Who We Are

About
Us

The Executive Education courses offered by Make It Easy Academy are based on research carried out in 2023 to understand the challenges faced in USA by international professionals, students and trailing spouses. The research revealed a broad range of challenges from the time they started and over time build their life in USA.

Our
Purpose

Anuraag Maini left the Corporate Sector in 2023 and wanted to figure out a way to help international students and professionals in their journey in the US. While he had firsthand exposure to some of the challenges faced by them including his personal experience when he relocated with his family to the US, there was a need for deeper study.

With that in mind he interviewed foreigners in different visa categories in the US to understand their challenges. The research revealed multiple challenges and pain points:

1.Basic Needs: These impact all foreign students and professionals – Obtaining SSN, opening a Bank Account, obtaining a Credit Card, Housing decisions, Medical Insurance, Driver’s license, leasing a car etc. These can be very burdensome for those who are not exposed to the US system and regulations.

2.Navigating American Culture: How to understand, Interpret and thrive in American culture – what are the social norms and expectations on a day-to-day basis, In social and business settings. These are important for successful integration and success. Misreading cultural norms, miscommunication and missteps are embarrassing and costly.

3.Personal and Professional success: Building a successful career In the US – how to navigate the job market, show up on social media, job Interviews, present oneself well, communicate with confidence and impact, network, and lead In American Corporate environment. There were challenges In understanding Immigration rules and a path to financial health.

The Make It Easy Academy’s current focus Is on helping navigate American culture, and enable personal and professional success.

Meet the Team

Anuraag Maini

Founder – Make It Easy Academy

Anuraag Maini is a Global Human Professional, Executive Coach and Advisor with over 30 years of human resources leadership experience across international geographies and the US. He has broad experience in all aspects of Human Resources including working across cultures, developing and coaching talent around the world including CEOs and Leadership Teams. He along with his family moved to the US in 2013 and has personally experienced the challenges of being an international professional, and his and his family’s integration in the US.

Gurudas Sarkar

Program Coordinator – Make It Easy Academy

Gurudas successfully managed large IT Business Consulting /Solution/Services Engagements with more than 28 years’ of proven successes around pharmaceutical, life science and healthcare landscape. Led several successful Merger and Acquisition initiatives. Served as a member of the Board of Directors in leading corporations; Was a Member of Board of Governors of PDSIT, a School of Information Technology under Bengal Engineering College Deemed University, Strategic Advisors of Several IT Products and Services organizations and a thought Leader.

CARMELA O’FLAHERTY

Faculty

Carmela is a dynamic executive, leadership communication, team, and mental fitness coach, consultant, and facilitator with over 20 years of experience empowering clients to lead and communicate with clarity and impact. Passionate about working with the “hidden talent” in organizations—international and minority leaders—she specializes in helping individuals and global teams bridge cultural, linguistic, and stylistic divides, achieve peak performance, build strong alliances, resolve conflicts, and gain recognition while pursuing sustained career fulfillment.

Carmela’s journey across three continents and her diverse career and educational background—spanning music, international business, education, corporate training, consulting, and coaching—enable her to approach challenges with a broad perspective. Her clients feel comfortable sharing their experiences, including transitions, communication obstacles, conflicts, and the joy of transforming challenges into opportunities. She leverages her training with the NeuroLeadership Institute and Positive Intelligence/Mental Fitness frameworks to foster curiosity, dismantle limiting beliefs, and inspire a sense of agency.

Beyond her professional pursuits, Carmela is an advocate for social justice and environmental causes, a devoted dog “whisperer” (rescuing, rehabilitating, training, and, of course, spoiling her canine companions), a jewelry designer, a foster parent, and an active volunteer. She supports Ukrainian refugees in Poland, serves as Co-Director of Programming for ICF NJ, and contributes to various community organizations.

DIVYA MANCHANDA

Faculty

With over two decades of rich and diverse corporate experience, across industries and global/regional leadership roles, Divya brings a unique blend of depth and breadth to Coaching and Strategic HR and OD Consulting.

As a certified NLP practitioner, Advance and Systemic Team Coach, Associate Certified Coach (ACC) credentialed by International Coaching Federation (ICF) with a background in Physics and Human Resource and Org Development, Divya has been a trusted advisor to executives, a credible business partner, and an inspirational leader for her teams. Her strengths lie in being a subject matter expert, a coach, and a business partner who fosters purpose, clarity and accountability for a positive and lasting impact.

By weaving together her personal and professional experiences, Divya partners with organizations and individuals on a purpose driven quest to unlock their infinite potential, achieve sustainable growth, create a meaningful impact and lead fulfilling lives. She does that by co-creating impactful experiences around Leadership & Team Effectiveness, Integrated Talent Solutions, driving org transformation and change journeys for sustainable business growth, and Transformational coaching (individuals and teams).

ERIN BOKINA

Faculty

Erin works for Prudential Financial as the VP and Lead HR Business Partner for US Business Functions. She has over 25 years of rich HR experience across the US, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. Erin has guided both business and HR teams in dynamic international and domestic settings. This included developing and implementing leadership development and talent strategies across 12 diverse countries, playing a key role in mergers and acquisitions, and leading the people side of due diligence and integration in complex joint ventures.

Her expertise spans mature, high-growth, and startup environments, offering HR leadership and strategic advice in various business contexts.

JOHN HOM

Faculty

John Hom has over 30 years of global experience in strategy development, business transformation, executive team facilitation, sales force optimization, change management, innovation and executive coaching. He is currently Principal and Founder of JH Leadership and Business Transformation Consulting LLC.

Most recently, he spent 14 years at Prudential Financial where he was Vice President, Business Transformation for Prudential’s International Insurance (PII) group, which was the company’s largest business unit operating across 15 countries. In this role, he was responsible for multiple strategic initiatives such as the development and execution of PII’s multi-year Emerging Markets Growth Strategy. Before PII, John led Prudential’s internal consulting group focused on delivering change management solutions across the company.

John also spent over 20 years working at investment banking and external consulting firms. John was Senior Consultant at the Hay Group/Korn Ferry, a global management consulting firm, where he specialized in improving sales force performance for Fortune 500 companies. John was also SVP of Talent Management at Merrill Lynch / Bank of America where he was responsible for talent strategies for 11,000 employees around the world.

John graduated from Cornell University with a B.A. in Economics. He also holds an MBA in Finance and International Business Management from New York University’s Stern School of Business.

NYA PATEL

Faculty

Nya is the VP of Culture and Inclusion at Prudential Financial. Prior to this role, she led recruitment for Prudential’s Insurance companies in the U.S. She was also responsible for the company’s inclusive recruitment strategy and led the team responsible for building strong external partnerships, brand awareness, and equitable internal processes to attract top talent to the company.

Nya has her MBA from Boston College and began her career in Finance. She has held progressive roles in HR over the years and was voted “Top 50 Talent Acquisition Professional” in 2022. She has been published in Talent trends white paper and has assumed expanded responsibilities in the HR space over the years.

Nya grew up in the Boston area and is closely connected to her roots and Indian heritage. She has a busy household with two boys (17 and 19) and plays many roles at home including cheerleader, chef, chauffeur, and host. She enjoys traveling, painting, and spending time with loved ones.

Nya is a certified scuba diver.

RENU AHUJA

Faculty

Renu has worked with Fortune 500 companies globally over the last 25 years, focused on building meaningful business outcomes require innovative technologies, agility and a vibrant partner ecosystem.

She is passionate about growth – be it top line, brand or expansion in new geographies. she also believes in creating a sustainable growth engine requires highly committed teams who thrive in a positive culture. she has nurtured next generation digital leaders, with an obsession for customer satisfaction.

Renu served as a key leadership member for multiple global firms. Having worked in multiple industries and regions has armed her with key skills to be a strong change agent.

Her focus has always been on solving CXO challenges – be it increasing NPS & profitability, blended experiences or optimizations across the value chain. As a result, she created new businesses and helped turn around others, resulting in consistent double-digit growth across all her portfolios.

Renu’s current focus is to lead technology teams that provide end to end Insurance solutions to carriers and distributors. She is deeply committed to advancing D&I at scale and helping people become successful.

SONNYA KOURTEVA

Faculty

Sonnya is the founder of Emplified Solutions, a coaching and consulting firm dedicated to developing exceptional leaders and creating engaged, high-performing, and employee-centered workplace cultures that thrive through innovation, collaboration, and impact. As a leadership & transformation coach she partners with executives, professionals, and organizations to unlock potential, foster innovation, and drive meaningful change through talent development and organizational transformation.

Her coaching methodology is rooted in Applied Positive Psychology and The Mastery Method, leveraging its principles of awareness, acceptance, and aligned action. This holistic approach works across somatic, emotional, mental, behavioral, and unconscious levels, ensuring deep and lasting transformation. By integrating these methodologies, she helps leaders and professionals break through limitations, cultivate resilience, and align their actions with their highest potential.

VINCE VARALLO

Faculty

Vince helps people identify their unique communication strengths and challenges, so they can build confidence in their leadership communication skills. His keynote speeches, workshops, and coaching sessions receive high praise from KPMG, Prudential, EY, Bank of America, BMW, etc.

He is the co-author of Leading in English: How to Confidently Communicate and Inspire Others, an essential read for any professional working in English.

Vince created Mastering Clarity, Impact, Narrative (MCIN), a program that helps capture the essential learning skills needed for professionals working in a diverse linguistic and cultural setting.

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