Chicago Event Alumni

Image of Shane Brazeal

Shane Brazeal (Guest Speaker)

Managing Director, KPMG
Computer Science BS, 2010

Hometown: Crown Point, IN
Years as a Working Professional: 16

Career Journey
Upon graduating from IU, Shane secured a job with a 20-person, Chicago-based consulting firm focused on IT service management, which had just partnered with a similarly small company called ServiceNow (founded by Fred Luddy). Shane was able to consult at Fortune 500 companies, advance to Chief Architect of the firm, assist in the sale of the company, and finally move into an operations role overseeing the global ServiceNow practice. He then went on to spend a couple years as acting CIO at a private equity firm that specialized in metal & manufacturing and brought in $1B in annual revenue. He returned to his passion of ServiceNow consulting and has been with KPMG for four years as a ServiceNow Certified Master Architect, where he supports several federal agencies to modernize and transform their IT landscape, driving efficiencies that ultimately enhance the capabilities and effectiveness of the warfighter.

Meaningful memory at Luddy
"After my first semester as a computer science student, I wasn’t sure I had made the right decision. That uncertainty changed during my second semester when I took a Java course with Professor Sabry. The class immediately clicked for me and confirmed that I was exactly where I belonged. Even today, I often think back to what I learned in that course and how those foundational concepts continue to be relevant in my work."

How Luddy prepared me for the future
"Luddy provided a strong foundation, not just in technical skills, but in learning how to learn. That ability has been critical throughout my career, as I’ve often been asked to step into unfamiliar areas and quickly build expertise. The problem-solving mindset and adaptability I developed through my classes have allowed me to grow into new roles with confidence. I also benefited greatly from the experiential learning and career preparation opportunities at Luddy. Attending career fairs early on—starting as a sophomore—was intimidating at first, but with each experience and the guidance I received from Career Services, particularly through resume feedback, I became more confident and prepared. By my senior year, that confidence translated directly into success and helped me secure my first job."

Joseph Bellahcen

Digital Design Engineer, NHanced Semiconductors
Intelligent Systems Engineering BS, 2023; MS, 2024

Hometown: Munster, IN
Years as a Working Professional: 1.5

Career Start
NHanced Semiconductors, Odon, IN
- Pre-silicon verification
- PCB (printed circuit board) design
- Embedded systems
- Digital design

Internship Experiences
- Embedded Engineering Intern at Shield AI in San Diego, CA
- FPGA Development Engineer at QuickLogic Corporation in San Jose, CA

IU and Luddy Involvements
- Luddy Living Learning Center resident freshman year
- RA (Resident Assistant) at McNutt and Teter Quads
- Conducted undergraduate and graduate research
- Developed rad-hard FPGAs (radiation-hardened Field Programmable Gate Arrays)

Meaningful memory at Luddy
"Being a member of the Luddy LLC's third cohort. I am still very close friends with a few peers and have traveled as far as Colorado to see them."

How Luddy prepared me for the future
"Luddy's promotion of [undergrad research opportunities] encouraged me to pursue research. The experiences I had working under Dr. Andrew Lukefahr transferred extremely well to the jobs I was applying for at the time. Luddy Career Services is also fabulous. I regularly met with Julia Newnum and other staff to review my resume, practice interviews, and gain insights while hunting for both internships and full-time roles."

Stephan French II

Tech Arch Analyst, Accenture
Computer Science BS, 2024; Information Systems MS, 2025

Hometown: Memphis, TN
Years as a Working Professional: 4 months

Career Start 
Accenture
- Technology and quality engineering professional
- Supports large-scale ERP transformations
- Assists with System Integration Testing, ensuring smooth enterprise platforms integration

Internship Experiences
- Technology Architecture Analyst Intern at Accenture in Chicago, IL (3rd summer internship with Accenture)
- Analytics Intern at SAS in Cary, NC

Meaningful memory at Luddy
"One memory I fondly remember from Luddy is being part of the Luddy Living Learning Center. Through this community, I was able to connect with like-minded freshmen who shared similar goals and interests. We supported one another both socially and academically, which was especially essential during a COVID-impacted freshman year."

How Luddy prepared me for the future
"Luddy offers a career-readiness course that equips students with essential skills for success in the job market, including interview preparation, LinkedIn development, and professional networking. In addition, Luddy hosts career fairs twice a year, providing students with direct access to career opportunities. To help students prepare, Career Services offers a range of workshops and sessions designed to ensure students are confident and ready to engage with employers."

Krish Mhatre

Manager - Cyber Defense & Engineering, PwC
Intelligent Systems Engineering BS, 2020; MS 2021

Hometown: Chicago, IL
Years as a Working Professional: 4.5

Career Start
PwC
- Identity and Access Management
- Identity Governance & Administration
- Privileged Access Management
- RBAC
- Secrets management
- Cloud access governance
- Strategy and implementation engagements for Fortune 500 clients
- Scalable, secure, and cloud-ready identity solutions that align technology with business needs
- AI for cybersecurity and cybersecurity for AI, helping organizations adopt AI securely

Internship Experience
- Machine Learning Intern at Hexaware Technologies in Mumbai, India

Meaningful memory at Luddy
"One of my favorite memories from IU was working on my undergraduate capstone project, where our team built a smart health monitoring system for firefighters. We used multiple sensors, lightweight communication technologies, and applied AI and machine learning to generate real-time health and safety alerts. What made the experience especially memorable was the hands-on support from faculty, who connected us with the Bloomington Fire Department for requirements gathering and real-world testing. It was incredibly rewarding to see our work used in a practical setting and gain industry-like experience within a supportive academic environment."

How Luddy prepared me for the future
"Luddy prepared me exceptionally well through a strong emphasis on hands-on, lab-based coursework and deep technical foundations. Courses in areas like the Internet of Things and wearable sensors gave us practical experience building real-world solutions, such as smart glasses for truck drivers that used miniature sensors to detect drowsiness and trigger alerts. Coursework went deep into the mathematics behind AI and machine learning, which has been a major advantage in my career. Understanding the underlying math—not just the implementation—has helped me design more effective, tailored solutions for clients. Supportive professors and experiential learning opportunities made the transition from academia to industry seamless."