Staff List

Preferred Pronouns: she/her/hers

Robyn joined the Office of Career Strategy in the fall of 2012 and is eager to meet with students who are at any point of their career exploration process. Robyn oversees the Common Good & Creative Careers team. She also manages a number of public service initiatives for the office including the Yale Alumni Community Service Fellowship and Yawkey Fellowship. She is the Office of Career Strategy liaison for student athletes. Robyn currently services on two professional association committees – the EACE Connections Committee, which manages the Professional Exchange and Road Trips to the Real World and the NACE Committee First Destinations Task Force. Before joining the Office of Career Strategy, Robyn spent seven years at Yale Law School’s Career Development Office as the Associate Director of Administration, where she worked on a number of public interest programs and was responsible for all postgraduate employment reporting.  When she is not working, Robyn is typically either enjoying pizza nights and dance parties or attending/coaching an athletic event with her husband, two children and dog, Hogan.

Preferred pronouns: she/her

Lisa started her Yale career in 2004 and joined the Office of Career Strategy in 2006 where she supported Health Professions Advising and STEM Connect for several years. In 2021 she moved to her current role supporting office-wide initiatives in the Office of Career Strategy.  In her free time, Lisa enjoys traveling with her family, playing with her two dogs, Cosmo and Louie, and listening to podcasts.

Preferred Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Denise focuses on employer development and engagement predominately within business, law and industry, while also advising students as they pursue their career goals. During her time at Yale, she has been actively involved with EACE having served on two committees, and more recently served on a committee for NACE. Denise is a first-year and sophomore college adviser in Branford College. Prior to joining Yale, she advised MBA candidates while at the Lubin Graduate Center of Pace University. Denise began her career working in the financial sector and has held positions at two major financial institutions. She graduated from Stony Brook University and has a Master’s in Education from Fordham University. She enjoys cycling, hiking and paddle boarding. 

Preferred pronouns: she/her

Laurie advises and counsels undergraduates and alumni in Yale College and students in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences interested in pursuing further education and careers in the healthcare and STEM fields. Prior to joining Yale, Laurie held various managerial roles for AT&T. During her tenure with AT&T, she managed a staff of over twenty employees and led process improvement efforts which enhanced the effectiveness, accuracy and delivery of billing information to customers. Laurie earned a B.A. from Albertus Magnus College. She embarked on her new career with the Office of Career Strategy after obtaining her M.S. in Human Services from Albertus Magnus College. Laurie’s latest opportunity has been teaching counseling techniques to students pursuing their undergraduate degrees in human services from her alma mater. As an active member of the National and Northeast Associations for Advisors in the Health Professions, Laurie attends annual conferences and meets with pre-health colleagues and representatives from health profession and medical schools. She is a member of the National and Eastern Associations of Colleges and Employers and the Connecticut Career Counseling and Development Association.

Preferred Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Jeanine joined the Office of Career Strategy in the fall of 2011 after serving as a Director in the Career Development Office at Yale Law School, and a Senior Associate Director in the Career Development Office at the Yale School of Management. Prior to joining Yale, Jeanine worked in career services at both Fordham University School of Law and the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in Manhattan. She is an active member of the National Association of Colleges and Employers and was a founding member of the Alumni Section of the Association of Legal Career Professionals. Prior to transitioning to career services, Jeanine was an attorney and practiced real estate and environmental law in New York and Connecticut. She also served as pro bono legal counsel for South Brooklyn Legal Services. She has a B.S. from Cornell University and a J.D. from Fordham University School of Law. Jeanine is an avid Greek Mythology fan and enjoys spending her free time with her husband, son and two dogs – Artemis and Atlas.

Stephanie joined the Office of Career Strategy in January 2022 as the Senior Administrative Assistant for the STEM Connect and Health Professions Advising team. Prior to joining Yale, Stephanie worked at a community college in Pennsylvania for 5 years supporting career services. She earned her master’s degree in higher education administration from New England College (2020) and she has a Bachelor’s degree in media and communication from Delaware Valley University (2016). Stephanie’s undergraduate experience in Career Services helped shape her decision to enter higher education post-graduation and she is excited to support programs that help students as they take the next step in their careers. In her spare time, Stephanie enjoys camping, kayaking, gardening, reading, and spending time with friends and family.

Preferred Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Lori joined the Office of Career Strategy in the spring of 2001 working with the domestic internship program. She now works with the Common Good & Creative Careers team and also supports graduate students in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. Additionally, Lori oversees the weekly Yale College newsletter content compilation and distribution. She graduated with a B.S. in Marketing from Salve Regina University in Newport, RI. In her spare time she enjoys sports and hanging out with friends and family.

Stephanie joined the Office of Career Strategy in 1999. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Consumer Affairs in Management/Business Administration from Howard University. After graduating she worked as a fire and lawn equipment safety specialist with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission in Bethesda, MD. Stephanie has a passion for health & wellness/nutrition and will be pursuing a second bachelor’s degree in Dietary Science at the University of New Haven in the fall. Stephanie lives in New Haven and when not at Yale she can be found gardening or working on a DIY project at home. She likes to travel, loves children and in her spare time she sings with her church choir and works with the Youth Ministry.

As the director of employer relations, David Halek is responsible for building and maintaining relationships with leading organizations that seek to grow their workforce with the talented graduates of Yale College, Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and Yale’s accomplished post-doctoral associates. Throughout his extensive career in both the private sector, and higher education, David has held leadership roles in strategic marketing, corporate relations, business development, institutional advancement, and operations management. Prior to joining Yale, David was director of institutional advancement services for Western Connecticut State University. Prior to that he was director of omni-channel marketing at boutique consulting firm, Peppers and Rogers Group, and was vice president of affinity marketing at Prudential Relocation Management. David earned a B.A. from the University of Rochester, and M.Ed. and Ed.S. degrees in higher education administration from the University of Florida. David also holds a professional certification in digital media marketing from New York University.

Elizabeth joined the Office of Career Strategy in 2022 as the Recruiting Coordinator after supporting the Arthur Liman Center for Public Interest Law at Yale Law School for nearly five years. Prior to joining Yale, she had been the Director of Marketing for a large Connecticut law firm and worked in the financial industry for many years at the beginning of her career. Elizabeth graduated from Albertus Magnus College with a bachelor’s degree in Business and Economics. In her free time, when not enjoying the Connecticut shoreline with family and friends, Elizabeth and her husband are exploring Washington, D.C., and beyond, with their college-age son.

Elayne has worked in Higher Education, specifically in Career Services for over 20 years and has been at Yale since 2003. Elayne is a general career advisor with a specialty in career exploration. Elayne works with undecided students, graduating seniors and is also a pre-law advisor. In addition, Elayne works with alumni throughout all stages of their career development process. Elayne is MBTI, Strong, SDS and Clifton StrengthsFinder certified.  Elayne holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Mathematics from Manhattanville College; a Masters of Arts Degree in Psychology and a Master’s of Education Degree in Counseling Psychology from Teacher’s College, Columbia University. She has held leadership positions on the executive boards of the Eastern Association of Colleges and Employers, the Metropolitan New York College Placement Officers Association, the New York State Career Counseling Association, the Colleges of Worcester Consortium, the Northeast Association of Pre-Law Advisors and the executive board of the Connecticut Career Counseling and Development Association.

Preferred pronouns: she/her/hers

Kristin McJunkins oversees advising and counseling for undergraduates and alumni in Yale College and students in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences interested in pursuing further education in the health and medical fields, and is also a general advisor for STEM fields. A longtime higher education professional, Kristin began her career handling event planning and facilities management at Widener University, where she obtained a B.S. in Business Administration and M.Ed. in Education. Transitioning to advising services at the University of Pennsylvania, she coordinated the peer/faculty advising program for 1,600 first year undergraduates as well as managed special services for first-year students and sophomores, in the College of Arts & Sciences. In 2004, Kristin joined Johns Hopkins University as a Pre-Health and Pre-Law Advisor, and since 2006 has worked at Yale University, serving as Director since 2009. Kristin is an active member of the National and Northeast Associations for Advisors in the Health Professions, NACADA (The Global Community for Academic Advising), and the National and Eastern Associations of Colleges and Employers.

Kelly McSergi, new to Yale in 2021, is the Assistant Director of Employer Relations. Kelly focuses on employer development and engagement with an emphasis on employers in government, non-profit, education, and the arts. Until recently Kelly served as employer relations manager in the career development center at the University of New Haven. Kelly earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance at Marymount Manhattan College. She then earned a Master’s in Education in Higher Education Leadership at Florida Atlantic University. Kelly has held various positions in alumni engagement, operations, and events at Marymount and Florida Atlantic University. In her spare time, she enjoys exploring new cities, being outside, and having a good cup of coffee.

Preferred Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Meredith joined the Office of Career Strategy in the summer of 2013 where she advises students and alumni as they begin the process of articulating who they are, what they care about, their key skills, and how they want to make an impact in their communities. She has significant experience shaping post-graduate career paths and outcomes for a wide range of students, including those from first-generation and otherwise underrepresented backgrounds, helping them center their lived experiences within a broader understanding of institutional culture, relative privilege, and the world of work. Meredith completed her doctoral degree at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, where her research focused on how high school students from a range of racial and socioeconomic backgrounds become aware of social inequality and motivated to work towards social change. She is also part of the international Leading Change Network, which is a wide-ranging group of educators, researchers, and practitioners engaged in strengthening community organizing efforts throughout the world. Meredith lives in New Haven with her husband; together they are learning a lot from their two young children, whose worlds keep getting more interesting by the day.

Since 2015, Hyun Ja has served as the Director of Graduate and Postdoctoral Career Services in the Office of Career Strategy. In this position, she oversees advising and programming to support graduate students and postdocs considering careers beyond the academy. Prior to this role, Hyun Ja performed strategic business analysis for Yale’s Vice President of Business Operations and Yale Conferences & Events, and served as  the founding administrator for the Becker-Friedman Institute for Economics at the University of Chicago. Before moving into higher education administration, she was an economic consultant specializing in antitrust matters for Charles River Associates.  She received a Ph.D. in economics from Yale University and her undergraduate degree from Princeton University.

Giselle joined Yale Center for International and Professional Experience as a Senior Administrative Assistant in January 2023. Giselle joins us from Yale Law School, where she most recently served as a Senior Administrative Assistant working with faculty and the Arthur Liman Center for Public Interest Law. Prior to YLS, she was with NYU Law School and spent several years with Pax Ventures in NYC in human resources, accounts receivables, and as a financial clerk. Giselle graduated from Pace University with a bachelor’s degree in Finance. In her spare time, she enjoys exploring hiking trails and new cities with her husband and children.

After graduating from Yale as a film studies major, Derek spent a decade in Los Angeles as a literary manager and script consultant. He now organizes and expands the university’s arts career resources. Derek works with students and alumni to explore creative careers, which can include pursuing recruited or external job searches; reviewing submission and pitch materials; improving networking approaches; and helping Yalies to navigate the arts, entertainment or communications related industries. A graduate of the Fairfield Creative Writing MFA program, when not adventuring with his wife and precious/precocious children, Derek is prone to the occasional burst of fiction, both literary and genre: ivanhope.com/writing.

Jorimel joined the Office of Career Strategy in the fall of 2021. As a member of the Common Good & Creative Careers team (CGCC), he supports undergraduate students who are pursuing careers within education, government, and non-profits. Jorimel loves meeting with students as they reflect on their personal and professional development, prepare and plan towards achieving their career goals, and seek to maintain their wellness throughout the job search process. He also manages programming for the CGCC that include overseeing the Yawkey and the Yale Alumni Community Service funded internships. Jorimel is a member of several career-related professional associations, and he is especially active within the Connecticut Career Counseling & Development Association. He studied history as an undergraduate at New York University, where he also earned his M.A. in Mental Health Counseling. Jorimel is a licensed professional counselor within the state of Connecticut and a national certified counselor. Among his favorite activities outside of work include going to the gym, listening to opera, and keeping up with his favorite heroes from Marvel and anime.

Savannah is a second year MBA student at the Yale School of Management. Prior to Yale SOM, Savannah worked as a consultant in strategic communications and reputation management for some of the world’s most recognizable brands. Savannah started her career at Hill + Knowlton Strategies, a global PR firm, where she focused on media relations, before moving to Signal Group, a leading D.C. public affairs firm, where she helped companies advocate on key issues.

Savannah graduated magna cum laude from American University with a bachelor’s degree in business with a specialization in marketing. At Yale SOM, Savannah is active in the Start-up and Entrepreneurship Club, Marketing Club, and Women in Management.

Savannah is an avid weightlifter and her future career ambitions include breaking down stereotypes around strength training for women. She also loves hiking with her boyfriend, Nick, and their dog, Hammy.

Janani is a second year PhD student in the Department of Biomedical Engineering. She is interested in the interplay between macrophages, fibroblasts, and tumor cells in early melanoma tumor progression. Prior to Yale, she received her B.S./M.S. in Biomedical Engineering from Tufts University. In her free time, Janani enjoys cooking new vegetarian dishes and tending to her growing houseplant collection. 

Baiqian is a fifth year PhD student in the Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures. She studies the storytelling tradition in medieval China and how it intersects with social imagination. Prior to Yale, Baiqian did her M.A. in the beautiful Rocky Mountains. When she is not in the library, she can be found happily exploring hiking trails along the Connecticut shoreline.

Helen joined the office of Career Strategy in Fall 2022 as the inaugural Health Professions Quick Questions advisor. In her role, Helen will work with first-year students as they explore their interests in the health professions, and start preparing for medical school.

Helen is a second-year M.D. student at the Yale School of Medicine. Before attending YSM, she was the recipient of a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant (ETA) award to teach at high schools and community centers in Estonia. She has also served as teaching staff at the Summer Science Program (SSP), an international residential research program for high school seniors, for four consecutive summers between 2019 to 2022.

Helen is a graduate of Yale College, where she studied Applied Mathematics and Ecology & Evolutionary Biology. During her time as an undergraduate, she was an avid participant in residential college life, volunteered as an EMT both on- and off-campus, and taught English as a Second Language to adult language learners. She currently is a Graduate Affiliate for Pierson College, conducts computational research within the department of Rheumatology, Allergy, & Immunology, and serves as a production assistant for Primary Care Pearls, a medical education podcast produced in conjunction with residents and medical faculty at Yale.

Janice is a second-year PhD student in German Studies. She is also in the certificate program for Film & Media Studies. Her research explores expressions of non-linear time and temporality in modernist and avant-garde German film, media, and literature. Janice holds a BA in German with a minor in violin performance from Princeton University and a MSt with Distinction in Modern Languages from the University of Oxford, where she was a recipient of the Ertegun Graduate Scholarship in the Humanities. In her free time, Janice is an avid cook, concert-goer, and cat-lover.

Negin Farzad is a second-year PhD.student in the Biomedical Engineering program working with Dr.Rong Fan.  Her research focuses on aging especially in human lymph nodes and discovering the Senescence biomarkers in three levels of Transcriptome, Epigenome, and Proteome. Prior to joining the Rong Fan lab , Negin completed her masters degree in university of New Haven and her Bachelors degree in Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences (SBMU), Tehran, Iran. Negin joined OCS during Spring of 2023 as a McDougal Career Fellow. Beyond academia she is a plant lover and enjoys outdoor activities such as kayaking and hiking. 

Ceilia Gutentag is a second-year MBA student at the Yale School of Management (SOM). Prior to enrolling at SOM, Ceilia was a Client Solutions Executive for a Fortune 10 tech company. Throughout her career, she held various sales roles, all with the commonality of acting as a customer liaison and managing large-scale IT infrastructure and cybersecurity projects.

Ceilia has always been passionate about understanding people and organizations, so she studied Advertising, Business, and Sociology at the University of Texas at Austin. During her time at UT, she was an Ambassador for the School of Undergraduate Studies and a member of the school’s competitive rock-climbing team. Since graduating, Ceilia has held various community service roles and was most recently the volunteer PR Manager for GeekGirlCon.

Ceilia loves talking about career advising strategies as well as anything related to food, traveling, ping pong, rock climbing, and nature.

Yiqun is a third year PhD student in the Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology. She studies the regeneration of hair follicles in mice and humans. Prior to Yale, she completed her B.S. in Bioengineering at University of California, San Diego. At OCS, Yiqun is interested in providing business-related programming for non-MBA students. Besides doing research, Yiqun enjoys cooking, camping and dancing.

Mitch Kobayashi is currently a second year MBA student at the Yale School of Management. Between his first and second years at SOM, Mitch interned in consulting as an Associate at McKinsey & Co, where he will be returning full time after graduation. Prior to enrolling at Yale, Mitch worked in the energy industry across a variety of functions including supply chain, economics, and business development.

Mitch is originally from California, and grew up an avid swimmer and water polo player.  In his spare time, he enjoys playing pickleball, swimming at Payne Whitney, and cooking.  Mitch is involved in the energy club, and serves as a co-leader of the SOM consulting club.

Haofan is a first-year Ph.D. student in the Department of Immunobiology at Yale University. She is broadly interested in the mechanisms of autoimmunity and allergy. Prior to coming to Yale, she earned her bachelor’s degree in molecular biology from Kenyon College. She also served as a diversity advisor as well as a stem mentor. She volunteered for the ATHENAS science program for middle school girls to heighten their experiences near and around science. Besides her roles as a McDougal Career Fellow and a graduate student, Haofan enjoys reading, gardening, and exploring new foods.

Yining is a third-year Ph.D. student working with Professor Andrew T. DeWan in the Department of Chronic Disease Epidemiology at Yale University. She is interested in studying the pleiotropic genetic variants and how they play a role in different complex traits. Prior to coming to Yale, she earned her bachelor’s degree in medicine from Peking University, where she had experience in wet-lab experiments, high-dimensional data analyses, and clinical medicine. Besides her roles as a McDougal Professional Development Fellow and a graduate student, Yining enjoys classical music, traveling, and skydiving, and lives with two cute puppies!

Mytien is a seventh-year MD-PhD students in Immunobiology. Her research focuses on host-bacteria interaction in the gut. She is a student leader in the Yale BBS Diversity and Inclusion Collective, as well as the National First-generation and Low-income Students in Medicine Association. Prior to coming to Yale, Mytien studied Biology (undergraduate) and Bioengineering (master’s) at Cornell University. Outside of lab, Mytien likes to go on hikes with her husky, Jasmine.

Charlotte is a second-year MBA student at the Yale School of Management working to make the transition to a green economy equitable and efficient. She serves on the launch team for SOM’s forthcoming impact investing fund, Yale Social Ventures, and as a Board Fellow for New Haven non-profit Solar Youth.

Before starting at SOM, she focused on building self-sustaining social impact programs and partnerships. Through Teach for America, she taught and was taught by 240 bilingual fourth graders in South Texas. She most recently spent four years in San Francisco at Acumen, a nonprofit global venture fund, where she founded and led Acumen Next, a program for donors who want to learn about impact investing and inclusive business.

Her academic roots are in journalism and American Studies (Yale BA 2013) and she started her career as an economic analyst with Berkeley Research Group. She loves bringing people together over big meals and is happiest on a trail or in the ocean – swimming, surfing, or paddling.

Serrae is a PhD candidate in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science. Her research focuses on tuning the electronic properties of 2D materials via surface functionalization with organic electron donors. She is also involved in Yale’s graduate chapter of the Society of Women Engineers as the STEM Outreach Chair. Prior to Yale, she earned her B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Houston. A Houston-native herself, Serrae enjoys trying out new restaurants, listening to jazz, and doing yoga.

Holly is a third-year Ph. D. student in Environmental Engineering. Her research focuses on optimizing the efficiency of nanomaterials in sorbing environmental contaminants through crystal-facet engineering. She is also involved on the board of the graduate Society of Women Engineers, where she has helped to facilitate a variety of events on campus. Prior to coming to Yale, Holly was a chemical physics major and varsity swimmer at Bowdoin College. She then spent a year as a middle school math and science teacher in northwest Massachusetts. She now works as an advisor for Yale undergraduates and alumni interested in applying to graduate school. Holly is an avid reader, crossword puzzle enthusiast, and cat-lover (especially her cat, Periwinkle).

Kathryn Wall is a third-year Ph.D. student in the Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program (INP) working with Dr. Helena Rutherford in the Before and After Baby Lab. Her research focuses on maternal substance use and its impact on maternal neural processing and infant development. Prior to joining the INP Kathryn completed her bachelor degree in neuroscience at Union College working in the Healthy Aging and Neuropsychology Lab with Dr. Cay Anderson-Hanley. After undergrad Kathryn joined the Yale community as a research assistant in the Modern Diet and Physiology Research Lab with Dr. Dana Small. While working as an RA she completed a master of science in biology at Southern Connecticut State University and master of arts in psychology at American Public University before starting her PhD. Kathryn joined OCS during the summer of 2022 as a McDougal Career Fellow. Beyond academia she is an avid animal lover with three big dogs, chickens, ducks, and guinea fowl!

Alston Wang is currently a 1Y MBA student and Co-Leader in Consulting Club at Yale School of Management. Prior to SOM, Alston worked as a professional pianist with around 8 years of concert tours in Europe before college. Resuming his formal education in college, he worked as brand manager in Giorgio Armani in L’OREAL group after graduation in Taiwan/Paris, and then managed business innovation initiative in Alibaba Europe based in Madrid before moving to New Haven.
Strong entrepreneurship also drives Alston to start his organic ice-cream startup with the purpose to terminate the fruit waster, and Alston also serves as Portfolio Manager at Tsai Center for Innovative Thinking at Yale (Tsai CITY) to mentor and support cross-campus entrepreneurship ideas.

Alec is a PhD candidate in musicology. A native of St. Louis, he earned a BA in Music and French from Grinnell College in 2019. His research, in dialogue mainly with continental philosophy, addresses issues of music, subjectivity, and signification.