Our student officers embody the leadership, talent, and drive that define the Professional Program in Finance.
(left to right)
Back:
Karan Anilkumar, Anvik Shah
Middle:
Jacob Free, Leeza Paul, Kimberly Lam
Front:
Nakshatraa Kurmude, Kalpana Bharanikuman, Srishti Garg
CO-PRESIDENTS
Nakshatraa Kurmude is a senior majoring in Finance and minoring in Accounting. She interned at Accenture, contributing to the Deal Structure and Pricing team, where she worked on pricing multi-million dollar engagements for the company. She placed 1st in the 2025 FLA Case Consulting Competition. A UTIMCO Scholar, she serves as an executive officer in the Professional Program in Finance and is an advisor to the Socials Committee in the Finance Leadership Council. She is committed to mentoring peers in academic and career development.
Kimberly Lam is a Finance major with a minor in Accounting. She placed 1st in the 2025 FLA Consulting Case Competition, earned top finishes in prior FLA competitions, and won VSA’s 2023 fundraising pageant supporting arts education in Vietnam. Kimberly works as a Patient Account Manager at Avenue Dental and recently interned at
Charles Schwab as a Client Service and Support Intern. She is committed to mentorship and to building a strong support system for aspiring finance professionals.
Co-Directors (Event Planning)
Karan Anilkumar is a senior in the PPF8 cohort with a background in organizing student and professional events. He worked at Bell Textron as a Pricing and Estimating Intern, where he worked on contract valuation and supplier financial health analysis. His interests include FP&A and risk management, and is focused on expanding his professional skills through applied experience and service to the PPF community.
Leeza Paul is a Finance major graduating in May 2026 and former Vice President of the Financial Leadership Association. She worked at Cantor Fitzgerald as an Investment Research Intern, where she researched and pitched stocks for their international equity portfolio, and created a full-stack application for the Operations team. A member of PPF9, she has competed in the CFA Institute Research Challenge and multiple case competitions, demonstrating strengths in financial modeling and investment analysis. She is dedicated to leadership, mentorship, and professional growth.
Co-Directors (Communications)
Kalpana Bharanikumar is a sophomore majoring in Finance with interests in actuarial science, risk management, consulting, and FP&A. A constant Dean’s List honoree, she serves as an officer for the AI Society and has excelled in case competitions. She completed her internship through UTIMCO as an Equity/Asset Management Intern and remains eager to continue wth them as a Fund Management intern throughout this academic year. She is actively pursuing professional certifications and is committed to expanding her technical and communication capabilities to serve the PPF community.
Anvik Shah is a Finance and Economics double major in the Collegium V Honors Program who has interned with Sellside Consulting Group, Blossom Street Ventures, and most recently as an Investment Research Intern at Cantor Fitzgerald. At UTD, he serves as VP of Alpha Kappa Psi, co-founded the Mu-Rho Market Group, and supports small businesses through Consult Your Community, while passionately advancing the PPF brand and outreach.
Co-Directors (Mentorships)
Jacob Free is a senior double majoring in Finance and Economics with a minor in Accounting. A member of PPF8, he earned top placements in Financial Leadership Association competitions before serving as Competitions Director in 2024. He interned in Goldman Sachs’ Controllers division in 2025 and will be returning after graduation. He aspires to a career in asset management with a long-term goal of transitioning into private equity and is committed to structured peer mentorship.
Srishti Garg is a senior majoring in Finance and Business Analytics & Intelligence. She interned at KPMG as a Finance & Technology Transformations Intern and at Amegy Bank as a Banker Development Intern. Beyond PPF, she holds leadership roles in 180 Degrees Consulting, Alpha Kappa Psi, and Women in Tech and Business. Srishti founded “Everything Trinkets” – an e-commerce venture supporting nonprofit organizations. She is passionate about mentorship, consulting, and entrepreneurship.