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Ask Alumni

Ask Alumni | Live Panels, On-demand Webcasts

 
Meet OSU graduates who have been where you currently are, ask questions and learn from their experiences.

Accomplished Oregon State alumni want you to succeed in college and early professional years. Get school and career guidance directly from the source at these events designed to lay the groundwork for your success in the classroom and beyond.

Hear from and network with dynamic alumni who’ve been in the same place as you. Each event features an interactive panel, where you’ll learn about the early career paths of others who have experiences like yours. You’ll find support for your day-to-day college life and be prepared for what’s next with potential job opportunities and help finding references and mentors. Plus, grow your professional network of students and alumni. 

 

>> Careers that Impact Water & Ocean

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Ashley Hann, M.S. ’21, works as an interagency and international policy liaison with the oceanographer of the Navy through the NOAA Knauss Fellowship. While earning her master’s in marine resource management at Oregon State, Ashley focused on researching the use of autonomous systems to detect changes in Antarctic marine ecosystems, and spent three months in Antarctica as part of her research. She was also a 2019-20 Provost Distinguished Graduate Fellowship recipient. Before graduate school, Ashley worked as an outdoor educator. She aims to incorporate outreach and engagement into everything she does, especially if it means helping others connect with the ocean.

Ashley Peiffer, M.S. '21, has been with the Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) network of 11 Regional Associations, U.S. IOOS Program Office and IOOS Association for the past year, providing program development and strategic leadership in diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility initiatives through a DEIA Fellowship. Ashley earned a master’s degree in Marine Resource Management at Oregon State. Prior to OSU, she worked on science education, food security and gender equity issues as a Peace Corps volunteer in Tanzania.

E. Lynn Porta, M.S. ’21, is an energy and climate analyst at Concurrent Technologies Corporation, supporting the Department of the Air Force. She previously worked at the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission, supporting Northeast USA regional transboundary efforts to protect and improve the quality of source waters and integrate Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act programs at the state and federal levels. Lynn is one of the co-founders and current USA co-president of the North American Youth Parliament for Water, which she helped to found during her time at Oregon State University. NAYPW works to support the visibility and inclusion of youth and young professionals (ages 18-35) in water resource decision-making spaces across North America/Turtle Island, in support of the continent's progress to achieving SDG 6.

Since OSU, Nilza Sonam Chodon, M.S. ’20, has put her master's degree in physical oceanography to use through technical customer support at Sea-Bird Scientific (SBS), a leading developer and manufacturer of tools used by ocean researchers. Nilza focuses on answering instrumentation, instrumentation application and CTD data-related customer questions. Nilza's role at SBS encourages collaboration with different teams within the company to provide customers with the best user experience.

As a hydrologic technician for the U.S. Geological Survey, Ben Thorpe, ’13, measures streams in Southwestern Oregon. Prior to working for USGS, he was an SWR well inspector for Oregon Water Resources Department, where he collaborated with well drillers and landowners and offered insight into regional geology to ensure wells were in compliance with regulations.

 

>> Careers in Public Service

College of Liberal Arts

Panelists:
Rebecca Arce, MPP ’14, is an equity and inclusion specialist at the Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC). Growing up in an immigrant household, she was sold on the idea of education as the key to the American Dream. After taking a long educational journey, Rebecca wanted to work in state government and help break down the barriers that prevent people from achieving their goals. She has worked in the public sector for over 14 years, serving people at the Oregon Department of Human Services and working for a U.S. senator before landing at the HECC. 

Gretchen Becker, MPP ’16, is dedicated to improving state government by ensuring that government programs, and the agencies that administer them, meet public goals. She began her career as the Alaska higher education agency's research analyst, where she led early efforts to evaluate the state's merit scholarship program. She then joined a team of researchers supporting agency operations for Alaska's public assistance programs. She now works as a program evaluator at Minnesota's Office of the Legislative Auditor, where she has evaluated the state's emergency ambulance services system and the state's COVID-19 rental assistance program.
Misty Mason Freeman, MPP ’12, Ph.D. ’16, serves as the director of Oregon’s Legislative Policy and Research Office (LPRO). In her work, she leads a continuing staff of 50 and seasonal staff of 30 in providing nonpartisan committee services, policy research and language access services for the Oregon state legislature. A policy generalist, Misty has applied her toolkit to a variety of topics, including natural resources and environment, human services, housing and more. In her free time, Misty enjoys reading, exploring the outdoors, and spending time with her partner and their pup.

Jarrod Olson, MPP ’13, is the director of health analytics and acting director of IT at Karna. He is an experienced software engineer and data scientist with more than a decade of experience as a policy analyst, data scientist and software engineer focused on decision-making systems with non-traditional data. He leads a team of software engineers and data scientists and has established a number of standards and processes to increase collaboration and quality on analytics software. Olson has served in numerous technical roles throughout his career, ranging from individual contribution as an analyst to leading teams of developers and data scientists on large-scale, multi-year efforts. He is trained in econometrics and has extensive experience with microsimulation, forecasting, natural language processing, data scraping, geospatial analysis and graph analysis. He has led the integration of modern DevOps practices and Agile project management. He is an experienced project manager, having managed projects in both a PM and a PI role for over 10 years. He has led R&D efforts at every institution where he’s worked for.

 

>> From Seed to Sown: Navigating from College to Career

College of Agricultural Sciences 

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Panelists:
Brian Chapman, '17, graduated in food science and technology with the fermentation science option, a minor in chemistry and the sustainability double degree. Following graduation, he first interned at Worthy Brewing in Bend, where he has been since as a brewer, QA technician, quality assurance manager and now head brewer. While at OSU, he was the treasurer and fermentation chair of the Food and Fermentation Science Club, as well as a founding member of the student chapter for the American Society of Brewing Chemists.

Vineyard manager Erica Miller, '15, oversees 375+ acres of grapevines for Argyle Winery. Erica has a B.S. in Horticulture with an emphasis in viticulture and enology from Oregon State University. Erica worked as a research assistant for two years, where she was involved with various research projects, including Pinot noir fruitfulness studies, Pinot noir and Chardonnay crop estimate studies and the Statewide Crop Load Trial. After learning details of vine physiology and viticulture through research, she began vineyard management work for eight years before becoming the vineyard manager at Argyle Winery. Erica is an active member in the Willamette Valley Viticulture Technical Group, the LIVE Technical Group, ASEV and other industry groups.

Melissa Robell, '18, majored in fisheries and wildlife sciences. She now works at Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as a visitor services specialist focusing on communication, outreach and environmental education.

Angel Torres, ‘18, graduated with a B.S in Crop and Soil Science. Since leaving OSU, Angel has been working as a crop advisor/consultant with an Oregon-based agronomy retailer providing agronomic services to farmers in the Willamette Valley. He is involved with precision agriculture bringing modern tools to growers. Angel is also deeply involved in the industry, attending industry-wide meetings and conferences and is a director for the Oregon Society of Weed Science. While at OSU, he was a CAS Ambassador, involved with MANRRS and CAMP.


>> Turning health and technology skills into in-demand careers

College of Public Health and Human Sciences

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Panelists:
Casey Collier, ’19, is an Epic software analyst at St. Charles Health System in Bend. He received his B.S. in Kinesiology from OSU-Cascades in 2019. While on campus, he had the opportunity to be a part of the first Honors College cohort and enjoyed spending time with the OSU Cycling Club. After graduation, he wanted to integrate his interests of health and technology into one career and currently is in a role where he gets to build, maintain, fix and support the electronic documentation tools used by clinical staff. Outside of work, you can find Casey in the gym or out on the trails biking, running or skiing.

Priyamvada Kumar, MPH ’20, is a research analyst II with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health in Los Angeles. She received her MPH in Epidemiology from the College of Public Health and Human Sciences in 2020. Her focus areas have included infectious disease epidemiology, reproductive and child health, and immunization. Currently she assists in processing electronically reported HIV case reports from different sources and sites, which includes data conversion, decoding, mapping, data validation and cleaning, and case matching with enhanced HIV/AIDS reporting system (eHARS).

Johnna Peters, ’22, is an associate in the Public Health Associate Program (PHAP) through the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) stationed in Corvallis with the Benton County Health (BCH) Department. She graduated from the College of Public Health and Human Sciences with a B.S. in Public Health in 2022. As a community health assessment (CHA)/community health improvement plan (CHIP) epidemiologist with BCH, she currently collaborates on the development of the first Tri-County CHIP in Linn, Benton and Lincoln County.

Kajsa Sundberg, ’20, is the Epic principal trainer for Inpatient Orders, EpicCare Ambulatory, Rehab and MyChart at St. Charles Health System in Bend. She received her B.S. in Kinesiology (with minors in biology and chemistry) from OSU-Cascades in 2020. She is a single mom of two boys – the oldest is a U.S. Marine and the youngest is in high school. In her limited free time, she enjoys exploring the PNW wilderness with her three Husky dogs, traveling and cooking for friends/family.

Demetria Thompson, MPH ’19, is the systems thinking strategy advisor for OCHIN in Portland, and has a passion for improving health and wellness through collaboration, strategic planning and process improvement. She received her MPH in Public Health from the College of Public Health and Human Sciences in 2019. She has over eight years of experience using quality and process improvement methodologies to drive operational and strategic priorities in hospital, clinic and health care technology settings.


>> Careers in Recreation and the Outdoor Economy

Panelists:
Priscilla Macy-Cruser, ’15, MBA ’16, uses both her B.A. in Recreation Resource Management and her MBA in Market Research in her role as Wholesale Manager at Northwest River Supplies, an employee-owned, PNW-based manufacturer of high-performance and inflatable boats and SUP boards. Priscilla has more than a decade of experience in the outdoor recreation industry, including serving as executive director of the Oregon Outfitters & Guides Association, running her own consulting firm and serving as the Regional Coordinator for American Whitewater. While at OSU, Priscilla was active on the Women’s Rowing team, the Adventure Leadership Institute, the Department of Diversity & Cultural Engagement, and served as chair on the Student Fees Committee.

John Mandich, ’17, earned a degree in Natural Resources & Recreation Management and now puts those skills to use as a recreation specialist with the Oregon Department of Forestry, where he surveys, assesses and maintains recreational opportunities on Oregon public lands. He’s currently leading projects that will restore recreational opportunities in the Santiam State Forest that were damaged during the Labor Day 2020 Beachie Creek Fire.


Richard Young, ’08, is the executive director of the Sierra Academy of Expeditionary Learning, a project-based charter high school that integrates fieldwork, adventure and service learning into the student experience. Richard earned a bachelor’s degree in recreation resource management from OSU and a master’s from the University of Idaho in conservation social sciences. He worked as a park ranger throughout the western U.S. before stepping into his education work with Sierra Academy of Expeditionary Learning.

Michelle van Hilten, ’18, puts her passion for sustainable sourcing and agriculture to work in her role as a corporate advisory associate for the Rainforest Alliance, an international nonprofit devoted to making responsible business the new normal. Michelle was a 2018 recipient of the Distinguished Student Award at OSU, where she graduated cum laude in tourism and outdoor leadership. She currently lives in Austin, Texas, where she enjoys volunteering on a regenerative farm and spending time in nature. She recently completed a master’s degree in environmental sciences from Wageningen University and Research Centre. 

 

>> So you got into grad school. Now what?

Hosted by Vamos OSU Alumni Network

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Panelists:  
Emanuel Magaña , ’10, M.S. ’12, was raised in an immigrant household in the small town of Woodburn, Oregon. Emanuel is currently a doctoral student in the educational leadership policy program at Portland State University. He has spent over ten years advocating for first-generation BIPOC students in higher education. His work as the coordinator for Latino/a/x student services was nationally recognized when his program was an Excelencia in Education Finalist in 2021. Emanuel currently serves as the assistant director of multicultural retention services at PSU, where he helps oversee multiple retention programs and advocates for equity and inclusion at an institutional level. His experiences of growing up in a low-income, single-parent household drove his passion for education and continues to influence his career working with underrepresented communities. Emanuel currently resides in the Portland Metro area.

Laura Cristal Magaña, ’11, is a recent graduate of the division of environmental health sciences doctoral program at the University of California, Berkeley (UCB), and is a Gates Millennium Scholar alumna. Her research objective is to provide supporting molecular and epidemiological data correlating formaldehyde exposures to human diseases. Additionally, she conducts in vivo and ex vitro assays to assess formaldehyde developmental toxicity. Before her doctoral studies, Magaña was an Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education fellow at the Division of Viral Diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. Her research centered on next-generation sequencing of RNA viruses. Magaña received her Master’s degree in Public Health in maternal and child health from The George Washington University in Washington, D.C. While in D.C., she interned at the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion as an HSHPS/National Institutes of Health Fellow. She also interned at the D.C. Public Health Laboratory. In addition, she received a B.S. in Bioresource Research, with options in toxicology and biotechnology from Oregon State University. She is an active member of the Latina Researchers Network, Society of Toxicology, UCB Graduate Students de la Raza, UCB Latinx Association of Graduate Students in Science and Engineering, Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science, and Genetic and Environmental Toxicology Association in North California. In the future, Magaña wants to ensure higher participation of women and people of color in STEM careers. She foresees her research on health disparities in reproductive and developmental toxicology.

Melinda Guzman Martinez, '16, M.S. '20, is a first-generation college student who received her B.S. in Microbiology in 2016 and her M.S. in Botany & Plant Pathology in 2019 at OSU. She is now a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Georgia in the Department of Plant Pathology, where her research focuses on using thermal imaging for the early detection of Xylella fastidiosa in southern highbush blueberry. While at Oregon State, Melinda was part of both MANRRS and SACNAS, and worked at the Writing Center for three years before performing research in a horticulture entomology lab studying invasive pests of Oregon crops.

Moderator: 
Arlyn Y. Moreno Luna, '13, MPP '15, is a doctoral candidate in the critical studies of race, class and gender program at UC Berkeley’s School of Education. Her research examines access and equity in higher education for historically marginalized students. Read more about Arlyn in this feature story.

 

>> “Future Industry” - Exploring trends in retail and design across digital, data and technology

Hosted by the OSU Design Network

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Panelists:
Jackie Farrar is a retail design and development expert, with a 25-year career leading teams and delivering retail spaces around the world, such as Nike House of Innovation in NYC, Shanghai and Paris. In her current role as head of retail design & development, Jackie is focused on building her new org and operationalizing store design and construction for the Google Retail program.

James O'Kane is DGTL's creative technologist. James and his team provide their clients with partnership in human centered design and technology integration. Throughout his career, James provided continuity from concept to completion, becoming a valuable collaborator for clients and partners, and focusing on the application of various disciplines to solve design challenges.

Pamela O'Kane is the founder and managing director of DGTL ,providing the team with leadership based on her career in product development, creative, production and strategic business planning. Pamela founded DGTL in 2017, allowing her to apply her experience in tackling technology challenges in experiential marketing.

Liz Wilson, ’91, is a dynamic product leader with over 20 years of global expertise in the active and outdoor apparel space and a passion for building brands. Liz understands what drives consumer brand loyalty and has a track record of creating product-led disruptions in both large and mid-sized global brands. She exemplifies love of product and is driven to provide an outstanding consumer brand experience while achieving strong financial results. Liz is currently senior vice president of global product creation at Outdoor Research, where she has driven innovation and technical solutions for a demanding audience. Liz holds a B.S. in Merchandise Management from Oregon State University.

Moderator:
Jamie Powell, an OSU Design Network council member and moderator of this panel, is a retail expert with a career in corporate retail that spans nearly two decades.  She has held positions across visual merchandising, allocation, product merchandising and corporate retail strategy, and most recently moved into a senior leadership role heading the Retail Innovation Lab at Nike. The Retail Innovation Lab, at 55K sq ft., is dedicated to retail excellence across consumer and athlete experiences at scale. The space focuses on delivering seasonal retail excellence and driving future retail innovation. Jamie earned her MBA from Willamette University and is passionate about life coaching. She recently completed coach training with a focus on Positive Intelligence. In her spare time, she is a wife and mom to two rambunctious toddlers.


>> Navigating your way toward and through an environmental science career  

Hosted by OSU Klatowa Ina Alumni Network 

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Panelists:
Samantha Chisholm Hatfield, ’02, PhD ’09, is an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, from the Tututni and Chinook Bands, and is also Cherokee. Hatfield is currently an assistant professor senior research at Oregon State University in the Fisheries Wildlife and Conservations Sciences Department. Hatfield has earned an American Sign Language Interpretation certification, a Bachelor of Science in Ethnic Studies with a concentration in Native American studies and a minor in Cultural Anthropology from Oregon State University. She holds her Doctorate in Environmental Sciences from Oregon State University. Her revolutionary dissertation work has been considered groundbreaking research and heralded for the way she has melded physical and social science, combining empirical research with social science methodology. She was the lead author for the Tribal Cultural Resources chapter for the state’s fifth Oregon Climate Assessment Report, and is a current author on three chapters for the forthcoming Fifth National Climate Assessment report. Some of Dr. Chisholm Hatfield's specializations include: Indigenous TEK, TEK and climate change, and Native culture issues, and South Korean Haenyeo. 

Kristen Lycett, ’09, earned a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Sciences at OSU with a specialization in aquatic biology and a Bachelor of Fine Art in Applied Visual Arts. After graduation, she relocated to Maryland where she took a job in outdoor education before pursuing her graduate studies. She received her doctorate in Marine Estuarine Environmental Science from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore in 2017 and began teaching at Salisbury University as a postdoctoral teaching fellow. In 2020, she moved into the nonprofit sector and began working for the Phillips Wharf Environmental Center. In 2022, she became the executive director and was charged with rebuilding the nonprofit in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. In her role, she runs an environmental education program, a citizen science oyster restoration program, and manages the nonprofit. 

Orman Morton III, ’16, graduated from the College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences at OSU earning a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Sciences with a minor in Fish and Wildlife Management and a concentration in mammalogy. Morton is a trained stream geomorphologist, wetland scientist, forest conservation qualified professional, MS4 consultant and erosion and sediment control inspector. He currently works for Hanover Land Services, located in Hanover, Pennslyvania, and Westminster, Marylan, as the senior environmental scientist and environmental consulting project manager.

Gail Woodside, HBS '08, MS '10, PHD '22, graduated with an A.S. and an HBS in Natural Resources in 2008, M.S. in Range Ecology in 2010, and a Ph.D. in Fisheries and Wildlife in 2022. She is the Tribal liaison for the Indigenous Natural Resource Office and TEK Lab, College of Forestry.  

Moderator:
Katie Scott, ’11, customer service and operations manager, graduate school at Oregon State University, Klatowa Ina Alumni Network Vice President.

 

>> Tips on how to negotiate your offer after landing the job

Hosted by Vamos OSU Alumni Network

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Panelists:

Bianca Z. Quiñones, '13, holds two bachelor's degrees from Oregon State University in apparel design and human development and family sciences, as well as a Master of Science in Student Affairs and Administration and Higher Education from Texas A&M University. Her work has focused on supporting historically underrepresented people through various professions including social work, education and most recently, in the corporate world as a recruiter for a global bank. In her free time she enjoys playing in a sand volleyball league, serving on the national council for her sorority — Kappa Delta Chi — traveling and cooking!

Marcia Torres, '01, holds a Bachelor of Science in Food Science from Oregon State University as well as a Master of Business Administration in HR from Strayer University. She has spent the majority of her career working in manufacturing and consumer product companies in management, talent development, talent acquisition and building DEIB (diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging) strategies. She has a son who is in the process of making a decision on which college to attend in the upcoming year. In her free time she enjoys spending time with family and friends, attending local community and sporting events, visiting local wineries, traveling and continuing to support our OSU alumni through Vamos OSU, the Office of Fraternity & Sorority Greek Life and her sorority, Gamma Alpha Omega.

 

>> Ask Alumni | Honors College

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Moderators: Kevin Stoller, '99, and student Camden Schmidt

Panelists:

Tucker Cochenour, ’20

Tucker Cochenour is a third-year law student at the University of California-Berkeley School of Law. He graduated from Oregon State in 2020 with Honors College degrees in economics and political science. While at OSU, he found an interest in law through both his coursework and while completing his Honors College thesis on immigration judge decision making, under the mentorship of Rorie Solberg, a professor of political science in the School of Public Policy. Tucker will be joining the corporate practice of a leading Bay Area law firm focused on startup companies after his graduation in May.

True Gibson, ’18

True Gibson is a third-year Ph.D. student in logic and philosophy of science at the University of California-Irvine. He graduated from Oregon State in 2018 with his H.B.S. in biochemistry and biophysics and a minor in philosophy, and he worked as a physics researcher at Portland State University and as a synthetic chemist at OSU after graduation. His current work investigates how our cognitive structure shapes the way we interact with and think about the world around us, including how humans engage with wide-ranging philosophical questions and how we approach scientific and everyday problems.

Ammara Molvi, ’20

Ammara Molvi graduated from the Honors College at Oregon State University with a degree in public health and minors in biology and chemistry in 2020. Since graduation, she has completed a year of service with AmeriCorps at the Oregon Health Authority, interned at Oregon Health and Sciences University’s Center for Health Systems Effectiveness and volunteered with migrant and refugee students, and she is currently a scribe at OHSU preparing to apply to medical school in the near future.

Tari Tan, ’08

Tari Tan graduated with her H.B.S. in biochemistry and biophysics in 2008 and then earned her Ph.D. in neurobiology from Harvard University in 2016. She is currently the assistant dean for educational innovation and scholarship in the Office for Graduate Education and a lecturer on neurobiology at Harvard Medical School, and she currently sits on the admissions committee for the Harvard Ph.D. program in neuroscience. In addition to teaching and mentoring graduate students, Tari works extensively with undergraduate and post-baccalaureate students to prepare them to succeed in graduate school.

 

>> Ask Alumni | College of Science

Watch the recording.

Panelists:

Moderator: Rachel Palmer, '15

Ismael Jimenez Delgado, '19

Ismael Jimenez Delgado holds a bachelor's degree in zoology from Oregon State. After studying abroad at The Cheetah Conservation Fund in Namibia, he fell in love with zookeeping. He currently works with the carnivores at Wildlife Safari in Winston, Oregon, and is the lion primary.
 

Casey Sauter, '21

Casey Sauter holds bachelor's degree from Oregon State in biochemistry and molecular biology. She worked as an English teacher in Spain for a year after graduation and currently works at the Oregon State Police Forensic Laboratory as a DNA analyst. In her spare time she likes running and skiing.

Morgan Pearson, '18

Morgan Pearson graduated from Oregon State with a degree in mathematics with a minor in statistics. Part of the OSU baseball program from 2014-2018, supported the coaching staff as an undergraduate assistant to former Head Coach Pat Casey and won an NCAA National Championship in his senior year in Omaha, Nebraska. After graduating, Morgan was an international scout with the Texas Rangers in the Dominican Republic, Venezuela and Japan, helping the Rangers sign over 40 players. He now works for the Share Our Abundant Resources (SOAR4) Foundation, established by Pat Casey and his family, in an effort to improve the lives of those in Corvallis and around the state of Oregon.

Parker Lewis, '21

Parker Lewis holds a bachelor’s degree in microbiology. Since graduation he has transitioned into the field of clinical research and been a part of multiple CAP/CLIA regulated laboratories working on expanding health care. His recent laboratory work has broadened his scientific experiences outside of microbiology to include immunohistochemistry, in-situ hybridization and clinical regulatory affairs. He currently works in the research and development department of a health care lab that specializes in at-home testing, located in Vancouver, Washington.

 

>> Ask Alumni | College of Education

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The Ask Alumni virtual panel series provides opportunities to meet OSU alumni who have been where you currently are, ask questions and learn from their experiences. Connect with Oregon State alumni from the College of Education who are all current educators eager to share an insider's guide to the classroom and advice for succeeding as a teacher.

Learn how they navigated their next steps, from graduating to finding jobs to supporting students' interests in the classroom, clubs and more. Plus, grow your professional network with students, alumni and industry professionals alike and get insights on possible job and mentorship opportunities.

Panelists:

David Lake, ‘22, teaching fifth grade at Jefferson Elementary.

Becky McBride, ‘18, teaching English and creative writing, and advisor to the writing club, at Cascade High School.

KC Perley, ’18, teaching history and AVID college readiness classes, and advisor to speech and debate, at Crescent Valley High School.

Daniel Vore, ‘18, teaching social studies and AVID college readiness classes at Seven Oak Middle School.

 

>> Ask Alumni | Black Alumni & Friends Network

Watch the recording.

Ask Alumni virtual panel is an opportunity to meet OSU alumni who have been where you currently are, ask questions and learn from their experiences. Connect with Oregon State alumni to learn how they found success in their academic pursuits and in their early professional years, from classes to career and advising to internships. This event features an interactive panel, where you’ll learn about how they navigated their next steps after college into their career. Plus, you’ll grow your professional network with students, alumni and industry professionals alike and get possible insights on job and mentorship opportunities.

This is a hybrid event. Join us in person at the Lonnie B. Harris Black Cultural Center on the Oregon State campus for community and food.

Moderated by Conrad Hurdle, Ed.M. ’96, OSU Alumni Association Board of Directors member and OSU Black Alumni & Friends Network leader.

Tuesday, Jan. 25

View the event recordings on YouTube

Participating colleges and units:

>> College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences

Topic: Careers That Impact Climate and Energy

Panelists:
Jeff Burright, ’05, has been with the Oregon Department of Energy for the past four year, providing technical consultation and representing Oregon's interests in one of the largest nuclear cleanups in the world at the Hanford Site just up the Columbia River. He’s also previously worked at an environmental management consulting firm and as a National Science Foundation National Research Traineeship fellow.

Erica Harris, ’11, is a coastal scientist and climate adaptation specialist currently working in the private consulting industry. She leads climate vulnerability and adaptation planning projects across a diverse set of sectors including municipalities, seaports, airports and industrial areas.

Michael Kula, ’17, is an atmospheric science masters’ graduate currently working as a team lead for the Solar Energy Assessment group at DNV. Michael’s team assesses pre-construction, operational and residential solar energy projects for developers, investors and other interested parties.

Zac Pinard, ’19, is an environmental science graduate working for Clean and Prosperous Washington (CaPWA) on the implementation of the state's cap-and-invest carbon market program. While at OSU, he was an ambassador for CEOAS and the Honor's College, as well as the ASOSU Coordinator of Environmental Affairs.

April Vogt, ’20, is a mesoscale meteorologist for the Pacific Northwest for a private sector company called Weatherflow. This position focuses on issuing accurate, daily wind forecasts for specific windsurfing launch sites along the Columbia River Gorge, Puget Sound and South British Columbia.

>> College of Engineering

Panelists:
Haley Coutts, ’19, is an electrical and computer engineering graduate currently working as a grid modernization engineer at Seattle City Light. While at OSU, she was involved in IEEE Power Engineering Society, Phi Sigma Rho and Society of Women Engineers. 

Brian Jeffrey Kim, ’20, is a nuclear engineering graduate currently working as an associate health physicist at Columbia University. During his time at OSU, Brian and his team were awarded the 2020 Nuclear Engineering and Science Project of the Year.

Nikita Lal, ’20, is a civil engineering graduate and currently working as an assistant engineer for Turner Construction, working on preconstruction efforts in NW Portland to include retail, office space, residential apartments and automated parking bays for cars to be automatically parked into stalls.

Helena Raposo, ’21, recipient of the BIOE Eager Beaver Award and a Grand Challenges Scholar, is a bioengineering graduate currently completing post-baccalaureate medical research at Stowers Institute. 

Sneha Sinha, ’20, is an industrial engineering graduate and currently working as a business technology analyst at Deloitte Government and Public Sector Consulting. She is also involved in DEI initiatives within the organization.

>> College of Liberal Arts

Topic: From Purpose to Career

Panelists:
Caleb Chandler, ’19, is a digital communication and arts graduate who is currently pursuing a master's degree in entertainment industry management. He aims to create new and important stories that bring meaningful change and spark conversation within the community.

Maia Farris, ’20, is a BFA graphic design graduate who currently works as the coordinator of communications and marketing for the OSU College of Education. She has many years of experience working in marketing and graphic design, as well as working with children in the education and child care field. She is also a freelance designer, artist and photographer.

Karla Garrett, ’18, is a communications and sociology graduate currently working as a program development and resource advisor at the Community Services Consortium. 

Jahan Kahusi, ’19, majored in English and is currently an account manager at DoiT International. He was recently awarded the Trailblazer Award for scaling the company's revenue exponentially.

Lauren Maurer, ’20, is a political science graduate who currently works as an account manager at Belfor Property Restoration. She is active in her Oregon community, serving on the board of directors for the International Facilities Managers Association and holding committee positions for Multifamily Northwest.

Armon Poostpasand, ’19, is a communications graduate currently working as the director of marketing at Disruptive Growth Solutions.

>> College of Public Health and Human Sciences (including the MPH program)

Panelists:
Evan Hilberg , MPH '16, Ph.D. '19, graduated from OSU with an MPH in Biostatistics and a Ph.D. in Kinesiology. His dissertation focused on physical activity opportunities and its influence on rural Oregon elementary school children. He currently works for Cambia Health Solutions as a Medical Policy Research Analyst. In his spare time Evan is the Executive Director of the Executive Board for the American College of Medicine Northwest Chapter, an Instructor in the PAC program and an official for youth sports in Corvallis.

Haleigh Leslie , MPH ’12, graduated from OSU with an MPH in Health Promotion and Health Behavior. She currently works for the Oregon Health Authority – COVID-19 Regional Response as a program manager. In previous roles with the OHA, she has served as a public health emergency preparedness liaison for nine local public health authorities as part of the Health Security, Preparedness and Response team and as a regional emergency coordinator for regions 3-5. She also previously worked for Yamhill and Linn County in public health and is an AmeriCorps VISTA alumna.  

Marissa Song Mayeda, MPH '20, MPP '21, graduated from OSU with an MPH in Health Promotion and Health Behavior and a MPP in Social Policy. She previously worked for the OSU Center for Health Innovation as a graduate research assistant training students to be contract tracers and case investigators. She also worked as a project manager for Linn Wellness in Neighborhood Stores where she was awarded a Student Field Placement from The Northwest Center for Public Health Practice. She currently is a first-year medical student at the OHSU School of Medicine and is Linn County Public Health’s first epidemiologist working on COVID-19 public health communicable disease response.

>> College of Science

Russell Campbell, '21, graduated with a degree in zoology and currently works as a research assistant in the Moore Lab of Zoology at Occidental College. Campbell also continues to help out in the vertebrate collections on campus with both curation efforts and outreach.

Lucy Su Xiao Huffman, '19, graduated with a degree in chemistry and math, and currently is employed with Inpria as a staff synthetic chemist. Huffman was a member of the OSUMB throughout college.

Rachel Legard, '19, graduated with a degree in math and innovation management, and currently works as a consultant at Deloitte. While at OSU, Legard worked with OSU Alumni Association as a Student Alumni Ambassador and was also a peer advisor on campus.

Jac Longstreth, '21, graduated with a degree in biochemistry and biophysics, and currently works at Absci as a research associate. While at OSU, Longstreth participated in URSA program, worked in a lab in the Department of Botany and Plant Pathology during undergrad and was a member of the Biochemistry Club.

>> International students

Panelists:
Betty Chao, '15, graduated with a MBA degree from College of Business. Chao currently works with Enterprise Premier Support at Blend. Chao is also a food and travel enthusiast.

Vania Halim, ’21, studied chemical engineering and is currently a global material quality intern at Genentech. While at OSU, she was an International Cultural Service Program speaker, International Peer Mentoring program assistant, Intervarsity Christian Fellowship small group leader, Indonesian Student Association (PERMIAS) social media officer and a resident assistant.

Daniel Reimao, ’18, graduated with an M.Eng. in Mechanical Engineering and a B.S. in Industrial Manufacturing Engineering. Reimao currently works as a process engineer at Intel, and has worked with the MECOP program and the International Cultural Service Program (ICSP) when at OSU.

Alisha Saduova, ’20, graduated with a double degree in civil engineering and sustainability. She is currently a second-year graduate research assistant at OSU. 

Vaishnavi Trivedi, ’18, graduated from OSU with degrees in Food Science & Technology and Innovation Management. Trivedi recently worked as the head of development at True Terpenes and is now pursuing a professional MBA program at Campbellsville University.

>> OSU-Cascades

Molly Svendsen, ’17, majored in biology with a minor in chemistry. Currently, Svendsen is an MD, resident physician Marian Regional Medical Center.

Gertrude Villaverde, ’19, majored in Honors B.S. in Energy Systems Engineering. Villaverde currently works with Energy 350 and is also a board member of the Association of Energy Engineers, Columbia River Chapter.

Tuesday, Feb. 15

This event is geared toward students in the Center for Fraternity & Sorority Life.

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