LAURA M. ZAKI, MBA

ac524d@r.postjobfree.com • 561-***-**** cell • 18350 N. 32nd Street Apt 188 Phoenix, Arizona 85032

Boca Raton address: 7738 Lakeside Drive, Boca Raton, Florida 33434

EXPERIENCE

DISCOVER FINANCIAL SERVICES – Phoenix, AZ April 2018 – Present

STUDENT LOAN ASSOCIATE

Handle all aspects of incoming student loan requests. Assist students with applying for student loans to meet educational requirements. Provide high level customer service consistent with Discover standards.

PEACE LOVE HOPE FOUNDATION – Boca Raton, FL, Phoenix Arizona August 2016 – Present

FOUNDER, DIRECTOR OF PHILANTHROPY

Advocate and fund projects for the under-represented members of our global family. Connect the world through peaceful means. Fundraise through networking and social media. Organize fundraising and charitable events.

INTERMARKET CORPORATION – New York, NY, Boca Raton, FL October 1995-March 2017

CONTROLLER

Daily management of all trading operations, settlements, fund accounting and financial reporting.

Development and implementation of accounting policies, procedures and controls.

Reviewed SEC and offshore regulatory compliance related issues and prepare reports.

Performed internal audits and work with external auditors (Ernst & Young), in addition to budgeting, cash management and financial reporting, including month-end closings and Net Asset Value (NAV) calculations.

Managed and analyzed structural details of investment related bankruptcy liquidations and reorganizations.

Created and developed a new valuation committee to review hard to price alternative investment assets.

Reviewed monthly portfolio pricing and provided input to valuation committee member.

Monitored hedge fund currency exposure, executed spot and forward transactions.

Performed daily monitoring of firm-wide cash positions and performed signatory function for wire transfer approvals.

Worked with traders and the firm’s principal partners to enhance investment performance values.

Provided investment and compliance information to the funds’ investors and partners; meet key institutional investors, high net worth individuals and fund managers to discuss investment strategies and due diligence proceedings.

Developed strong working relationships with JP Morgan Hedge Fund Services and JPM prime broker teams,

including hedge fund administration, financial reporting and accounting teams. Reviewed US GAAP financial

statements and Advent-Geneva accounting reports. Oversee fund accounting management

Accomplishments

Reduced monthly closing reports completion time from 4 business days to 2

Cost savings to the company in enhanced analysis of transaction settlements approximately $100k per year

Handled over 1,000 investment transactions, including numerous cross border transactions.

Consistently exceeded General Partners’ expectations, replaced founding General Partner’s role in the firm

Initiation of valuation committee, created and implemented policies and procedures to improve monthly valuations

Significantly improved operational risk management procedures and internal audit best practices

BEAR, STEARNS & CO., NEW YORK, NY 1993 – 1995

Sales & Trading Manager - High Yield Trading Desk

• Closed distressed loans on this high volume trading desk and managed equity/debt settlements with foreign and domestic banks and investment funds.

• Increased trading activities by utilizing multilingual skills to source business opportunities with European financial institutions.

• Monitored firm’s bank loan positions, in addition to investigating and resolving trade discrepancies.

BANCA COMMERCIALE ITALIANA, NEW YORK, NY 1992 – 1993

Sales Assistant - Capital Markets Division

• Assisted President, traders, and Controller of broker/dealer subsidiary of this major Italian bank.

• Worked with offshore clients and overseas branches on debt and equity trades and verified trade reports.

• Translated reports from Italian to English.

EDUCATION:

FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY, BOCA RATON, FL, 2011

Master of Business Administration GPA: 3.823

NEW YORK UNIVERSITY, NEW YORK, NY 1992

Master of Arts degree Major: International Politics

UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, RICHMOND, VA 1988

Bachelor of Arts Degree Cum Laude

Major: Psychology, Foreign Languages Honors: Psi Chi Honor Society; Kappa Alpha Theta Sorority

• Italian Language Department Student Teacher, Radio show host (Jazz program)

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS: Hedge Fund Business Operations Association, 100 Women in Hedge Funds, previously Series 7 licensed at broker/dealer firm, Palm Beach Hedge Fund Association

NON PROFIT VOLUNTEER WORK

Junior League of Boca Raton, Fundraising Manager, Community Garden chair; Horses Help Phoenix, Coach and Horse Handler; Phoenix Rescue Mission, food bank and food service volunteer, Foothills Animal Rescue, Phoenix

LANGUAGE SKILLS:

Multilingual expertise with fluency in written and spoken Italian and excellent comprehension of business French, Spanish with working knowledge of Arabic.

ASSOCIATIONS/EVENTS: Cub scouts and Girl Scout leader, SABR Soccer coach, PTA, women’s networking group leader, Junior League of Boca Raton, Boca Raton Community Fundraising & Events Manager

PROFESSIONAL SKILLS & ASSETS

APPLICATIONS: Microsoft Office 2003/2007/2010 (Word/PowerPoint/ /Outlook /Excel), Quick Books, some HTML and website building experience, Bloomberg, experienced real estate investor

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