Strengthening the alumni network and financial literacy

Jeremiah DeNonno (MBA ’14) was over a decade into his career in global finance when he had an idea.

Well, his mom did.

Chatting on the phone one day, DeNonno’s mom asked him, “What do you know for certain in two years’ time?”

“I don’t know,” DeNonno replied. “What do I know for certain in two years?”

“You’re going to be two years older,” she said.

“Yes, I know this,” said DeNonno.

“Well, why not be two years older with an MBA?” she asked him.

That conversation inspired DeNonno to research MBA programs. He sought a program with academic rigor, a strong culture of principled leadership, and a collaborative environment with like-minded individuals who valued teamwork, integrity and long-term impact. Having worked in global finance for several years, he also wanted a school that could expand his strategic perspective.

Those principles led DeNonno to UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School’s Online MBA Program in 2012.

“What stood out immediately about UNC Kenan-Flagler was the culture, including highly accomplished professionals,” DeNonno says. “There were a bunch of CEOs, CFOs in the program. And there was always a genuine willingness for everybody to share ideas — we would challenge each other constructively.”

The coursework’s focus on case-based learning, group problem solving and strategic decision-making aided DeNonno in his day job, which he held throughout his online MBA studies.

DeNonno is still in close contact with his classmates at UNC Kenan-Flagler. And his positive experiences are a major reason he chose to serve as CEO of the UNC Kenan-Flagler NYC Alumni Chapter, a role he’s held since 2012. He even created an acronym for why prospective students should choose UNC Kenan-Flagler: BEN, with b for brand, e for education and n for network.

He leaned into all three in pursuing his degree while working full-time. “Whether it was leading technology transformation initiatives, managing complex stakeholder environments or evaluating risk, I was able to apply what I was learning in real time,” DeNonno says. “UNC Kenan-Flagler really helped me approach those situations with greater clarity and discipline.”

As a senior leader in global financial services at JP Morgan, much of DeNonno’s work involves driving complex enterprise-level programs, aligning stakeholders, improving efficiencies and building capabilities to support long-term growth. Across all those tenets, DeNonno applies the frameworks he learned at UNC Kenan-Flagler.

His UNC Kenan-Flagler experience also helped him realize another dream: to write a children’s book on financial literacy, which he published in early January 2026: “Get Your Game On: The Secrets of Smart Finance.”

DeNonno credits the book’s inspiration from the three most important women in his life: his mom, wife and sister. He began researching the book after watching his sister read to her 6-year-old son and thought, “Why not start reading to kids about financial literacy?”

The birth of his son continued that thought process for DeNonno, as did his drive to give back and offer guidance outside of career counseling and mentorship.

“The book is designed to help younger generations develop stronger decision-making skills about money and risk early,” DeNonno says. “A lot of adults today are not equipped with foundational knowledge. I thought, ‘How can I make that impact to children?’”

Learning financial literacy early and contextually — for example, for youth and teens, considering needs versus wants, was also inspired by the values he experienced at UNC Kenan-Flagler. DeNonno credits much of his coursework as being a driver and navigator — a “North Star” for the book itself.

With the book published, and DeNonno continuing his senior role at JP Morgan, he still devotes time to leading the NYC Alumni Chapter. He works in partnership with the UNC Kenan-Flagler Advancement team to organize events, such as speaker programs, and provide opportunities for alumni to stay connected and mentor each another.

“I’ve always believed that the strength of UNC Kenan-Flagler comes from the willingness of our alumni to really stay engaged and support one another,” he says. “It’s been super rewarding playing a role in our community.”

“I’ve always believed that the strength of UNC Kenan-Flagler comes from the willingness of our alumni to really stay engaged and support one another,” DeNonno says.

“I can see folks who I mentored 10 years ago, and where they are now, and some have surpassed me in a seniority perspective, and that actually makes me feel really good,” he says. He points to the growth of the program from a few events a year to a structured, formal event speaker series and leadership speaking across different sectors of the economy and industries.

He helps alumni in other cities create their own chapters. And he continues to look for ways to make a broader impact and give back to UNC Kenan-Flagler, which was formative in so many ways for him.

“The Online MBA Program does a fantastic job of making you feel a part of the community,” DeNonno says. “They have a remarkable way of inclusivity and engaging those students to feel like they’re part of the brick and mortar. They have the same professors, the same curriculum, same teachers, same network. All of that really helped drive some of the success and motivation for me.”

As did listening to his mom’s advice. As the old adage says, “Mother knows best.”