2018-2020 Career Pathways Conference Alumni Panelists
2020 Panels
Panel 1: Doctorates in the NonProfit World - The DC metro region has hundreds of “non-profits” focused on the arts and social issues. In addition, DC is the location of a plethora of national associations and “think tanks.” Are there some issues that you would love to apply your research, leadership and communication skills to for change? Learn more about what is like to work in the non-profit sector as compared to other industries.
Panelists:
Anya Fink (Research Analyst, CNA Corporation)
Jessica Bennett (Assistant Director of STEM Education, Association of Public and Land-grant Universities)
Katie White (Director of Social Action and English Faculty, Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart)
Kayla Valdes (Senior Program Manager-NIH/NHLBI Cure Sickle Cell)
Robin Bloodworth (Data Analyst, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute)
Panel 2: Research Careers Outside of Academia - Doctorates in all disciplines have honed strong research analytical and other transferable skills. But how are these used in the biotech, aerospace, technology, healthcare and education arenas? Learn more about how the skills developed during the doctoral experience translate to challenging careers outside of the academy.
Panelists:
Chandria Jones (Senior Study Director, Westat)
Haiqiu Huang (Scientist, Jecho Laboratories, Inc.)
Jennifer Guida (Postdoctoral Fellow, National Cancer Institute/National Institutes of Health)
Shayandev Sinha (Yield Engineer, Intel Corporation)
Sidra Montgomery (Senior Researcher, Insight Policy Research)
2019 Panels
Communication, Writing & Editing Careers - Graduate education provides research and analytical skills, as well as subject matter expertise, that can be vital preparation for a wide range of careers in communications, journalism and writing/editing.
Panelists:
Abby Robinson (Assistant Dean of Communications, CMNS-UMD)
Carol Corneilse (Principal, Good Hope Consulting)
Sarah (Ahlbrand) Ellinwood (Associate Analyst/Medical Writer, Verge Scientific Communications)
Stanley Dambroski (Public Affairs Specialist, National Science Foundation)
Scientific & Technical Career Pathways: So Many Possibilities - This panel includes a diverse mix of scientific and technical professionals and organizations. The tech and science world has opportunities for doctorates in a wide range of disciplines.
Panelists:
Amanda Forster (Materials Research Engineer, National Institute of Standards and Technology)
Anand Ramanathan (Data Scientist, Capital One)
Chandria Jones (Sr. Study Director, Westat)
Katrina Groth (Assistant Professor, University of Maryland, College Park)
Kenneth Bell (Manager of G&HES, Betchel Power Corporation)
Serving the Public Good in Social Justice Careers: Are you interested in using your knowledge and expertise to solve big complex issues threatening humanity? Hear how doctorates are out there tackling topics of national and international importance such as health, poverty, food and water security, education and equity.
Panelists:
Heather Creek (Manager, Survey Research Support, The Pew Charitable Trusts)
Kelly Quinn (Program Coordinator at Community Engagement Center, University of Maryland Baltimore)
Lauren Doamekpor (Senior Associate, Guidehouse)
Regina Davis Moss (Associate Executive Director, American Public Health Association)
Administrative Jobs in Higher Education - This panel will include various University Administrators, who will discuss their career paths from gaining the doctoral degree to entering into their current positions.
Panelists:
Beth Brittan-Powell (Director, Joint Research Collaborations-Division of Research, University of Maryland)
Darragh McNally (Assistant Vice Provost, UMUC Center for Innovation in Learning and Student Success)
Dave Eubanks (Associate Director, College Park Scholars)
Iadviga Zhelezinskaia (Geosciences Lab Manager, Montgomery College)
Professional Pathways in Non-Profit Agencies - A conversation with doctorates who are locally based in the Washington DC area and employed in interesting positions in government agencies and other non-profits.
Panelists:
Dennis Doster (Black History Program Manager, Prince George's County)
Phuong Hoang (Research Faculty, National Intelligence University)
Robin Bloodworth (Data Analyst, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute)
Tiffany Jones (Director of Higher Education Policy, Education Trust)
William Kenlon (District New Music Coalition)
Use Your PhD to Protect the World - From climate change to issues surrounding conflict and international security, this panel will discuss career paths and organizations that address these critical issues.
Panelists:
Crystal Upperman (Research Associate, Global Commission on Adaptation)
Kiersten Johnson (Monitoring and Evaluation Advisor, United States Agency for International Development-Bureau for Food Security)
Maira Bezerra (Associate Scientist, Conservation International)
Sue Lin (Director, Quality Division in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Health Resources and Services Administration)
Research Outside of Academia - Expand your knowledge about possible career paths and organizations that utilize those quantitative and qualitative research data collection and analysis skills you have developed during your doctoral education.
Panelists:
George Stantchev (Computational Scientist, Naval Research Laboratory)
Keisha Wilson McDowell (Principal Investigator/Engineering Consultant, DuPont Engineering Research & Technology)
Sarah Blankenship (SRCD/AAAS Policy Fellow, Administration for Children and Families)
Sidra Montgomery (Researcher, Insight Policy Research)
Stefanie Brodie (Transportation Planning and Policy Research Specialist, District Department of Transportation)
Faculty Jobs Beyond the Research University - Do you enjoy teaching at the university-level more than doing research? Learn more about teaching career paths other than tenure track R1 positions.
Panelists:
Dina Kurzweil (Director & Assistant Professor, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences)
Dylan Roby (Associate Professor & Associate Chair of Health Services Administration, UMD School of Public Health)
Ethan Eagle (Keystone Instructor, University of Maryland)
Pallavi Guha (Assistant Professor, Towson University)
2018 Panels
Arts & Humanities Work: Professional Pathways in Non-profit, Government Agencies and Contracting
Eileen Sellman, Goethe Institute
Claudia Kinkela, National Endowment for the Humanities
Sean Luechtefeld, American Network of Community Options and Resources
Putting your Teaching Skills to Good Use Outside of Academia
Jeremy Metz, The Potomac School
Scott Roberts, Teaching & Learning Transformation Center, UMD
Pallavi Guha, Philip Merrill College of Journalism, UMD
Kim Pinkney-Lewis, United States Department of Defense
Christine V. Jurasinski, LabLearner
Communication, Writing, & Editing Careers
Meg Eden Kuyatt, Association of Writers & Writing Programs
Martha Heil, Maryland Nano Center
Matthew Wright, College of Computer, Mathematical, & Natural Sciences, UMD
Deborah Bailin, General Dynamics Information Technology
Ask Us Anything: Advice & Networking Session with Alumni
Samuel Gordon, Medstar Health
Sarah Guille, Optimal Solutions Group LLC
Matthew Guidry, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (Retired)
Christopher King, School of Medicine, Georgetown University
Kent Hasperts, Institute for Defense Analyses
Research Outside Academia: STEM
Stefanie Brodie, District Department of Transportation
Jonathan Jacobs, Qiagen Bioinformatics
Ralph Schneider, National Nuclear Security Administration (Retired)
Tom Dang, Mid-Atlantic Kaiser Permanente
Doing Applied Research That Matters
Eva Sharma, Westat
Christopher King, School of Medicine, Georgetown University
Sarah Guile, Optimal Solutions Group LLC
Bob Gold, School of Public Health, UMD
Big Challenges, Big Ideas, and Serving the Public Good With a Graduate Degree
Brigid Cafferty, DC Public Schools
Richard Clinch, The Jacob France Institute, University of Baltimore
Laurelyn Foderaro, Citizenship and Immigration Services, Homeland Security
Jillien Meier, No Kid Hungry, Share Our Strength
Dylan Roby, School of Public Health, UMD
Ask Us Anything: Advice & Networking Session with Panelists and Alumni
Deborah Bailin, Bruk Berhane, Felipe Casarim, John Daves, Elizabeth Driver, Samuel Gordon, Matthew Guidry, Kent Hasperts, Claudia Kinkela, Sean Luechtefeld, Ceylon Mitchell II, Eileen Sellman, Judy Touchton, Matthew Wright
Scientific & Technical Career Pathways: So Many Possibilities
Brittany Amadi, WilmerHale Law Firm
Alyssa Brooks, National Institute of Health
Minze Chien, QSSI Inc.
Sunkist Mehta, Digital Infuzion
David Nahmias, US Food and Drug Administration, Health and Human Services
Protect the World: Environmental Policy, NGOs, and Conservation
Matt Gallagher, Anacostia Watershed Society
Astrid Caldas, Union of Concerned Scientists
Felipe Casarim, Winrock International
Ann Gallagher, National Park Service
Maira Bezerra, Conservation International
Administrative Jobs in Higher Ed: Using Leadership and Communication Skills
Bruk Berhane, A. James Clark School of Engineering, UMD
William Cohen, Office of the Provost, UMD
Elizabeth Driver, Maryland English Institute
Gaelle Kolb, Office of the Vice President for Research, UMD
Judy Touchton, American Council on Education (Retired)
Conversations about Workplace Diversity with Rita Leahy & Others
Rita Leahy, California Asphalt Pavement Association
Allyn Powell, University Career Center & The President's Promise
Pamela Allen, University Career Center & The President's Promise