2026 Pathways to Success: Career Discovery Series

10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m., Public Sector Careers: Government, Policy, and International Affairs Panel

Register for Public Sector Careers: Government, Policy, and International Affairs Panel

Panelist Bios

Abby R. Goldman, Ph.D. ’18, is a research staff member at the Institute for Defense Analyses Science and Technology Policy Institute, where she conducts research on science and technology policy in support of U.S. federal decision-making. Her work spans emerging technologies, global competitiveness, STEM education, and workforce issues, and she also mentors early-career science policy fellows. She earned a doctorate in materials science from Cornell University.

Vernon C. Mitchell, Jr., Ph.D. ’14, is the director of the Civil Rights Enforcement Agency for the City of St. Louis and formerly served as the city’s chief equity and inclusion officer. He brings a background in American history and African American studies to address systemic challenges facing marginalized communities. He earned a doctorate in history from Cornell University.

Kiley Foster, Ph.D. ’20, is a government affairs professional and analyst with the city of San José’s Parks, Recreation, and Neighborhood Services department, supporting community-focused projects citywide. She previously worked with Utah’s Refugee Services Office and a tech education nonprofit after earning a doctorate in Near Eastern studies from Cornell University.

Cristina Fernandez-Baca, Ph.D. ’18, is a foreign affairs officer at the U.S. Department of State and a former AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellow. She previously worked as a research molecular biologist at the USDA Agricultural Research Service, where she studied plant-soil microbiome interactions, arsenic uptake in rice, and greenhouse gas emissions. Her background spans environmental engineering, molecular biology, and science policy, with experience in federal research, community-based environmental programs, and mentoring students. She earned a doctorate in civil and environmental engineering from Cornell University.

2:30 – 4 p.m., From Research to Real-World Impact: Science Careers in Industry Panel

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Panelist Bios

Christopher Wolyniak, Ph.D. ’06, leads the analytical chemistry R&D team for germ protection at Reckitt, supporting brands including Lysol, Finish, Harpic, and Dettol across teams in New Jersey and India. His team focuses on measurement techniques to understand product efficacy, stability, and quality, and they previously worked in pharmaceutical and personal care R&D. He earned a doctorate in analytical chemistry from Cornell University.
 
 
Stephanie Ropiak, Ph.D. ’18, is senior director of product research at Dairy Management Inc., supporting dairy foods innovation on behalf of U.S. dairy farmers. She previously worked in R&D at PepsiCo and Kraft Heinz and earned her doctorate in food science from Cornell University.
 
 
 
Michael Santiago, Ph.D. ’16, is the founder of FloraPulse, a company that developed sensor technology to directly measure tree water status for agricultural production. His work helps growers optimize irrigation for yield, quality, and water savings. He holds a doctorate in mechanical engineering from Cornell University.

Deanna Caputo, Ph.D. ’04, is chief scientist for insider threat research and solutions at MITRE and a principal behavioral psychologist specializing in judgment and decision making, human behavior, and cybersecurity. Her team uses behavioral science methodologies and analytics to reduce insider risk by analyzing how human behavior appears in cyber and noncyber data and by developing data-driven approaches to influence employee attitudes and behaviors. She is the author of “Insider Threats: Leveraging the Benefits of Behavioral Science Research” (2021) and holds a doctorate in social psychology from Cornell University.

5 – 6:30 p.m., Education, Teaching, and Academic-Adjacent Careers Panel

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Panelist Bios

Jessica Metzler, Ph.D. ’11, is director of online learning at Providence College, where she leads online and hybrid program development and digital learning strategy. She previously worked at Minerva Project and Brown University’s Sheridan Center and holds a doctorate in English from Cornell University.
 
 
 
Zachary Grobe, Ph.D. ’22, is assistant head of the English department at the Loomis Chaffee School, where he teaches junior and senior English and supports the Writing Initiatives Program. He earned his doctorate in English from Cornell University.

Francesca Bruno, Ph.D. ’19, is the Philadelphia impact director at 12+, where she leads college and career readiness programming for low-income and first-generation-to-college students. She has over 10 years of experience teaching, advising, and mentoring students across nonprofit, K–12, and higher education settings, including at the University of Pennsylvania, Cornell, and Penn State. She earned her doctorate in philosophy from Cornell University.

12:30 – 2 p.m., Using ImaginePhD to Explore Careers Beyond Academia for Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences Ph.D.s Workshop

Register for Using ImaginePhD to Explore Careers Beyond Academia for Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences Ph.D. Workshop

Tuesday, 2/3 @ 12:30 – 2 p.m., B15 Rockefeller Hall

Session Description

This interactive workshop introduces Ph.D. students in the arts, humanities, and social sciences to tools and strategies for exploring careers beyond tenure-track faculty positions. Participants will use ImaginePhD to reflect on their values, interests, and skills; identify potential career pathways; and learn how to translate academic experiences into language used in nonacademic job searches. The session emphasizes curiosity, reflection, and practical next steps.

Presenter

5 – 6:30 p.m., Transformative Careers in Social and Environmental Policy Panel

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Panelist Bios

Amelia Demery, Ph.D. ’23, is a program officer at Ocean Visions, where she leads and supports projects in ocean carbon dioxide removal, environmental justice, and coalition-building. She previously worked at the U.S. National Science Foundation coordinating interagency ocean science and policy initiatives. She earned her doctorate in ecology and evolutionary biology from Cornell University.

Colin Cepuran, Ph.D. ’20, is a senior researcher at Chapin Hall working on implementation and evaluation projects to support child welfare agencies using quantitative and geographic data. He holds a doctorate in government from Cornell University, with research focused on American politics and immigration policy.

Veronica O. Davis, M.R.P. ’03, is the U.S. vice president for planning, engagement, and urban design at AtkinsRéalis, bringing 25 years of experience in civil engineering and planning. Previously, she was the director for transportation and drainage operations for the city of Houston and co-founded Nspiregreen LLC. She also co-founded Black Women Bike (BWB) and represented Houston as vice president on the National Association of City Transportation Officials. She holds dual master’s degrees in engineering management and regional planning from Cornell University.

8:30 – 10 a.m., Global Careers at the Intersection of Business, Sustainability, and Equity Panel

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Panelist Bios

Hema Surendranathan, Ph.D. ’21, is a sustainability and ESG professional from Malaysia with experience across TMT, energy, and transport sectors. She holds a degree from Bryn Mawr College and doctorate in English language and literature from Cornell University.

Rachel Chang, Ph.D. ’25, is a business development manager at Biocytogen, where she serves as a bridge between science and business by building partnerships to advance medicine and accelerate therapeutic development. She is passionate about communicating science, building relationships, and empowering others — values shaped through her academic and research journey at Cornell. She holds a doctorate in biomedical and biological sciences from Cornell University.

Khyati Rathore, M.R.P. ’19, is an urban planner and architect specializing in climate change strategies, with over a decade of international experience. Her expertise encompasses urban planning, disaster risk management, and sustainable development. An accredited Indian Green Building Council professional and architect, Khyati is committed to advancing global climate resilience and sustainable urban development. She earned her bachelor of architecture from the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee and her master’s in regional planning from Cornell University.

Tristan Shepherd, Ph.D., is a climate research analyst within climate risk advisory at Aon UK. In his role he advocates for diligent use and responsible adoption of climate analytics while assisting the Aon global risk consulting team to deliver analytics product offerings to clients. He joined Aon in 2026 after three years with Fannie Mae in the climate impact team and five years of postdoctoral studies at Cornell. He earned his B.Sc. hons and M.Sc. in geography from the University of Canterbury and his Ph.D. in meteorology from the University of Melbourne.

11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m., How to Launch Your Global Social Impact Career Through Professional Fellowships Workshop with Vicki Johnson ’01, Ph.D.

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Session Description

ProFellow Founder and Cornell alum Vicki Johnson ’01, Ph.D., will present “How to Launch Your Global Social Impact Career Through Professional Fellowships.” This session is designed for graduate students and postdocs seeking paid, full-time professional fellowships and those curious about entrepreneurial pathways in the social impact space. During the session, attendees will learn:  

• what funded, merit-based professional fellowships are.

• how to find a wide range of professional and summer fellowships in fields like public policy, international affairs, journalism, sustainability, technology, social entrepreneurship, and more.

• key tips for the competitive application process.

• how fellowships can serve as stepping stones into mission-driven and entrepreneurial work.

• what “entrepreneurship” can look like beyond startups and patents—especially in public service, nonprofits, and social innovation.

Johnson is an alumna of the New York City Urban Fellows Program, the German Chancellor Fellowship, the Herbert Scoville Jr. Peace Fellowship, and the Ian Axford Fellowship in Public Policy (Fulbright New Zealand). She will discuss how fellowships helped her enter a unique international career in public health preparedness and public policy, and how professional fellowships can help you do the same!

Wednesday, 2/4 @ 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m., 102 Mann Library

1:30 – 3 p.m., From Ideas to Impact: Careers in UX, AI, and Entrepreneurship Panel

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Panelist Bios

Rod Recker, M.S. ’90, is a product and engineering executive with deep experience building and scaling interactive technology platforms and teams. He has served as CTO at The Glimpse Group, head of product at Alive Home 360, and led global innovation teams at Autodesk, driving product strategy, growth, and investment. He earned a master’s degree in computer graphics from Cornell University.

Malcolm Bare, Ph.D. ’21, is associate director of client solutions at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a technical product manager focused on enterprise AI and EdTech products. He works on delivering digital products that support students, staff, and faculty. He earned a doctorate in English language and literature from Cornell University.

Hakan Unsal, M.Eng. ’07, is the founder and CEO of Primerli, an industry-learning platform launched in 2019 to help professionals engage more effectively with clients across industries. He previously spent over a decade at BCG as a management consultant and in learning and development. He earned a doctorate in civil engineering from Columbia University and a M.Eng. in engineering management from Cornell University.

Naomi Enzinna, Ph.D. ’18, is a senior UX researcher and manager of UX research at UserTesting with over 12 years of experience conducting end-to-end qualitative and quantitative research across education, health care, technology, financial services, retail, and telecommunications. She specializes in accessibility UX research with work focused on identifying and addressing pain points for users with disabilities who rely on assistive technologies. Naomi holds a doctorate in linguistics from Cornell University.

6 – 7 p.m., Build a Flexible Mindset for your Career Journey Workshop

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Wednesday, 2/4 @ 6 – 7 p.m., 213 Kennedy Hall

Presenters

1 – 2:30 p.m., Applied Humanities and Social Sciences: Creative, Human-Centered Design, and Strategy Careers

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Panelists

Betty Hensellek, Ph.D. ’20, is currently a design lead at JPMorganChase. Previously she was at a Washington, D.C. design firm, Informed XP, where her team worked on projects for financial institutions and the federal government. Her first design role ‘beyond academia’ was at Xerox. Alongside her industry work, Betty also teaches art of the Silk Roads and Islamic art at the University of Cincinnati as an adjunct assistant professor. She holds a B.A. and B.F.A. from the University of Cincinnati, M.A. from New York University, and doctorate in art history from Cornell University.

Ruoji Tang, Ph.D. ’19, is senior marketing manager at Shovels.ai and was recently senior content marketing manager at Liftoff Mobile and a contributing editor for the Wall Street Journal’s China Magazine. Her first full-time position outside academia was a content marketer at Terra, a creative agency in New York. She holds a B.A. in English from UC Berkeley and a doctorate in English language and literature from Cornell.

Yagna Nag Chowdhuri, Ph.D. ’20, is a facilitator and evaluator who supports collaborative learning and organizational change through critical reflection and compassionate engagement. She draws on deep expertise in cultural studies and anthropology to navigate complex issues and foster cultures of learning. Her work bridges research, teaching, and social work to support community transformation and social justice. She holds an M.Phil. in Social Sciences from the Centre for Studies in Social Sciences, India, an M.S.W. from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, and a doctorate in Asian literature, religion, and culture from Cornell University.

Vincent Ialenti, Ph.D. ’17, is a cultural anthropologist specializing in environmental governance strategy and long-term institutional design. He served as a senior program manager in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy and, prior to that, was a MacArthur Assistant Research Professor at George Washington University and held fellowships at USC, the University of British Columbia, and Cornell’s Society for the Humanities. He is the author of “Deep Time Reckoning” and “Longstorming” (forthcoming), with writing appearing in several news outlets. He holds a doctorate from Cornell University.

5 – 6 p.m., Keynote: Why You? How to Nail the Most Pressing Question of Your Career with Vicki Johnson ’01, Ph.D.

120 Physical Sciences Building

Register for Why You? How to Nail the Most Pressing Question of Your Career Keynote

Session Description

The candidates who land dream opportunities and command their destiny aren’t necessarily the ones with the longest resumes—they’re the ones who can articulate a future vision so compelling that others want to be part of making it happen. As you stand at the threshold of your career, you can create something more powerful than experience: a vision for what’s possible. In this transformative keynote, ProFellow Founder and Cornellian Vicki Johnson ’01, Ph.D., reveals the storytelling framework that turns uncertainty into confidence and helps you claim opportunities you didn’t think were within reach. 

You’ll discover how to leverage the competitive advantages you already possess, why your future story matters more than your past credentials, and how to authentically answer the question that will define your career: “Why you?” This session will change how you see yourself—and how others see you too.

Key Takeaways: 

• The competitive edge you already have (and how to name it)

• How to create meaningful connections with selectors that inspire investment

• A proven framework for crafting your most compelling narrative

Following the keynote, stay for a live Q&A and an in-person book signing. As a special thank-you, the first 50 graduate students/postdocs who attend in person will receive a free copy of “Pitch Your Potential: The Formula to Win Selective Opportunities and Leverage Your Story for Success.” A virtual option will be provided for participants unable to attend on campus.

Speaker Bio

Vicki Johnson ’01, Ph.D., is founder and director of ProFellow®, the leading online resource for professional and academic fellowships. She is a Cornell Class of 2001 alumna (government, Arts & Science), a four-time fellow, a top Ph.D. scholar, and an award-winning social entrepreneur. She is the forthcoming author of the Wiley book “Pitch Your Potential: The Formula to Win Selective Opportunities and Leverage Your Story for Success.”

10 a.m. – 11 a.m., Grad Career Advisor Drop-Ins and Coffee at the Big Red Barn

Register for Grad Career Advisor Drop-Ins and Coffee

Drop in, ask questions, get support.

Stop by the Big Red Barn for informal drop-in hours and sip on coffee with the Careers Beyond Academia team. Bring questions, explore ideas, and get personalized guidance in a relaxed, supportive setting. 

3 – 4:30 p.m., Careers in Consulting, Strategy, and Organizational Effectiveness Panel

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Panelist Bios

Rick Wang, Ph.D. ’20, is a principal at the Boston Consulting Group working with pharma and medtech clients across R&D, commercial, and strategy topics. He earned a doctorate in biomedical engineering from Cornell University.

Vivian Rotenstein, Ph.D. ’21, is a litigation consultant at Blueprint Trial Consulting, where she supports attorneys through mock trials, focus groups, jury research, witness preparation, and trial strategy. She holds a doctorate in human development from Cornell University, with research focused on implicit bias, juror decision-making, and moral judgment.

Renny John, M.P.H. ’20, is a workplace wellness professional advancing equitable well-being across Northwell Health. As senior program manager on the TeamWell team, he supports the Western Market (18,000+ team members) and is part of a team supporting over 104,000 employees systemwide. He also serves as treasurer of the Cornell Black Alumni Association, supporting a network of 15,000+ alumni. He holds a master’s of public health from Cornell University and is pursuing a doctor of public health at Morgan State University.

Yawa Zewou, M.P.A. ’20, is an evaluation and validation people leader at Frontier Energy, where she focuses on building high‑performing teams, cultivating inclusive work cultures, and empowering individuals to do their best work. Before joining Frontier, Yawa served as a Workforce Development Program Specialist at the Manufacturer’s Association of Central New York (MACNY). She holds a bachelor’s degree in international relations from SUNY New Paltz and a master of public administration from Cornell University.