Alumni

Alumna Emily Pruett, who received her bachelor’s degree in accounting in 2007 and her MBA in 2008, was recently promoted to partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLC. (PwC). She works in client services and in talent identification and development out of the international firm’s Nashville office.

“Without my education from—it wasn’t even called Collat then—the business school, there is no way that I would be where I am today,” she said. “The accounting program is what really set me up to be successful in taking the CPA exam, as well as helping me launch my career in public accounting. I always really felt like the professors did a great job of fostering the students to seek their goals. I always appreciated that.”

Shegun Otulana received his bachelor's degree in Management with a concentration in Management Information Systems from UAB in 2003. After receiving his degree, Shegun worked in the technology and consulting space for several years but ultimately his entrepreneurial spirit won out when he went full time in 2011 with his first computer software company, Zertis.

In 2013, Shegun founded TheraNest, an “all-in-one” practice management software for the mental and behavioral health industry. TheraNest ultimately became one brand within Therapy Brands, which Shegun founded in 2017 and served as CEO until 2020. In May of last year, Shegun sold Therapy Brands for $1.2 billion. Now, he has turned his focus to elevating local founders and supporting the Birmingham local startup scene with his new venture, Harmony Venture Labs. In 2019, Shegun received Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award in the Southeast Region.

Recently, Shegun and his wife Mary, also a Collat alum, gave $1 million to UAB endowing a scholarship supporting international and underrepresented students.