Class of 2016 Talks
A curated session featuring perspectives from a decade of life beyond the yard.
A Decade Later
One of the best parts of a reunion is the chance to hear what became of the people you once knew so well — and in many cases, those you never knew at all.
At Harvard, we were surrounded by people who were curious, ambitious, and endlessly interesting. Ten years later, those same classmates have gone on to build companies, change careers, raise families, pursue creative work, and navigate challenges that could not have been predicted at Commencement.
These short talks are an opportunity to learn from one another again. Each speaker will share something they have built, discovered, wrestled with, or come to understand over the past decade. Together, they offer a small window into the lives and lessons that have unfolded since graduation.
Nina Hooper
Harvard College AB ’16
Sydney, Australia · Director of Business Development, Interlune
“Selling the Moon”
In college, Nina concentrated in Astrophysics and wrote her thesis on asteroid mining and space resources. The pull of the commercial space sector took her to California for a Master's in Aerospace Engineering at Stanford and a first-hire role at Swarm Technologies in 2017. After Swarm was acquired by SpaceX in 2021, she returned to space resources, joining Interlune in late 2022. A fun, sharp look at what the space economy actually is, what people mean by lunar resources, and how something that sounds like science fiction starts becoming a business.
Frankie Zwick
Harvard College AB ’16
Livingston, Montana · Writer & Rancher
“Writing from the Edge”
Since graduation, Frankie has spent years ranching in remote places while pursuing creative writing — earning a master's and writing for television along the way. A short reflection on building a creative life outside the usual institutional path: what happens to your voice when you live far from the noise, and how isolation, land, and work shape story.
Roland Salatino
Harvard College AB ’16
Chicago, Illinois · Cofounder & COO, Inversa
“Solving Biodiversity with Capitalism”
Roland is the cofounder and COO of Inversa, a six-year-old startup creating markets for the consumption of invasive species. His talk makes the case for biodiversity and climate solutions that are driven by — not just compatible with — capitalism. He graduated from Harvard with a concentration in East Asian Studies (China focus) and a secondary in Economics.
Elizabeth Mahon
Harvard College AB ’16
Milton, Massachusetts · Data Team Manager & PhD, Psychology
“This Is the Way a Hermit Crab Changes Shells”
Liz is a constantly evolving hermit crab fascinated by how people think, grow, struggle, connect, and find meaning in the middle of pressure and change. Her PhD studied the relationship between stress, cognition, and resilience. Today she leads a data team on the belief that intelligence is measured by curiosity, emotional courage, and the willingness to care deeply — and that psychologically safe cultures are how people become the best they can be.
