Meet The Team

Meet the team of student and professional staff behind CAFE! As a team, we undergo extensive in-house training and certificate training. The in-house training is ongoing, which means a minimum of 70 hours in their first term, before meeting with students. Then, each staff member is required to complete the Next Gen Personal Finance (NGPF) Paying for College certificate, along with ongoing participation in other certificate programs through NGPF and in-house training.


Questions? Just want to talk to a real person? Email us!

Angel Bowe

Peer Advisor | Major: Accountancy

After college, I plan on working as an accountant and becoming a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). What drew me to CAFE was the ability to help others understand finances and reach their financial goals, the range of projects, and the opportunity to interact with other students. Most importantly, what I love about CAFE is that I can positively impact others. A fun fact about me is that I really like rock and metal music.

NGPF Certificates: Paying for College, Insurance, Taxes, Investing, Banking & Budgeting, and Behavioral Economics

Maliyah Bowe

Peer Advisor | Major: Finance

I am currently a senior finance major with an option in human resources analytics. CAFE is interesting to me because of the way that it helps students with their financial well-being. Being able to educate others on different financial topics is important for students' future success, and I wanted to be a part of that. After college, I plan on working in financial advising where I can help educate clients on how to best manage their finances. A fun fact about me: my twin sister, Angel, also works at CAFE.

Jake Brucker

Peer Advisor | Major: Finance

I am currently a sophomore Finance Major originally from Denver, CO. What drew me to CAFE is the vast financial knowledge and guidance they impart to students, parents, and any Oregon resident as I myself received amazing help from CAFE in my own paying for college journey. As I have learned these financial topics I know I can be integral to students’ financial success in both college and the real world. A fun fact about me is that I love being outdoors hiking, skiing, kayaking, etc., and went to high school in New York, NY.

Prem Mathew

Director

I have been at the College of Business since 2004, and serve as its Associate Dean for Undergraduate Student Development (in addition to being CAFE director). My particular passion is around undergraduate educational access and student support. This is reflected in my roles in building CAFE, spearheading the college’s efforts in building an award-winning education-to-career curriculum model (Blueprint) integrated with the business/design core curriculum; leading multiple K12 partnerships that target communities that are historically underrepresented in higher education; and establishing robust college-level retention and emergency-based scholarship processes. My background in Finance (undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania – Wharton School, PhD from the University and Chartered Financial Analyst, CFA charterholder) has equipped me with the foundation to build CAFE into a comprehensive financial support and education platform for the OSU community, and am excited to lead this charge! A fun fact about me: all four members of my immediate family were born in different countries (Kuwait, India, Canada, US).

Joshua Nishimura

Peer Advisor | Major: Business Information Systems

I am a Business Information Systems student interested in the technical side of business. I joined CAFE after learning about the kind of work we do; personal finance has always been a passion of mine and helping people navigate the landscape while making smart financial decisions is very fulfilling! In this field, no matter who you are, there is always something you can improve upon. I plan to pursue a career in the BIS field, helping businesses optimize their workflows. A fun fact about me: I summitted Mt. Fuji while in the Boy Scouts, and I have a branded walking stick to prove it!

NGPF Certificates: Paying for College, Credit, Taxes, Investing, Banking and Budgeting, and Insurance

Kayleen Salchenberg

Program Manager, Advisor, and Instructor

I have worked for nearly a decade with and for OSU students on all things 'paying for college;' first as a financial-aid advisor role; then with transfer student services and now as a program manager in the College of Business. It is a professional and personal passion of mine – a dream come true – that there is a service for financial literacy here at OSU. It brings me a lot of joy to help students and families debunk the complexities of paying for college. A fun fact about me: I lived in Nicaragua for two years, working remotely for CAFE and living out a lifelong dream. I now reside in Bend and enjoy walks, hikes, dogs, and mountain biking!

NGPF Certificates: Paying for College, Credit, Taxes, Investing, Banking and Budgeting, Behavioral Economics, and Insurance

Rylie Vallo

Peer Advisor | Major: Accountancy

I am a third-year student in the Accounting program at the College of Business. I'm passionate about financial literacy and helping students pay for college. Helping students find the resources they need to succeed and achieve their career and financial goals has always been something I like doing. Along with working with CAFE, I work in the Career Success Center. After college, I hope to earn my CPA and pursue a career in public accounting.

Leela Varadharajan

Financial Planner

I have been teaching at OSU since 2013. I started my career in the corporate world as a financial modeler and risk analyst. Though the career experience opened doors for me, teaching has been more enjoyable and gratifying. I believe that financial literacy plays an important role in everybody's life, and the best time to acquire such knowledge is as a student. I am very excited to be part of the CAFE team helping students dream, design, and build a better financial future. With my educational background (M.S. in Computer Science and MBA in Finance from the University of Buffalo) I am confident I will be a valuable resource. I am also a Certified Financial Planner qualified to help individuals and families build their financial future. When not crunching numbers, I like traveling, hiking, and abseiling.