GSM Student Association Sacramento (GSMSA Sacramento)
Mission, Purpose & Objectives
Mission
The Graduate School of Management Student Association Sacramento (GSMSA Sacramento) aims to improve the experience of students in the UC Davis Sacramento MBA program in order to prepare exemplary business leaders who make an impact in the global marketplace.
Purpose
The purpose of the GSMSA Sacramento is to serve as a liaison between the Sacramento MBA students and the administration of the UC Davis Graduate School of Management. Specifically, members of the GSMSA Sacramento are student advocates, communicating the viewpoints and suggestions of their classmates to the Dean and GSM Administration.
Objectives
The objective of the GSMSA Sacramento is to act as a strategic advisory board with the intentions of (a) improving the quality, value, and community of the Sacramento MBA Program, and (b) providing a platform for the discussion and action around student concerns.
Additionally, GSMSA Sacramento seeks to grow the value of the Graduate School of Management (GSM) in the U.S. and internationally by finding ways to increase the value proposition of the program for prospective students and employers. The GSMSA Sacramento hosts a variety of networking events, career workshops and social gatherings for students to connect with both alumni and other MBA students at the San Ramon & Davis campuses.
Board Members
Current Board Members
Aniket Goundaje
President
Aniket is a first year MBA student in the Sacramento Part-Time program and intends to graduate in 2026. He received his Bachelor of Engineering in Instrumentation and control from the University of Pune,India. Aniket currently works at CGI as a cloud applications architect. He has more than 17 years of experience in software design and architecture. With his MBA degree he would like to take on executive roles and make a positive impact as a successful leader. Apart from being a tech enthusiast, Aniket loves cooking delicious meals for his family and explore good places to eat. He enjoys spending time with his daughters. He gets his dopamine by making friends and family laugh with his good sense of humor.
Marisol Ibarra
Vice President of Internal Affairs
Marisol Ibarra is an MBA student in the Part-Time Sacramento Program, expected to graduate in 2026. Born to immigrant parents and a first-generation college student, she graduated from Cal Poly Pomona with a degree in Political Science. During her academic journey, she enriched her global perspective through study abroad programs in Hong Kong and Dubai. Currently, she serves as the Legislative Director in the office of State Senator Melissa Hurtado. Marisol is also the host of the "Here Comes the Sun Podcast," where she shares insights on career development, money management, and wellness from the perspective of a first-generation Latina professional. She believes in the power of storytelling to inspire change and serves as a commissioner on the Sacramento County Commission on the Status of Women and Girls. Outside of her professional and academic commitments, Marisol enjoys traveling with her husband and selling aguas frescas in the Sacramento area.
Marissa Pickard
Vice President of External Affairs
Marissa Pickard is a 2026 MBA candidate at the UC Davis Graduate School of Management. Marissa is a creative communications professional with 13 years of experience working with organizations to build and deliver equitable, customer-centric engagement strategies. She is currently the Lead Community Coordinator at the Innovation Institute for Food and Health at UC Davis, where she works with an incredible team to bring people healthier and longer lives through food. Marissa is a proud mom of two young boys and loves spending time outdoors with her family camping, hiking, riding bikes, going to the beach, etc. – and of course eating delicious food!
Asim Hasnain
Director of Finance
Asim Hasnain is currently holding the position of Vice President at Community West Bank, where his focus lies in commercial lending. Looking ahead, Asim anticipate graduating in December 2025, with plans to acquire his own company thereafter. Apart from his finance career he is an avid gym-goer and a passionate enthusiast of bodybuilding. As Ronnie Coleman would say “light weight babbbby”.
Anirudh Arora
Director for Student Affairs
Anirudh Arora holds a BE in Computer Engineering from the University of Mumbai, an MS in Computer Science from George Mason University, and is pursuing an MBA at UC Davis. He is currently employed as a software engineer at Forcepoint and has been in this role since 2017. He began his career at Finra in Washington D.C. and relocated to California in 2018. After completing his MBA, he aims to work in the finance industry as an analyst in the public market, leveraging his expertise in both technology and finance. A fun fact about him is that he lives in the Bay Area but is in a program based in Sacramento.
Juliette Wheelock
Director of Signature Events
Juliette Wheelock is the Director of Auctions & Community Outreach for the V Foundation for Cancer Research. She is also a founding member and co-chair of the V Foundation’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Council. During her time at the V Foundation, she has helped raise over $65 million for cancer researcher through signature events, auctions and outreach events across the nation. She is currently pursuing her MBA from UC Davis with a focus in strategic marketing. Juliette graduated cum laude from the University of New Mexico with a bachelor’s degree in political science and holds various associate degrees from the Central New Mexico Community College. After graduating from the MBA program, she hopes to work in venture capital. A fun fact about Juliette is that she is a hobby collector, from glass blowing to kayaking – she has done it all!
Ryan Advincula
Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging
Ryan Advincula was born and raised in Sacramento and is excited to be joining the GSMSA as Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging. He is an Assistant Director of Development at UC Davis’ College of Letters and Science and works in alumni relations and major gift fundraising. Previously, he worked in database management and fundraising for nonprofits in San Francisco and Los Angeles. Ryan has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Theater and Performance Studies from UC Berkeley. He can usually be found playing basketball, board games, and bass guitar in his free time.
Events and Activities
Monthly Career Development Presentations
GSMSA Sac, along with Jennifer Tucker (Sacramento Career Counselor), hosts monthly presentations to help students establish their “brand”. Presentation topics range from interview preparation, maximizing networking opportunities, and self-promotion.
Career Change Workshops
Ever feel like you are in the wrong industry? GSMSA Sac has developed a new workshop series to help students pivot into their dream job. Please contact Justine Okello for more information.
Contact Us
If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please email the GSMSA Sacramento President, Aniket Goundaje.
