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 friends and family, playing with her two dogs, 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 oversees the Office of Career Strategy and the Office of Fellowships, and prior to this role, she served 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. Before 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, is a general advisor for STEM fields, and oversees processes for other advanced degrees to graduate and law school. 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, and NAPLA (Northeast Association for Prelaw Advisors).

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.

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.

Reed Srere joined the Office of Career Strategy in the fall of 2023. As a member of the STEM Connect team and a pre-law advisor, he is excited to meet with undergraduates in all stages of their career exploration process. Prior to being a career services advisor, Reed spent 6 years working at Yale’s Office of Undergraduate Admissions. He graduated from Yale as a history major. In his spare time, Reed loves cooking, playing board games with his wife and friends, and generally enjoying all that New Haven has to offer.

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, including the Connecticut Career Counseling & Development Association (CCCDA) in which he is a past president. 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 (LPC) within the state of Connecticut and a national certified counselor (NCC). 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.

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.

Dorothy Chen (she/her) is a second-year student at the Yale School of Management, having done her MBA internship at Bain & Company in Toronto.  Prior to coming to Yale, Dorothy was a finance director in the Canadian government and started her career in healthcare consulting in the UK.  She holds previous degrees from Columbia and Cambridge, and devotes significant time to DEI, mentorship, and pro-bono leadership.  Dorothy loves outdoor activities and is the proud owner of a dog and two cats.

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. 

Rong Guo is a fourth-year PhD student in the chemistry program. Her research mainly focuses on the development of innovative high-throughput methodologies for the identification of small molecule modulators targeting immune receptors. Prior to Yale, Rong completed her undergraduate studies at Grinnell College, a small liberal arts college located in Iowa. When she finds spare time, Rong loves exploring different cuisines around town and enjoys hitting the slopes for some skiing when the cold season rolls in.

Yesowl is a second-year MBA student at the Yale School of Management. She is a student leader in the Yale SOM Impact Investing Club. Her educational journey began at Korea University, where she earned her undergraduate degree in Business. Prior to joining Yale, Yesowl honed her expertise in strategy and finance through her role as a strategy consultant at Bain and Company, followed by a successful stint as an investment manager at an impact investing-focused venture capital firm. Outside of her academic and professional pursuits, Yesowl is a true dog enthusiast and jazz-lover.

Lucas Kim is a second-year MD student at the Yale School of Medicine. Lucas graduated from Yale College in 2021 majoring in Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry and spent a year doing research in New Haven before starting medical school. Outside of school, Lucas is involved with the Yale Medical Symphony Orchestra, volunteers with the HAVEN Free Clinic, is a Graduate Affiliate for Pierson College, and performs orthopedics research.

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.

Oluwatobi is a second year PhD student in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, working in the Prof. Erika Edwards Lab. His research seeks to understand the origin, evolution, and development of leaf forms of woody angiosperms in temperate regions. Prior to starting his PhD at Yale, he earned his bachelor and master degree from University of Ibadan, Nigeria, and subsequently worked as a Graduate Research Fellow at the National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow, India. Oluwatobi is passionate about empowering young people and fostering community development. He volunteers as a youth worker outside of academia. When he’s doing none of these, he’s spending time with his family.

Niagara is a second year MBA student at SOM, focused on building expertise in marketing and strategy. On campus, she leads two SOM clubs – Business & Politics and Tech & Society. She is also a research assistant for the Yale Program on Stakeholder Innovation and Management (Y-SIM).

Prior to joining Yale, she did her bachelor’s in Applied Economics and Management at Cornell. She worked in the healthcare industry as a marketing consultant at ZS Associates, and in the consumer packaged goods industry through her experience in brand marketing at Mattel. 

Pooja is a second-year MBA student at Yale School of Management and holds the position of co-president at the Consulting Club. Pooja did her summer internship at McKinsey in their Seattle office. Prior to MBA, she was running her own company in India, focusing on education and sustainability. Pooja is an architect by education, having earned her undergraduate degree from IIT Kharagpur. In addition to her academic and business pursuits, she is also an accomplished author and a TEDx speaker, recognized with multiple awards for her startup. When she’s not immersed in her various endeavors, Pooja can be found indulging her love for the outdoors through activities like hiking, skiing, and more.

pronouns: she/her/hers

Rosie is a senior in Davenport College studying Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. She joined the Office of Career Strategy in the fall of 2023 as the Technical Mock Peer Interviewer. Rosie is excited to help students become more confident in their interviewing skills to land the opportunity of their dreams. She spent the summer working as an Engineering Product Manager intern at Chime Financial and previously worked as a software engineering intern at Snap and PagerDuty. She’s interested in the intersection between tech, privacy, and law. At Yale, she’s involved in the Yale Computer Society, First Year Outdoor Orientation Trips (FOOT), and club soccer. When she’s not working, she loves reading, hiking, watching soccer, and spending time with her dog.

AJ is a graduate student in the Interdepartmental Neuroscience PhD Program. His research is focused on using neuroimaging understand the neural network dynamics that underlie optimal cognitive functioning, and how dysfunctional brain networks lead to specific cognitive deficits. His goal is to develop approaches that use this information to improve psychiatric disorder diagnoses and to help personalize treatments. Prior to joining Yale as a graduate student, he worked at the Neuroscape center at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) from 2015-2022. There, he developed tools for enhancing cognition and studied their effects on markers of brain health. He graduated from San Francisco State University with a BS in Cell and Molecular Biology in 2015, where he was also a member of the nationally ranked NCAA wrestling team. Outside of the lab, you can find him hiking/backpacking with his fiancé, practicing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and playing music.

Natasha Turyasingura is a second year PhD student in the Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases department at the Yale School of Public Health, working with Dr. Amy Bei. Her research in molecular epidemiology seeks to better understand malaria diversity and immunity using an interdisciplinary approach involving population genetics, genomics, molecular genetics, epidemiology, and immunology. Natasha is keen to leverage genomic surveillance in endemic regions in Africa to support malaria vaccine candidate credentialing. Prior to Yale, Natasha worked as a Postbaccalaureate Scholar at the Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research in Oncology Drug Discovery and with the Global Health unit and later as an Intern in Translational Discovery at the Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute, both in Cambridge, MA. Natasha completed her BSc in Biochemistry from St. Lawrence University, Upstate New York in 2018. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, cooking, and exploring new cultures and languages.

Flora is a 5th-year PhD student in the Psychology department. She is interested in the capacity humans have to learn new things. In her research, Flora looks at how children and adults think about learning and how their beliefs about learning could affect their learning decisions. Prior to Yale, Flora spent some time at St. John’s College (Annapolis) for a B.A. in Philosophy and at The University of Chicago for a M.A. in Computer Informatics. When she is not working (and when she is working), Flora loves drinking coffee, rock climbing, and boxing.