2026 Commencement Speakers

About CUNY BA's Alumni Speaker

Vasu Panicker is a turnaround and systems strategist who works on financially and operationally complex situations inside large, multi-layered institutions. These environments involve critical public services and multi-billion-dollar budgets, often serving millions of people. He traces how money and decisions move, identifies where they break down, and helps leaders act with clarity.

A native of New York City and proud product of its public school system, Vasu began his career as a musician, composer, and educator. He led a nationally recognized contemporary youth ensemble in NYC, where he expanded artistic programming and recruitment to reflect the cultural and creative tapestry of the city. His work focused on expanding young musicians’ engagement with—and understanding of—contemporary and experimental repertoire, particularly the work of living composers.

He helps large, public-serving organizations operate more coherently and deliver lasting outcomes.

Vasu serves on the Board of Directors of the Kronos Performing Arts Association and Kronos Quartet, where he chairs the Governance Committee and supports efforts to expand access to contemporary music and education for audiences around the world. He also maintains an active practice in music composition and production.

Vasu earned a B.S. in Contemporary Music Studies from the CUNY Baccalaureate for Unique and Interdisciplinary Studies in 2010, where he designed his degree around music and social systems. He earned an MBA from the University of California, Berkeley — Haas School of Business, where he pursued management consulting and conducted independent research examining how revenue is generated, structured, and sustained across creative and cultural industries.

He is also a certified yoga teacher and meditation instructor.