Virtual Career Day, actual career experts
Career Day is always an exciting event at Mayfield, and this year’s was even more so. For our first Virtual Alumnae Career Day, we welcomed almost 60 alum professionals—more than double last year's number!—to talk about their work in the arts, business, engineering, entertainment, media/journalism, law, marketing/communications, health/medicine, and psychology. (Scroll down to see the full list.)
“This was my first time attending a career day,” says ASB President Mariana Trujillo ’21. “So I really did not know what to expect.” But she found the event enthralling. “It’s truly crazy to think about how the alumni were once in my shoes. They were once stressing about an AP Government test or maybe running down the hill after school for a volleyball game. And now seeing how they are in the workforce exploring who they want to be and making a change in the world was truly inspiring.”
Our students had a chance to connect with everyone from a brand manager at Coca Cola to a pediatric cardiologist, from a reporter at the L.A. Times to a senior software systems engineer at JPL, from a communications director at the U.S. House of Representatives to a federal prosecutor at the Justice Department. Students got answers to their burning questions, and learned about the expansive job opportunities there are for Mayfield grads.
“It is always so refreshing hearing about personal experiences from our alums regarding their different fields of expertise,” says Courtney Gangi ‘21. “Rather than reciting basic facts about each of their career paths, I have noticed that every Career Day, the alums are very honest with us about their work, and are always enthusiastic about answering students' questions—no matter how vague or specific!”
And the alums who participated were just as enthusiastic as the students. “It was an amazing career day and so great to connect with fellow alums from around the world,” says Gerianne Sarte ‘90, who served as the moderator on the business panel. “I was so proud of the accomplishments of the alumnae on the panels and their passion for developing the next generation of Mayfield leaders. A Mayfield education is clearly an amazing foundation for women of all walks of life to succeed.”
And Alexandra Badie ‘14, who served as the moderator on the marketing and communications panel, was deeply impressed both by the conversation between alums and students on her panel and on other panels she attended as well. “The soft skills and personal development Mayfield taught [alums] have allowed them to build impressive careers and become strong leaders,” she says. “It was incredible to see this consistent pattern of strong female leaders who aren't afraid to be who they are.”
All in all, our Virtual Career Day on Zoom was an unmitigated success, which will forever change the way we approach this important alum mentoring opportunity. “With this event being virtual, it has completely changed the way we'll hold this event in the future,” says Director of Alumnae Engagement Nicole Cosand Burcham. “When we're back in person, Career Day will be hybrid so we'll be able to include alums from coast to coast and beyond!”
And Alexandra Badie ‘14, who served as the moderator on the marketing and communications panel, was deeply impressed both by the conversation between alums and students on her panel and on other panels she attended as well. “The soft skills and personal development Mayfield taught [alums] have allowed them to build impressive careers and become strong leaders,” she says. “It was incredible to see this consistent pattern of strong female leaders who aren't afraid to be who they are.”
All in all, our Virtual Career Day on Zoom was an unmitigated success, which will forever change the way we approach this important alum mentoring opportunity. “With this event being virtual, it has completely changed the way we'll hold this event in the future,” says Director of Alumnae Engagement Nicole Cosand Burcham. “When we're back in person, Career Day will be hybrid so we'll be able to include alums from coast to coast and beyond!”
We are so grateful to these alumnae moderators and panelists for sharing their working-world wisdom with our students:
Art Panel
Moderator: Allison Burns Gadberry ’06
Mayen Ortega Alcantara ’91
Senior Manager Transportation Planning - Arts & Design
LA Metro
Lindsey Hansen ’04
Assistant Exhibition Coordinator
The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens
Jaimie Milner ’06
Founder / Creator
Gifted
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Business Panel
Moderator: Gerianne Sarte ’90
Amber Berrios ’07
Vice President, Capital Markets
Majestic Realty Co.
Alex Eisele ’14
Senior Associate - Audit
KPMG LLP
Allison McGuire ’05
Creator & CEO
The McGuire Method
Madisyn Spence ’10
Business Manager
ING (formerly JP Morgan Chase)
Shannon Thoke ’94
Leader, Customer Solutions & Owner
Amazon Web Services/Harper Properties, Inc.
Amy Vergel de Dios ’08
Manager, Business Operations & Strategy
Tubi
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Engineering Panel
Moderator: Anne Emerson Leak ’04
Moderator: Allison Burns Gadberry ’06
Mayen Ortega Alcantara ’91
Senior Manager Transportation Planning - Arts & Design
LA Metro
Lindsey Hansen ’04
Assistant Exhibition Coordinator
The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens
Jaimie Milner ’06
Founder / Creator
Gifted
............................................................
Business Panel
Moderator: Gerianne Sarte ’90
Amber Berrios ’07
Vice President, Capital Markets
Majestic Realty Co.
Alex Eisele ’14
Senior Associate - Audit
KPMG LLP
Allison McGuire ’05
Creator & CEO
The McGuire Method
Madisyn Spence ’10
Business Manager
ING (formerly JP Morgan Chase)
Shannon Thoke ’94
Leader, Customer Solutions & Owner
Amazon Web Services/Harper Properties, Inc.
Amy Vergel de Dios ’08
Manager, Business Operations & Strategy
Tubi
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Engineering Panel
Moderator: Anne Emerson Leak ’04
Glenn Carroll ’06
Director, Engineering Project Management
Natera
Anna Losorelli Hoyer ’07
Sr Principal Systems Engineer
Northrop Grumman
Lindsay Ladd ’14
Spacecraft Propulsion Engineer
Boeing
Monica Jacinto ’83
Technical Fellow
Aerojet Rocketdyne
Julia Wagner ’07
Senior Software Systems Engineer
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
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Entertainment Panel
Moderator: Giana Korth ’06
Kristin Elshout ’01
Set Designer
IATSE Local 44
Julia Flores-Watroba ’83
Owner
Flores Casting and Behind the Table with Julia
Gretchen Midgley ’11
Theatre Teacher, Bandleader/Singer, Playwright
Bishop O’Connell High School, Gretchen and the Sidecar Six
Desma Murphy ’87
Freelance Production Designer/Art Director
Danielle Suarez ’06
Executive Producer
Viacom
Katie Symes Summers ’06
Associate Producer
NZK Productions - The Bachelor Franchise
Kim Tamny ’85
Director of Operations and Awards Logistics
Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences
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Media/Journalism Panel
Moderator: Lauren Marks ’98
Executive Producer
Viacom
Katie Symes Summers ’06
Associate Producer
NZK Productions - The Bachelor Franchise
Kim Tamny ’85
Director of Operations and Awards Logistics
Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences
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Media/Journalism Panel
Moderator: Lauren Marks ’98
Kathleen Floyd ’14
Publicist
The Washington Post
Jenn Harris ’03
Senior Food writer, video host and producer
Los Angeles Times
Pema Levy ’05
Reporter
Mother Jones
Sloane Martin ’07
Play-by-play broadcaster for the Minnesota Lynx. Reporter/anchor for WCCO Radio WCCO Radio
Nancy Hertel Parode ’80
Tutor/Essay Coach/Freelance Writer
Charm City Writing Associates, LLC
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Law Panel
Moderator: Carrie Fogliani Richards ’93
Colette LeBon Coles ’03
In-house employment lawyer
Visa Inc. Counsel
Dr. Erin Moore ’69
Professor of Anthropology (Medical/legal Anthropology)
University of Southern California
Gail O’Rane ’90
Superior Court Judge - County of Riverside
State of California
Anne Pings ’81
Federal Prosecutor and Congressional Affairs
Department of Justice
Cassandra Feliciano Wilkins ’07
Second-Year Student (2L)
Santa Clara University School of Law
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Marketing & Communications Panel
Moderator: Alexandra Badie ’14
Felicia Martinez Fierro ’06
Communications Consultant
Irvine Company
Emily Osterkamp Murphy ’06
Market Manager - Southern California
Laurent-Perrier US
Debra Origel ’05
Brand Manager
The Coca-Cola Company
Elisabeth Frank Rosenson ’94
Senior Project Coordinator
Arellano Associates
Alana Victor ’12
PR Manager
VIPKid
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Health & Medicine Panel
Moderator: Raquel Apodaca ’87
Isabella Daher ’14
3rd year Doctor of Pharmacy student
Currently a Pharmacy Intern
Rosemarie Bustos Diaz ’90
Emergency Medicine Physician
University of Michigan
Sylvana Hidalgo ’05
Pediatric Cardiologist
Harbor-UCLA Medical Center
Kristin De Surra Muirhead ’03
Occupational Therapist
Pasadena Unified School District
Moderator: Raquel Apodaca ’87
Isabella Daher ’14
3rd year Doctor of Pharmacy student
Currently a Pharmacy Intern
Rosemarie Bustos Diaz ’90
Emergency Medicine Physician
University of Michigan
Sylvana Hidalgo ’05
Pediatric Cardiologist
Harbor-UCLA Medical Center
Kristin De Surra Muirhead ’03
Occupational Therapist
Pasadena Unified School District
Jenny Wilson Nieters ’90
Doctor of Acupuncture and Team Acupuncturist for the San Francisco 49ers
Lauren Quezada ’04
PhD Candidate - Immunology
University of California, San Diego
Phoebedel Reyes ’10
RN & Nurse Practitioner
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Politics Panel
Moderator: Betsy Sinclair ’98
Claire Courtney ’16
Organizer
United Food and Commercial Workers Local 5 (Bay Area)
Pema Levy ’05
Reporter
Mother Jones
Katherine Sears ’10
Communications Director
U.S. House of Representatives
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Psychology Panel
Moderator: Angela Howell ’76
Vicki Chiang ’96
Clinical Director of the Child and Adolescent Specialty Practice
Institute for Girls' Development
Helena Garcia ’12
Mental Health Therapist
The Village Family Services
Jessica Harris ’05
Regional Director of Operations Los Angeles Area & Director of Program Growth Eating Disorder Division
Center for Discovery
Sara Krasner ’06
Psychology Postdoctoral Resident
US Dept. of Veteran Affairs
Doctor of Acupuncture and Team Acupuncturist for the San Francisco 49ers
Lauren Quezada ’04
PhD Candidate - Immunology
University of California, San Diego
Phoebedel Reyes ’10
RN & Nurse Practitioner
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Politics Panel
Moderator: Betsy Sinclair ’98
Claire Courtney ’16
Organizer
United Food and Commercial Workers Local 5 (Bay Area)
Pema Levy ’05
Reporter
Mother Jones
Katherine Sears ’10
Communications Director
U.S. House of Representatives
............................................................
Psychology Panel
Moderator: Angela Howell ’76
Vicki Chiang ’96
Clinical Director of the Child and Adolescent Specialty Practice
Institute for Girls' Development
Helena Garcia ’12
Mental Health Therapist
The Village Family Services
Jessica Harris ’05
Regional Director of Operations Los Angeles Area & Director of Program Growth Eating Disorder Division
Center for Discovery
Sara Krasner ’06
Psychology Postdoctoral Resident
US Dept. of Veteran Affairs
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Established in 1931, Mayfield Senior School in Pasadena, CA is a Catholic, independent, college preparatory school for young women grades 9-12. Noted for its rigorous academic program, which includes 28 Advanced Placement and Honors courses, Mayfield’s curriculum is underscored by a philosophy of educating the “whole child,” which also encourages commitment to and excellence in the arts, athletics, community service and spiritual growth. The nurturing environment at Mayfield Senior School allows each student to flourish in an atmosphere of personal attention.
