Leadership

Zach Paine is a Finance major and Chief Investment Officer of the Cougar Fund at CSUSM, where he leads portfolio strategy and collaborates with Portfolio Managers, Analysts, and executive leadership on valuation modeling, investment recommendations, and overall program development. He previously worked in luxury hospitality, developing the ability to perform under pressure while serving ultra-high-net-worth individuals. He is interested in analytical, deal-oriented roles and investment strategy. In his free time, he enjoys surfing, playing guitar, and going to the gym.

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Matthew Arguello is a fourth-year economics major at CSUSM. He specializes in analyzing macroeconomic trends and Federal Reserve policy to inform investment strategy and support economic education initiatives. Matthew is passionate about economic policy, research, and financial markets and plans to pursue a career in policy-focused economics or attend law school. Outside of school, he enjoys chess, learning about history, and spending time with family.

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Aarzoo Batra is a fourth year at CSUSM, majoring in Marketing and minoring in Political Science. She serves as the Chief Marketing Officer of The Cougar Fund, where she oversees the fund's marketing initiatives, social media presence, and promotional strategies. In addition to her role at The Cougar Fund, Aarzoo serves as the Director of External Relations for the CSUSM Marketing Society, where she focuses on building professional connections and coordinating guest speaker opportunities. Last spring, she completed a marketing internship at NetoAI, where she gained experience in competitive research, market analysis, and developing marketing strategies within the artificial intelligence industry. Her professional interests include marketing strategy, AI governance, and the intersection of technology, business, and policy. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with friends, trying new coffee shops, and staying active.

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Avalon Ferrea is a senior finance student at CSUSM and serves as Chief Operating Officer of the Cougar Fund. In her role, she oversees internal communication, fund organization, and operations. This is Avalon’s third semester in the Cougar Fund, having previously served two semesters as an analyst. Over the summer, she volunteered as a Financial Readiness Program Support Assistant at Fort Huachuca, where she worked under an Accredited Financial Counselor and assisted soldiers with debt repayment plans, wealth-building strategies, and personal finance workshops. Avalon hopes to pursue a career in financial analysis. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, knitting, and reading.

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Trevor is a Finance major and the Portfolio Manager for the Energy and Utilities sector. In this role, he directs equity research and oversees valuation models to identify strategic opportunities for the fund. Leveraging his extensive client service experience at Del Mar Country Club, he intends to pursue a career in Wealth Management, combining his financial expertise with relationship building. In his downtime, you can find him on the golf course or watching the Padres play.

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Andre is a senior finance major at CSUSM with a strong interest in trading and the financial markets. Before CSUSM, he worked K9 detection at the Wynn, delivering Forbes Five-Star service and keeping all assets safe one sniff at a time in a setting measured against hundreds of objective standards. The role built his discipline, composure, and judgment under pressure.

In his final year, he leads the fund's analysts and enjoys managing projects from research through recommendation. Outside the fund, he's usually walking his dog or starting another side project with AI and ML.

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Parker is a junior finance major at CSUSM and the Portfolio manager for the Industrials and Materials Sector. His interest in investing grew from managing his own portfolio, and he hopes to one day become a professional portfolio manager/ financial advisor. Parker is driven by a desire to help people build financial security, and he hopes to use his skills to make a real difference in others' financial lives. Outside of school, he loves watching sports, hanging out with friends, and going on adventures.

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I am a Finance major and Portfolio Manager for the Healthcare sector at the Cougar Fund. I spent last semester (Spring 2026) as an analyst in Healthcare, so it’s a nice change of pace to provide my analysts with the breadth of knowledge I acquired. My interest in finance has been acquired over my time at CSUSM, with investment analysis and risk management courses taking my interest. Outside of class, I spend my time running, making music/playing instruments and being at home with my dog.

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I am a finance major, and the Portfolio Manager for the Information and Technology sector. I was formerly an analyst for the Healthcare sector and spent my summer working as a Finance intern for a non-profit healthcare organization in Juneau, Alaska. My interest in financial analysis stemmed from a Highschool AP macroeconomics class and has only continued to grow as I’ve gotten further into school. And I hope one day to use my skills to make a meaningful impact in the finance world. Outside of school, I love to run, fish, watch sports, and cook.

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Franco Ausano is a senior finance major at Cal State San Marcos. His interest in finance grew out of his experience with entrepreneurship and personal investing. Before joining the fixed income team, he served as portfolio manager for the healthcare sector, where he sharpened his investment analysis and presentation skills. He continues to build on that foundation as a participant in the CFA Institute Research Challenge.

Franco hopes to apply his education to helping firms with capital structuring, and to helping individuals improve their financial literacy. Outside of school, he enjoys playing soccer, building his Python and Excel skills, and analyzing sports and players. He values family first, followed by personal reflection and his studies.

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Matthew is a third-year Finance student at California State University San Marcos. Through his experience in the Cougar Fund, he has developed a strong interest in pursuing a career as an equity analyst after graduation. He also plans to earn his CFP designation to further his expertise, with the long-term goal of becoming an asset manager. Outside of school, he enjoys watching baseball and spending time with his three dogs.

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