Laurentians in Residence October 2017

Panelist Biographies

Andy Cring '92, P'21

Vice President, Global Financial Planning & Analysis, eBay

Andy Cring ’92, P’21 has been with eBay since 2012 and currently serves as Vice President, Global Financial Planning & Analysis. In this role, he is responsible for driving continuous improvement in the analysis of business results, managing key business operating rhythms, interfacing with investor relations & the board of directors, developing short and long-term financial estimates, and consulting on eBay’s capital allocation strategy. In addition, he leads the finance organizations for Global Product, Customer Care, Corporate Functions along with leading Global Sourcing and Financial Systems.

Prior to joining eBay Andy spent three years as Vice President, Global Financial Planning & Analysis at Yahoo! in Sunnyvale, CA where he was responsible for transforming several financial processes. In addition to leading the FP&A Team, he was responsible for Facilities, Procurement/Payables, and the Project Management Office. Before joining Yahoo, Andy spent 17 years at General Electric in various leadership roles in Lighting, Plastics and Energy after graduating from their Financial Management Program (FMP) in 1995.

Andy graduated from St. Lawrence in 1992 with Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics. He received his MBA from Clarkson University in 1993 as part of the St. Lawrence 4+1 program. While at St. Lawrence he was a member of the Varsity Basketball team, ATO fraternity and several other campus groups. He grew up in Malone, NY and now resides in Pleasanton, CA with his wife Nicole ’91, daughters Madison ’21 and Kathleen, and their dog Fenway (he’s a Red Sox fan.)

Jennifer Eddy '82

Founder and Chairman of the Board, Root NS

Jennifer Eddy ’82 is the founder and chairman of the board for Root NS, Inc., a nonprofit aimed at providing at-risk youth a pathway out of the cycle of poverty through life and work readiness skills, case management, health and nutritional education and the social capital to ensure that all students leave Root prepared for success in the workplace.

Jennifer graduated from St. Lawrence with a Bachelor of Arts degree in French and History, and worked in corporate lending and bond sales and trading for 13 years before choosing to focus on her growing family. Jennifer left the corporate world to attend Cambridge School of Culinary Arts and earned her Professional Chefs Certification. She worked in accounting and special events at two restaurants in Salem, MA. Jennifer has volunteered and served on the board of several nonprofits in Essex County including Hospice of the North Shore, Wellspring House, Windrush Farm, Essex County Trail Association, Appleton Farms and Three Sisters Garden Project.

While at St. Lawrence, Jennifer studied abroad in France, was a member of the Laurentian Singers and Kappa Kappa Gamma Sorority.

Meg Goldthwaite '19

Chief Marketing Officer, NPR, Inc.

Meg Goldthwaite P’19 serves as Chief Marketing Officer for NPR, Inc. where she leads the branding and communications efforts of one of the nation’s most trusted and loved sources of news and cultural content. Committed to creativity, innovation and social responsibility, Meg aims to attract new and diverse audiences to NPR and member stations as she works to highlight how NPR is a daily source of unbiased, independent news, and inspiring insights on life and the arts.

Previously, Meg was Chief Marketing Officer at Conservation International (CI), an organization dedicated to protecting nature for the benefit of us all. Meg proudly launched CI’s award-winning Nature Is Speaking campaign which invites the human race to listen to a simple message – Nature doesn’t need people. People need nature. An avid SCUBA diver since age thirteen, in 2016 Meg was thrilled to dive into the creation of CI’s virtual reality series, including its first film, “Valen’s Reef,” an underwater exploration of one of the most beautiful and biologically diverse places in the Pacific Ocean. Prior to Conservation International, Meg served in leadership positions at the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund where she helped Haiti tell its hopeful stories of smart, sustainable economic development, and Women for Women International. Meg’s corporate background includes 15 years in the telecom industry leading teams in marketing, operations, and strategic partnerships.

A Washington, D.C. native, she lives just outside the city with her husband and three children, including Marina ’19. Meg received her Bachelor of Arts degree in French and Government from Colby College, and her MBA from the University of Maryland at College Park.

Lauren McFarlane '84

President, Act First Safety and Dental Practice Safety

Lauren McFarlane ’84 is the founder and president of Act First Safety and Dental Practice Safety. Lauren launched Act First Safety in 2005, a departure from a successful career in advertising sales and as a group magazine publisher with a leading Canadian media organization. Act First Safety and Dental Practice Safety were both built from the ground up with an entrepreneurial spirit. Recognized for innovative safety training programs and as an approved training provider with the Ontario Ministry of Labour, Lauren enjoys creating new opportunities and in 2010 founded a ground-breaking new safety program based on CSA Z1000. A visionary, Lauren is always keeping ahead of the curve and developing new ways to help keep workers safe while addressing the needs of employers. Lauren is a regular speaker at safety conferences and is a regular contributor to trade journals and magazines across Canada. She is a board member of the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering.

Lauren graduated from St. Lawrence with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and government, and was the President of the Irving Bacheller Society from 1982-84, and a member of ODK and the debate team.

David Scott '75

Consultant in the biotech industry

David Scott ’75 has enjoyed an international legal and business career for nearly 40 years. David now serves as a consultant to startup companies and large companies in the biotech industry. For 12 years he was senior vice president, general counsel, and secretary for Amgen Inc., a leading biotech company, where he oversaw the law organization and development of strategies to protect Amgen's intellectual property and maximize its opportunities to market products and serve patients.

Prior to joining Amgen, David served as senior vice president, general counsel and secretary for Medtronic Inc., where he oversaw legal, corporate development, government affairs, public relations, regulatory affairs and risk management. He was also general counsel of United Distillers & Vintners in London and served in senior executive roles at RJR Nabisco, Inc. and Grand Metropolitan plc. Before beginning his corporate career, David was a trial lawyer in private practice.

David graduated from St. Lawrence with a Bachelor of Arts degree in government, holds a JD degree from Cornell Law School, and is admitted to practice law in New York, California, and before the United States Supreme Court. While at St. Lawrence he wrote for The Hill News, was a member of the Laurentian Singers and a teaching assistant for the Government Department.