Commencement Address Speakers

Maria Vasquez Karim, a distinguished 2005 Computer Engineering and Applied Mathematics graduate and Albert Dorman Honors Scholar from NJIT, has forged a remarkable career defined by impactful leadership in the tech industry.

A native Ecuadorian raised in New Jersey, her professional journey includes roles at IBM, Intel, British Telecom and Topcon before joining Google. At Google, where she also completed the Stanford Graduate School of Business LEAD Program in 2021, Karim leverages her expertise in telecommunications, software development and hardware to lead feature launches and technical projects for YouTube.com and its Mobile Apps, directly impacting a global community of 2.5 billion monthly active users. Notably, she spearheaded the creation of new features for YouTube and led initiatives to improve the data pipeline, resulting in faster information delivery to creators.

Karim also established the New Platform [Machine Learning] Evaluation Team, focusing on YouTube's ML hardware readiness to enhance platform performance and accessibility. As the co-chair lead of the Familia Employee Resource Group at YouTube for the past four years, she has championed the upleveling of Latinx talent and fostered a stronger sense of community and belonging.

Karim’s dedication extends to her community through active involvement in mentorship and teaching programs for high school and college students in Silicon Valley, demonstrating her passion for empowering the next generation. Her multifaceted work ultimately contributes to a more accessible and equitable digital landscape. In recognition of her work, she was bestowed the Albert Dorman Honors College Distinguished Alumni Impact Award.

Ken Colao is a recognized leader and entrepreneur in the construction industry with over 40 years of experience as a principal of several major firms, working on high-profile domestic and international assignments, including many award-winning projects.

As the founder, president and CEO of CNY Group, Colao heads the Manhattan-based company that has spearheaded change in the industry, including the adoption of "open shop" construction for large-scale development. Embracing a forward-thinking approach, Colao continually challenges the norms to create value and guide CNY with a vision that demonstrates how businesses can be a force for good. He leads the CNY team in delivering the company's proven best practices and technical prowess, sustainability expertise, and its commitment to social standards as a certified "B" Corp.

Colao’s unwavering dedication to education, mentorship and the early adoption of SDG initiatives supports his roles as co-executive vice chair of NJIT’s Foundation Board of Directors, and chair of the Advisory Board for the Hillier School of Architecture and Design. He received his bachelor’s in Civil Engineering from NJIT and was a member of the Chi Epsilon Honor Society. Colao was also honored with the University's Alumni Achievement Award and was a featured speaker at President Teik Lim’s inauguration sustainability symposium. He also serves on the Board of Governors for the New York Building Congress, the AHRC New York City Foundation Board and as a member of the National Academy of Construction.

For more than 30 years, Young Presidents' Organization (YPO), a worldwide organization of 31,000 Chief Executives across 143 countries dedicated to cultivating exceptional leaders and global citizens, has played a significant role in Colao’s life and career. He has held positions on the boards of YPO Metro, Big Apple Gold, chair of Construction Industry Network and has participated in various panels, global summits and roundtables. 

In 2017, Colao earned the EY Entrepreneur of The Year Award for the New York region in the Real Estate, Construction and Hospitality category. EY acknowledges individuals who excel in innovation, financial performance and personal commitment to their businesses and communities. In 2024, his commitment to innovation and sustainability was further acknowledged with his selection as a Notable Leader in Sustainability by Crain's New York Business.
 

Anita J. La Salle had a professional career in industry, academe and government that spanned fifty-five years. Her early career in industry involved research into thermoelectric product development, platforms to support automated design, and software systems development methodologies.

She holds a B.S. and M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) and a Ph.D. from Stevens Institute of Technology, with a concentration in computer engineering.

La Salle joined the computer science faculty at NJIT in 1974. As associate chair of the department, starting with an initial cohort of a few dozen students, she helped establish one of the largest majors at the institution. In 1988, La Salle joined American University, where she served as chair of the Computer and Information Science Department in the College of Arts and Sciences and chair of the Information Technology Department in the Kogod School of Business. She was designated professor emeritus at her retirement in 2006.

La Salle spent the remainder of her career as a program director at the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Division for Computer and Network Systems (CNS) where she funded research ranging from advances in multicore systems to millimeter-scale smart sensor dust. Her work culminated in her involvement in the creation of NSF’s Innovation Corps (I-Corps). I-Corps focuses on enabling teams of researchers to quickly assess their inventions' market potential to increase the economic and societal impact of basic research projects. During its first five years, I-Corps helped launch more than 1,000 startups based on the commercial potential of technologies developed in university laboratories.
 

Kevin J. O’Toole is a founding and managing partner of O’Toole Scrivo. He also had a long and distinguished career in the New Jersey Legislature, where he served for 22 years as both a senator and assemblyman.

O’Toole has a varied practice encompassing toxic torts, environmental law, risk management, class actions, complex litigation and corporate investigations. He is routinely called upon by Fortune 500 companies to obtain cost-effective, early resolution of complex matters and sought out to provide detailed analysis of sophisticated issues, evaluate case preparation, predict outcomes and develop strategic risk management planning.

He has served as both National Coordinating Counsel for corporate clients and operational leader of multi-jurisdictional litigation teams that have been responsible for trying dozens of high-profile multi-million dollar matters. His unique combination of private and public sector experience provides the firm’s clients with unparalleled advice and insight into their matters.

As the managing partner of O’Toole Scrivo, he is responsible for the fundraising and distribution of hundreds of thousands of dollars a year to charitable causes throughout the tri-state area.  

In 2017, O’Toole was appointed as chairman of the Board of Commissioners of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. He oversees a workforce of 8,000 employees with an annual $9 billion budget and is responsible for supervising over $65 billion in assets and the most significant infrastructure projects in the country.