Staff

Sarah Bird is a born and raised Hoosier but spent the last ten years in Memphis and Knoxville, Tennessee. She recently returned to her Indiana roots to be closer to family while also pursuing a career. During her time studying at Purdue University, she was offered the opportunity to work in events with the Alumni Relations and Development departments of the College of Liberal Arts. She put her career on hold to start a family and is currently a proud mama to two boys, Isaiah and Mason.

Sarah has a passion for events and loves the organization and details associated with the planning and execution of them. She is excited to begin her new role as the On-Campus Events and Recruitment Coordinator and looks forward to watching events come to fruition while also building relationships with employers, faculty, staff, and students.

Sarah loves ethnic food; her favorite is Mediterranean. She loves to read, sing, spend time outside, try new restaurants, and spend time with family and friends.

What did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be a pediatric cardiologist. I suffered from a heart condition for most of my childhood and my pediatric cardiologist touched my heart (literally and figuratively.) In reality, college science classes changed my mind and I chose to pursue education in the communications field instead and have not been disappointed with that decision.

Nick is an alumnus of Indiana University having earned his Bachelor of Science in Public Affairs and his Master of Arts in Arts Administration from the School of Public and Environmental Affairs. He moved to Bloomington in 2004 and has planted roots.  He has a robust professional background on the IUB campus with focuses in marketing, arts administration, event management, and career services. Prior to joining the Walter Center for Career Achievement team, Nick most recently served as an Assistant Director for the Career Development Center concentrating on student employment, employer relations, and career coaching for exploratory students. Nick finds work fulfillment in relationship building and executing events. 

Nick is married to his beautiful wife of 3 years, Anna, and is expecting his first child in August 2017.  In his spare time he loves travelling, working on projects around the house, backpacking and camping, and cheering on the Chicago Cubs and IU Hoosiers.

Richelle is an educator, counselor, and artist who values diversity.  When Richelle started her college career, she was ‘one of those students’ who knew that she wanted to help people and make a difference in the world, but did not know how she wanted to do it.  Through her work as a school counselor, and then as a higher education administrator, her general desire evolved into wanting to help students become more aware of who they are, what they can be, and how they can be whatever they want to be.  She loves helping students realize that they can achieve their dreams and assisting them in setting their goals in order to make those dreams come true.  When she is not working, Richelle enjoys traveling, creating art, being active, trying new things, and spending time with her husband and their dog.

Aaron comes from Indianapolis, Indiana where he spent most of his high school years closely involved with music. During his time at IU earning a bachelor’s degree in Psychology, Aaron continued to pursue his musical interests by working as a music educator various high school bands in the Indianapolis area. His work with his music students inspired him to pursue a career where he could help students full-time. Now a graduate student, Aaron is working on his degree in Counseling to become a professional Career Coach. To stay close to the arts, Aaron also volunteers time with the Office of Entrepreneurship and Career Development within the Jacob’s School of Music. In his spare time, Aaron enjoys playing saxophone, guitar, video games, and occasionally skateboarding.

Born and raised a Hoosier, Sarah Cady began her time at Indiana University as a student climbing the stairs in Ballantine after learning the hard way that the elevator doesn’t stop on the third floor. Helping others and building relationships has always been a passion of Sarah’s and she continues to do so in her current position as an Associate Director of Employer Relations representing The Media School. She has the pleasure of building relationships with employers and alumni of The Media School as well as planning and executing career events. In her spare time, Sarah Cady enjoys spending time with her family and friends, laughing, cooking, and sometimes laughing at her cooking.

Kaitlynn is currently a senior majoring in Spanish.  She is also pursuing a certificate in Nonprofit Management and minors in French and Global and Comparative Education.  She graduated from Westfield High School in Westfield, Indiana, where she was the first student to simultaneously take two languages for four years.  Her passion for these languages and the cultures of those who speak continued to grow throughout high school and is fostered through her studies.  She discovered her passion for global education as a high school student; through her involvement in an IU chapter of a nonprofit organization, she has helped to combat the global education crisis in Uganda through fundraising, advocacy, and awareness.  Kaitlynn is hoping to combine her interest in nonprofit management, global education, and languages by working with nonprofits that deliver education to children in West Africa and Latin America.  When she’s not busy trying to save the world, Kaitlynn enjoys spending time with dogs, friends, and family, and doing service projects in Bloomington.

Randi is a proud product of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She received her undergraduate degree in music education with a concentration in trombone and subsequently taught music at various schools in Texas, Pennsylvania, and Minnesota. She then shifted gears by completing her master’s degree in Higher Education Administration at Boston College while also working full-time in fundraising and with the Boston College Bands. After settling in Bloomington in 2012 (and vowing never to move again), she worked in a research center in the School of Education at IU. She is extremely excited to work with students on their career development in the Walter Center for Career Achievement. In her free time, Randi likes to run, cook, and spend time with her family.

Suzanne is a proud Indiana University alum and has spent the last 20 years in Chicago working in higher education, media sales, client relations, and the theatre and film industries. She is passionate about combining corporate knowledge with her improvisation background to encourage self-discovery in career and life path. She spent time working with such companies as Second City, WGN-TV, J. Walter Thompson, and our home Bloomington stations of WTIU/WFIU. She utilizes improv principles to help individuals express their own unique story; as well as to provide team building and communications consulting to corporate and nonprofit companies such as Altria, Gap, Inc., and The Brain Arts Center of Chicago.

I believe career includes the work we do, the life we live, and everything in between. I am thrilled and grateful to partner with students in creating their career and life path. Never hesitate to reach out and build your network: You will grow as a person, bring community everywhere you go, and might walk into that next chapter of your life.

Laura graduated from IU’s College of Arts + Sciences in 2007 with a degree in International Studies. Her education, coupled with experiences living and working overseas instilled in her a love for culture and travel. She went on to pursue an MA in Latin American Development and sought professional opportunities in grass roots international development.

After serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ukraine, Laura returned to the US and had the opportunity to work with college campuses and students as recruiter. During this time, Laura developed a passion for empowering college students to develop goals and work towards them. It was then that she decided to shift her career to one in higher education.

In her current role, Laura works with members of the Employer Relations team to create common language and opportunities for students to engage with employers and alumni that are invested in their career success. She enjoys variety in her work and is continually learning from liberal arts students whose diverse career aspirations keep her engaged in a wide array of industries.On her time off, Laura enjoys traveling and exploring with her husband and kids, reading a good book, or watching her favorite sports team lift another trophy.

Early Career Aspirations

Growing up, Laura had dreams of becoming a veterinarian by day and astronaut by night. Once she accepted that she would need to pick, she focused on defining her strengths – learning about animal behavior through persistent training of her childhood dog, Mathias, and spending a week at Space Camp. These goals evolved and changed throughout her life.

Kimberly was born in Norwood, Massachusetts. Her father worked with the military, so she moved quite a bit, first to California, then Virginia, and back to California. She completed her Bachelor of Art degrees in Sociology and Spanish Literature at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Studying abroad in Granada, Spain and interning at the World Trade Center in Denver with the Latin American Trade Specialist were highlights of her undergraduate career.

Kimberly worked in administration and marketing before moving to Laramie, Wyoming to complete her Master’s in Business Administration at the University of Wyoming, where she also directed the summer session and became passionate about working with students in higher education. She later discovered a passion for coaching while working at the Children’s Organ Transplant Association, coaching volunteers to raise funds for children who need life-saving organ transplants. A lifelong learner who loves adventure, Kimberly seeks new challenges and opportunities to grow. When she is not working, she enjoys spending time with family, cooking, camping, reading, working out, watching her son play sports, volunteering for Habitat for Humanity and spending time with her labs.

What values have shaped your career goals?

From a young age, I always knew I wanted to “help people,” a guiding principle which has led me to be a mission-driven professional throughout my career.

Emily is from Madison, Indiana. She is currently a junior in the Cox scholars program and is studying Biology with hopes of becoming a pediatrician or dermatologist. Her favorite summer job is working at Girls Inc. in her hometown. During her free time, Emily enjoys spending time with her dog, Luna, and catching up on TV shows. She is a roller coaster enthusiast who goes to multiple theme parks each year. Emily is involved in IUSF on campus and loves helping put on Little 500!

Rosemarie is from Los Angeles, CA. Currently, she is a Ph.D. student in Higher Education & Student Affairs. She is a former higher education administrator with eight years of experience in grant program management; fellowship advising and coordination; graduate recruitment; and institutional research and assessment.

Rosemarie holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Chicana/o Studies from UCLA. She holds a Master’s degree in Political Science from California State University, Northridge.  Her research interest is in student finance and college affordability; specifically the relationship between social-cultural-economic capital and student loan debt among undergraduate students.

Angela is originally from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan; that’s right, across the Mackinac Bridge and into the great white north.  Angela attended Michigan State University and began her teaching career at Lakeland High School in Lagrange, Indiana.  She has been teaching something to somebody ever since.  Her special love is the middle school level, and she spent years developing young readers, writers and speakers.  After a stint teaching Middle School in Nuevo Leon, Mexico, Angela began her graduate studies in Curriculum and Instruction at IU.  She called upon her days as a Resident Advisor at Michigan State to guide her transition into college level teaching.  She has taught education courses, supervised student teachers, and guided many students through the trauma of developing their public speaking skills.  Angela has concluded that college students are a fun population with which to spend some time.

Lauren is originally from Dayton, OH and thought she wanted to be a Middle School English teacher when she enrolled at Wright State University.  Throughout Lauren’s undergrad experience she was an active member in the Greek Life community holding various leadership roles such as the Academic Achievement Coordinator for her sorority.   After completing her student teaching at a local middle school she found that her passion wasn’t in K-12 education but working with college students.  She decided to pursue a career in Higher Education.  Her experience with changing careers inspired Lauren to focus her studies further on career development.

Before joining the Walter Center team Lauren worked at Indiana University East where she was an Academic Advisor and Career Development instructor for undecided students.  Lauren is the President of the Career Development Professionals of Indiana and an active member of Midwest Association of Colleges and Employers.

She spends her free time with her dog Paden and family.  Lauren loves traveling, experiencing new cuisines, and has a passion for the Olympics.  Her goal is to travel and attend a summer Olympic Games.

Joe is a proud Hoosier and alumni of the College of Arts & Sciences where he earned his Bachelor’s degree in English and Political Science. He now serves as the College’s Director of Career Services where he provides strategic direction and leadership of career development and employer engagement. Joe leads a team of 20 full-time career services professionals who serve 10,000+ undergraduate and graduate students across the College’s three schools and three academic divisions.

Before joining the College of Arts & Sciences, Joe served as Associate Director for Strategic Planning for the Career Development Center on the IU Bloomington campus. Joe has also worked as a career advisor and career course lecturer. He is a certified Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and Strong Interest Inventor practitioner.

Joe received his Master’s degree in Higher Education and Student Affairs in 2007 and is currently a Ph.D Candidate in IU’s School of Education where his research focuses on understanding the job search information sources used by liberal arts students.

Joe is a champion of liberal arts education and loves helping IU College of Arts & Sciences students connect their academic pursuits to rewarding careers.

Amanda is originally from Palm Springs, California. She graduated in Public Health from Brigham Young University and originally thought that she would go into Health Care Administration. While she was pursuing her bachelor’s degree, she worked as a student secretary in the Microbiology and Molecular Biology Department and fell in love with doing administration in higher education. Amanda is new to Indiana University but is excited to be here! Amanda loves spending time with her family and friends, going to musicals and orchestras, trying new foods, reading, and traveling with her husband.

Staci is a two-time alumna from Indiana University, earning both her Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and her Master of Science in Higher Education from Indiana University. After leaving Bloomington for a few years to work in Student Activities and Orientation, Staci returned with her husband, Ron, to begin her professional career at IU in career services. After serving in Employer Relations at the School of Informatics and Computing for the past eight years, Staci joined the Employer Relations staff at Arts + Sciences Career Services in April 2016. Staci is passionate about creating partnerships with employers to help students gain career opportunities. She has significant experience helping employers create new and innovative internship opportunities.

What did you want to be when you were growing up?
I wanted to be a pilot. I loved the idea of flying all over the world having adventures. I loved the view from an airplane window and the feeling my stomach got when the wheels came off the ground!

Brianna is Junior from Indianapolis, Indiana majoring in Biology with an area of concentration in Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics and a minor in Public Health. While she is currently exploring post graduate options to pursue, Brianna looks forward to using her studies to help others in the medical field and the expansion of genetic knowledge. Brianna enjoys her free time participating in the IU Student Foundation, her Cox Scholars Program, reading, and spending time with her family and friends.

Jessica Nevitt is a Human Resources professional focused on career development, training and organizational development, and employee engagement.  After working in benefits and compensation, she found that her interests lie in the “human” side of HR, and she enjoys working with students and others to help them identify their values, interests, personality, and skills and apply that knowledge to a satisfying career.  Jessica has taught at Indiana University since 2007, and also coaches and advises in career development, career transition, and employee health and wellness.  She holds certifications in MBTI, SII, CHES, and SHRM-CP.

Rachel likes to say that she’s done a Midwest tour throughout her life having lived in Ohio, Illinois, Michigan and now Indiana. Rachel is an alumni of Miami University having graduated with her Bachelor of Arts degree in Creative Writing in May 2015 and is now a proud Hoosier Alumni having graduated from IU with a Master of Science degree in Higher Education and Student Affairs in May 2017.

During her time in undergrad Rachel discovered the realm of student affairs immediately while working in Orientation and First Year Experience Programs and ultimately decided to pursue a career in the field. While in graduate school at IU, Rachel completed an assistantship in residence life as well as a practicum and internship with the Office of First Year Experience Programs. Throughout undergrad and graduate school Rachel loved learning about the passions and career dreams of her students which inspired her to pursue job opportunities in career services. When Rachel is not working with students she enjoys spending time with her dogs, attempting crafting projects from Pinterest and trying to relive her old dance days by taking Zumba classes.

Carrye Simmons comes from a small town by the name of Lowell in northwest Indiana. Carrye comes from a family of Purdue fans but she decided to go against the norm and attend college elsewhere. She came to Indiana University with intentions of joining the Kelley School of Business but after her first semester she decided that particular path wasn’t for her. Carrye grew up with a love for history and has always been intrigued by cultural connections and interactions, both passions she wishes to continue with into her career future. After exploring a few classes and getting involved through university events, Carrye has decided on double majoring in Arts History and Folklore, and minoring in Arts Management, with the hopes of pursuing a career in Museum Curating or Art Consulting out of Chicago.

Tanner hails from Salem, Indiana. He attended Indiana University as an undergraduate, where he found a passion for helping college students meet their personal and professional goals. Tanner decided to pursue a master’s degree to better develop the knowledge, awareness, and skills needed to support students. He has specific interests in supporting students with marginalized identities. Tanner is currently pursuing his doctorate part-time in Higher Education and looks forward to integrating theory from that program into his practical work of assessing ASCS’s programs and services. He loves spending time with his wife Selena and son Theo. Tanner also enjoys running, playing music, vintage video games, being outdoors, and all things geology.

Dana Vanderburgh is currently a 4th year student in the School of Global and International Studies where she is pursuing a dual BA/MA degree in International Studies. She is also working towards an undergraduate degree in French and a minor in Folklore and Ethnomusicology. Formerly a pre-professional ballet dancer, Dana has a love of dance and other forms of art that inspires her to look at the world and its people in a creative way.

Once injuries forced Dana to stop her ballet training, she found that she was able to combine her love of dance and the world by working with the non-profit organization, Movement Exchange. Through her work with Movement Exchange, Dana has learned the value in using dance as a means of empowerment and social change and has spent time in both Panama and the US engaging in dance outreach. Dana has also spent two summers in Ghana studying and working at a music center in order to expand her artistic and cultural knowledge.

At the Walter Center, Dana currently serves as one of the Employer Relations Interns and helps to engage potential employers and to provide opportunities for students to network and learn from professionals in many fields.

In her free time, Dana enjoys being outdoors, traveling, dancing, reading and spending time with family and friends.

Early Career Aspirations

Ever since she was 3 years old, Dana knew she wanted to be a dancer. Consequently, the next 17 years were spent in dance studios and theatres around the country in order to achieve this goal. Her training eventually led her to IU where she began her path towards a professional ballet career until she had to re-assess her career goals when she became injured. Though she will not be the professional ballerina she once desired to be, she has realized that ballet was only a stepping-stone to an even more rewarding career in using dance to make a positive difference around the world!

Hailing from California, by way of Colorado, Jordan found his way to Bloomington in 2009. His work on the Employer Relations team revolves around fostering relationships with employers and alumni to facilitate opportunities for Arts + Sciences students. With a diverse career path of his own, Jordan has previously founded and led a creative consultancy design firm and a non-profit organization.

With an undergrad background in Communication, Jordan completed a Master of Arts in Spiritual Formation and Leadership at Spring Arbor University. He has has been married to Holly for 10 years, and loves being a dad to his two adorable girls, Makenna and Brooklyn, and son Noah.

What did you want to be when you were growing up?

Taking cues from Roberto Alomar, I wanted to be the second-basemen for the Toronto Blue Jays, and live at a hotel inside the stadium. My dreams were dashed when I realized I couldn’t hit a ball out of the infield.

Andrea is a Midwestern girl at heart, having grown up in Ohio. Performing in theatre her entire life, she thought her dream job was to become a Broadway star. Upon completion of high school, Andrea decided to forego the unstable life of an aspiring actress and graduated with a degree in sociology. She attended graduate school, pursuing school counseling, to specifically concentrate on college and career preparation for young adults. While at the University of Dayton, Andrea worked in various roles in career services. It was through this wide array of experiences that Andrea’s passion for career services and assisting others with their personal career development was solidified. She takes a holistic approach to career counseling, assisting others in aligning their emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual needs with their career goals. Andrea’s interests include visiting friends and family, musical theatre, pop culture, viral YouTube videos, and Cleveland sports. Andrea is thrilled to be a part of Indiana University!

What did you want to be when you were growing up?
First a cheerleader – I loved their energy and the joy they brought to the crowd. Then, an actress – I’m still passionate about the arts. Finally, a teacher – it’s amazing how life comes full circle sometimes!

Justin is originally from Lafayette, Louisiana, and fell in love with the state of Indiana during his years as an undergraduate student at IU. Prior to working in career services, Justin was a professional modern dancer and received his M.A. in Arts Administration while serving as a faculty member in IU’s Contemporary Dance Program.

Before moving into his role as Senior Associate Director of Student Services, Justin served as a career advisor, career course lecturer, Senior Assistant Director of Marketing & Communication, and Associate Director of Student Services. He is a certified Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and Strong Interest Inventory practitioner and has completed the National Association of Colleges and Employers Career Coaching Intensive. He currently serves on the board of the Career Development Professionals of Indiana.