"The Apprentice:" Season 10
Age: 30
Hometown: San Francisco, Calif.
Background: Kuentzel received her Bachelor of Arts in political science from UCLA and her Juris Doctorate from the University of Chicago Law School. After working as a corporate attorney for a prestigious international law firm, she co-founded a mobile cupcake business in the San Francisco Bay Area. This entrepreneur is now ready to launch a more challenging and rewarding career.
RUNNER-UP: Clint Robertson
Age: 40
Hometown: Austin, Texas
Background: Robertson received a Bachelor of business administration in accounting from Texas Christian University and a Juris Doctorate in law from Southern Methodist University. He went on to be a successful certified public accountant, real estate attorney and developer to having an estate sale where he was forced to sell a large amount of his family's possessions due to the economy. Currently living off of credit, Robertson is also a strong believer in God and spends much of his free time with his wife of 18 years and their three boys.
Liza Mucheru-Wisner
Age: 30
Hometown: Corpus Christi, Texas
Background: Born in Kenya, Mucheru-Wisner was part of the Kenyan National Golf team and was recruited to play golf at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. She completed her education and received her Masters degree while simultaneously starting an educational technology company. However, her business venture fell victim to the recession and she is struggling to make it a success. Mucheru-Wisner, now a wife and mother of two, works hard to stay connected with her family in Kenya and Ireland and is looking for opportunities to grow and expand her business.
Stephanie Castagnier
Age: 34
Hometown:Chicago, Ill.
Background: Born and raised in Montreal, she has been a fighter since a very young age. Having both her parents pass away from AIDS when she was only a teenager, Castagnier started her career by putting herself through college at McGill University while working full time. Since then, she has worked as a commercial banker, at which she found success at a young age, and was ranked among the top commercial lenders in the country for several years running. After being directly impacted by the effects of the recession in the financial sector, she is looking to take control of her life and be proactive in her career.
Poppy Carlig
Age:/ 24
Hometown: Richmond, Calif.
Background: Carlig is a recent Stanford graduate, who has a Bachelor of Arts in human biology and Master's in sociology, and a competitive synchronized swimmer. She hasn't been able to secure a full-time job in her chosen field, and now lives with her parents and works as a part-time caretaker for her grandmother.
Anand Vasudev
Age: 31
Hometown: New York City
Background: Vasudev worked for a lucrative private firm managing several large multi-million dollar real estate investments. The successful Emory University graduate thought he was "indispensable" to his firm because of the high level of expertise he had developed over the years. His eventual layoff came as a huge shock, yet was very motivating. In the face of adversity, Anand followed his dream and moved to New York City, where today he is a struggling entrepreneur trying to launch an innovative new vitamin-infused wine company, while still also looking to get involved in media and entertainment business.
David Johnson
Age: 34
Hometown: Portage, Mich.
Background: A Navy veteran, part-time stand-up comedian and once successful account manager, Johnson married his high school sweetheart and is father to five children. He once had two houses and could buy his family whatever they desired.In today's recession, he has become an unemployed family man who can't pay his mortgage and is determined to prove to his children that he is still a great provider.
Mahsa Saeidi-Azcuy
Age: 29
Hometown: Brooklyn, N.Y.
Background: Saeidi-Azcuy works as an Assistant District Attorney in Brooklyn, N.Y., and is the host of two web-shows on the side. Dealing with the financial pressures of being the sole breadwinner in her family, Saeidi-Azcuy has gained personal strength in this economic downturn. Before receiving her J.D. at Brooklyn Law School, she studied biology at the University of Virginia and film at the New York Film Academy. She passionately fights to promote justice and is obsessed with beauty, hair and style secrets.
Kelly Smith Beaty
Age: 30
Hometown: Fayetteville, Ga.
Background: She worked in the press office for the governor of Georgia and was previously employed in the Atlanta office of a global public relations firm, where she was laid off. Her expectation of purchasing her dream condo and car on her 30th birthday was abandoned when she lost her job. She now lives with her parents.
Wade Hanson
Age: 33
Hometown: Woodbury, Minn.
Background:This self-taught real estate mogul spent 11 years honing his real estate skills. His career garnered him recognition as he was named one of the "Top 30 Realtors Under 30" in the country. A father of two, Hanson is an avid big-game hunter and golfer. He also loves serving as a coach for his daughter's ice hockey team. Hanson maintains a positive attitude and he insists he will bounce back from the recession because he is a winner.
Gene Folkes
Age: 31
Age: 46
Hometown: Wylie, Texas
Background: Folkes, who has a Bachelor of Science degree in business from Morris Brown College and served in the U.S. Air Force, previously worked at several high-profile financial companies as a financial adviser. After being laid off, Folkes tried to get his own assisted living facility off the ground while living off of his savings and retirement.
Tyana Alvarado
Age: 41
Hometown: Los Angeles
Background:She was a successful real estate agent prior to the recession. She currently holds the title of Miss Cougar California. During her time off last year, she took advantage of fulfilling some of her "bucket list" travel goals on the smallest of budgets.
James Weir
Age: 31
Hometown: New York City
Background: A Duke graduate who received his law degree from Georgetown, Weir was an associate at a world class law firm in New York City until he was laid off more than a year and a half ago. He went from successful attorney living in the West Village to unemployed couch surfer. Unable to find a new job, he spends his time volunteering in New York.
Alex Delgado
Age: 43
Hometown: Santa Ynez, Calif.
Background: A charismatic family man, Delgado has a background in mechanical engineering technology and worked as an inspector/materials testing technician. Due to the recent economic recession, he was laid off and began working as a tow-truck driver to make ends meet. Delgado describes himself as a man of many passions who has owned a car restoration company, overseen various million-dollar projects and played in a rock band.
Nicole Chiu
Age:27
Hometown: Palos Verdes, Calif.
Background:She graduated cum laude from the University of California, Irvine. She received her J.D. from Loyola Law School while holding the title of "Miss Los Angeles" and placing 4th runner-up at the Miss California USA 2008 Pageant (part of the Miss USA Pageant). Determined to use her brains and beauty, Chiu left her law firm job, where she was miserable as an attorney, to prove that the recession can't stop her from pursuing her dreams.
Steuart Martens
Hometown: Washington, D.C.
Background: Martens was once the successful owner of four companies. Unfortunately, as the economy took a downturn, he was forced to close down two of his companies and lay off his entire staff. A serial entrepreneur, he is always looking for the next big business opportunity. Martens attended Purdue University on a swimming scholarship and received a Bachelor of Science in business. He also made it to the Olympic trials for swimming and is heavily involved in D.C. government.