Building bridges from Bristol to Manhattan

The transition from a college campus to a high stakes career in New York City is a journey many aspire to, but few navigate with as much intentionality as Jason Houde BS ’24, MBA ’25, from the Gabelli School of Business. His story is a unique display of diving headfirst into industry testing and strategic partnerships to discover his true professional impact.

More Than Just the “Sale”

During his undergraduate years at the Gabelli School of Business, Jason’s focus went far beyond the general aspects of marketing. With a minor in Global Communications, he realized early on that marketing was about more than just the “grab” or the “sell” it was about the client.

Whether he was serving as a Sales Associate at Contractors Steel Supply or as a Marketing Intern for Stepping Stone Wealth (Ameriprise Financial Services), Jason was fascinated by the human element. By mastering account management, content creation, and data collection, he thrived on creating meaningful experiences that kept clients engaged across diverse industries.

Jason carried this momentum into his MBA studies, where he worked diligently with high profile clients like Shawmut Design and Construction. Collaborating with their leadership team, Jason developed data driven recommendations to strengthen Shawmut’s talent pipeline with a focus on diversity and inclusion.

This experience solidified his aspiration: he wanted to contribute to a company that goes above and beyond for its clients while investing in the growth of its own people.

The Alumni Bridge: Christian Yantorno

This is where the “magic” of the Roger Williams alumni network comes into play. Christian Yantorno (GBA, GBDS), Vice President of Account Management at Corporate Synergies, exemplifies the “pay it forward” mindset.

For Christian, success is not just about managing sophisticated employee benefit programs; it is about opening doors for the next generation of Hawks. By partnering closely with the Center for Career & Professional Development, Christian has created a direct line from the RWU classroom to the corporate world. He frequently recruits RWU talent and is recently working to help recruit for a newly launched internship program to provide students with a pathway to full-time careers.

The Perfect Connection

It is no surprise that Jason and Christian soon connected. It was the perfect alignment of Jason’s passion for client relations and a high-impact role as an Account Specialist within the Corporate Synergies pipeline.

As Jason prepares to join the Manhattan office, he stands as a proud representative of the Gabelli School of Business. We are thrilled to watch Jason take ownership of this role and look forward to celebrating his continued success in the city!

 Meet the Team: Spring 2026 Business Career Fair

Are you ready to build your own meaningful future? If you are interested in learning more about Corporate Synergies, be sure to stop by their booth at the Spring 2026 Business Career Fair.

Christian Yantorno and fellow alumna Mollie Feldman BS ’23 will be returning to campus to share the incredible possibilities that exist within their firm. Whether you are looking for an internship or a full-time career launchpad like Jason’s, come discover what your future could look like in the heart of the industry.

We are thrilled for Jason to take ownership of his new role and look forward to celebrating all that is to come!