hofstra?
  Soaring!
• After a 14-year career in investment banking, what inspired you to change careers and become a pediatrician?
  Well, two seminal events occurred – the death of my father in 2000 and witnessing firsthand the destruction of September 11th in 2001. After those two events, I decided to revisit my first dream to become a physician – a pediatrician. I wanted to add more purpose and meaning to my life.
• What was a major obstacle you were able to overcome to perform your job?
  Taking premed classes while working as a vice president at Citigroup! Somehow, I made it through by being focused and diligent!
• What is the single most rewarding experience in your career thus far?
  Being a pediatrician is the single most rewarding experience thus far in my career. I LOVE what I do. Serving children and their families while guiding them on the pathway to good health is very rewarding. Also being able to combine my prior experience as a financial professional with my current goal to address financial wellness by increasing financial literacy through my speaking engagements, coaching program, and my recent book Ladynomics: A Woman's Prescription for Wealth and Financial Well-Being. I feel like my career has come full circle.