Bob Carella and Adam Meshell focus on skills needed in a complex industry
June 2025 – Drew University alums Bob Carella C’07 and Adam Meshell C’08 have teamed up to teach a cryptocurrency class at their alma mater, bringing a wealth of industry experience to the next wave of finance professionals.
Carella has led national services teams at ADP and overseen global payroll and equity strategy at Sprinklr and Binance.US. He is the founder and CEO of BobFi and co-founder of LedgerAI, where his team is building at the intersection of AI and blockchain.
Meshell (left) and Carella with Ranger Bear
Meshell has built a successful career in financial services and technology, and is currently a partner at Ernst & Young, leading the firm’s U.S. KYC Technology practice and advising some of the largest financial institutions in the world on risk, compliance, and innovation.
In the first iteration of the course, the pair taught in the Caspersen School of Graduate Studies’ Master of Finance program.
They emphasized that they did not return to Drew just to lecture. They came to make the material real and pass on important lessons.
“We’ve both learned how to navigate change, scale teams, and drive meaningful outcomes, and the foundation for all of that was built at Drew,” said Carella. “It was here we learned to think with clarity, communicate with conviction, and, most importantly, understand the power of relationships in business and in life.”
Meshell echoed the importance of relationships, a lesson he learned as a student-athlete.
“As a member of Drew’s baseball team, the nerves of those initial days of college were eased by having a built-in set of teammates that formed a support system,” he said. “In my career, I have learned that relationships are critical and building a support structure both above and below is the only path to optimal success in the corporate world.”
Bob Carella Adam Meshell
Throughout the semester, the graduates-turned-professionals-turned-adjunct professors imparted wisdom gleaned from their experiences both at Drew and in their careers.
“One of the biggest lessons Drew taught me didn’t come from a textbook,” said Carella. “It came from showing up every day for a basketball team that won just two games during the 2005 season. That kind of season tests you. You face adversity head-on. You learn how to lead when there’s no scoreboard telling you you’re doing it right. And it stays with you. That experience taught me that failure is never the end. It’s part of the path. In life, the wins and losses are only wins and learning. That mentality now applies in business, in the classroom, and in every venture I’ve taken on since.”
The student-athlete alum tandem lauded the graduate students’ bold ideas, tough questions, and willingness to dive into a complex field.
“We wanted students to build, question, and create; to walk away from each session with something tangible and relevant, whether it was developing a token, breaking down the economics of a DeFi protocol, or debating the future of regulation,” said Carella. “Our goal is to simulate the pace and pressure of the real world. In a space as fast-moving and unpredictable as crypto, the biggest advantage is learning how to think critically and adapt quickly.”
In fall 2025, Carella and Meshell are opening the course to undergraduate finance majors and minors as well as graduate students.
“Drew has always been a place where different cultures, backgrounds, and perspectives are not only welcomed, but celebrated,” said Carella. “That spirit of curiosity, inclusion, and shared ambition makes The Forest such a powerful place to teach. There’s no place quite like it, and we’re honored to bring our experiences back to where it all began.”
