Introducing Your Wedbush Summer 2021 Interns


As a people-driven firm, we know the true value of each of our colleagues, and we are hopeful in the ways our interns will help us grow. In turn, we pride ourselves in teaching tangible skills in each field of work and providing access to experienced mentors that will help each intern reach their professional goals. We also hope to pass along our core values of serving our clients, promoting the diversity and growth of our colleagues, and creating an inclusive workplace for all. We believe skills in both areas will serve our interns well in their futures. Our interns join us at a truly unprecedented time, as the entirety of their internships are held virtually. While the virtual setting does present challenges, it also presents us with new ways to connect and get to know one another. It allows the firm to broaden our horizons and reach out to a diverse, well-rounded group of interns who join our team from remote locations across the country. This intern cohort is like no other, therefore, and we are pleased to introduce them to you.

Discover more career opportunities at Wedbush.


Capital Markets Interns

Dylan Alfano
College: Indiana University
Major: Finance and Business Analytics
Department: Equity Research

Over the last year, Dylan has taken up golf as a way to stay active and get outside. He also learned how to manage his time better with the transition to online school this past fall and trying to find the right internship for him. Dylan has learned a lot so far in his internship, developing analytical and research skills from his team members and gaining valuable experience to eventually be an analyst on Wall Street.

Kade Barr
College: Chico State University
Major: Finance
Department: Equity Corporate Access

Over the past two years, Kade has been learning how to snowboard, and living in Chico over the past year has allowed him to spend more time in Tahoe, as it is only two hours away. He was able to finish a portion of his junior year of college in Tahoe. During his time with the Equity Corporate Access team, he has found it interesting to see the logistics behind ensuring Wedbush events are running smoothly. Overall, it has been a great experience for Kade to learn more about the industry.

Austin Borina
College: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Major: Business Management & Information Technology
Department: Equity Research

In the past year, Austin has gotten back into baseball for the first time since he was 11. Aside from playing outdoors again, he also learned to cook his favorite foods since dining out has been limited. Austin works with the Equity Research department and has appreciated the research and data collection he does that eventually gets sent to clients. He really enjoys being a part of a team and contributing to the larger goal.

Kruti Jethwa
College: Brandeis University
Major: Business and Economics
Department: Equity Research

Having seen many of her “known ones” lose their lives to COVID whilst she was miles away from home living on her university campus, Kruti has come to understand the value of life over this past year. She has become independent through the challenges she faced and became an ardent enthusiast of health and wellness. What drew her to Wedbush is the unique culture of support and dedication towards inclusivity. From Day 1, even in a remote environment, she has received so much care and support from everyone in the organization.

Ariel Roshan
College: Boston University
Major: Economics, Minor in Biology
Department: TMT Equity Research

Having a lot of things to occupy Ariel, he’s learned to maximize his time, taking juggling classes, internships, reading, getting his boater’s certificate, a social and religious life, while minimizing trade-offs. Ariel works with the TMT Equity Research department and has become fascinated with how much information flows through the firm. He’s learned the importance of being in the know and how current events can impact a company every day.

Wil Sprouse
College: University of Oregon
Major: Computer Science, Minor in Mathematics
Department: Equities Sales and Trading

Wil has learned how essential and important communication is since the pandemic. Communicating effectively and clearly has enabled him to be more effective in tough situations and proved to be a valuable skill, alongside his new love for golf. Wil’s experience working in Equity Sales and Trading department has been a great time of learning. Wedbush has shown him how important new ideas are for overall success. Seeing the markets change daily has challenged him to see new ideas being tested in real time.

Corporate Interns

Clothilde Domenghini
College: ESCP Europe
Major: Business Management
Department: Executive team at Wedbush Capital

Clothilde has learned how to prioritize school work and life goals over the past year, and, thanks to her two friends, she has learned to cook dishes other than pasta! Clothilde is grateful to be working with the executive team at Wedbush this summer, as she recognizes the opportunity to gain practical experience in both business and finance. She is especially looking forward to the possibility to network with people in the business through the scheduled Industry Insight seminars.

Katerin Merlos
College: California State University, Los Angeles
Major: Business Management, Minor in Marketing
Department: Events

During her free time, Katerin has started to incorporate running into her workout schedule, but also fine tuning her skills as a self-taught baker. New recipes challenged her, but she’s found joy in the work. Katerin works with the events department and has been improving her skills in the field, showcasing her talents on a professional level. Using her creativity, she is finding success with her team.

Matt Schoonhoven
College: Pennsylvania State University
Major: Finance
Department: Accounting

Since 2020, Matt has strengthened his time management, finding balance between hobbies and studies. He’s grown fond of lawn care and furniture restoration since then, and loves seeing the finished product. Matt is a part of the Accounting department and has been soaking up as much knowledge about the industry as he can. One of his favorite parts about Wedbush so far is how much knowledge people have around him and their willingness to share. The culture has helped him develop skills he’ll use for a while.

Omar Tovar
College: California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
Major: Business, Minor in Economics
Department: New Accounts

Within the last year, Omar has started to garden with his mother. They started with small plants but have quickly moved to bigger ones. Now he’s able to enjoy the food him and his mother planted together. Omar works in the New Accounts department, learning the Wedbush business language around the office. Seeing how people communicate with each other and their vocabulary, he’s learned a lot about professionalism.

Michael Velte
College: California State University, Fullerton
Major: Finance and Information Systems
Department: Project Management

Michael has taken up chess, loving the strategy and thought behind each move. His appreciation and gratitude has been a highlight of the last year, remembering how grateful it is to connect with loved ones. Michael’s work as a Business Analyst intern has been the learning opportunity like no other. He’s able to apply his learning in databases and IT to his position, giving him a better grasp on issues he sees now. It’s been interesting seeing how the Project Management team discusses their work, and how the process they use is similar to what he’s learning in school.

Jack Wang
College: Northwestern University
Major: Economics
Department: Syndicate

Even before Jack began working at Wedbush, he started working out early in the morning during the pandemic. He’s learned to strengthen his physical health since the pandemic began, and also learned the importance of having an even stronger mental health. Since joining Wedbush, Jack has appreciated the interconnectedness between the different firms and financial professionals. Since receiving emails and daily communication, he’s realized how many financial institutions, services, and individuals the company works with. It’s an exciting time to work at Wedbush!

Investment Banking Interns

Tal Dayan
College: University of Southern California
Major: Business Administration & Real Estate Finance
Department: Consumer Investment Banking

In the past year, Tal has improved his productivity and general wellbeing by waking up early to exercise and spending ample time outdoors. The experiences that he has had so far in his internship, from interacting with the Investment Banking department leadership to working on live deals, have been incredibly valuable. He appreciates that no two days with Wedbush are exactly the same, and the exposure to various facets of the investment banking business that his internship has provided him.

Drew Gottleib
College: Brandeis University
Major: Economics, Computer Science
Department: Corporate Development, Investment Banking

Over the past year, Drew enjoyed returning to his local tennis court and learning solid fundamentals in the sport. He also worked on arranging music for an acapella group that he is in, which is new to him but greatly supported by his love of music. As this is Drew’s first finance intern-ship, learning about capital market structure and how different parts interact has fascinated him. He likes being part of a team and seeing real-time results of what he does, and he hopes that his work will be a meaningful contribution.

Shane McCafferty
College: Pennsylvania State University
Major: Finance
Department: Investment Banking

With online schooling, Shane was able to find work in a university hedge fund where he was responsible for managing outside investor capital. Shane also dove into reading which helped him pass time while at home. Shane works with the Investment Banking department and has learned a lot about versatility. While working with the Financial Institutions Group, the directors and analysts he works under have introduced him to different sectors as well.

Public Relations and Communications Interns

Rachel Avigdor
College: University of Notre Dame
Major: Marketing and Psychology
Department: Public Relations and Communications

Rachel appreciates the interconnectedness of the Public Relations and Communications Department with the other areas of Wedbush Securities. In her work, she feels as though she has gained a new perspective and has grown professionally. Over the past year, she upped her role within her family from ‘official-taste-tester’ to ‘baker in training’, and was fortunate enough to enjoy some rare quality time with them.

Michael Low
College: California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
Major: Public Relations, Minor in Marketing Management
Department: Public Relations and Communications

In the last 8 months, Michael has picked up customizing clothing through sewing and strengthening his organization skills since being at home. With all his free time, he’s used YouTube to help teach him how to play the Ukulele. Michael has learned a lot since joining the Public Relations and Communications team and is excited for his first experience working in PR. He desires to learn more about corporate communi-cations as well as develop essential skills for his future as a PR professional.

Lauren O’Keeffe
College: University of California, Los Angeles
Major: Business Economics and Global Studies
Department: Public Relations and Communications

Lauren is excited to be a part of the Communications team during the Summer and looking forward to learning a different aspect of the business and working in a collaborative environment. Reflecting on her interview, Lauren noticed how helpful the Communications team was in answering her questions and expressing the goal of their internship program. Recently, Lauren has taken up running and has discovered a great local trail as a way to get outside. With school being online, she has also found time to cook more and make food from all around the world.

Wealth Management Interns

Bridgette Chalmers
College: University of Washington
Major: Economics, Minor in Data Science
Department: Wealth Management

Over the past 8 months, Bridgette has planned adventures to Crater Lake, the Redwoods, Lassen Volcanic, and Yosemite, picking up critical survival skills and recognizing the importance of environmental protection. What really stood out to Bridgette about Wedbush’s Wealth Management division is their drive to provide their clients with the best possible information to ensure an understanding of the financial material and clearly identify any potential conflicts. She recognizes the importance of transparency and material comprehension in ensuring client retention, and is excited to be working with the elite Wedbush team.

Jay MacDowell
College: University of Delaware
Major: Finance and Marketing
Department: Wealth Management

The Wealth Management Team has provided Jay with a more structured daily regimen that he has been lacking since the beginning of the pandemic, which has given him the chance to drastically improve his productivity. He has also picked up many new skills in the past year, including playing jazz on guitar and mastering poker!

David Veksler
College: Chapman University
Major: Finance and Economics
Department: Wealth Management

Time management has become one of David’s top skills since 2020, planning out his days, filling his schedule with to do lists, expectations, and time for leatherworking. He’s making his own wallet! David works in Wealth Management where he’s improved his analytical thinking and research skills. After looking through 10-K’s, financial statements, and news articles about the industry, he’s developed a better understanding of a company’s value or potential for investment.