Alumni Spotlight: Orly Silverstein ’15
Orly Silverstein ’15 is interested in information. She’s a problem solver, someone who likes investigating and uncovering truths, a foundational asset that seeded as an interest in history and war studies, and that has landed her as part of the Global Financial Crimes Division of Morgan Stanley.
“Heschel was where I discovered I love history,” Orly says. “Heschel teachers constantly encouraged asking questions and pursuing answers, which proved incredibly useful for the rest of my academic life.” This skill certainly proves itself useful in Orly’s work in financial crimes. Her ability to identify suspicious financial activities comes from the enduring question of where the money emanates from and where it is moving to and through.
After graduating Heschel, Orly went on KIVUNIM, which was the perfect combination of her two passions, Israel and travel. Following KIVUNIM, she attended Tulane University where she graduated with a degree in History. Knowing she wanted to live in Israel for a little while post grad, she decided to pursue her Master’s Degree at Reichman University (previously Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya [IDC Herzliya: המרכז הבינתחומי הרצליה]) in Counterterrorism and Homeland Security Studies with an additional certification in Cyber-Terrorism.
While the program was in English, Orly met students from around the world. “Everyone was incredibly interesting, and were all going back to work for their respective foreign governments.” She originally thought she wanted to do the same thing, but fell into the private sector, as the pandemic upended many professional disciplines. She began working at FTI Consulting, Inc. in their global risk investigations practice where she honed her skills at gathering information, working with licensed private investigators and achieving her certification as an Anti Money Laundering Specialist.
Armed with new certifications, Orly wanted to specify her career further—and, tying her interest in history and counterterrorism, landed in investigating financially-motivated crimes. “I’m always interested in where the money’s coming from, and many crimes, ranging from minor to the most severe, are either financially motivated or occurred as the result of illicit funds,” Orly says. Investigations in general is a small field, and she’s found kinship with people who do the same job at other large institutions. “It takes a certain inquisitive type of mind to want to consistently find and synthesize new information and leads.” She is also interested in learning more about the many efforts to make sharing intel across disciplines more accepted and encouraged.
“I always wanted to know more information and was always curious to find the answers,” she says, musing on her academic and professional trajectory. “And you have to be willing to find that information and then delineate what is useful versus not.” She credits Heschel, too, with her hardworking mentality and time management, skills that serve her in her career. For someone who follows leads and suspicious financial maneuvers, asking questions in pursuit of justice is invaluable. “Heschel fostered a feeling within us to never be satisfied with one answer or outlook, while creating a loving, and accepting environment that pushed our minds in the best way.”
